kids

I’m actually okay with airbrushing from a design standpoint — to an extent. So long as you “clean up” blemishes, I’m fine with it. But I also believe mainstream designers have gone to far recently, especially when they start digitally thinning tubby individuals or make humans look more like plasticized wax than a living organism. The above photo illustration, by Jill Greenberg, is brilliant in its subject (to candidly capture toddlers crying), but her Photoshop hack job looks disturbingly awkward. Can we at least spare the children? This picture would have been so much better unadulterated.

In speaking with a 14 year-old boy at church a few weeks back, this was the reply given when I asked how he was doing:

My mom grounded me because I came home past my curfew last week. It sucks — she took away my PS2 and all my girl jeans.

The grounding and PS2 parts I can relate to. I was a boy not long ago (and still am to an extent). But the confiscated girl jeans as punishment? I just don’t get it, even if that’s what budding hipsters are wearing now.

Blake, I’d like you to meet Behind The Times. Behind The Times, say hello to Blake.

Parents say the most whimsical things to influence kids — especially when their two-year-olds constantly question “Why?” after every command. This is Sadie right now.

She has this little toy Elmo that she likes to take with her at all times. Expectedly, Lindsey and I are trying to put the kibosh on that — more for convenience than principle. So when leaving for church yesterday morning, Sadie of course wanted to take Elmo. “No,” her mother replied to which Sadie quickly retorted, “Why?”

“Because Elmo doesn’t believe in religion — he’s an atheist.”

Later that night, while trying to persuade Sadie to eat her veggies after she repeatedly questioned “Why?” I said, “Because Elmo’s a corn-eating fool.”

In a single day, the muppet became a corn-eating atheist. God bless his soul.

Lindsey and I went the doctor today to solidify evidence that she is, in fact, pregnant with our second child. Sadie, our first, is currently a year and a half old. I’m really excited with the prospects of another little mini-me running around the house, filling it with more life than it already has. And I’m really proud of Lindsey, not only as a husband, but as a father too. She really does a great job with Sadie and is very patient while teaching her. She’s hoping for a girl as am I. But a boy would be just as exciting (i.e. the pressure of having both flavors would be off). We’ll find out what we’re having in a couple of months.

A hat tip to any seasoned fathers and mothers out there with lots o’ kids and/or teenagers in the house. I feel for you. Sorta.