This board (as most of the past successful and formerly active at-home Dad boards that have now faded out) tend to gravitate towards the guys with infants, toddlers, or very young kids. With good reason...that's when you need the most support and other's input is the most helpful (and when you have the time to post...) Here's a preview of many of your futures (and something those of you with older girls can relate to)..and an attempt to keep it current for those of us with somewhat older little ones:

New phase in our house... With help from Mike N at last year's convention, I greatly improved my hair handling skills (and have even invented a "do" that my girls now ask for with some regularity). Now I have another new line on my "resume" in addition to "hair stylist" - DD8 has been struggling with nail biting for about a year (real down-to-the stub biting). Turns out that having nail-polish on seems to stop the biting, she says it's a reminder to her not to bite. She also REALLY wants nail polish and knows that this is about the only reason DW and I might consent to letting her "wear" nail polish that is more substantial than just a crayola washable marker... :-) Somewhat to my chagrin, they put on real nail polish at day camp about two weeks ago (black, for that 3rd grade goth look)...but lo and behold she hasn't bitten her nails since and for the first time in a year I got to trim them this evening. She was SUPER proud of herself! I also got to reapply nail polish (the real kind...although an eco- and body friendly kind that doesn't have scary solvents in it). So, add a new line to my resume: manacurist. (A fairly normal job for a man living in my neighborhood in San Francisco.. :-), but that's a different story...) I must admit I did a pretty lousy job...but DD8 doesn't know the difference and is thrilled!

Holy cow, tween-nees is just around the corner. I guess I should just be thankful that she's still asking for my help with cosmetic needs....soon enough my contribution will simply be providing change so she can jump on the streetcar to go downtown to go shopping...

Ack!

- Andy