When I was a baby, my parents played a game with me in which they spun my pacifier upside down and watched me spin it back around without using my hands.  When I righted it, they’d pull it out and put it in upside down again.  And so on and so on. . . .

For a long time after hearing this story, I thought my parents were using me as a toy and mocked offense when they brought it up.  Now, with a child of my own, I realize how much (generally harmless) fun you can have with a baby, and I understand where they were coming from.

At Christmas, John and I decided that Jacob should sign cards that were from our family for himself.  We’d write his name left-handed, and sometimes even get Jacob to touch the pen for a more authentic signature.

To make it look even more toddler-esque, we started to write the b in Jacob backwards.  We’ve continued to do this ever since—on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards to one another and to our parents, and most recently, for John’s birthday.  The result of this feigned mistake is that “Jacob” becomes “Jacod”, which I realize may not be funny to the outside world, but cracks me up every time I see it.

Oh, Jacod.  When it comes time to teach you to write, I hope I teach you the right thing.