Cruiser

Riding Season!!, originally uploaded by aldo c zavala

I'm learning a lot from being a dad. This month I learned there is a difference between actual "crawling" and just "pulling yourself around the room." Ashley was doing an effective army crawl last month. Now she is honestly hands-and-knees crawling.

Everything has changed again. I installed a baby gate at the top of our stairs not a day too soon; her new hobby is crawling to the edge and throwing down toys. She also enjoys opening drawers and slamming them shut, and reaching for electrical outlets. All of a sudden baby-proofing makes sense.

Mischief

Kaiju 33, originally uploaded by modern_fred

Ashley has learned to be naughty. She found my collection of VHS Godzilla movies and she loves to chew on the boxes. If I take one away, she goes straight back to the shelf for another.

She was getting restless sitting in a safety seat during bath time. So we filled the tub with about an inch of water and let her crawl around in there. It didn't take long for her to find the drain. She loves letting the water out. It's a bit of a challenge to get her clean before the tub is empty.

My wife says she's not old enough yet to consciously misbehave, but I know better. I recognize that gleam in her eye. That crooked smile that says, "I know I'm doing something that I'm not supposed to be doing, and I like it."