WW#36: Where's A.? (Our Reverse Peekaboo Game)

Wordless Wednesday: Where's A.? (Our Reverse Peekaboo Game)

There's this game we play with A., our thirteen-month-old daughter.  We call it "Where's A.?"  It's kind of like a reverse peekaboo.  Instead of hiding of our faces, A. hides hers--either under a blanket or behind a pillow--and we say "Where's A.?"  She'll wait a few seconds and then pop her head back up, grinning as we say "There she is!"  And then we repeat the game, often several times.

This weekend, while Steph was doing the grocery shopping, I built a fort for A. on the couch and she and I played the "Where's A.?" game.  I grabbed the camera and was lucky enough to capture the before and after.

Where's A.?

There she is!

#43: The Amazing Power of an Hour a Day (My 2011 Reading List)

When you have a kid, you have very little time for reading.

In the first three months of 2011, I read one book.  In the last two months alone, I’ve read seven.  Going from one book in three months to seven books in two months is a significant increase.  So what changed?  The amazing power of an hour a day.

Two months ago, I got a new job and for the first time in my career, I started taking public transportation.  Freed from the burden of driving, I was able to devote my commuting time--roughly an hour a day--to other pursuits, namely reading.  Depending on the book, the traffic, and my state of mind, I read 40-50 pages a day, 200-250 pages a week.  Even factoring in a few bus rides to write (like I am now) or just listen to music, it’s easy to see how I was able to read so many books in such a short time.

This simply wasn’t possible before.  With a thirteen-month-old, I have virtually no time to read at home.  When she's awake, we're running around constantly.  When she's sleeping, we're trying to pick up the house, make dinner, etc.  After all that's done, I’m either too tired or too unmotivated to read.  But taking public transportation has given me an opportunity to read again and I’ve seized it.  Having that hour each day has allowed me to produce remarkable results.

I thought I would share a running list of the books I've read in 2011.  It's my testament to the amazing power of an hour a day.  Hopefully, if you're a busy parent, it inspires you to find an hour a day to devote to something important.  If nothing else, maybe you'll find a book or two to enjoy.