http://www.fatherhooddiary.com Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:16:19 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Layla has expanded her vocabulary to two words: Da-Da, and Shoe. A typical morning involves Rachelle and I greeting the baby in the morning while she's standing in her crib patiently waiting to be lifted out so she can start her day.  The conversation goes a little something like this: Me: Hey! ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/11/05/one-year-old-and-talking/ This was the first year that Layla dressed up for Halloween. She was a mouse and a good one at that. We paid a visit to the neighbors to collect some candy, then to the Fare household, then to my mom's house for some greasy dinner. I have to ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/11/01/i-love-halloween-candy/ Last night was grand. I managed to sneak out of work a little early to try to beat traffic, which was a success.  In fact, I can't even remember yelling or cursing at another driver, which is rare. I got to the house before Rachelle and Layla, and I was starving.  When ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/10/30/oreos-andthe-phils/ On Saturday we celebrated Layla's first birthday.  It's unbelievable how fast time went by. I remember when she would lay on the floor and stare up at the ceiling, just kicking her feet.  And now, just this morning she was chasing her 1-year-old friend Zachary around the living room to ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/10/27/my-pork-chop-is-1-year-old/ Today is our two-year wedding anniversary for Rachelle and I.  It's been a great, and busy two years.  I'm pretty sure that living with me is like living with a 9 year old child with ADHD, so anybody who has dealt with me for this long deserves a trophy. On Saturday ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/10/21/kettinger-family-anniversary/ Every six months or so my keeper lets me out of my cage to run loose and play.  This weekend, two of my brothers, two friends, and I went to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire and spent the night at a hotel close by.  To make things even more interesting, we ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/10/14/a-manly-day-at-the-renaissance-faire/ On Friday we took off of work to take Layla to the zoo for the first time.  We decided on the Cape May Zoo since it's less hectic to get to than the Philadelphia Zoo, and also because it's free so if Layla is bad and we have to leave ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/10/12/zoo-day/ Just before Layla's bedtime I ask her if she'd dance with me.  Usually she flat-out ignores me and continues trying to pull the dogs' hair out, or whatever other important things she has going on, but then I just scoop her up because I'm bigger and a lot stronger than ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/10/02/i-have-a-new-dancing-partner/ Rachelle had to leave the house at 6:00 am this morning to go to terrible New York City for a work meeting and dinner, so I was on solo baby duty.  Poor Layla. I rolled out of bed at 6:10, crept slowly and quiety down the hall like a burglar, and ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/09/17/i-was-a-single-mother-this-morning/ Rachelle's face is oozing germs and she's coughing like a bear.  Apparently she contracted the disease that I was fighthing last week.  Layla had it a little bit over the weekend but it looks like nobody got it as bad as my wife has it now.  She took off work ... http://www.fatherhooddiary.com/2008/09/03/rachelle-is-sick-layla-is-trouble/