Tonight we made probably the most surreal purchase that we’ve made as parents so far—a potty chair for Simon. I say “surreal” because I really can’t believe that Simon is old enough to need a potty chair. Well, okay, he’s not old enough to need one, but our pedi suggested that it’s not too early to start getting him used to the idea, and we as dutiful first-time parents trotted off to Super Target at our first opportunity.

I have to admit that I had high hopes. Simon lately has been obsessed with sitting—he’ll back up to anything chairlike and try to sit down (bottom steps are just his size). So I naively thought that, given his newfound interest in sitting and, you know, since he’s such a brilliant kid, he would be a whiz with the whole process (pun totally intended) and that maybe, just maybe, he would get it the very first time. I feel silly admitting that I was actually a little surprised that he didn’t—not in retrospect, mind you, but I guess I’m kind of a crazy optimist at heart. He did enjoy putting his toys in the little bowl and climbing in himself, so, well, that’s how it went.

We also bought the third season of How I Met Your Mother, a show that we have been enjoying in large quantities for the last several weeks. And sippy cups.