Newfangled Dad

It was my night to take Leda to swim lessons again and we were much better about not arriving early this time. Get in right on time, choose a duck, head to the pool with no waiting. Lots of dads there again--clearly, parents are splitting the duties like us. (We always joke that we're a very typical family for being so atypical.) Leda knew where we were going immediately and was super excited. But I think she used all her energy in anticipation because about halfway through the lesson she just zoned out. She was cold and tired and 6:30 is just too close to bedtime. She didn't jump in like she did with Kelly, but we sang songs (and clung to her rubber duck) with enthusiasm. It's a mix of kids with different ages and developmental stages so it ranges from smaller than Leda up to Cole's age. So Leda's not quite ready for the closed "scoop" finger bowl making elementary strokes in the water. She blows bubbles in the air but isn't quite ready to blow th...

I thought about making this a multi-part series, but there are other fish in the sea to blog about. So hang in there, this may get long... Drive out the tollway from Chicago past Rockford and it's a whole different landscape. Go through the Land of Cheese...past Madison, the Dells, strange places called LaCrosse or Eau Claire...and you will eventually come to the Land of Nice. To tell people from Chicago about this place makes it sound like Oz. Really it exists. (The roads are free!) It's a crazy place where when you pay for gas--with cash, no prepay necessary--the station attendant skeptically eyes your vehicle trying to decide if $40 will fit in it. "Come back for your change if it won't take it all." Umm, sure thing. It's a crazy place where drivers do something called a " zipper merge " politely taking turns letting each other into traffic via a "use all the space then be nice" philosophy. In Chicago, it's every driver for him...

With my son, cloth diapering was also a statement in addition to being the right thing. We put a lot of time and effort and research into whether the diaper service would work for us, what covers to use, etc.. In the end, pardon the pun, it turned out great. We loved it and have had every intention of going back to cloth now that the sunny, smelly summer months are over. Then Leda happened. Not that it was her fault. She's just given us other priorities and worries. My son has his "diapering station" in his room where we've got a changing pad setup on the ottoman with wipes and lotions on the window ledge. For a whole variety of reasons, Leda has taken up semi-permanent residence in the living room. For middle of the night changes that rarely happen anymore. For space. She occupies the long chaise with her padded nest and lap pad at the end. When she was first born, it was just easier than worrying about waking up Cole. On the other hand, cosleeping wasn't som...