May 30, 2011

Animals in Brooklyn

Last summer, right around this time, Sippy Cup and I took a trip to the Prospect Park Zoo.

This year, once again on a complete whim, we decided to repeat the trip but to drag a very pregnant M.O.M. with us as well (apparently a lot of walking is encouraged when you're ready to get rid of the 8 pound bowling ball you have tucked away in your stomach).

Whether through coincidence or good timing, the baboons in the zoo had recently had babies as well.  This led to a few interesting anthropological discoveries as the M.O.M. and I learned just how similar our parenting techniques are to those of wild animals. 

At first, we were a little taken aback by this discovery. 

Then we both realized that when your child is a wild little monkey in his own right, then baboon parenting tricks are just the thing he needs.

As always, there are more pictures after the jump.  Enjoy.

May 23, 2011

M & N Pastries

When we aren't busy raising children, this is how the M.O.M. and I pass the time.

It keeps us sane.  And it's a lot less expensive than therapy.

M & N Pastries

May 22, 2011

Commercial Break

Believe it or not (in spite of the fact that I spend most of my day playing video games with my son), I am still able to string complex sentences together at times and sound semi-eloquent.

This is especially true when I am expressing an honest and sincere sentiment.

I have been a fan of Me In My Place for quite a while now. This weekend, I finally figured out why and I decided to contact the creator and let them know of my epiphany.

As it turns out, they agreed with my opinion/theory and decided to publish my email.

I know that Me In My Place (kind of NSFW...but in a really beautiful way) may seem to have absolutely no connection to my adventures in parenting.

Nevertheless, if you read through my email, you'll see that it does.

I am going to be the father of a little girl in a few weeks. The thought of her ever having to struggle with a poor self-image breaks my heart.

I can only hope that sites like these help to remind her that, no matter what she looks like, she will always be the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world.

Please click the link and spread the love.

Received this nice email yesterday…

May 21, 2011

Sign of the Times

I am pretty sure that this conversation counts as a sign of the pending Apocalypse.

Sippy Cup (laughing): "Dad, remember that time we were in the supermarket and you dropped
all the little tomatoes everywhere?!"

Me: "That was random.  But, yes, I do remember.  I remember you and your mom laughing.  A lot."

Sippy Cup: "Yeah!  It was funny!"

Me: "Yeah, I guess it was pretty funny."

Sippy Cup: "Yeah.  I gotta put that on Facebook."

Me: "Say what now?"

Sippy Cup: "That story.  I have to put it on Facebook."

Me: "Wait a second.  How do you know about Facebook?"

Sippy Cup (shrugging his shoulders): "I don't know.  I just do."

Me: "So then why do you want to put it on Facebook?"

Sippy Cup (laughing): "Because it's funny!  Come on, Dad!  You said it's funny too! 
Let's put it on Facebook!"

May 16, 2011

In Cloudiest Day

With the upcoming premiere of the film Green Lantern on June 17th, the good folks at DC Comics, Warner Bros., Mattel Inc. and BSM Media invited Lil Sippy Cup and his friends to play with the toys and actions figures that are to be released in conjunction with the film.

Although it should go without saying, I want to make it perfectly clear that we received no compensation for this party.  While this site is primarily a journal for my son to enjoy when he's older, I felt that this would be an exciting opportunity for him and, as an awesome additional benefit, he would be able to play with some fun toys. 

Needless to say, he and his friends had an amazing time.  The toys were bright, colorful, easily shifted and posed and, most importantly, incredibly durable. If they survived the mad genius of Sippy Cup's fiendish imagination, then I am pretty sure they can survive anything.

The kids all watched a Green Lantern feature-length animated movie, played with the toys, flipped through the hard-cover illustrated novels and enjoyed a custom-made cake courtesy of yours truly and the M.O.M.

All in all, it was a pretty awesome way to spend a cloudy and rainy weekend in New York City.

As always, please follow the jump for more pictures. 

May 10, 2011

Milestone

Today was a very special and important day for me.

Today, Sippy Cup chose his own outfit, without any parental assistance or input.

Much more importantly, he didn't look like a complete lunatic when he was finished.

I present to you, my son's first solo outfit:


Red chambray shirt.  Blue tee shirt.  Brown cords.  Red Chuck Taylor's.

Most dads brag about their sons hitting home runs or scoring touchdowns.

Today, I finally know what that feels like.

May 4, 2011

The Food Pyramid

Lil Sippy Cup recently learned about healthy diets and the food pyramid.

Like most of us, he learned this thanks to The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food.

As you'd expect, it took him all of 1 week before he put his newly acquired knowledge to good use.

Sippy Cup: "Dad, I want a snack."

Me: "Sure.  What would you like?"

Sippy Cup: "Candy! Candy! Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaandddddy!"

Me: "Right.  But you already learned that candy isn't good for you.  Remember? 
You should pick out a snack that has good stuff in it.  Like vitamins."

Sippy Cup: "Hmm...do carrots have vitamins?'

Me: "Yes sir.  Do you want a carrot?"

Sippy Cup: "Nope.  Does milk have vitamins in it?"

Me: "Yep.  Do you want some milk?"

Sippy Cup: "Nope.  Does cheese have vitamins in it?"

Me: "Yes.  It's made from milk.  So, since milk has vitamins, cheese has vitamins too.
Do you want a string cheese snack?"

Sippy Cup: "Nope.  Does chocolate have vitamins in it?"

Me: "I don't know.  I don't think so.  Dark chocolate has some vitamins.  But I'm not sure about milk chocolate.  That bar is milk chocolate.  So it has some milk in it."

Sippy Cup (jumping up and down): "Then I want milk chocolate!  I want milk chocolate! 
Chocolate has milk!  Milk has vitamins!  So, milk chocolate has vitamins!"

Me: "Yeeeeaaaah...I walked right into that one."