By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
When my oldest daughter was a baby, she had a t-shirt that read “Chaos is How I Learn” (shown right). I actually found an adult-sized version of it over at Box Lunch.
She’s two now. This morning, I wound up chasing her around the house as she held a digital thermometer in her hand, and had a Target gift card stuck to her foot.
So…what the @#$% did we learn from THAT?!?
Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.
By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
I’m a toy collector. Action figures in particular. That shouldn’t be too hard to ascertain, given some of the stuff I post. I used to have a lot more shelf space in my office to display them. Be warned, collectors. Once you get a house and a family, shelf space becomes a rare commodity….
I have a vivid memory from a day years before Baby Primary Ignition was born. We had a two friends, a married couple, over with their young son. They knew I was a toy collector. Apparently word had trickled down to their boy, as right when we opened our front door, the little guy made a mad dash for my office. He proceeded to make his way in and out with Ghostbusters (shown above), Power Rangers, superheroes, etc. Our friends looked at me apologetically. But I said something to the effect of: “You can’t have a room full of toys, and then have a kid over and say he can’t play.”
I look back fondly on that moment. That felt like a good one for yours truly.
Now if only I could be as understanding today with Baby Primary Ignition. She’s almost two, and as one might surmise, she’s gotten very grabby…
Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.
By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
Baby Primary Ignition has a favorite action figure. That should come as no surprise to those who know me personally, as I’ve got an office filled with them. So there’s a thrill that comes with her being attached to one.
Even more thrilling? It’s a Superman action figure. (For the geeks out there, it’s based on the Bruce Timm design from Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited.)
There’s a certain warmth and comfort that comes with associating my daughter with Superman. I’ve heard it said that every girl wants to date Batman, but marry Superman. That’s a pretty poignant observation, even from the male perspective. Every guy would love to be cool like Batman. But I think most grown men want to be Superman for their spouse and children.
I think that’s where that warm feeling comes in. Because right now I can be Superman for her. I can fix owies. I can read to her when she crawls to me with a book in her hand. I can even pick her up in my arms and make her fly.
So maybe it’s not about the thrill of her liking a Superman toy, so much as it’s about the feeling the toy drums up in me…
Incidentally, I don’t plan to be Superman once she starts dating. I fully intend to turn into the Hulk.
Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.
By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
That moment where you’re sick as a dog, and really trying hard to put your baby to sleep.
You think she’s just about done, so you start to physically put her down.
But then she gives you the look. The look that says, “Nope. We’re not done here. You put me down, you know what’s gonna happen.”
And so, even though you’re fully aware your baby can’t understand human English, you stop short, pull her back up, and actually say the words: “Just kidding!”
Follow Primary Ignition on Twitter, or email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com.
By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
I’ve talked about nostalgic feels in this space before. Todays selections gave me the wannabe dad feels.
I stumbled across the Red Ranger piece yesterday, and traced it back to the Instagram page of Brazilian designer/illustrator Arthur Lobato. As the day went on, he followed it up with Pink and Black. Hopefully we get more in the near future.
These perfectly capture the kind of playful parent I want to be someday. Joy and fun radiate off each of them. The cartooning is also well done, and the colors really pop. The whole parent/child and Ranger/zord dynamic is really cute too.
My favorite of the three is the red one, simply because of the way the little boy is looking up at his dad. Here’s hoping I get to do a two-part Halloween costume with my kid someday…
Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@yahoo.com, or follow Primary Ignition on Twitter.
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