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