Category Archives: Life

She’s Already Changed So Much: Babywearing Progression Pictures

With it being International Babywearing Week and all, I decided to take a look back at my babywearing journey thus far. Going Mom and I proudly started wearing Avery just weeks after she was born and haven’t looked back sense. Well, besides figuring out that our first carrier, the Baby Bjorn, was not an ideal option for parent or baby.

Luckily, I had the opportunity to try carriers from Onya Baby and Ergo Baby that they sent to me for review. You can read my review for the Onya Baby Outback here and the Ergo Baby Ventus here.

I still use both carriers with Onya being my go-to choice. I keep the Ergo on the car to use when we are out and about. I’ve mentioned many times on the benefits of wearing your baby, and would urge anyone to  wear their baby as much as possible.

What started as a tiny, squishy baby pressed against me in a carrier, has transformed (and still going!) into a lively, albeit heavier, baby that I still wear every day for our afternoon walk. I know the time will come when she becomes too old/heavy to be worn, but that’s still a way’s away.

In celebration of International Babywearing Week, I wanted to post some of my favorite babywearing pictures with Avery. Hope this motivates you to get outside and wear your baby with loving pride!

First day as a stay-at-home dad. My new briefcase is always just hanging around....
First day as a stay-at-home dad. My new briefcase is always just hanging around….
Bundled up for a cold walk
Bundled up for a cold walk
Okay, next
Okay, next
Gahhh! I'm wearing her all wrong!!
Gahhh! I’m wearing her all wrong!!
Mommy-daughter love
Mommy-daughter love
Daddy kisses in the Ergo
Daddy kisses in the Ergo
I can see!!
I can see!!
Color-matching and mowing....win!!
Color-matching and mowing….win!!
20140330_172926
Family walk with Avery taking a nap.
Elevation training mask + babywearing=not impressed
Elevation training mask + babywearing = not impressed
Good to know my baby has my back!
Good to know my baby has my back!
Petting the neighborhood ass.
Petting the neighborhood ass.
How to "wear" in style in Texas.
How to “wear” in style in Texas.
Is it really just a "selfie" when you have your baby too?
Is it really just a “selfie” when you have your baby too?
Great view.
Great view.
Splash pad in Fort Worth  with the family for my birthday!
Splash pad in Fort Worth with the family for my birthday!
Will someone please stop him from mowing?!
Will someone please stop him from mowing?!

I tried to keep these somewhat in order. Hope you enjoyed the pics and are ready to go wear your baby if aren’t already.

Have you been celebrating Babywearing Week?

Do you do it ever day regardless?

Our Baby Caught on Video: Standing and Watching Ninja Turtles

If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you might of seen the several posts I made with Avery and Ninja Turtles. Since Going Mom, who I am sad to say despises the shelled mutants, was out of a town for a few days, I took the opportunity to expose Avery to the classic cartoons I grew up with.

Oh man, I can’t explain the awesome wave of nostalgia that overwhelmed me just as the theme song started playing! I’m hooked, again, and from what I’ve seen so far, Avery might be too. Or maybe it’s just the flashy, colors emitting from the TV. Nahhhh

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8wiCd-FrLs]

Now that my wife is back home, we there hasn’t been any TMNT action to watch, but hopefully the egg has been planted in Avery and she’ll look forward to the next time we can watch an episode or two. Of course, play time and getting outside will always be stressed the most and is top priority. I love the turtles, but they won’t help keep us healthy. Unless, for some reason, our lives are suddenly threatened by Shredder and his half-wit minions Bepop and Rocksteady.

Yep, I’m a TMNT nerd, and damn proud!

Anyway, Going Mom has been sick since she came home and I’ve been trying to care for her in hopes she gets well soon. I made the first soups of the season and both were graciously consumed by my weary wife. Crossing my fingers she running at full throttle soon!

I think Avery might help by showing Mommy how she can stand on her own. After several attempts, we finally got her to stand for longer than half a second! Exciting times in our house, I know! Here’s the video, hope you enjoy and have a great Saturday.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkVOMZpnkHU]

Do you and your spouse/partner have disagreements on what to watch and/or show your kids?

How do you or did you work with your kids to get them standing and walking?

No One to Cheers With Except Baby

Going Mom and I try to make it a point to cheers each other at the end of every day. There may not always be some miraculous occasion to celebrate, but it’s a great way to focus on the “good” of the day. If nothing else, we just cheers to LOVE, we always have that!

My wife was up by 3 am to get get ready and head to the airport for her business trip yesterday leaving Avery and me to fend for ourselves. It was basically the same as any other week day until the evening rolled around and it was still just a dad and his little girl missing the woman we both love most in life.

Despite missing Kelley, I kept busy and finally began the brewing process with the Belgian Saison beer kit I bought over a month ago.

Avery made sure to lend a hand in the process too. She was quite the helpful baby!

I started before she woke up in the morning at around 7 am, and didn’t finish getting it in the fermenting bucket until nap time at 3 pm. It took a little longer than I expected, but I’m sure it will all be worth it 3 weeks from now! I think Tom Petty says it best in his song “The Waiting”…..it truly is the hardest part.

On top of a successful start to beer brewing, I had my first article published on The Huffington Post! It’s a post I first published here on my blog with a little editing done and I’m thrilled to finally have it published! This has been a huge goal of mine and hopefully this is the first of many more to come!

Overall, it was a pretty good day, but when I sat down with Avery in her high chair for dinner, I had no wife to cheers to. Instead, I raised my glass to Avery who, in return, swiped several peas and a carrot on the floor and kicked up her leg.

Meh, good enough.

Hoping for a good day today and think I might even try to watch the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, but always end up putting it off. Maybe this time it will happen….or maybe not, Avery will ultimately decide I guess.

As promised, I’ll share some of my favorite pictures of the day for Going Mom (and anyone else) to enjoy. Kelley, we miss you dear, can’t wait to see you late Wednesday night!

I think I'm awake......right?
I think I’m awake……right?
Just doing a walky-walk in my jammy-jams. No biggie.
Just doing a walky-walk in my jammy-jams. No biggie.
My name is Avery, but you can call me "bubbles"
My name is Avery, but you can call me “bubbles”
Daddy says I'm a good mini brewmaster!
Daddy says I’m a good mini brewmaster!
Where is Avery?
Where is Avery?
There she is!!
There she is!!
And she's out....
And she’s out….

 

Do you have a daily routine like making a cheers or something else?

If so, do you feel at a loss when you don’t do it for the day?