Posted by Joe Poulas on December 02, 2009 at 06:35 AM in Parenting, Television | Permalink | Comments (3)
We spent Thanksgiving in Cincinnati with my wife's third cousins thrice removed. And despite a week that began with a ten hour car ride and two children who were erupting at both ends, it was one of the more delightful holidays I can remember. It was a trip rich with missed family, great food, new friends, and a fair share of bourbon, all combining for a ton of laughter and memories. Some notable moments include:
Posted by Joe Poulas on December 01, 2009 at 06:57 AM in Holiday, Parenting | Permalink | Comments (3)
Posted by Joe Poulas on November 25, 2009 at 10:00 AM in Holiday, Parenting | Permalink | Comments (3)

Don't Forget Two, originally uploaded by unfinished dad.
I keep telling you how tough it is being the second child. This is our list of important things to remember for our Thanksgiving road trip.
Posted by Joe Poulas on November 24, 2009 at 02:37 PM in Parenting, Travel | Permalink | Comments (2)
Children's books come and go. Most last no more than a few reads. Some manage to reel in the little ones for a little while longer with shiny foil pages and crinkly animal tales. And some intrigue parent's with deeper meanings that are out of reach for kids. But every now and then a book reaches the whole family. It resonates with them and speaks to the lives they lead.
In our house that book is Sometimes I'm Bombaloo by Rachel Vail. If you have a "spirited" two-year-old, the story speaks for itself. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the spot on illustrations of Yumi Heo though. They breath life into the character of Annie, I mean Katie Honors.
Posted by Joe Poulas on November 24, 2009 at 06:00 AM in Books, Discipline, Parenting | Permalink | Comments (3)
For my brother and me fighting was natural. Second to breathing, it was what we did. As early as I can remember we were at each other’s throats. The most vivid memories of my childhood revolve around the battles we had, all of which ended with my laying in a heap on the ground. Funny then, that I was the one who started those fights. Sure my brother knew how to incite violence in me, but when it came time for punches to be thrown, I was the one to throw them. Come to think of it, I was always that way, even when it didn’t involve him. I was a polite and respectful child. There was just something in me that needed to fight.
Posted by Joe Poulas on November 20, 2009 at 06:59 AM in Parenting | Permalink | Comments (3)
The weekend saw a couple of hits and misses here in Chevy Chase. The weather finally turned from biblical to beautiful, and on Sunday we drove over to Great Falls Park to make the most of it. With a few thousand of our friends, we took advantage of a rare mid-November 70 degree day, collectively trying to keep our children from jumping into the river. Tilda didn't seem to understand that, in this one instance, she was not afforded the same luxuries as the dog. The more I kept her from the river's edge, the more she cried. Eventually she pulled a page out of her sister's book and lay in the dirt crying until we gave up and left. Now, the camera doesn't work without a memory card, so here is a photo that a friend of ours took right as Tilda reached the water.
This weekend also saw a setback in the sleep department. Annie has decided that she doesn't want to sleep without her best friend. I have tried everything from ignoring her cries, to rationalizing with her, to bribing her with presents. Last night I asked her, after an hour of crying, what she would rather have, a present for trying to sleep unassisted or her Bob. She took me for the fool I was, and two seconds later she was sleeping soundly, Bob firmly in mouth. What do I do now?
Finally, we seemed to have reached the critical mass of ensnared cave crickets in order ward off any newcomers to my basement. There are now eight traps down there. Four of them are completely full and the remaining four vary from half full to a lone cricket in the trap furthest from the washing machine. He was either an outcast or a fool. Though, considering his massive size, he may have just been the baddest, most adventurous. I'm not about to call this battle over - reinforcements can't be too far off - but I think I can keep the upper hand if there are always glue traps spread around the basement. They really seem to love huffing that gel.
Posted by Joe Poulas on November 16, 2009 at 07:27 AM in DC Metro, Hunting, Parenting | Permalink | Comments (2)
The DVD player in our car is taking over my life. What started out as a way to get through a long trip to Surfside Beach has become a crutch for driving five minutes to the grocery store. I try and keep to the basics so that I don't go completely mad.
Lately Sesame Street Old School has been on heavy rotation. I can't get enough of the way the show used to be. The DVD's even come with a disclaimer that the material may not be appropriate for today's children, as evidenced by an early clip in which the characters wonder weather or not the show should just be called "Hey, Stupid" because its intended audience won't be able to read. But, by far, my favorite thing about the DVD's is Kermit the Frog. He's a little subversive, a little New York (listen to that accent), and yet totally endearing to children. Poor Don Music never stood a chance.
Posted by Joe Poulas on November 12, 2009 at 11:01 AM in Music, Parenting, Television, Travel | Permalink | Comments (3)
I finally got Annie to the dentist this weekend, after canceling two appointments for illness and over scheduling. She walked through the doors geared up for the worst. Sunglasses (for the bright light)…check. Bob…check. Little sister to push when I’m upset…check. I was nervous about how she would react to a stranger poking around in her mouth, because she’s Annie, and Annie doesn’t always roll the way other children do. She is also my wife’s daughter who, when she was younger, got banned from her family dentist due to poor behavior. More than 20 years later, when I was looking for a new dentist, my mother-in-law sent me to the same practice—the secretary still remembered the day of the ban.
Posted by Joe Poulas on November 09, 2009 at 06:41 PM in Discipline, Parenting | Permalink | Comments (2)
Clemyjontri.
Really that's all that needs to be said, but for those of you unaware that the greatest playground in mankind's brief history is sitting in your backyard, let me gush a bit. Located in McLean, Virginia, Clemyjontri Park (a name derived from the primary benefactor's four children) is a handicapped accessible playground perfect for children of all ages. The entire surface—and it’s a considerable size—is rubberized. So when your 2 year-old falls off the see-saw and your 1 year-old trips over her new shoes, they come up smiling. For every piece of equipment that is meant for the fabled 5 to 12 year-old demographic, there is something for the toddlers too. We spent over an hour there this morning and, despite temperatures in the 40's, the kids were happy the whole time. That is until one of the mothers let her son walk around with a bag of Cheez-Its. He was like the Pied Piper.
Before we get to the pictures, know this parents—the last picture is the only one that made me truly smile. The architects of this great oasis may have actually had someone like me in mind.
Tilda and I weren't sure what this was exactly, but it looks cool.
Kiddie Maze!
Pitfall on Atari was a great game, no?
Don't worry the carousel is open on weekends still.
Ahhhhhhhh.
Posted by Joe Poulas on November 06, 2009 at 02:13 PM in DC Metro, Games, Parenting | Permalink | Comments (4)
Joe, aka Unfinished Dad, Washington DC More about me...
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