We are so lucky. While we have no family in this part of the country, we are surrounded by lots of friends. Helpful, babysitting, diaper-changing friends.
And as the famous saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child.
Having said that, we have tried to balance the kindness of our friends and their [...]

Last Wednesday, I went biking with baby along the extensive network of trails near my house. Thursday, I hiked Red Rocks with my neighbors. Friday, it was off to Lion’s Park in Golden where we pelted sand at innocent passers-by from the playground’s gargantuan sandbox. Saturday, was The Great Grape Massacre Stomp at Belmar’s [...]

We nod at each other. It’s more than a greeting. It’s acknowledgment. We’re in this together.
We’re Passenger Seat Parents.
I put off letting my teen-aged son get his learner’s permit for as long as I could. But I finally grew weary of his constant reminders of how, you know, unfair it was when everyone else [...]

My real name is not Annie. It is Annette but I have been Annie since Day One. I’m not even sure why they bothered to name me Annette. Mom and Dad just should have put Annie on the birth certificate.
When I started college, I thought that I would try out Annette [...]

I have four children between the ages of ten and two. Three of them are fully potty-trained. What that means is that I was able to teach bright, albeit somewhat incoherent human beings, how to control their bodily waste removal function. Three times. Me. The girl who’s too lazy to wear shoes with laces.
It’s [...]

Lamaze: do I really need to do this?
Let me start by saying that during our first pregnancy, MRS and I attended an Over 30 Lamaze class which allowed us to meet a lot of new friends and realize that we were not the only couple in the world without tongue rings and lower back tattoos [...]

A couple of years ago, a friend invited me to join her playgroup at Bellview Park. It was a glorious sunny day, the kind you relish as you watch your 1-year-old test out her wobbly legs like a baby bird taking flight.
As the mothers talked freely, the children played. They splashed in the stream, [...]

My husband Bryan and I never thought we would have kids. Seriously. Never.
I never babysat, was never was good with children – never had that “spark” so many people have that make children simply adhere themselves as if they were a giant felt board.
In 2000, we had a large family reunion in Germany. Everyone [...]

I hate confrontation. And I’m quite envious of those who don’t. If you’re someone who can describe the act of confrontation as “unpleasant yet do-able,” I’ve just added you to the list of people I highly regard. I stand in awe of the people who actually derive pleasure from a knock-down, drag-out argument. This is [...]

The first time I ever heard of Spongebob Squarepants was in November 2000 when I was in LA on business. Two of my co-workers and I went holiday shopping at the Universal Studios theme park, and Yvonne bought several Spongebob-themed items for her nephew.
I didn’t yet have children, and I barely gave Spongebob a passing [...]