My fair Snoopy

I was informed today that Dork Lad was going around the house this afternoon, singing "London Bridge is Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown" before learning the true lyrics.

Honestly, I like his better. Catchy.

Pacing himself

While I was toiling away at work, Dork Lad was at home with Mrs. Dork Dad and Bouncing Lass. He was walking back and forth with a pensive look on his face.

"What are you doing?" my wife asked.

"I'm thinking like Daddy," he replied.

Yes, I have a tendency to pace while I'm thinking (it drives my wife nuts sometimes), but I didn't know he'd noticed.

That, he notices, but me calling his name 500 times mere inches away? Nothing.

So happy together

Well, Mrs. Dork Dad has returned from her trip, and the whole family got to spend a nice day together, which was nice. We all missed her, and she claims to have missed me as well.

I'm going to miss hanging out with the kids now that I'll be back at work, and I'll miss not having to commute every day, but until I hit the lottery, such is my lot in life.

Now hopefully I still remember how to do my job...

Home Alone, Day 4: The home stretch

Well, Mrs. Dork Dad gets back from her trip tomorrow, and huzzah, huzzah, I managed not to burn down the house or lose either of the kids to roving bands of gypsies or supervillains. On top of that, Bouncing Lass helped me vacuum (she hung out in the Baby Bjorn), and I got a load and a half of laundry done.

Of course, my wife does that and more while juggling various freelancing projects, but for me, it's still impressive.

So is remembering to shave both sides of my face before leaving the house, but hey, baby steps, right?

On top of that, I went to my first practice as an assistant coach. Yep, I've been tapped to help teach a group of Little League T-ballers. Technically, the coach does that, but I help out where I can.

So far, it's pretty fun. Probably even more so once the season starts and we play full games. While I didn't play a ton of baseball in my youth (short kids with glasses don't get much chance to shine), I like it.

Hopefully I'll fare better than Charlie Brown did with his team.

Home Alone, Day 3: Things get goofy

I have managed to heal my son, which is good, because if he was motionless much longer, I think my daughter might have tried to eat him. She likes the food.

We're currently watching Goofy cartoons, which both Dork Lad and I enjoy quite a bit. The skiing one is probably my favorite, but just about any Goofy cartoon is better (for me, anyway) than watching There Goes a Dump Truck for the skrillionth time.

The next cartoon is starting, so I'd better get going.

Home Alone, Day 2: I'm only sleeping

Dork Lad seems to be sleeping off the tummy bug he picked up; poor little nubbin. He's keeping hydrated and getting some rest. He'll probably be up and running tomorrow.

Home Alone, Day 1: He tasks me...

So natch, the first day I'm in charge of the kids, Dork Lad decides he's going to do the Technicolor yawn. Barfing kid--always a crowd-pleaser. Meh.

Bouncing Lass (so named for her bionic spring-loaded legs) isn't being too bad so far, although I'd like to eat at some point. A superhero's gotta eat, right? Oh well. Not like I'm going to waste away to nothing...

Impending doom?

For the next 5 days, I'm going to be in charge of the kids, as Mrs. Dork Dad is going away on a trip. Now is the time for you all to place your bets on how I'll do.

My prediction: I will have a beard by the time I go back to work Tuesday.

The kids are pretty good, so I should be all right. Plus, I did used to be home with Dork Lad every day, so it's not completely new.

The startling origin of Dork Dad!

I'm a dork. At various times, I've also been a geek, a nerd, and a spaz, among other things.

Being a dork used to cause me great anguish, but recently, I've been learning to use my powers for the good of mankind.

Granted, a lot of that anguish was negated by the fact that I married a gorgeous brunette and had children, but everywhere I go, I tend to feel out of place, like a lightsaber at a Star Trek convention.

Now where my super powers come into play is dealing with my 4-year-old son, Dork Lad. Like his dad, Dork Lad isn't quite like the other kids, and you know what, that's totally okay. I'm realizing it's not about what's right, or what "normal" is. It's how we are, and how we can use that knowledge to better adapt to our surroundings.

The better I understand how my brain works, the better I can help my son. He's not exactly like me, luckily for him, but we have enough in common that you can tell we're father and son, even without matching capes.

I just want to do the best I can in training him before he leaves the Dork Cave and goes out in the world. And as much as I teach him, he's going to be teaching me.

This blog is a record of our education.