Wordless Wednesday: This is How They Roll

Caleb Goes Old School

There is no doubt that children love music. Caleb is definitely no exception. Here he is, in all his rocking glory, jamming out to "Slow Ride" by Fog Hat

*I apologize for the graininess and poor lighting in this video. Taken with an older model cell phone and I was unable to get it rendered right in Windows Move Maker*

The Chance of a Lifetime: Blogworld New Media Expo

It is almost that time! You have all heard about it, you know about it, and you might even be going! No, I am not talking about the pardoning of the turkey by the president. I am talking about the Blogworld New Media Expo in **drum roll please** VEGAS!!! Oh yeah, bright lights, bright skies, and bright minds will be descending on the world known as Las Vegas from October 14th through the 16th at Mandalay Bay. People from all over the country will be arriving to take part in a weekend full of fun, knowledge bomb dropping, and perhaps even some entertainment. Many great keynote speakers and tracks will be available, covering topics all over the social and new media spectrum. As a matter of fact, Dads Talking with the help of Blogworld and Southwest Airlines is giving away a full pass to the New Media Expo and round-trip airfare. Thanks to Blogworld and Southwest Airlines for making that possible for them!

Why is this the chance of a lifetime? For many people it is a business trip of sorts, for others it is a chance to meet people they have only communicated with through social media hang outs and blogs. For a dude like myself, it is the possibility of just being part of something so freaking awesome. It is a chance to jump out of the real world for a bit, and into a world that is still new and exciting to me.

The Trust Balance: Children's Trust in Parents

Kicking off a new series today entitled "The Trust Balance" in which I will explore the power of trust between children and parents, and between spouses. Trust is a very key foundation in any relationship, personal and business alike. Without trust, we cannot have firm relationships. This is especially true when it comes to the relationships we hold with members of our family. Today I will be exploring the trust relationship our children have in us as parents.

From the very beginning, children are dependent their parents. They depend on us for food, for comfort, for their well being, and for emotional development. The trust balance begins here. Our children have to know they can trust us. From the start, they do so without cognitive reason, and more out of need to survive. They start to learn early on that they can count on us for provision, for comfort when they are sick, sad, or just cranky. The trust a young infant has in their parents is a strong sense, and is a bond that needs to be maintained as the child grows. The question, however, is how do we maintain that trust?

Remembering The Beginning of it All

Me holding Marlee, and Caleb getting a good look

Holding Caleb for the first time

Just throwing this post up because we were talking about it at work tonight. Remember what it was like the day your kiddos were born? I remember both times like it was yesterday. I remember the smells, the sights, the sounds, and how NERVOUS I was.


Even the second time around, I was more composed than the first time, but when the day started setting in, those nerves were shot, and I was becoming a wreck. "Honey are you okay?" "Is the heart rate fine?" "Are you going to kill me if I go smoke, because I am really freaking out here!"



Both times were so full of emotion, so full of love, full of fear, full of life. The birth, the first cries, and the first time holding my kids and giving them their very first noseys, are memories that I will carry like they were still going on, until the day I die. I will never forget how proud I was to make the transition from guy to dad. It is something I will be proud of for the rest of my life, and a fact that nobody can ever take away from me. 


To my children: you are my world and my everything (next  to mommy of course), and I will always love you. I will always cherish you and be in awe of you. I am Dad, and nothing, or nobody, can take that away!

Introducing The ABC's of Daddyhood

This week I started work on what will eventually become my first book, entitled "The ABC's of Daddyhood" and I can't tell you how excited I am about it! Okay, yes I can. I am UBER EXCITED about it! I don't consider myself an author and I sure don't consider myself a parenting expert. The purpose of writing this book is just to share 26 words with everyone that I relate to parenting and share some stories and insights into those 26 words.

From time to time, as I work on writing "The ABC's of Daddyhood" I will share excerpts or whole chapters here on The DaddyYo Blog for you to check out, and provide feedback on. As stated above, I am not an author, and I couldn't think of anyone better to turn to than my readers as a make this journey to publication.

So for this Fatherhood Friday, I present you the Foreward and Dedication for "The ABC's of Daddyhood"


A Quick Note Before Getting Started


Thank for deciding to take the leap through a new look at the ABC’s from a dad’s perspective. I hope you find this book entertaining and possibly maybe even a little inspiring. Every dad’s journey through fatherhood is different because every dad is different. We may not share the same feelings, the same joys, or the same fears as others have. 


Dads, however, are all just that: DADS. Over the last year I have been able to connect with and talk to dads all over the country and in different parts of the world. We have talked about our joys, our accomplishments, our fears, and our sorrows. The important thing is that we talked. Dads are sharing their stories, their thoughts, their suggestions, and their resources to help other dads be the best they can be. 


This book is just the same. It is me sharing my ups and downs, my thoughts and my feelings about being a dad. I am not a parenting expert, thought I have a PhD in changing diapers. I’m not a professional writer either. Just one dad here to share with others. 


The ABC’s of Daddyhood is my journey through 26 words that I relate to my own parenting life. Along the way I will share stories and thoughts about the words for each chapter and a few insights I have gained. Take from it what you will, leave what you want. Thanks for checking it out, now on with the show!


John Taylor
(DaddyYo)


*This book is dedicated to: The Wifey, my rock and support, my love forever. The Buggaboo and The Pooties, my children, my worlds, my reason and my heart. To my parents, my providers throughout childhood, the examples and the leaders. And to dads all over the world who strive to be the best dad they can be. This one's for you!

Wordless Wednesday: The Last 7 Days in 3 Pictures

The Trust Balance: Introduction to a New Series

“We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy” - Walter Anderson

Welcome to The Daddy Yo Blog on this fine Monday morning. Today I would like to introduce a new post series I will be writing called "The Trust Balance". Inspired by a book I am currently reading (and will probably review on here later) and a topic that is covered in the book.

Trust is a major issue in so many areas of our lives. From our relationships with our children, to our relationships with our spouses and significant others, to our relationships in our places of business. Trust is a key foundation to how the world turns. We trust that when we go to bed we will wake up the next morning. We trust that the brakes in our cars will work when the pedal is applied. We trust in faith, community, government, and businesses.

Relating trust to parenting: We want our children to grow up to trust in us. To trust that we will always be there, that when there is a problem they can come to us for help and guidance. We want them to trust that we will provide for them and help them achieve their goals We want them to trust our words and our actions. But wait, isn't trust a two way street? Answer: YES!!! Just as we want our children to trust us, we have to be willing to invest trust in our children.

We want to raise our children to some kind of standard. Those standards differ from family to family but the principle is the same. The true test of how we are doing will come when we put our trust into our children that they will live their lives with integrity, honesty, and openness. We want our children to feel comfortable to come to use with anything, good or bad, and we have to be willing to show them that trust.

"The Trust Balance" will be a multi part series starting a week from today, and continuing every Monday. Topics will include "A Child's Trust in Parents", "Our Trust in Children", "Trust and Marriage" and "The Grand Scheme". I invite you to be a part of this series as it goes. Check in on Mondays and weigh in your two cents.  I hope for this series to be a conversation starter, so even if you disagree, leave your response, and let's discuss. As always, thanks for stopping by today! I look forward to sharing this series with you and getting the discussion going on such a thick subject!

Always Remember: Heroes from our Past

Left to Right: Me, My Dad, Grandpa

"So come on rally round this brave and valiant cause with tradition, pride, and honor at its core.
With swords drawn to defend stood these noble-hearted men fág an bealach,
clear the way, me boys!!"

100 years ago, on the 18th of September, a hero was born. You may have never heard of him, and I guarantee most of you have not, but to me, to my family, his honor, his legacy, and his spirit live on. Born James Rufus Taylor, but better known to me as "Grandpa". I dedicate this post in his memory, to his honor, and in remembrance of a great man, a great dad, and a hero.

Let Me Tell You Something About:

Love - The truest form of which is found in the eyes of a newborn child. Totally dependent, already knowing the voices of those closest to it before leaving the womb. True love as an adult, not so easy to find, but when you do, you know it, and the feeling is like none other.

Time - There is never enough of it. It flies by fast, and for the most part, the clock, the watch, the analog and digital representations, mean absolutely nothing. Make the best of what is not guaranteed, and it shall not be wasted.

Standards ...... *chirp chirp*  (okay only my Apple buddies will get that joke) ... seriously, standards, without them the world would be chaos, yet at the same time, we all adhere to different standards. How does this work in harmony? I don't know, it just does. You live your life to certain standards. If you are a parent, live your life to the standards you would want your children to live by. Sure they will pick up things at school, on TV, out with their friends and so on, but they will pick the most up from you. Live your life to the standards they will turn to reflect the most. Be the example!

*This post is brought to you by: My Random Brain! Racking my parents nerves since 1983*

Wordless Wednesday: My Silly Kiddos

I Wear My Heart on My Dot Com

Catchy isn't it? Okay, maybe not, maybe a little on the dorky side, but no matter. It is a phrase I used recently in a Facebook message to my buddy Gonzo at work when talking about the blog. First time he had read through it, and he was just giving me some feedback about it. I started thinking more and more about this phrase in the few days following that short exchange. And even more so after reading the latest greatness from JR over at Sex And The Single Dad that talks about the ability to open up about "real" stuff. I recommend everyone give it a read as I believe it is a great struggle for all men and dads to be open and real about everything, especially when it comes to things that aren't "guy talk" material.

So, how does it relate to being a dad, and what I write on my blog? I try my best to be totally open, real, and transparent in what I write here and other places. I try to show all sides, good and bad, manly or not. Even if this means exposing my fears, things that bring me down and bum me out. But it also means sharing the good side of things, the stuff that lifts me up, makes me smile, and lightens my soul, even if just for a moment. 

Being open, and being real are difficult. Often times we feel the need to be a certain someone in front of certain people. We all do this, myself definitely included in that. I often believe that certain people have a particular image of me in their minds, and I try not to break that image by revealing parts of myself they don't know about. Being open and honest is a trait I was not born with, but I try, in everything I do, to achieve. When it comes to being a dad, my heart is on my virtual sleeve.

Everyone in my life knows how much I dig being a dad, and just how much I love my kiddos. There is no doubt to anyone that knows me that my children and my family come first above all in my life. And here, I open up freely about everything that has to do with my being a dad. From the great days, first day of school, potty training accomplishments, to the bad days, grouchy kids, parenting fails, and feelings of inadequacy as a father.

I hope you will always find honest and genuine content here at The DaddyYo Blog. By stopping by, even if just for a 90 second quick read, I hope you can navigate away into the virtual world and leave here feeling like you know me just a little better. This is my outlet. This is wear it all comes out, and all gets released and off my shoulders. And you know, that's just fine with me. Better to let the whole world see me in the reality that is me, than just a few people, and living a lie to the rest. This is who I am. This is DaddyYo. I wear my heart on my dot com.

On Laughter: My Father100 Post

The sounds, the faces, the adorable tone in your voices.

The way it makes me feel inside,

And the way it makes me love you that much more.

The way I do it back, and the way you react to my smile.

The endless minutes and hours, 

The countless days spent in such action.

Every time and any time the need arises

You are there to remind me to smile a bit

And sometimes to just let it all out

My world is brighter, lighter and warm

It gets a little better and happier

Every time I hear you laugh.

Fatherhood Friday: Things I Miss

Last night, just before going up to bed, my wife and I were looking at Caleb's 1st birthday pictures. So hard to believe that was over 2 years ago. We were talking about how much Marlee looks like him at that age and how hard it is to believe that he used to be so small! Then we went upstairs and I started thinking about when Caleb was younger and when Mar was first born. I started thinking about all the things that they used to do, or we used to do as a family that I miss.

• I miss how Caleb used to laugh out loud in his sleep right as he fell asleep. The little man would barely have his eyes closed before it would start. He would cackle, coo, and laugh so loud he would wake himself up!

• I miss the night like the first night we brought Marlee home. Just me and my baby girl in the room together. Waking up to feed her as she just stared into my eyes.

• I miss singing Weezer to Caleb while we just danced and danced around the living room. Even his first night home where he only slept an hour. We danced and danced and danced. Now that he is older he doesn't like to do that so much anymore :(

• I miss the 11am nap, the 2pm nap, the 6pm nap, the 9pm nap, the 11pm bedtime and wake up call at 9am. So much sleep. Where did it all go?

• I miss carrying Marlee around in the Snuggie at Wal-Mart. Partially because of the looks people would give me like "Why is the DAD wearing the baby?" but mostly because she was close to me. Easy to lean down and give her a kiss. Happy.

• I miss all the little things that seemed so small back then, but have made such a large lasting impression on my memories of my children and of being a dad

So many memories, so much time, so much that has just flown by in the last 3 years of my dadhood. It all just serves as a reminder that the time is precious, and we should all be making the best of it. First smiles, first steps, even first runny noses and poop diapers that overflow their boundaries, it all makes the memories that make up our lives. What do you miss?

WordFULL Wednesday

Many words come to mind when one is thinking about parenting. SO many words. So this Wednesday, I thought I would do something quite the opposite of WordLESS Wednesday, and go with WordFULL Wednesday. Through the power of what are my Twitter followers, a list of words has now been compiled based on the response to the question "What are words that come to mind when thinking about parenting". Originally I had intended on writing a short sentence about each word and how it relates to my dadhood. But so many words kept coming in I decided to take a different direction with it. I want you, the reader, to look through the list of words that my wonderful followers gave me. Pick your favorite word or phrase and leave a comment with a short sentence or two about how that word relates to your parenting life. 


Also, when you are done commenting, check out the people who contributed to the list, follow them, check out their blogs, and show them some love. They are all wonderful people!


Okay, now for the list. Like I said, pick your favorite, leave a comment with a short sentence or two about how it relates to your parenting life. I tried to eliminate any double entries but I am not promising anything (twas a big list) RT the post and let's see what everyone has to say! Ready??? GO!!!!



Caring, Loving, Educating, Compromising, Providing, Guiding, Leading, Protect, Secure,  Believing, Insanity, Pride, Hero, Friend, Honesty, Patience, Learning, Giving, Fear, Struggle, Prepared, Sad, Smile, Laugh, Tiring, Cute, Grow, Play Time, What-did-he-say!?! Questions, Attention, Fun, Toys, Amazement, Awe, Wonder Excitement
poop. Poop. SO much POOP, Exhilarating, More Exhaustion, Happiness, Soft Cheeks
Hugs, Shoes that keep getting bigger, Superwoman, Gentle sighs in the middle of the night. Breastfeeding. Laughter. Frustration Plans. Hope. Heartache. Kissing boo-boos better, Bare feet in grass. Home, Elation, Draining, Rewarding, Legacy, Love, Modeling
Quantity time, Truth, Mentor, Consistency, Hard, Rewarding, Painful, Awesome, Full of dichotomy, Sleepiness, Love, Smiles, Amazing, Stressful, Beautiful,  Fun Making, Loving, Problem Solving! Nurturing, Tireless, 24/7,  Humor, Providing an environment so they develop & soar  Self doubt, That it is worth it, Parenting is an art,  Discovery, Worry, Diapers, Imagination, Creative, Every career I could've ever had, all rolled into one! Biggest challenge & biggest honor




That is an INSANELY huge list! So get to it! Pick your fave, and tell us how it relates to your life as a parent. Got one that is not on the list? Share it and tell us about it!


Thanks to the following people for providing the words in the list. Check em all out! Great people, great parents.



@unxpctdblessing ... @fcsfinest1 ... @tilga ... @dadgineer ... @DaddyIncidents ... @daddycubed ... @willgoldstein ... @notsuperjustmom ... @TwinsMa ... @tshaka_zulu ... @heaterm ... @Twistedxtian ... @TempestBeauty ... @CaseKidsLikeIke ... @ABCfibi ... @Genuine ... @DaddyDistracted ... @krellpw
@theblondeview

Selflessness is not Natural

Let me open this post with a little history behind it's origin. It is Sunday night, I just got off from work and settled in for the night. The Wifey is working on learning definitions for her medical terminology class, the kiddos are in bed, and I am  at the computer, on Twitter, sitting here trying to write a post for Monday. Enter the brain fart. I sit here, and sit here, and sit here ...  bueller ....... bueller .............. bueller ... You get the picture. I cannot get anything to flow from my brain, to my fingers, to the keys on my laptop. Nothing!

So I throw out into the Twitterverse: "Quick, throw some words at me to write a short post about for tomorrow ... ready .... GO!". Now enter: Renee (@theblondeview)*  with the answer to my call for desperate inspiration. One word stuck out at me immediately: SELFLESSNESS ... It is a subject that I have been struggling with recently and trying to grasp a better concept of. 

The Wifey just started classes this fall. The study load is pretty heavy and the subjects are getting tougher. The study time required plus the time required to get all the other chores to be done makes for a demanding schedule. The SAHM of our two little kiddos and full time student stays busy, tired, and in need of my support (and sometimes a study buddy). My work schedule bounces between morning shift and night shift and makes a grand challenge for steady sleep habits that even Hercules can't beat. I try to take more of the parental obligations off of her the times that I am home, though I admit I struggle with it at times. 

Just this morning, I was thinking about my attitudes and the amount of heart I am putting behind the support I give to my wife. Am I doing it because I want to? Or because I HAVE to? Am I offering it with all my heart, or am I using some kind of hidden agenda? With all that we have going on right now, am I giving my whole heart into everything I do especially, when it comes to my wife and my children?

Selflessness is not natural. It is not a trait that we are born into that just pours out. Selflessness takes work, conditioning of the heart, the mind, and the soul. It is a trait I strive for. A trait, I admit, I do not always have, and probably should have more often. My wife is doing something amazing! She has taken the challenge upon herself, to go back to school, get a degree, and a great job, all to help benefit the well being of our family. I do support her, I am behind her, and wish her the best of luck and success with this new adventure of life. I know it has to be hard for her to balance studying, dishes, laundry, bedtime, bath time, naptime, off to school, home from school, groceries, and finally dealing with me being a turd half the time. That's a lot to deal with!

For me, the struggle has been being more willing to jump right up and do whatever needs to be done, no matter how tired, no matter how hungry, no matter how smelly I am, to just get up and do it. No questions, no whining (we hear enough of that from the kids), no thinking about myself. Being selfless and providing the real, loving, and committed support she needs.

It will take work, dedication, self empowerment, and faith. It will not be easy at all times, but nor will it be half hearted. I am committed to being the man my wife, my children, and my friends need me to be. I know the road is tough sometimes, and I am tired, hungry, weary, in need of self time, and those times will be my greatest challenge, but I will try my best to overlook myself, be the selfless man, and do what needs to be done. It is what I am called to do.


*Sidenote: Check out Renee's blog at http://theblondeview.blogspot.com

I Am That Dad: Guest Post and Giveaway

Allow me to introduce to you, Gavin, from I Am THAT Dad. Gavin is the creator of I am THAT dad. He has been riding the married wagon for 14 years and is dad to 3 kiddos (2 boys and one girl). I stumbled upon Gavins site one day through Twitter and was immediately captivated by what I was reading. Another dad that gets it! Best summarized by the line "The dad you want to be is the dad your kids need you to be".  I asked Gavin to guest post here about what it means to be "that dad" and what the title calls us to be. So, I would like to stop taking up time, and hand the steering wheel over to Gavin!

Wordless Wednesday: Caleb's First Day of School Pictures