It is that time of year when the nation pauses to watch the best NCAA teams battle it out for the right to be crowned champions. I LOVE the opening round of the NCAA tournament, getting my fix of great games. Last weekend was like Christmas for me, seeing teams like Wichita State, N.C. State and Notre Dame advance to the Sweet 16. I get easily bored of the perennial powerhouses. I can admit that I don’t watch enough college basketball to accurately predict these games. I fill out a bracket to familiarize myself with the tournament field. I love picking the sentimental favorites to do better than they have any business doing. I’m a bit of a bracket idealist. Then, when my bracket is totally busted two days later, I’m too busy enjoying the chaos to notice or really care. I love watching the low seeds that no one predicted slip into the late rounds. Parenting a toddler isn’t all that unlike watching the tournament. Sure there are some likely events that take place, but every once in awhile that toddler will flat out surprise you. In fact, they are pretty good at it. For example, on a Tuesday night in our home, it is predictable that Jamie will take a bath. That event occurring is as likely as a #1 seed knocking off the #16 in the opening round. Barring the craziest circumstance, it’s pretty much just going to happen. It is also likely that during dinner he will try to use pizza sauce for styling gel, whenever he has a slice in front of him. That is a foregone conclusion. But the other night we had a true Cinderella moment when Jamie passed on his chicken and yelled for green beans the entire meal. That was an unpredictable outcome that neither his mother or I would have predicted. We were willing to overlook the assault on our ear drums, because he showed a preference for vegetables. Moments like that are why you play the game. Playing blocks is another surefire bet around our house. It’s got the predictability of a #2 seed versus a #15 game. You can be pretty sure that he is going to want to play. What was less predictable is that the game shifted from “play blocks” to “blocks away,” with no parental prompting. That #15 seed has to win every once in awhile. Then there are the events with 50/50 outcomes. Those are like the #8 versus #9 seed games. There is an entire menu of food options that Jamie will eat when he feels like it and, pass on when he doesn’t. I’ve seen the kid totally obsess over pizza....

Some days I wish I could see the world through the eyes of a 2-year-old. This is not so I can laugh hysterically, 30 seconds after a crying tantrum that involved unrolling my lower lip to the floor. It might be nice to turn a bad mood around with that kind of speed, but what I’m interested in is seeing everything as new again. The picture accompanying this post is a recent reaction to a Jack-in-the-box. To be honest, I’m not sure the last time I reacted to anything with the look this picture captures. There are a lot of things he got from me. That expression isn’t one of them. As the weather has warmed, I routinely take Jamie on walks around our neighborhood. We are located a few miles from a small airport, about a half-mile from train tracks, and have an on-ramp behind our home. (If the future owner of our house happens to be reading this post, none of this is as bad as it seems.) One day a small plane was coming in for a landing as we walked. Jamie pointed, grinning, and saying “Whoa!” as it lowered in the sky. There’s a plane museum at the airport that I plan on taking him to soon, so that he can get up close and personal with these giant machines. After a full day of work and home stress, it is difficult to hang on to this sense of curiosity about the world. It is difficult to not look up at the sky and think “It’s a freakin’ airplane,” as he marvels at the approach. If there is a lesson here it is to stop worrying about everything long enough to see what is right in front of you. There is a time for paying bills and a time to enjoy your surroundings. The ability to quickly compartmentalize and appreciate our surroundings is diminished in adulthood. Kids don’t have to worry about bosses, bills or any other anxieties beat into the heads of adults. They are great at vocalizing their curiosity by questioning everything. The world needs people who can hang on to this skill. Like creativity, curiosity can be easily lost as our priorities begin to shift in adulthood. People who can appreciate their surroundings and live in the moment are generally happier. I’m lucky enough to see that boy wonder in action every day. It serves as a reminder to recapture some for...

The Most Dangerous Word In a Toddler’s Vocabulary Most people would think it’s the word “no,” but parents have a way of overcoming that word. It might grate on your patience for a little while, but in the end, you can typically win. I’m talking about a different word. I’m talking about the word that can make you feel like your toddler truly is the real head of the household. Just when you think that you are the master of your own schedule, your kid turns and utters the word “Again!?” It doesn’t matter what you are doing with your kid, when he or she utters that one, you know that you will instantly be behind schedule and/or extremely exhausted. There is no moving on from the current situation without a battle. The other day I was pushing Jamie around the driveway in his wagon. Every time I stopped to readjust the handle he would turn and say the word. “Again!? Again!?” Sure it was in the form of a question, but there was an overwhelming sense of urgency to the situation that left dad with little choice in the matter. I’ve also heard the word as I do bodyweight exercises with him, lifting him over my head as we play. That can only happen a finite number of times. I hear it a lot playing games like hide and seek or peek-a-boo. It’s usage can become more frequent directly before driving to daycare, or directly before bed. Toddlers are creatures of repetition. It doesn’t matter if it’s the second time or the MILLIONTH time, if they enjoyed it, they cannot get enough. Most adults get sick of watching a movie after just a few times. I’ve never met an adult with the same tolerance for any movie that Jamie has for Frozen. Jamie’s also been clamoring for “Outside?” since January. Now that he’s on to the warmer spring weather, every time we exit the car at home, he tugs on my hand and says “No!!! Outside!” If I take him out there on his tricycle, wagon or toy car, he’ll start saying “Again!?” the second I try to bring him back in the house. It doesn’t matter if it’s dinnertime, you worked all day and you’re tired, or you simply have to go to the bathroom. It doesn’t matter if your arms are about to fall off from lifting him over your head. Gut check time. Toddlers are slaves to repetition, and you’re not the head of your household. That’s what makes “Again!?” so dangerous. If you like what you read, please vote for me by clicking the Top Daddy Blog Link below or sharing on social media....

I’m only two years into this whole parenting thing and some days it feels like there are more questions than answers. I feel like Meg and I are making it up as we go along, and I’m slowly coming to terms with that. Parenting may be the most difficult things somebody can do in life without a manual. Good parenting is a concept that is totally subjective, and much more of an art than it is a science. It can also be totally contingent on the situation. What worked for someone else may be a load of B.S. for you. A lot of well-intentioned people will offer their parenting advice, sometimes unsolicited. In two years, I’ve learned to take what applies and throw the rest out the window. At first I had an anxiety and edge that came with every major decision that we faced. There are definitely times that I still feel that way, but it no longer consumes my entire existence. Here’s some parenting questions I’ve asked myself from time to time:  Am I being too lenient? Am I being too strict? Am I being too impatient? He’s crying because I took his toy away. Should I give it back? Should I handle things differently or the same next time? Do I give my son too much TV time? Should I let him watch Frozen AGAIN? Should I let him play games on my phone, or is he too young? Does he really have to eat his vegetables? I know I missed about a million parenting questions that pop up from a daily to a weekly basis here, that are just as relevant to good parenting. There are times when the answer to these types of questions is “yes,” and there are times when it’s “no.” Jamie’s our only child at least for now, and I don’t want to spoil him. He needs to understand the word “no,” and that there will be many, many moments in childhood that he won’t get what he wants. On the flip side, he’s also 2, so there’s no need for the hyper disciplinarian to surface. Right now, his job is to stay inquisitive, play and be happy. For the most part, he does exceptionally well with all of these things. But as anyone who’s spent any time around a toddler knows, they’re susceptible to drastic mood changes and temper tantrums. If anybody needs me, I’ll be selectively grabbing the advice that fits from the “parenting experts,” and throwing what I don’t need out the window. Good parenting can just as easily be accomplished by making it up as you go along.  ...

Two years ago yesterday your mom and I sat in a pancake house eating breakfast on a damp and chilly Sunday morning in March. These are not the tiny details I typically remember from years past, but circumstances were anything but ordinary. Your mom looked at me in an utter state of discomfort and said she wanted to get this baby out of her. She was a few days shy of 9 months pregnant. Because of the chilly weather we walked indoors at Target. We would walk a few feet and stop so she could put some things in the cart, and then we’d walk some more. We pressed on for what felt like hours. It slowly became one of the most expensive “walks” I’ve ever taken, due to the location, and proximity to retail goods. The walk had the desired impact physically, because later on that night, we went to the hospital, and she had you. I’ve written about that part, the scare that you put us through, and some of the stupid things I said in the moment as well. After a lot of craziness, the doctors pulled you out and we heard you cry. It’s a sound and a moment I won’t ever forget. Holding you in those first few minutes, all I could think is how lucky we were—and still are. I kept thinking how scary everything is because I’ve never done this before, and how small even the largest infants can feel (9 pounds 7 ounces). I didn’t want to damage or break you, but you’ve proven resilient. I promise not to bring these kinds of details up on every birthday. But I bring it up this time, only to say that so much has changed. You’ve grown from that tiny infant into a handsome young boy—and it’s been a privilege to watch this transformation every single day. Every time we begin looking at old pictures we inevitably circle back to how quick this transformation occurred. Your personality has kept pace with your physical growth, and I hope it continues to develop. You’ve been blessed with a full-bodied smile that can light up a room. I know you’ll do well with that gift. I love watching your interests develop and shift over time. I love seeing you dance to the music, play with your favorite toys, and interact with your family (even the cat). I wish I had more to offer you as far as wordly wisdom but those moments will come. For now, I just want you to continue being so happy and imaginative. I hope your curiosity for your surroundings is something that never goes away. I hope you continue your desire to make others...

Most of the time, my son’s disposition is all rainbows and sunshine. He runs around the house bouncing off the walls. He smiles, he laughs, he wants to play games But alas, he is also 2. Which means he is occasionally susceptible to violent mood changes and temper tantrums. These fits can be more difficult to predict than the weather. As a parent my natural instinct is to be there and comfort him. Sometimes I have to shake my head and just marvel at the reasons why my kid is crying. With a little bit of care, we can return my son to his previous happy state. Sometimes it takes a little longer than his mother and I would like, but on a whole, for parents of a 2-year-old, I’d say we’re lucky. Some of the crying fits seem to fit into the neat category of what we could call regular 2-year-old logic, and some just don’t. I’ve always meant to take a picture and submit some of this absurd logic to Reasons My Son Is Crying, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I figured I’d start the conversation here. Here are some reasons for crying that make sense for a 2-year-old (I’m guessing): We removed him from the toy he was playing with to change his diaper. This was greeted with a loud cry of “TTTTOOOOYYYSSSS!” while the lip fell down so far he could trip over it, and then he began openly sobbing. We made him eat one more piece of broccoli than he could tolerate. Hitting his head on the coffee table. Washing his hair. The spray over his head bothers him. When his stuffed elephant falls a few feet out of reach while we are changing his diaper. We won’t let him watch Frozen for the MILLIONTH time. We won’t let him play a game that is on our phones. Here are a few of the puzzling reasons why my kid is crying: The Cubs lost. He had better get used to this or it will be a long, painful existence. Same thing goes for if the Bears, White Sox, Bulls or Blackhawks lose. Seeing grandma and grandpa necessitates a car ride first. We made him finish his hot dog before he could have his strawberries. We made him finish his pizza. We told him he couldn’t drink the bathwater. We told him to drink his milk. We took the milk he wasn’t drinking out of his hands. The good news for our sake is that for the most part, he is growing out of the air raid siren cries. Biologically, he no longer needs to let everyone within a mile radius know...