Thanksgiving Redux...

It's been seven days since my experiencing my favorite holiday for the first time as a father. How did it go? Well, we packed in so much over the holiday weekend that the amazing meal and experience of Thanksgiving is almost a blur....I did say almost.

Our almost 7 month old was a trooper through the entire event. Earlier in the week she had her 6 month well visit at the pediatrician who gave us the go ahead to try new solid foods. This was exciting because that meant we could sneak some turkey into her planned meal of sweet potatoes.

I will tell you this, since we started solid food a few weeks ago we have yet to find a combination or concoction that she will not eat. To her the sweet potatoes and turkey were just another chance to try something new. Relative to her size she probably ate as much as we did on Thanksgiving. Her festive meal was a success, and it helped accomplish something for me as well.

Every previous Thanksgiving, I'd stuff myself until I could barely stand up from the table and I had big plans to make this Thanksgiving as good or better than all the rest and the baby helped me succeed. You see, I think part of the reason I get so uncomfortably stuffed is because I eat too fast. Having a baby at the table as eager to eat as I was sort of takes priority to my own gluttony. Thus, I was able to eat as much or more than previous years much more slowly, and a lot less uncomfortably.

It was our first major holiday as parents and it was fun. We took a lot of pictures, laughed at her messy face, and spent time with our family...I can't wait until Christmas!

Fatherhood Friday - Here's What Happened...

It is Friday! I look forward to Fridays for a couple of reasons. First, it's the end of my work week and I can walk away from my desk and not have to answer the phone, check email, or do anything work related for two days. My wife and daughter are at home all week while I sit here and watch the clock at work. It makes me crazy because I'd rather be with the both of them so on Friday when I can pack up for the weekend I can't wait to get home.

Friday night is also good for something else. Once our little one goes to bed my wife and I celebrate with a pizza...It's our own little pizza night. The routine is the same every Friday. First it's bath time, then she gets fed, I call for the pizza, we tuck the baby in and I go pick it up. By the time I get home we can just relax. We are big fans of the shows on USA especially Monk, Psych, and their latest series White Collar. So we eat our pizza, catch up on the week, talk about baby girl, and just unwind with some mindless TV.

Time is very important in a marriage especially when there are children involved. We're new at the parenting game and it would be very easy to lose track of our marriage in all those dirty diapers, teething, play time, etc. We need time for us and pizza night gives is just one of the ways we get that. It seems small, but it works for us...I can almost smell the pizza already!

For more Fatherhood Friday stop by Dad-Blogs.com

You Capture - Sunset, Sunrise, somewhere in between...

I always hope to post more than I actually do. I get ideas throughout the week, mostly on the drive home, and this week was no different. Do I want to talk about our teething battles? Or, maybe our last family day adventure? They say the road of life is paved with good intentions, and more and more I find that to be true. I often have great intentions, that I have difficulty following through.

This week's You Capture assignment was Sunrise/Sunset...Well, my intention of getting the camera out the door early one morning was never fulfilled, but I did catch a full moon a couple weeks ago that sort of fits.

While I was taking this picture I was thinking how cool the moon looks and that I couldn't wait until my daughter can run around outside and I can start showing her all the cools things that are around her everyday. TV will not be the center of her life like it was for mine...I mean, I still love TV and she will too I'm sure, but being outside on a crisp fall day with the leaves falling and deer in the back field beats any show on TV. I want her to experience all of that...She's only 6 months old, but I'm counting the days when I can run around outside with my wife and daughter and play in the leaves without looking ridiculous.

For more 'You Capture' shots check out the I Should Be Folding Laundry blog.

You Capture - Real Life

What's my real life like these days? Well my photo should sum it up pretty quickly. It's funny, my wife and I have been talking about how much our lives have changed since our little girl was born. it's gone from 0-60 in no time at all. As crazy as it is trying to navigate the world of new parenthood, I wouldn't trade a single second. Being a dad is about the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Sure we've had to make some sacrifices, we've lost some sleep, we've been pooped on, peed on, spit up on, but we have the cutest little girl you've ever seen to show for all of our trials.

She's wonderful. So what's my real life? My real life is my wife and my daughter and doing everything I can for both of them. I'm not perfect, sometimes I whine, but I try hard and we are doing well.

Check out more 'Real Life' images over at I Should be Folding Laundry...

Tinkle, Tinkle, Little Girl...

It was bound to happen. I mean she's 6 months old it's really a wonder that I made it this far without getting peed on. No, I don't blame her. It was totally my fault. I got cocky, I said to myself "self, the tub is only ten feet away, I can make it." Turns out, I couldn't.

Prior to this, I'd hear stories from other parents who have been the victims of their little one's active and well-aimed bladders never thinking it would happen to me. I promised to do things differently. I would be careful not to put myself in dangerous situations, but alas I've learned nothing from the stories. And now, as punishment I am marked with pee.

10 feet, that's all it was. I just had to carry her 10 feet to the tub to start our nightly bedtime routine and as I knelt down to make the final transition she made her sneak attack. When it was over and the smoke cleared she was smiling. I've never seen her look so proud (or was it relieved?) in all her life. Can a 6 month old feel pride? I think so.

The experienced parents out there are probably laughing at this rookie, but if you are expecting your first child, heed my words. The pee can come anytime, don't be a hero, don't ditch that diaper until it is absolutely necessary. Good luck out there!

Boo...Halloween will be relevant again!

Wow, I'm pretty excited. The last time I wore a costume and traversed a neighborhood looking to score some chocolate goodness was 1997. I was a senior in high school and would relish any opportunity to secure free food related products. Yes, even if it meant dressing up and preforming for strangers. My costume that year? I was the invisible man.

This worked on a number of levels. First, it was a cheap costume, I just wrapped a 3 dollar ace bandage around my head and wore some gloves. Second, it spoke to my teen angst at the time...You know the under-appreciated teen invisible to the more popular crowd...Lastly, it was a little embarrassing begging for candy at 17 years old, so being completely unidentifiable made it easier to reach over the little kids for the full size candy bars.

That was probably the last year Halloween was relevant for me, but soon that will all change. I now have a daughter...This means:

1. Not only will I get to trick-or-treat again (which by itself is awesome), but I will be able to do it sans costume. I'll just be the tag along dad looking for scraps that don't make it into the candy bag.

2. Safety Taste Testing...Look it's a dangerous world out there and I'll be damned if I let my little girl eat something that may be unsafe. I have to do my part to protect her and if that means eating half of her candy then so be it!

I see this as a win, win...And even though our little girl is only 5 months old and her best trick-or-treating days are still in the future I am starting to look forward to it now. Hey she may not eat candy this year, but she'll be in her first costume this year, and that is a step in the right direction!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

If you want more Fatherhood Friday fun, check out all the other posts @ Dad-Blogs.com

Fatherhood Friday! - Read? Who has time to Read?

Two Fatherhood Friday's in a row, how about that? I bet you all thought my promise to return was an empty one. Have no fear, I still have much to say...I missed the theme of last week's Fatherhood Friday, but that's ok but this week's theme is one I can really get behind. Books.

I am a tech guy by profession, but an English major by degree so I can really enjoy a good book once in a while. In our house, books have been a big part of the days that lead up to the birth of our daughter, as well as, the days following.

Prior to the birth of our daughter, my wife and I read Paul Reiser's Babyhood. It was a pretty amusing take on becoming a parent. It made the whole process seem fun, and funny. Now that I have a little one at home, I've come to realize that in the moment these funny stories don't seem so funny, especially when you're running on 20 minutes of sleep for the day. Still, the book made us both laugh and helped ease our anxiety leading up to the due date.

During the few weeks after our daughter was born, you know those nights when you're up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, we had a very set routine. I would change the baby and hand her off to momma to be fed. Then I'd grab the book off the nightstand and read aloud for the next 20 or so minutes. This book was Breaking Back by professional tennis player James Blake. I can't in good conscience say the book was terrific, but it got us through those early middle of the night feedings, and we did learn some things about professional tennis that we didn't already know. We're huge tennis fans, and never miss a televised tournament so it was interesting to get a peak at what happens before some of these players hits the courts for their matches.

In Thoreau's Walden, the author took some time to go into the woods and live deliberately. Now, like Thoreau, I will also do something deliberately. No, I won't be abandoning my family to live in the woods, I've decide to take this year and read deliberately. So, all of those books I didn't give a fair shake in college are coming back, the first is Moby Dick.

I realized that with parenting it is important to have something for you. You need to hold on to a little bit of yourself otherwise you'll get lost in all the poop and drool. Sure, I don't have as much time to read as I once did, and Moby Dick is taking a lot longer than I thought, but all that time I spend NOT reading I'm spending with my family and that is even more rewarding.

I'll never stop reading, I may slow down a bit, but I'll never stop.