Staring at the computer screen right now just trying to find words to express how we are all feeling in Oklahoma after yesterday’s devastating tornado. It’s awful, just horrible, our hearts are aching for those who have been affected by what is now thought to be the most destructive tornado in recorded history. My family and I live in Edmond, which is 30-40 miles north of Moore where the tornado hit, so we are all safe and have no damage. But the day before, May 19th, we ourselves were in a storm shelter as a small tornado touched down a half mile away from us (luckily we had no damage then either). Living in Oklahoma my whole life this is nothing new, we grew up with tornadoes and for years have known all about what
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Hi, it’s me again. The mom blogger. Let’s see, the last time I composed an update I was knee-deep in the job search. Well, not much has changed. I still am. Job searching does require a bit of focus, patience and time. All of which are hard to come by when there’s a preschooler coming up to you every five minutes to summarize parts of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode she’s watching and that she’d like to share with you pieces of a fabric lei that she so diligently shredded into a hundred pieces just moments before. After you return to your computer from attending that mermaid party in the living room, you find that your session on the hiring company’s website has ended and you have to start the application process all over again
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I’ve told my “becoming a parent story” many times since 2005 but since I’m new here and the only female writer at Dadnabbit, I suppose I owe you some sort of introduction. Whatever. I don’t owe you anything. I kid! Of course I want to tell you all about my experiences changing diapers and having conversations with imaginary friends and how I’m desperately trying to get back into the 9-5 world. Hey, never said I wasn’t a little crazy. But man, you ain’t seen nothing yet! I’m a Pennsylvania native (Steeler country). I grew up with seven older brothers, a dad and a mom. Growing up, I had to be somewhat tough and tom-boyish, which suited me just fine. I rather liked riding my bike around town with my brother, in search of pop cans for recycling
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Babies are amusing. They are also media hounds. Fortunately for me, my son Owen (who turns 1 on Jan. 17) loves the camera. He smiles for pictures and actually seems to trump up his personality on video. Somewhat unintentionally, I found a way to use this to my advantage. As a full participant in the Facebook generation, I found it uncomfortable how much effort went into staging just the right picture for each month, sitting him in the same spot every 30 days next to the same stuffed animal, dressed up in something cutesy. It got annoying. It’s kind of a mom-ish thing to do, but I really did want to keep my friends and family updated on his progress; it just wasn’t any fun doing so. During his first month, my wife was using
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My wife and I are pretty big sports fans. Growing up in Northeast Wisconsin, our Sundays from September to January revolve around the Green Bay Packers. Saturday’s playoff game was our first opportunity to dress our new daughter in Packers garb and “watch” a game with us. I don’t think she liked it. Not that I expected her to do anything other than what she normally does, especially since newborns can’t see more than a foot in front of them, but the disrespect she showed the Green and Gold was disappointing. About 15 minutes after putting on her new Packers clothes, she had an explosive bowel movement mid-diaper change and sprayed her outfit. Early in the second half, while being burped, she took advantage of an apparent diapering mistake, and evacuated herself through her clothing,
Read More »As baby gifts began to pour in, I knew that I was looking forward to years of assembling gifts that my daughter would receive for birthdays, Christmas, etc. Well, my daughter isn’t here yet (5 more days?), and I’m tired of putting things together already.(UPDATE: Our little bundle of joy arrived on December 17th. Much, much, much more on this to come) I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a real handy guy. My tool collection has been described as “laughable”. Even though I lack anything but the most basic tools and skills, I know enough to be dangerous, and I can follow directions. I don’t enjoy putting things together at all, but up until today, I’ve assembled all sorts of furniture and toys without too much trouble. I still have all my
Read More »I suppose I should go ahead and introduce myself, explain what I’m doing here, and let you know that I am in no way qualified to give any parenting tips. I’m a 32 year-old Wisconsin native. I’ve lived in the state my whole life except for a 3 year stint in Omaha, Nebraska. My daughter was born 3 weeks ago (she’s perfect obviously), and my goal is to relay my experiences as a first time, new father. I’m sure my experiences won’t be that different from any other first timer, but I enjoy writing things on these here Internets, so that’s what I’m going to do. Now onto the part where I use the title of a Tom Petty song to relate my experience so far. At 10:30 p.m. on December 16th, my wife’s water
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We’ll have to wait until June 22 for Pixar’s Brave to arrive in theaters, but the...
Reliving childhood every day and telling our wives "it's for work."
