boundaries Archives - Sleeping on the Edge

Living in the Moment

I had a dad moment this past weekend.

Last week, T, E and I were in the car and one of my favorite Billy Joel songs came on the radio. T and I immediately started singing, belting out the words at the tops of our lungs and dancing in our seats.¹ I looked back at him a few times during the song so that I could see him grinning widely and dancing in his car seat along with us. E had never heard the song before but he could tell that it was important so he joined in. Continue reading “Living in the Moment”

“Unleash the Tantrum!”

With all due respect to Jim Carrey, I’ve got a better one.

E is turning two in June and he looks every bit the part. Far gone are the days of the goofy little smiles, rattle distractions and innocent cries that beg for food or comfort. They have been replaced by full belly laughs, Sesame Street videos and ~~demands~~ requests that are getting clearer by the day. Continue reading ““Unleash the Tantrum!””

Dear E

Dear E,

I’ve been meaning to start writing you letters for a little while now. I suppose the blog that I’ve been writing for the last year and a half has basically been a long series of letters to you anyway, but I wanted this piece to be directed to you, in particular, as opposed to me just writing about you. There are some things I’ve been thinking about here and there, especially over the last month and a half since my last blog post, and I want to make sure I get them down before I forget them. Continue reading “Dear E”

Where Did You Come From?

E somehow ended up in our bed last night.

The “somehow” seems confusing, I know. E is a toddler, almost 20 months old, so we assume that he didn’t make it out of the crib on his own. His upper body strength is actually pretty impressive, as I’ve seen him basically do pull-ups on his bookshelf and hoist his body up over the railing on his crib.¹ That being said, it’s hard for me to picture him getting over the railing while still holding on so that he could drop down to the floor and land on his feet without hurting himself. Continue reading “Where Did You Come From?”

Looking For The Right Words

Note: This post includes some derogatory language that some people might find offensive. I explain why I chose to use it again later in the post, but I’ll say it here, as well. I used these words as part of a broader analysis of language and its relationship to race and I thought that not spelling them out in full would distract from the message of the post. I apologize in advance if anyone is offended by my use of the words as they are. Please feel free to comment in the space below, to write to me using the contact form here or email me at sleepingonedge@gmail.com. Thanks again for reading.
I take language seriously.

I take pride in the fact that I use correct grammar and that I make spelling mistakes less often than the Cubs win the World Series.¹ I still approach the quality of my writing with the same focus and intent to produce a polished product, even though this is a blog, as opposed to a research paper or journal article. You’re taking the time to read my work; the least I can do is give you something thoughtful and well-written to occupy your time. Continue reading “Looking For The Right Words”

Testing the Limits

“He looks so serious,” my wife said.
I answered, “That’s because he knows he’s in trouble.”

E was sitting three feet away and looking back at me expectantly. T had just spoken very sternly to E and he was looking to me for support. E doesn’t get yelled at often¹ but if either of us raise our voices, it’s probably because E has climbed into his toy box or onto the recliner or, as he did a couple of nights ago, onto the ottoman where he sits and moves it back and forth like a teeter-totter. And, while this instance had nothing to do with his safety, a lesson still needed to be taught. Continue reading “Testing the Limits”