Thursday, April 30, 2009

Double Trouble!

Last week our little bundle of joy got her 4 month check-up, as well as vaccination shots, and she has DOUBLED in size from the time she was born. Yes, I said DOUBLED in size. She's now a hefty 12lbs, 12 oz.

Who needs a BowFlex when you can carry this bundle of love around?

Baby Einstein may be leading the pack in music...

but Baby Kensington is tearing up the canvass, one brush stroke at a time.

Kensi loves - I mean LOVES - painting. At only four months, she's already getting ready for her first exhibition, at the Irwin-Dudek Gallery. Picasso created his first painting, El picador, when he was 5 years old. Our Princess Kensington created "Flamingos sentarse" (Perching Flamingos) at only 16 weeks. Booya to you Picasso!

Like any true art lover, you have to look at the colors, design and texture of her portrait and let your imagination sink into the spirit in which it was painted in. In this landscape/wildlife piece, you can see a father and daughter flamingo perching next to a waterfall. Look. Feel. Imagine.

For those of you that need some assistance, I've enhanced her piece digitally to give you a sense of what she was going for.


Friday, April 24, 2009

Before... and After.

As we approach our 4th month of fatherhood tomorrow, I am once again reminded of just how much things have changed in our lives recently. Less sleep, more poop, more noise, more work, less space in the house, more love than we could EVER imagine. As many gay dads would confess - we wouldn’t change anything, obviously, but we do have to admit that our lifestyle is just a wee bit differenet now. That includes the meaning of words and phrases around the ItsDaddies.Plural household.

*******************************
Obviously these are all in good fun.
*******************************

“Let’s go for dinner and a show.”

Before Kensington: On Saturdays, Chris and I would travel into the city, get tickets to the newest show on the Great White Way and head to a great little restaurant in the Village. We’d take our time, talk about our week at work and flirt a little… sometimes with each other.

After Kensington: Dinner consists of eating cereal on the couch… in shifts. One eats, the other one tries to put Kensington to bed. Then we select whatever show has been Tivo’d, and in the system for the last two month, and try to watch it over the screams from the angry baby in the nursery. One of us is asleep by 8:30. [side note… please don’t tell me who is winning on American Idol. We’re still watching the auditions. I’m kinda digging the new judge.]

“Let’s get out of the house.”

Before Kensington: Pack some things in a bag, grab the bare essentials and hit the open road. Where are we going? Who knows? Who Cares!!! We don’t need a stink’n destination, wherever we end up is good enough – D.C., Philly, Down the Shore, Connecticut, London for the weekend – where ever! No schedule, no timetable and no worries.

After Kensington: Um… and go where? What time is it? Hmmm, well we’ll have to make it a quick trip because she should take a nap in about an hour and she’ll never sleep if we break her schedule. So let’s pack the diaper bag. Bring a change of clothes. Wait, better make that two changes of clothes. Don’t forget the wipes and the extra diapers. Grab the camera. Wait… is the battery fully charged? Plug it in real quick. Did you bring the formula? And the bottle. Oh oh oh wait, we need the stroller too. Don’t forget her hat in case we end up outside. Oh, what about Duncan & Gossip? We need to take them too…. that means we can’t fit the stroller so we can’t go anywhere that requires us to get out of the car. Look at the time…it’s time for her nap. Let’s just forget it.

“Honey, we were invited to a party!”

Before Kensington: Our friends call, or sends an Evite, or even Facebook message to let us know there’s a soiree happening at so-and-so’s house. Whip up a dish of Hot Crab Artichoke Dip. Bring a change of clothes because you maybe staying in the guest room if it gets too late.

After Kensington: The Evite turns into a Winnie the Pooh card from other couples with kids. No one calls anymore because we’re too busy to ever answer our phone. The Cabernet Sauvignon has transformed into 16-oz of formula. The Hot Crab Artichoke Dip turns into chips and salsa. The only change of clothes we need is for Kensi, who will surely pick this opportunity to poop or pee her way through her onsie. We’ll never see another guest room again.

“I’m gonna take a quick shower.”

Before Kensington: Well, this one’s pretty self-explanatory If you wanted to perform the simple task of showering you just jumped in. End of story.

After Kensington: The only time we can shower is when we’re home together. Kensington cannot stand it when we go around the corner and she knows we’re in house. That means we have to bring her to the master bedroom while we shower, so we can hear her and she can hear us. Which also means we have to bring either the pack-n-play up or the bassinet, because if not she’ll roll herself off the bed, or if on the floor, roll under our bed – which is Gossip’s domain.

“Let’s watch some TV.”

Before Kensington: We were both HUGE television junkies. I start my mornings off with Matt, Meredith, Ann and Al… or if I woke up earlier than when they were on, I’d watch the shows that we’re on our upstairs Tivo unit. When we’d get home from work we’d watch Chelsea Lately, Private Practice, Grey’s Anatomy, The Office, Fringe, Reaper, Heroes, Brothers and Sisters… and then we can’t forget the 12 reality shows that are recorded and watched religiously.

After Kensington: The morning lineup is drastically different - Baby Einstein. When we get home, it tummy time and giggles… that’s our reality.

“I’m on my way.”

Before Kensington: The phone would ring with someone asking me if I’d want to meet up with them. I’d pick up the jeans that are laying across the ironing board, throw on a top, two sprays of Banana Republics Slate cologne and run out the door.

After Kensington: I’d pick up the jeans that are laying across the ironing board, throw on a top, two sprays of Banana Republics Slate cologne and run to get Kensington ready. Steps following that are changing her diaper and giving her five ounces of formula, burping every two ounces. Once feed, it’s going through her closet to find an outfit that she 1) Hasn’t worn in two weeks, 2) Hasn’t worn in the presence of the same company (she is a lady) and 3) Is favorable to the weather forecast for the next couple of hours.

“Sleeping in.”

Before Kensington: 11 a.m. on a weekend.

After Kensington: Not applicable.

“I need to be pampered.”

Before Kensington: Chris and I would frequently go to the spa for a deep tissue or sports massage… an occasional facial, followed by a mani and petti.

After Kensington: With no time to actually schedule an appointment, for anything, we’ve been reduced to using the Neutrogena Wave as the only form of smoothing out the pores. As far as a massage, there is that house located a couple miles away that never has any business and a flickering neon “Open” sign that is lit 24/7. I may have to give it a try…

“How Do I Look?”

Before Kensington: One of us would be getting ready to go out and casually ask if this shirt looks good with these jeans… am I overdressed or under-dressed for the occasion. Do these shoes go with this top? Brown belt or black belt? “Yes” or “no” to the cuff links.

After Kensington: Can you see the spit up that I just wiped off my shoulder?

“So This Is What Life Is?”

Before Kensiginton: Spending time with each other, our friends and our family.

After Kensington: Loving someone like you could never have imagined.


Thanks to Aaron at DaddyFiles for his creative influence on this post.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Finding Neverland...

Young girls should never be sent to bed... they always wake up a day older.

Okay, it's been three weeks since the last post. Where have we been, you've asked? Let's just say we've been teetering [no... not twittering] on the edge of the land of make-believe. Fatherhood has been amazing. It really has. While we've been busy, with me going back to work, Kensington starting school and the numerous engagements we've had, we've still had time to watch our little angel change on a daily basis. It seems to us that Kensington's trying to grow up too fast, and for that, we've opted to watch it - and not write about it.

I know, I know... how dare we!

When I come home, logging into the computer has been the last thing on my mind. I just wanna eat our little angel up. I only have a short time span to smile with her, watch her roll around (yes, she's rolling on her stomach AND back again on her back), have our 'Raspberries and Bubbles' competitions, and listen/watch her laugh. You do know that when a baby laughs for the first time, the laugh breaks into a thousand pieces, and they all go skipping about. And that's the beginning of fairies. Okay, that was a stretch to add another 'Finding Neverland" quote.

Once she goes to sleep at 7 pm, she's doing it in our arms (and on the boppy around our waists) until it's time to bring her to her crib (which should be 9pm, but has been more like 10, 10:30 because we want to hold her forever). And then it's time for us to try to get some sleep.

The nice thing has been is that she's been in day-care for three days a week. I've been taking one day off to spend with her (we've been on walks, strolls, and jungle-gyming it). She is LOVING daycare. So far, she's done baby yoga, has had stretch class, has done - yes, has done THREE art projects. I was so excited to see Kensingtons first art project she did in class (pictured here). I do believe we have a baby Van Gogh on our hands. Oh No! I love her little baby ears...both of them!


Wednesday, April 1, 2009

The Devil Is In The Details

Did Lucifer play a role in Kensington's Mazha and Fazha'a visit? It may sound crazy, but one of the driving forces in our day... all 12 of them, started and ended with the sights and sounds of Lucifer. That’s right, Lucifer, also known as the Devil, Satan, Beelzebub, FOXNews—you get the idea.

Anyway... we had to make an emergency call to Father Dan to get him to come and exercise the television. No... not put on a DVD of Richard Simmons... actually perform the reformed rites of exorcism.
We didn't think it would have to go to that extent... but it seemed like the remote would only let you turn to channel 360 on the satellite and there was a strange fuzzy "FOX News" emblem permanently embedded in the bottom left-hand of our screen. Chris and I would also hear some strange voice murmurring "Hannity" during Kensis 2am feedings.








Life... one inch at a time.

Hey all you new parents and expectant parents, we wanted to share with you a great new item that we came across.

BumpyName, which can be found at inchbug.com is every parent’s solution for labeling bottles, sippy cups, snack containers and other various drink/toiletry containers. This product is non-adhesive, reusable and personalized to meet your needs.

These are dishwasher and microwave safe and are sure to make your life simpler! No more "permanent" markers that wash away in the dishwasher. No more sticky labels that fade, peel, or leave sticky residue. These labels are easy to use - just stretch and release for a snug fit around a variety of containers. BumpyName labels are a must-have for pre-school and daycare.

InchBug is also the place to go for the "Diaper Vest" and "Cargo Jacket" brands by DadGear - the hottest innovations in parenting gear since the diaper bag itself! Instead of carrying a traditional diaper bag, dad can stash everything he needs for baby-care inside cleverly concealed pockets of this stylish fleece Vest or Jacket. With no bag to carry, dad also stays 'hands free.' Both the Vest and Jacket hold diapers, bottles, wipes, dad's cell phone and mp3 player, and even a slim changing pad. Thanks to the Diaper Vest and Jacket's sporty design and carefully placed pockets, no one will ever know that dad is wearing his diaper bag!