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I wonder when my son and I will have this conversation. It’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when.

I’ve always assumed that my offspring would be inflicted with the technology disease as I carry. You might be able to draw parallels between his interests and mine. You might see him tapping away on a keyboard next to daddy. He might spend time, sword in hand, helping dad to rid the world of digital evil.

Then again, you might not. He might rebel against my computerized lifestyle. He might forego a mouse for a good pair of hiking boots. He might choose a hammer and nail over a joystick. He might look at X-rays instead of an Xbox.

You just don’t know.

In truth, I hope he finds a good middle ground. There’s plenty to discover, on both sides of that glowing screen. I’d hate to see him think of the wonders of the real world as secondary just because of the easy access of fantasy worlds at home. What I do know is that technology will influence his life.

The toys and tools available to him dwarf what was available to me in my childhood years. Cable was a burgeoning concept. Round disks that played music were called records. A computer in the house was something for the rich kids. The internet – heaven forbid – wasn’t even on the radar. All these electrical doodads will do more than just divert his attention. It will change the way the way he looks and experiences the world. His rose colored glasses may be painted with the screens of a PDA.

When he does reach computer age – which should be in about a year or so at this rate – I’ll be there watching, observing. We both have a lot to learn. I’d guess that a laptop in his sandbox may be more realistic than you think.

Someone unexpected said “hi” to me this morning. Normally a simple greeting isn’t something to get excited about. In this case, I make an exception. That person was my son. Hi was his first word.

I’m not dissapointed that his first word wasn’t “mama” or “dada”. God knows he has heard those two words a lot; both mom and dad are anxious to see which one he calls out first. I’m just happy to communicate. I’ve been greeting him with a “hi” for a week or so. I’m glad he returned the favor. One word down. About 600,000 to go.

Cam is in one of his activity spurts. For weeks, he doesn’t seem to change much at all. Then – all of a sudden – he starts doing a myriad of new things. He grabs at everything in sight. Clear the table. Here comes his roving hands. His legs pump up and down, just searching for something to topple. He’s so close to turning over that the countdown is now measured in days, not weeks. Daddy tries to move him that extra inch by force of will alone.

It’s an exciting time. He’s moving up and moving on. It’s an incredible thing to witness, even as those cuddly baby days slowly slip on by. Soon mom and dad will no longer spend their days perched above a bright-eyed child. We will be too busy chasing him through the house.

I look forward to it, in a “how much more tired can I get” sort of way. Watching him grow up will undoubtably be one of the grandest experiences of my life. His hello of this morning is but a glimpse of the world to come.

Cam, hello. It’s going to be great getting to know you.

When my wife informed me that a plague of locusts were making their way across Idaho, I didn’t believe her. I needed to see it for myself.

It turns out that they are everywhere. The news showed them crowding the street, making the roadways slick and slippery for passing cars. A nearby lake had swimmers practically bathing in the little suckers. Mormon crickets are making the folks of Idaho think of biblical times. I imagine that’s one of the reasons that why my brother and his family will be happy to touch down in the good state of Maryland this Saturday. Hopefully, it isn’t the only reason.

It’s not like we have much more to offer here. They may think of Moses when crossing the street. We have Noah on our minds. Maryland can claim two full days of sun since the beginning of May. I could swear that I saw a fellow building a large boat on my way to work. It was hard to see through all the trees — and the giraffes.

In any case, I’m looking forward to a visit from my brother. I like to think I’m reasonably close to all my siblings, even as they have moved their separate ways. I miss them and their respective families. It’s nice to catch up. We’ll do some swimming, spend a day catching a rollercoaster or two, and muse a bit about nothing at all. It will be a fun time.

I just hope he leaves those bugs at home. That’s one part of Idaho I can do without.

A funny thing happens when you try for over two and a half years to
have a child: the concept of never creeps in from the side. After
a while it does more than slink around in the background. It rears
its ugly head and faces you head on.

What if I never get the chance? What if all these attempts, all
this effort, end in nothing but failure?

You prepare for the worst. Adoption is not something we just
considered. It is something we researched. I have no doubt
that I could love an adopted son as my own but what if we can
never do it ourselves. What if?

This only begins to explain how incredibly lucky I feel this
day. The child sleeping silently in the room behind me is a blessing
indeed, a treasure whose first cry answered the prayers of
his mother and father.

As I unwrap the first of, what I hope, is many father’s day presents
today, I know that none will ever come close to the gift God gave me
just a short time ago. His gift allows me to celebrate this
day and I thank Him.

As a new parent, one of the things you quickly notice is how family friendly your old hot spots are. For example, the wife and I were quite impressed with Don Pablos. They invited the three of us in and offered a cool little contraption that would cradle our child’s baby seat. Similarly, Texas Steaks offered us a booth. Our little child stayed perched atop that table, resting while mom and dad ate some shrimp and ribs. Today, I was surprised to find a place nestled in the heart of Baltimore that provided an experience quite the opposite. Unfortunately for us that place, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, was our destination.

It seems that the Aquarium, in all their wisdom, has decided that strollers are the bane of the universe. These evil little devices clog the hallways and generally make it difficult to get anywhere. Kids on wheels? I don’t think so. Park those suckers right by there by the door. They’ll be there when you return with tired arms and a struggling child against your chest. Trust us.

The cold wind of the inner harbor battered off the ticket window as I took this in. Let’s see. I took off today. We gathered our things and child into the car. We picked up a friend and their young child and drove to the inner harbor. We found a parking garage and made the trek to the Aquarium where the aforementioned wind was quickly turning the face of my friend’s daughter blue. I don’t think so.

Disappointed, we turned away.

I have to say, I was surprised. The Aquarium must certainly attract a family crowd. Asking me to leave my possessions behind and use (what I believe is a rented) public (almost assuredly disease carrying) carrier isn’t my idea of friendly. Maybe we should have read the fine print. Might I suggest a new sign, right next to the ticket prices:

We didn’t let this spoil our day, though. We found our aquarium in a new location: Outdoor World in Arundel Mills. It may not have had sharks but I saw fish. See? We took pictures. In my book, that counts.

We spent most of our morning up at the mall, letting the dreary weather swirl around outside. We had some lunch and visited the Children’s Place, a store I will likely return to for both shopping and playing. The center of their store is one big playground.

We might not have had the sights and sounds we expected but, as usual, the company was good. Cambell got some fresh air and I didn’t spend the day slumped over my keyboard (right now doesn’t count). I’ll just have to remember that next time I start thinking about fish, I better start thinking about bringing my backpack.

Two weeks ago, I took a day off work and went to the zoo. I had the time coming – a couple of late nights meant my storage closet was full of unused overtime hours – and the forecast was beautiful. It couldn’t have been an easier decision.

The trip itself was notable for a couple of reasons. For one, it was the first real family outing of the new Woottons. Second, it was shared by not one family but two. Two close friends of ours and their lovely child accompanied the wife and I. I don’t think I’d be incorrect in saying that fun was had by all, children and adults alike.

My early morning found me navigating the twists and turns of downtown Baltimore, rather than the dusty haze of I-95. What greeted us was a parking lot simply bubbling over with minivans. Strollers lined the walkways as anxious parent after parent awaited their turn at the ticket counter. Our wait, while reasonably long, was pain free. There’s something about good company and the fact that I wasn’t sitting behind a desk that can make a wait tolerable, even pleasant, especially when accompanied by the morning sun.

I’m happy to report that our little tike was a little angel. He started his visit with hunger in his eyes and, after a little incident where we realized his nipple was clogged, he turned his focus from the tigers we passed to the bottle in his mouth. He soon settled down for a nap. A nap that lasted the entire length of our visit.

Their tike was similarly well-behaved. She, being about a year older than Cambell, was happy to take in the sights and sounds. Those right there are birdies. That’s a prairie dog. Go ahead and pet the goat. You know you want to.

It was great just to get out – both out of the house and out with friends that we’re always happy to spend time with. It certainly marks a transition. They were our couple friends. Now they are friends of the family. Heck, they are part of our family. Come on kids. You are coming with us.

Sleep is something you take for granted until you have children. It’s not like you don’t know you take it for granted; horror stories lurk behind every parent’s corner. It’s just that you don’t really think about it. Why should you? A good night’s sleep does wonders to clear up the haziness.

You don’t realize how much you appreciate a good night’s sleep until it’s a rare occurence. To a new parent, a good night’s slumber can feel like a distant memory. It’s something you used to have, like training wheels or recess. You’re a big boy now. Sleep is for the kiddies.

My personal sleep schedule has changed quite a bit. I’ve been in the “stay up late, get up early” camp for a long while. College only solidified the habit. Parenthood has made my schedule a bit more honest. Late has transitioned to midnight, not 3 am (heavens, that’s almost time to wake up). I often find myself up several times a night for a quick bathroom visit and a Cambell check. He’s breathing. Shew.

Early now has new meaning. I knew life had changed when I woke one Saturday morning at 6:30 am. I was thrilled! I got to sleep in.

To be honest, we’ve had little to complain about. When he was very young he ate about every three hours, day or night. After a couple of weeks, he transitioned to a better schedule, upping the ante to every four hours and then to just a morning 4 am meal. Some nights were better. Some nights were worse.

Lately, sleep has come in more regular intervals. Ten hours is now more the norm than the exception. Occasionally, he’ll wake and take a bottle in the very early morning but most of the time, mom and dad get a little time to ourselves and a little shut-eye too. These little early morning episodes remind us of our blessings and keep us prepared for teething – something that is just around the corner. We never forget how fragile a little extra sleep can be.

Just tonight, the wife spent some time in Cambell’s dark room packing his bag for the next day. Cambell was down for the night, sleeping quietly in the bed beside her. Something woke him, causing him to stir and look up at her. The wife, in a fit of sleep desperation, ducked beneath the crib and slinked silently from the room. Someday he’ll approach me about the little monsters hiding in the corners of his bedroom. I’ll have to explain that it’s just his mom. She doesn’t bite. Much.

The other day I couldn’t help myself from humming a Lionel Richie tune while I took my morning shower. Little Cambell slept all through the night. For the first time ever, I woke before he did.

The initial reaction of the wife and I was the same as any first time parents faced with a good night’s rest: fear. What happened? Did you get up with him? Is he ok? I’ll go check on him. Shew.

Our next reaction was all smiles and celebration. We would have danced the jig if it didn’t require us to get out of bed. Let’s hope this is the start of something special. Of course, the following day (yesterday, if you are following along), the one-time pattern didn’t hold. Still, we are both quite hopeful for the future.

For those who are wondering, Cambell is doing just fine. As my little object of facination, he has become more interactive every day. Coos and giggles are now the norm. He grasps at this and that, often latching himself to my clothing and refusing to let go. You can hold his gaze for a long while. Peek-a-boo is prime entertainment. Baby Eistein proves an interesting distraction.

He’s also developing a personality. Like all infants, he’ll let you know when he’s frustrated. He’ll let the world know when he’s mad. When he’s content, his facial expressions are littered with clues. When he’s happy, one of his signature smiles lights up the room. I’ve never seen a child who could smile so much with their eyes.

His mom on the other hand, is preparing for a bit of a tough time: she’s going back to work next week. The balance between work and baby is something we debated for a while. We recognized the need for income. We, and especially she (as the prime money maker in the household, my role was never in doubt), expressed the desire to participate in our child’s life during the daytime hours. You make sacrifices. In this case, at least, I think we did a good job putting our money (or lack thereof) where are mouth is. She’ll be going back part-time after a three month hiatus. I have to say that I feel incredibly lucky that we have the financial means to pull it off. Cambell will get to see his mother much more than the average bear.

It also signals a bit of a transition for me. After three months of letting the wife take on the majority of the nighttime feeding chores, I will be asked to take a larger role. Part of me will lament the sleep I’ll lose. Another part of me doesn’t think an extra hour in the middle of the night sounds like a bad addition to the little time after work that I see him each day (I’ll be sure to read that sentence to myself at 4:00 am one evening).

I think it will be good for the wife to get out a little more and converse with the natives on a more regular basis. I also think it will be great that mommy and baby can take more than occasional trips to the park or zoo in the middle of the afternoon. I know the wife is dreading her return to the workforce. It may help to tell her that I’ll know how she feels as she’s frets at her desk. I miss him too.

The last week was full of activity for my little boy. It would have certainly made his head spin, if he was a little better at holding it up in the first place.

On Monday, we visited the doctor’s office. It was vaccination time. The four needles to follow were a trial to both baby and parents alike. Each plastic tube bared its prickly head. My brave little boy responded to each with a bit of grumbling, a ten second burst of crying, and a very quick recovery. I was a little stunned. Two hearts swelled with pride as one little head allowed the red of his temple to fade back to white. We called a couple of folks on the way home just to report the facts. Add grandparents to the list of the proud.

On Thursday, good weather nudged my wife and son to my workplace. Time for a little show and tell. He woke immediately as I pulled him from his car seat. Eyes were wide and searching. Our tour of the third and fifth floors of my building were pleasant. The occasional coo and smile greeted passersby.
Our visit to the fourth floor was more eventful. He began to get fussy and quickly let us know he was done with all these new faces. Two floors are filled with people who think our child is an absolute angel. The other floor is probably wishing us luck with our little hellion. All in all, though, everything really went very well.

The ensuing lunch also went well. Again, the wife and I scarfed down Mexican cuisine as a quiet baby looked on. One surprise was that Don Pablos had a special stand designed to hold baby carriers. As a new parent, you quickly determine which restaurants are really family oriented. I’m happy to add one to the list that serves really good fajitas.

He wasn’t done. Saturday’s events included a baby shower. Two good friends of ours made the trip from New Jersey for a couples shower. We couldn’t be happier for them; we’re always happy to include more of our friends in our quickly growing parenting throng. Their pending little girl will not suffer from a lack of love. It was the first shower that I’ve attended. Luckily, the couples format meant we could show off the babe to some friends we no longer see enough of. It’s also the first shower that I can confindently state served beer. Maybe the women have something here.

This whirlwind of activity lets me breathe heavy sighs of relief. Not only do we design events around our little boy, we include him in ours. He was brave at the doctors, happy to see a bunch of new faces, and good when we really wanted him to be. Things won’t always be this easy but it never hurts to get off on the right foot, even if that foot has more needles waiting for it in just two more months.

Last Friday, I was a wimp. A little snow fell from the sky and, for the first time this year, I took a snow day off. It certainly wasn’t the blizzard of last week. There were no drifts of white to shovel but there I was, sitting at home wondering if I really should have went to work.

By noon, the had snow stopped falling and the roads outside my home were miraculously clear. The temperature had warmed up and there were no winds to speak of. Instead of hopping in the car and slogging through the commute to work, I decided to relieve my wife’s cabin fever.

We did so by running out to lunch at the local Mexican restaurant. I say “the” because we’ve been so happy with their service and food, there really doesn’t need to be another one in our area. Plaza Girabaldi suits us just fine.

The caveat of this trip is that we brought our two month old child along. Our fingers were crossed that he would behave and they were not crossed in vain. Perched upon the table, he slept comfortably within the safe confines of his baby carrier. For two parents that have spent the majority of two months inside their home, the freedom of a relaxed meal without the need for a sitter was richly rewarding. See? We can have our fried ice cream and eat it too.

Then, largely by my prompting, we ran off to Best Buy to purchase some CDs (namely Nut Sack by Rodney Carrington and Cocky by Kid Rock – trust us, we knew what we were doing). I don’t think I’ve had a more enjoyable visit to that wonderful store of technological glitz and glamour. The aisles were clear. We were free to browse this way and that without rubbing elbows with disgruntled customers or anxious kids. My wife tagged along as I showed her all the things that I absolutely had to have. Subtle smiles indicated that some things would eventually follow us home. Others would always remain on the shelf, just out of reach (like that plasma TV). My baby boy took his first trip to Best Buy well by taking another nap. I hope he likes it in here. He’ll undoubtably be back.

A trip to BabiesRUs was thrown in because of a couple of recent needs. Nipples were in short supply and our old baby monitor had its best days behind it. The wife and I were tired of banging the monitor on the wall to get it to work or finding the best spots in the house to make it screech with static. It was time for a replacement. Our trip to BabiesRUs very much mimicked our trip to Best Buy, only this time I trailed the wife rather than the other way around. We did just a little bit of shopping and a lot of browsing. Future needs and potential presents for some soon-to-be parents dotted the shelves.

The rest of the day just slid on by at a very easy pace. Neither of us were really hungry after a big lunch so dinner was small and pain-free to prepare. The baby duties were split up for the rest of the day, allowing my wife an extra bit of rest at the end of a work week. It was the kind of day we both needed to recharge our batteries. I’m not so sure I should have shirked my duties at work to stay at home with the wife but, to be honest, I was really glad I did.