Finally, the house is clean and tidy.

It’s been a long process. We had our floors refinished back in January, so we had to essentially move all of our belongings out of our house right after Christmas.

And then we had some new furniture delivered.

Read More

When I first started this blog, I did not allow myself to plan.

I knew that if I stopped to plan, I would psyche myself out. Instead, I just started writing.

There was something soothing about the fact that each thing I posted here was meant to be a discrete piece of writing, on one topic, with a beginning, middle, and end. I didn’t have to figure out how they all fit together.

Read More

A friend’s infant is learning to creep.

Engaging every muscle he can, he propels his body along the floor to reach a toy, encouraged by both of his parents. The strain shows on his face and can be heard in his grunts and cries.

And then, just as he is about to reach the toy, his father nudges it a few inches back.

Read More

Sometimes, even though I have been a grownup for many years now, I balk at doing my chores just like I did when I was twelve.

My temper tantrums look a little different than they did when I was twelve, just as my adolescent temper tantrums looked different than the ones I threw when I was two. But they still show up.

I feel suddenly tired. I crave sweets. I look for something to distract me. I whine, even if there’s no one around to hear me whine. Sometimes, the whining takes place in my head.

Read More

When I was a music teacher, I had to present some counterintuitive ideas to parents who wanted to instill a love of music in their children.

Rather than advocating for a romantic, passionate affair with the instrument, I took a much cooler tone.

I suggested that practicing music is just like brushing our teeth. We do it whether we want to or not, and then it's done.

Read More