At Christmas, we got a 9-month-old baby, who was just getting his crawling skills perfected, to chase a laser dot.

Is that wrong?

Because it made me want to have a kid, just so I could make it chase the laser dot. (And the whole world just thanked whatever they worship that I have an IUD.)

On the one hand, there are worse reasons to have a baby, but on the other, they, well, they do grow out of the laser dot-chasing phase.

My brother was just finishing up his child development classes when his eldest was born. There were a lot of "experiments" practiced on that kid. And subsequent kid, because it was fun the first time.

Figure if you can't experiment on your own kids, who can you?

Oh Jilli, I am so very sorry. Much love to you and your father.

if you can't experiment on your own kids, who can you?

Your sister.

If there is enough of an age difference. 3.5 years not enough.

Now I get my nephews. Because bro and SIL approve.

well, they do grow out of the laser dot-chasing phase.

I figure when they grow out of it, they'll be big enough I can put 'em to work in the fields, picking corn and shooting groundhogs.

(What? I never mentioned the family farm? Or that I'm really a balding farmer named Zeke?

Sorry about that. Gotta go shoot a groundhog.)

I think my cat hides our laser pointers. We had three once upon a time and I can't find any of them.

People in time zones behind me: Dita von Teese is on CSI tonight. Don't be like me and miss it, if you're a fan of hers. (If you're not a fan, then disregard this post.)

I figure when they grow out of it, they'll be big enough I can put 'em to work in the fields, picking corn and shooting groundhogs.

There's a board game, Agricola, in which you manage a farm. You can have kids during the course of the game, and send them out to work the very next turn. Wallybee took particular delight in sending her offspring to catch wild boar, exhorting them to "Work, Baby, work!"

Ryan may be fortunate that we're short on wild boar in our neighbourhood.