It’s almost Christmas, making it a perfect time to talk about holiday traditions. Last week my wife and I took our son Cristian to see Santa, which led to an annual rite of futility, our family Christmas cards. When I was single, Christmas cards were easy — I didn’t send…

It’s early October. The dog days of Summer came and went. Baseball fans watched Aaron Judge chase Roger Maris, Albert Pujols chase Babe Ruth on his retirement tour, and the Atlanta Braves chase the New York Mets in the NL East. MLB teams must be built for the long haul…

When my son turned two, my better half and I discussed enrolling the baby in a Mommy and Me class. Since her background is in child development when she made the suggestion, I listened. We agreed he needed to spend more time playing with kids his age. Since my wife…

There comes a time when you switch roles with your parents. The role reversal sneaks up on you — one day Mom and Dad are attending your high school graduation, and the next you’re scheduling their doctors’ appointments. When my parents reached their 70s, my brother and I agreed that…

In my last post, I wrote about my family history and memories. Seven years of parenthood have given me both. My son Cristian always loved animals. When he was a toddler, my wife, Esther, signed us up for a family pass to a series of zoos and aquariums. When the…

I'm late to the party, but what else is new. I'm new(ish) to Medium, and like many, I need good writing prompts to stir my creative juices every now and then. I've always had a cranky streak. In my twenties, a friend said, "I had the personality of a cranky…

A few years ago, my family participated in a charity walk — we do a lot of them. Before becoming parents, my wife Esther and I ran, rode, or walked for many causes and charities. …

This is Cristian. He’s seven years old, loves to read books, and play soccer, and he’s a yellow belt in karate. He’s also autistic. People constantly tell my wife Esther and me, “he doesn’t look autistic.” Those meeting him for the first time see an energetic child with an amazing…

You’re in the twilight of your pregnancy, surviving Lamaze classes, the baby shower, and pregnancy hormones so intense they make a rectal exam from a longshoreman seem enviable. Just one thing remains — having the baby. If you thought the past forty weeks were rough — just wait. …