I think I've adjusted very well to husbanding and fatherhood from my former life well over two years ago!!! I've loved Henry since the day he was born and didn't have any issues with identities and roles as other dads I may have heard of. I don't ignore Stef and Henry, I don't look for excuses to get away other than my weekly soccer game, and I hurry home every day after work so I have as much time to play with the fam before Henry's bed time. What is so cool now is that being around the corner from Henry's first birthday, as a dad, the little dude becomes more and more fun by the day. ( Except restaurants, they are miserable and no longer fun for anyone unless we are going with Grandma and Grandpa and they can deal with Hurricane Restaurant Henry, very closely related to Demon Baby )
Now that Henry is mobile, talkative, knows how to play hide and seek, and loves to chase, play time is no longer trying to get him to pay attention to a creepy toy. We wrestled for the first time the other day and it was a blast!
A buddy of mine from school who began his journey with fatherhood a year or so before me keyed me in on the fact that a baby spends the first several months of his life bonding with mommy, but when they become playful there is a chance for dad to join in the fun!
So, I relish in it and love it. He is a blast and I can't wait for Captain Henry's Pirate Birthday Party!
Showing posts with label fatherhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fatherhood. Show all posts
First Weekend Alone! ( with just Hen and Dad )
Friday, April 15, 2011
With the exception of a day here and there, I haven't been apart from Stef and Henry for more than 48 hours! To make this weekend even more interesting I have never had Henry by myself for more than a few hours! I am not really worried but I am going to miss the heck out of Stef while she is with her family for the weekend in Chicago. I am also cheating a little bit by spending some time with my parents and brothers but even if I wasn't I am pretty comfortable with the little guy alone unless Demon Baby shows up...
However, as lonely as Henry and I will be without Stef, we already can't wait for her to come back!
Guys Night Guys Night!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Sometimes I feel like the first 30 seconds or so of this video....
Not entirely the way it is but getting a night out with the guys is a rare but welcome and neccessary event. Same thing goes for gals night for Stef too ;)
As much time as I love spending with my family there is nothing quite like erasing the work day that just ended with some cold suds, get a little euphoric over some old stories, and talk about dude stuff. An old buddy was in town and the weather was nice so it felt pretty good to be sitting in a cafe in my old neighborhood catching up on stories, the whereabouts of friends and enemies, and getting way to drunk off of four pretty weak beers. The metro ride home sucks but I have to say I had a huge smile on my face when I came home to bath time with Henry and he gave me a smile of greeting that no friend has ever given me.
Not entirely the way it is but getting a night out with the guys is a rare but welcome and neccessary event. Same thing goes for gals night for Stef too ;)
As much time as I love spending with my family there is nothing quite like erasing the work day that just ended with some cold suds, get a little euphoric over some old stories, and talk about dude stuff. An old buddy was in town and the weather was nice so it felt pretty good to be sitting in a cafe in my old neighborhood catching up on stories, the whereabouts of friends and enemies, and getting way to drunk off of four pretty weak beers. The metro ride home sucks but I have to say I had a huge smile on my face when I came home to bath time with Henry and he gave me a smile of greeting that no friend has ever given me.
Good Weekend
Monday, April 11, 2011
I've come to appreciate the weekends through a different lens now that Hen is here. This weekend was no different as we carried on a pretty normal routine. Henry never did quite drop the demon baby thing as Sunday turned to Monday with repeated wake ups and fussy sessions robbing us of valuable early week sleep ( you know the kind that sets the stage for the whole week? ). Regardless, we made the best of it and had a lot of fun. We typically run errands, go grocery shopping for the awesome meal we are going to make for dinner, hosting the occasional visitor, or just relax in each other's pleasant company. In this case I was excited as I am in the market for a new computer and was pretty excited for a new gadget! It is funny what excites me these days. It is in these pretty normal weekend things that I grow to know Stef better and better and we learn to love each other more than we thought we could. Even if the little dude is acting like a prima donna and refuses to be ignored for more than 5 seconds. I think the only time Stef and I got to hold a conversation for more than the said five minutes was when Hen was in baby sleep town and couldn't care if we took a few minutes to talk amongst ourselves.
SO, Lesson is! Take the time you do have with each other when you can, make the best of it and enjoy, because its those bonds we build together that will get us through the hard times we come across. I couldn't have a better partner and love in my life than Stef so I count my lucky stars everyday we wake up next to each other.
( the picture reminds me of the tropical vacation we are taking this summer...so pumped it hurts! )
Demon Baby
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Sometimes Hen takes on an alter ego Stef and I refer to only as Demon Baby, and we say it only in whispers in hopes that saying his name will keep his spirit at bay. In previous posts I have mentioned how I am sleeping well but every now and then this alternate being takes over our almost 5 month old son's body and makes our life suck big time.
The last two full days and nights were a good example. It usually starts with a day where he is crabby and refuses to eat well, or stay calm for more than a few minutes. Following that, that evening putting him to bed is nearly impossible, he wakes up every three hours, and regardless of lack of sleep is up ready to take on the world at 5 am. The next day mirrors the first but with less sleeping and that night usually culminates with him going down for the count around 7. This process usually resets his system for a week but you just never know when Demon Baby will rear his cute but super annoying head.
One of the respites we used to have for our wacky but semi predictable infant cycle was putting him in his car seat and either going shopping or running errands while he crashed. Well that doesn't work any more which a major bummer. Stef and I were getting bagels this morning and were waiting out a crabby fest reminiscing over his former ways when all of a sudden he became quiet. We smiled thinking he went to sleep and we could proceed with our Saturday morning routine in peace. I cautiously snuck over to see and I snatched this picture thinking would be in baby sleepy land....Demon Baby wasn't going anywhere....
The last two full days and nights were a good example. It usually starts with a day where he is crabby and refuses to eat well, or stay calm for more than a few minutes. Following that, that evening putting him to bed is nearly impossible, he wakes up every three hours, and regardless of lack of sleep is up ready to take on the world at 5 am. The next day mirrors the first but with less sleeping and that night usually culminates with him going down for the count around 7. This process usually resets his system for a week but you just never know when Demon Baby will rear his cute but super annoying head.
One of the respites we used to have for our wacky but semi predictable infant cycle was putting him in his car seat and either going shopping or running errands while he crashed. Well that doesn't work any more which a major bummer. Stef and I were getting bagels this morning and were waiting out a crabby fest reminiscing over his former ways when all of a sudden he became quiet. We smiled thinking he went to sleep and we could proceed with our Saturday morning routine in peace. I cautiously snuck over to see and I snatched this picture thinking would be in baby sleepy land....Demon Baby wasn't going anywhere....
Wonders of Fatherhood
Monday, March 28, 2011
Raising a baby full time is hard! I don't mean that I am spending 40 hours a week with Hen though I wish I could (pesky job thing gets in the way). Steph does, and far more than 40 hours a week, and I love her all the more for it). So when I come home he takes a lot of time interaction that I could be spending on work, other business, socializing. Yet, as important as some of that is and as much as I miss some of it, spending time with my little guy is a true gift I get to receive everyday.
I like to think of myself as a little unusual when it comes to my family life and advice in that I do take a lot of the tidbits other parents have given me, or at least listen and think about taking the tips. In this case I have been given advice I exercise daily ( by my dad ) and that is spend every moment you can with your kids and cherish it greatly because it goes by fast! It does go by fast, so so so so fast it makes my head spin. Henry is 17 weeks tonight and it feels like ages ago and minutes ago all at the same time, since he blessed us (even though there was a little drama with his entry into the world).
Point is, highlight of my day is coming home, holding him, talking to him, getting him to smile, and sometimes plopping him down in the oversized arm chair next to daddy while I unwind. (I've noticed he is happy to be anywhere so long as he can see the action) So, relish in the times, enjoy the good parts, forget the bad outside the usual baby meltdowns, and enjoy the ride because before I know it ill be busting him for stealing my beers and trying to sneak sketchy ladies in the basement!
I like to think of myself as a little unusual when it comes to my family life and advice in that I do take a lot of the tidbits other parents have given me, or at least listen and think about taking the tips. In this case I have been given advice I exercise daily ( by my dad ) and that is spend every moment you can with your kids and cherish it greatly because it goes by fast! It does go by fast, so so so so fast it makes my head spin. Henry is 17 weeks tonight and it feels like ages ago and minutes ago all at the same time, since he blessed us (even though there was a little drama with his entry into the world).
Point is, highlight of my day is coming home, holding him, talking to him, getting him to smile, and sometimes plopping him down in the oversized arm chair next to daddy while I unwind. (I've noticed he is happy to be anywhere so long as he can see the action) So, relish in the times, enjoy the good parts, forget the bad outside the usual baby meltdowns, and enjoy the ride because before I know it ill be busting him for stealing my beers and trying to sneak sketchy ladies in the basement!
St. Patricks Day
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Oh how I miss you. As a parent, the joy of the greatest drinking holiday in the world is pretty much lost. A year ago Steph and I were drinking free jameson shots, covered in free guiness swag, and bickering over whose party to go to next. Pretty much woke up in a haze in Steph's bed?? and I have been looking at the pictures ever since in joy, including the video of Steph karate chopping my cell phone right out of my hands. Watch...
This year I ignored texts from friends who hit the bar at 1 pm from some of my favorite spots forgetting temptation and knowing indulging in that kind of activity isn't the right thing for now. Regardless, I smiled at all the great memories and headed home to the metro where I crammed myself into the yellow line train to hell. I have to say though, Steph met me at the metro stop near home with Henry in a sling, his strawberry hair exposed ( finally warm out ) in his little green bear suit and it all melted away...at least until I had 3 heavy belgian beers after he went man down. Then the nostalgia floods back. Like most holidays, going through it with a kid puts a WHOLE new perspective on the experience but maybe when the holiday hits a weekend I can attach him to one of those kiddy harnesses and take him with me to the bar as daddy takes downs a few guinesses.
This year I ignored texts from friends who hit the bar at 1 pm from some of my favorite spots forgetting temptation and knowing indulging in that kind of activity isn't the right thing for now. Regardless, I smiled at all the great memories and headed home to the metro where I crammed myself into the yellow line train to hell. I have to say though, Steph met me at the metro stop near home with Henry in a sling, his strawberry hair exposed ( finally warm out ) in his little green bear suit and it all melted away...at least until I had 3 heavy belgian beers after he went man down. Then the nostalgia floods back. Like most holidays, going through it with a kid puts a WHOLE new perspective on the experience but maybe when the holiday hits a weekend I can attach him to one of those kiddy harnesses and take him with me to the bar as daddy takes downs a few guinesses.
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