This comic from Uncubed does a very good job of summing up my own feelings as a father. (Maybe with a bit more physical punishment–by my son inflicted upon me–but otherwise spot on.)

Although I’ve learned many Japanese children’s songs, I’ve only heard a relative few komori uta (lullabies, or, literally, “nursemaid songs”). My favorite by far is the subject of Monday’s strip. I’ve taken a pass at translating it, but it definitely should be heard sung. (There’s a nice CD, Oyasumi, by Aiko Shimada and Elizabeth Falconer, that has a pretty, though stylized, version of the song; you can find it at Amazon and iTunes if you want to listen to the track sample.)

My wife used to sing the Ocean Lullaby (Umi, in Japanese) to our son when he was still in the womb. She taught me the words, and I’ve found it still has a calming effect on him nearly four years post-utero. (For some strange reason, so does Seventy-Six Trombones…)

I realized that, although I’d mentioned it in my Twitter feed, I haven’t yet made notice here about one of the main reasons blog posts (and Tweets) have been sparse as of late. Allow me to rectify:

A little over two weeks ago, the Watkins family grew by 8lbs 12oz (this is not, by the way, a reference to the volume of Nutter Butters I’ve consumed in any recent period). We are now proud parents to two little Sprouts of our own, available in both toddler and newborn varieties.

Surprisingly, I have not found myself significantly more tired than before the birth (which either speaks well of our new baby boy, or poorly of my life in general). Life marches on around us (and comics will keep on coming, on schedule!), but these two guys, and their mama, are pretty much my whole world right now.

You’re not coming here for the blog posts, anyway, right?