Fatherhood

It's now official, our walls have been decorated by our son for the first time. Patrick had been drawing in his coloring book with a marker. He wandered off, as he does at times. Not hearing him for a few seconds, I wandered into the dining room to check on him. What I discovered was an entire wall covered in orange marker ... just at his shoulder level. He looked at me with a look of excitement in his eyes. He was so proud of the artwork he prepared for us ... I was a bit angry, but more amused (though I couldn't let it show). Thankfully, it was a washable marker and a wet sponge made short work of the artwork ... Patrick was a bit upset that it was gone; that is until he found the raisins. Have I said before that he is ALWAYS hungry these days ... UPDATE: Now, not only have we done artwork on the wall, we have decorated one of the toilet covers ... with the red Permanent Marker he found!

I do not remember quite when I first heard the phrase, "Throw it against the wall and see if it sticks." It could have been my mother, grandmother, or aunt ... it could have been someone along the way as I learned to cook. But, this phrase is one that comes to mind whenever I am cooking an Italian meal. Recently, this phrase has taken on new meaning for me as a father and as a cook. Patrick has taken to throwing food and with his seat near a wall, we have had spaghetti, yogurt, and macaroni plastered to the wall ... to name just a few foods. And, I am sure there are more foods on their way.