'Tis the Season for Cheer, Cheerios

When I called my wife, Mom Dude, at work this morning to tell her about our son Buck's latest accomplishment she couldn't have been more overjoyed. Today, for the first time, Buck successfully ate Cheerios. You may ask, "Why would that be a big deal?"

Well, one of the many cool aspects of first-time parenthood is the many jaunts down memory lane, back to our own childhoods. Cheerios not only were a young Mom Dude's favorite food, but it was also her first word.

I had the same waves of nostalgia wash over me last night as I was compiling a list of toys for my mom to consider buying for Buck's first Christmas. Memories lept off of my iPad screen as I clicked on staples such as Fisher-Price's See N Say and Xylophone, Radio Flyer's red wagons, and LEGOs, as well Green Toys' cool take on the dump truck. Of course I also had to add in some noisy things like a tambourine and maracas, because it is waaaaay too quiet around the house (yeah right).

Hopefully the near-constant thoughts of youth help balance out the stress of sleep-interrupted nights and the constant mild anxiety that we are doing a good job doing the whole child-raising thing. Of course, they can't turn the grey hairs that I have back to brown; I've earned them.