Thursday, June 14 -- Baby Talk

There is a really nice community pool in our neighborhood, with a big area for little tikes to run around in.

Side node – I just looked up “tike” in the dictionary to see whether it was spelled with an “i” or a “y” – check out the derivation of the word, as well as its other meanings:

Pronunciation: 'tIk

Etymology: Middle English tyke, from Old Norse tIk bitch; akin to Middle Low German tIke bitch

Anyway, he had a great time at the pool. He was a little nervous at first, like he is in just about any new situation.You should have seen him the first time we put him in the grass – he acted like the yard was on fire or something. But soon, he was splashing around, having a good time – he didn’t even mind too much when his face got wet (something I still can’t stand).

My wife said that he must have been thinking, “What am I doing out here with no shirt on?”

I responded that he was probably really thinking, “What am I doing in the bathtub with my pants on?…”

The little guy (I won’t use the word “tyke” anymore) is getting to be a real card. My wife helps out in our church nursery occasionally, and she said he wreaks havoc in there every chance he gets while most of the other babies his age just sit there. He even went up to a baby who was lounging in one of those saucer-shaped walkers, pulled the pacifier out of the incredulous baby’s mouth, and popped it into his own. They could hardly stop laughing enough to tell him that he wasn’t exactly supposed to do that…. I don’t blame him, though, really – every pacifier he’s ever seen before has been his, right?

We have another Pirate game to go to this Saturday. We only have 2 tickets, so it’ll just be us as a nuclear family – I think the weather is going to cooperate enough that we can take the baby, too. (He gets in free until he’s 30 inches tall – it’ll be at least six more months until he reaches that mark.) This’ll be his first time at a ballgame. As much as he likes bright lights and noise and everything, he’ll probably have even more fun than we will, especially considering that he’s too young to understand how pathetic the Pirates really are.


	e took the Little One to the pool last night. There is a really nice community pool in our neighborhood, with a big area for little tikes to run around in. Side node – I just looked up “tike” in the dictionary to see whether it was spelled with an “i” or a “y” – check out the derivation of the word, as well as its other meanings: Main Entry: tyke Pronunciation: 'tIk Function: noun Etymology: Middle English tyke, from Old Norse tIk bitch; akin to Middle Low German tIke bitch Date: 15th century 1 : DOG; especially : an inferior or mongrel dog 2 a chiefly British : a clumsy, churlish, or eccentric person b : a small child Wow…. Anyway, he had a great time at the pool. He was a little nervous at first, like he is in just about any new situation.You should have seen him the first time we put him in the grass – he acted like the yard was on fire or something. But soon, he was splashing around, having a good time – he didn’t even mind too much when his face got wet (something I still can’t stand). My wife said that he must have been thinking, “What am I doing out here with no shirt on?” I responded that he was probably really thinking, “What am I doing in the bathtub with my pants on?…” The little guy (I won’t use the word “tyke” anymore) is getting to be a real card. My wife helps out in our church nursery occasionally, and she said he wreaks havoc in there every chance he gets while most of the other babies his age just sit there. He even went up to a baby who was lounging in one of those saucer-shaped walkers, pulled the pacifier out of the incredulous baby’s mouth, and popped it into his own. They could hardly stop laughing enough to tell him that he wasn’t exactly supposed to do that…. I don’t blame him, though, really – every pacifier he’s ever seen before has been his, right? We have another Pirate game to go to this Saturday. We only have 2 tickets, so it’ll just be us as a nuclear family – I think the weather is going to cooperate enough that we can take the baby, too. (He gets in free until he’s 30 inches tall – it’ll be at least six more months until he reaches that mark.) This’ll be his first time at a ballgame. As much as he likes bright lights and noise and everything, he’ll probably have even more fun than we will, especially considering that he’s too young to understand how pathetic the Pirates really are.