“Iron is a metal, you see it every day.” Isaac sings, out of tune, in his room.  He’s not loud, but he [...]]]> From time to time I like to document the bedtime routine.  In this way I will be able to look back at various trends and remember them, either recalling misery or pleasure of the experience.

“Iron is a metal, you see it every day.” Isaac sings, out of tune, in his room.  He’s not loud, but he can be heard in the adjacent bedroom.

Gabe’s bedroom.

“Oxygen, eventually will make it rust away.”  Isaac is really into elements lately.  I bought him a periodic table (jokingly in preparation for kindergarten) and he’s been reading all about this interesting aspect of science.

Gabriel listens quietly to one book after another.  The process is this:  pick one book, add another at Daddy’s request, assure Daddy that these are the only two books that a person could want.  We then read the books.  Once the second is finished, he states “Just one more book.” Then, “I want lots of books.”

“Carbon in its ordinary form is coal.”  He’s been listening to They Might Be Giants quite a bit lately.  Carol printed the lyrics out for him so that she could prove that carbon, in its natural form, is coal, not cold.

At the start of Gabe’s fourth (or sometimes third) book Daddy states, “Ok, this is the last one, then we turn off your light.”  Once it’s read, Gabe turns off his own light.  Never shall that light be turned off by another person.  It is Gabe’s duty to turn it off.

“Crush it together and diamonds are born!”  Isaac officially sets his own bedtime.  The only real stipulation is that he plays or reads quietly in his room.  Unofficially, he is pressured to go to bed around 9:00.  This is usually achieved.  The ‘quietly’ stipulation doesn’t have quite as good a track record.

Gabe and I snuggle once the light is off.  I sit by his bed, arm around his little belly.  The appropriate snuggle duration varies, but usually lasts from one to twenty minutes.  Basically it goes until Gabe stops kicking and repeating random sentences from his stream of consciousness.  Plus one minute.

I leave Gabe’s room after that extended snuggle.  I know it’s not over.

Seconds later, Gabe appears at his door.  ”Just checking on Isaac.” he states.

I pick him up, and put him back in his room.

Repeat this for anywhere from five to sixty minutes.  Eventually he stops coming out.

At some point during evening Isaac shouts “I’m ready to get tucked in!” He runs out to find a parent or two.  We talk about our day and about what is expected for the next day.  We try to list things that we liked about the day and some things that we didn’t like.  Today Isaac didn’t like “When Gabe said he didn’t want to wrestle me and then wrestled anyway.”  Lights go off and he goes to sleep.

Victory.

It’s the longest our bedtime routine has ever been, but at least it’s done without a struggle.

I pretty much ignore him.  I glance at him after a second or two.  I am curious, but my coffee requires some attention first.

Plus, I don’t think he needs my help yet.

“It’s going to be Connect Four.”

Now I really am curious.

Three days later after hours of effort, [...]]]> “I’m going to make my own game.” Isaac sounds determined.

I pretty much ignore him.  I glance at him after a second or two.  I am curious, but my coffee requires some attention first.

Plus, I don’t think he needs my help yet.

“It’s going to be Connect Four.”

Now I really am curious.

Three days later after hours of effort, Isaac has produced the following:

• Dozens of yellow and red circles cut from construction paper.
• A circular base, also from construction paper.
• Dozens of squares.  Gabe decided that he was going to make Candyland, and Isaac has been kind enough to help — by making squares.

There has been no parent intervention.  No help, no suggestions, no prompting whatsoever.  I admit that at this point I am extremely curious about how he expects this construction paper creation to actually function.  I am curious to see how long he will work on it.

And I have to admit that I am extremely proud of his inventiveness and creativity.

Even if he is just creating a game that totally already exists.

I will be:

Traditionally she and I have eschewed the whole gift-giving thing.  We have an agreement just to appreciate each other and acknowledge our love with a date or some time together.

We did that this year.

We also got each other a present.  One present.  From both of us, to both of us.

Of [...]]]> Today is Carol and my seventh anniversary.

Traditionally she and I have eschewed the whole gift-giving thing.  We have an agreement just to appreciate each other and acknowledge our love with a date or some time together.

We did that this year.

We also got each other a present.  One present.  From both of us, to both of us.

Of course, tradition dictates the sort of gift a person is supposed to give on each anniversary.  First anniversaries get paper; third anniversaries get leather.

Most people, don’t know it, of course, but the seventh anniversary is the best of all.

On seventh anniversaries spouses are supposed to buy each other…

Motorcycles.

Happy anniversary, Carol.  I love you.

This is Gencon.

There are a good many things I like about this convention.  The hours of the day are packed with fun, breaking only for that pesky interruption of sleep.  From DnD [...]]]> Captain America walks next to Solid Snake, a Big Daddy lumbering in their wake.  Two Links pass each other, acknowledging each other with a nod.

This is Gencon.

There are a good many things I like about this convention.  The hours of the day are packed with fun, breaking only for that pesky interruption of sleep.  From DnD to board games my hours were filled with good people playing great games.

The seminars I attended were informative, and may have sparked a dangerous interest in freelance writing, an interest which has been slowly creeping up over the past year.  The presence of so many normal people whose writing earns them money makes me think that it might just be a possibility for me.  I love writing, after all, I see no reason why I shouldn’t get paid for it.

I learned that the next year of DnD will feature very few books of interest, making me a little bit more exited about this year’s video game line-up.  After all, if I’m not squandering my money on Dungeons and Dragons then it has to go somewhere.

It was a great trip, and a good chance to get away.

I did miss the family, though.

I am glad to be back.

Let’s see if that feeling continues tomorrow when I get to work.