A few of Noah's favorite things:

Just to bring everyone up to speed on things that we tend to take for granted, I figured that here, as a "blog of record," I should record some of Noah's current favorite things, along with some of my observations. In no particular order:


1. Soccer. For the uninitiated, 3-year old soccer is like no other sport you've had the pleasure of witnessing. While the young players are not up to speed on the technicalities of "the beautiful game," they play it with an exuberance that is entertaining and sometimes tragic. Like the time Noah decided to sit down IN the goal because it was his "tent." Or like the time he chugged up and down the white line on the field in true Thomas the train fashion. Never mind the coach wanted him to stand against the wall. And then there's the time he decided to lounge on his back in the middle of the field, rolling lazily as in an alpine meadow. Often the parents get more exercise than the children.

2. (Old) McDonalds You would think the clown would weird him out, or maybe that's just me hoping. But Noah loves the chicken nuggets as much as I did when I was a kid. I remember the highlight of a field trip to the Arch in St. Louis: not the history, nor the ride up to the top of the Gateway to the West, but the McDonalds on the way home. There was something magical about the way those nuggets all had the same irregular shape, coated with a greasy, crispy coating that yielded to the vaguely sponge-like interior. And the sauce! You just couldn't get stuff like that at home. Now I know why. At Noah's age though, the actual highlight of the visit is the brightly colored plastic hot zone known as the "playground."

More to follow...