All eyes on me!

Kensington is learning how to crawl... well, actually, she's getting up on her knees, rocking back and forth, and then leaping for her life. I've been trying to get this on film (is it still considered that if it's digital?) but every time I grab the camera she stops and poses. I wonder where she gets this from (umm... maybe her pappa!) It's the funniest thing ever. It's like she can sense the camera being pointed in her direction.

[I think we've created a monster]

I was able to take a couple video clips by having the camera rest on the couch and not having it in my hands, but by then, she'd already given up on her crawling activities.

NOH8 campaign

Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz and his wife Ashlee Simpson Wentz have posed for a portrait for California's NOH8 campaign, which seeks to overturn the state's ban on gay marriage.

In the portrait, Ashlee holds a wedding veil and the couple appear with duct tape over their mouths to symbolize the silencing of the gay community's voices on the matter.

The couple have been outspoken supporters of over turning Prop 8, which bans gay marriage in CA. They also took part in a protest in Hollywood last month when the California Supreme Court upheld the ban on same-sex marriage.

Be Aggressive! B-E Aggressive!

The chants and screams of a cheerleadering squad are among the most treasured (ummm... vomit-inducing) sounds of our high school years. With pom-pom shoe laces, extremely short skirts & bloomers, tight ponytails that cut off the blood circulation to the brain and a frighteningly high degree of pep, the four most awkward years of our lives just wouldn’t have been the same (less mentally scarring) without the glory (horror) that was our pep squads. And yet... I find myself in the dawn of parenthood with my hand in "blade formation" (okay... I'm a gay dad, and I have five nieces - forgive me for knowing the terminology), chanting "Be Aggressive! B-E Aggressive!" when it's feeding time.

From the moment we left the hospital with our little chickpea, feeding time has always been a hurried experience. Meaning... Kensington is a very aggressive eater. Each time she takes a bottle, it's like it's the very first time she has eaten, and she can drink anyone under the table. The pediatrician has told us that we have nothing to worry about, she's eating plenty and we're not starving her... she's just 'aggressive'. When we picked her up from school on her first day, the teachers told us, with smiles and a look of sheer puzzlement, that she was an 'aggressive' eater. In earlier post I've mentioned that after they feed her, they have to either put her down for a nap or place her across the room for an activity so she doesn't see the other kids bottles, but she wants it - and is very vocal about her needs.

We've read numerous articles that talk about transitioning a baby from formula to solid foods, and how it could take anywhere from 4-12 times before it becomes a desired taste. Ummm... not for our child. If it's on a spoon or in a bottle, she'll eat it! From rice cereal to oatmeal, sweet potatoes to green beans, our little Kensington wants it. And she wants it NOW.

Yesterday I had her in her Baby Bjorn and I ended up getting a bottled coke from a vending machine. Now that she's able to reach out and hold her own bottle, she's reaching for mine. When I didn't want to give it to her, she loudly informed me that my bottle was HER bottle. I ended up handing over the closed bottle to her so she could hold it up to her mouth in order to calm her down.



Please excuse her little bedhead :)

Dad of Invention

When Jim Whitney's daughters were ages 3 and 5, this Toronto dad found himself watching his kids play and wondering why there wasn't a toy that could be assembled and reconfigured in different life-size shapes. "I wanted something that could be a cave today, a pirate ship tomorrow, and a castle the next," he says. "Oh, and you'd be able to drape sheets over it for hiding." Voila! The Crazy Fort was born. Check them out at www.crazyforts.com or go directly to Barnes&Noble to buy the product here.

Children of all ages love building fun structures where they can play endlessly in their imaginary worlds. And Crazy Forts makes play so easy and so fun. Simply connect the balls and sticks and cover the structure with bed sheets to create places where imaginations flourish.

Help Block Out Skin Cancer

A little sunshine is a good thing, but your little one can easily get too many rays. A baby's skin is 10 times more sensitive to the environment.... and those under the age of 6 months should never be exposed to the sun.

With a thinner skin and a developing natural protection system, a baby's skin needs special protection from the sun and irritating chemicals.

While flipping through "American Baby", I saw a wonderful ad with my two favorite brands - Johnson & Johnson and the American Cancer Society. Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena has come out with a Pure & Free Baby Sunblock stick. I can't tell you how excited I am about this (I know, I know... I'm a little geeky). This product has no irritating chemicals, is fragrance free, hypoallergenic, won't sting eyes and has no dyes and oils. Perfect for our little Kensington!

Skin cancer is a very real issue, and melanoma is deadly. One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person's chances of developing melanoma later in life. Sun exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer, and one that is relatively easy to prevent. You should learn the signs, visit your dermatologist to check for skin cancers, and be vigilant about using sunscreens such as this one. Actually, you can visit the American Academy of Dermatology here and find a free screening in your area.

To find out more information about skin cancer, prevention and detection, contact 1.800.227.2345 or visit http://www.cancer.org/

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and Neutrogena, working together to help prevent skin cancer, support the use of sunscreen.

One step forward... two steps back.

Chris and I have been cracking up lately. Kensington is trying to crawl, but she is stuck in reverse. That's right, reverse. She'll flop on her stomach, and stretch her little arms out to grab something, but will get further and further away from it the more she wants it. But, the little devil, is getting smart. She'll roll herself around and crawl backwards in the direction that she was originally going for. Now, that's what I call genius!

Dad Who Goes the Distance

There's a lot that 7-year-old Mary McAuley, of Hendersonville, Tennessee, can't do. Born with cerebral palsy and suffering from epilepsy, she's confined to a wheelchair, can't speak, and needs a feeding tube to eat. But her dad, Tommy McAuley, has helped her achieve awesome physical feats.

They are a father-daughter triathlon team. McAuley pushes Mary in a special stroller for most of his runs, pulls her along in a trailer when he bikes, and tugs his child in an inflatable raft as he's swimming. T.E.A.M. McAuley (older brothers, Grant, 11, and Griffin, 9, are members too) raises money and awareness for other families with special needs to get equipment to participate in triathlons. The biggest reason for racing is Mary. "She loves the feeling of not being disabled, spending time with her family, and the wind blowing through her hair," says McAuley. How can he know this about a child who can't speak? "If you saw her contagious smile, you'd have no doubt," explains this proud dad.

The Bangles may have had a manic Monday...

today I encountered a troublesome Thursday.

After hitting snooze two too many times, I finally rolled out of bed and hit the shower.

After getting myself ready, I entered Miss Kensington's sanctuary. Before I could even reach for the light, I was hit with the smell of the Diaper Dekor that sits next to the door. "Wow... I thought the pail was suppose to contain that smell." I then, in my mind, called Chris every name in the book because it was his turn to change out the bag. Before heading to her crib to wake her, I did his chore and brought the bag out to the garage. I head back upstairs and reach for our little angel and picked her up and smoothered her with her morning kisses. I carried her over to the changing table and then looked down at my sleeve.

It wasn't the Diaper Dekor that was the source of the odor... it was the diaper she was wearing that exploded. And it came out of her onesie. On me.

So I'm now trying to unbutton my shirt, one handed, while holding her down with my elbow so she's not 1) rolling in it, and 2) playing with it.

I get her diaper changed and throw my shirt, her onesie, the crib sheet and the changing pad in the washing machine and I put on another shirt. I made her bottle, fed her, burped her and got her dressed. As we prepared to head downstairs, she spit-up ALL over shirt number two.

Okay... let's try things again. They say third times a charm. Right?

I get on the road and we're off to school. We go into her class, I sign her in, we play for a few moments and I giver her goodbye kisses and then it's off to work. So I thought.

There is major construction. They are tearing up the road so they can construct a new supermarket and they have to run all of the piping. Seriously? At 8:35 in the morning. Haven't they heard of the morning commute? This puts me about 20 minutes behind. I get past the construction and now I'm on the highway and entering New Jersey and the phone rings - it's Kensi's school. She's out of formula. (WHAT!?!?! We get a daily progress report that alerts us to anything that is low and formula was not on it!!). I get to the next exit, turn around and head back into PA.

It's now about 45 minutes after the call that I'm pulling into her schools parking lot. I rush in and drop it off and then off to face the construction once again. Wait. I know what I'll do... I'll take the back road short cut. While it's hilly and bumpy, it's better than sitting and waiting.

Three miles into the trip, I'm faced with a Department of Transportation worker. Holding a stop sign. There is construction up ahead. Really? Is this what my day is turning into? Now I'm waiting and waiting. There is a car in front of me and two others behind me. Waiting. More waiting. Finally I roll down my window and wave the guy over... and then I'm informed the road ahead is flooded it will be about 30 more minutes before traffic can go through (was he planning on waiting the entire time and not tell us the problem so we could turn around?). So now I have to get out of the car to tell the folks behind be so they can back up, which would allow me to back up so we could get on with out day. Doing this I had to encounter the supermarket construction again.

It took me an additional two hours to get to work this morning. Yes. Two long additional hours.

Thank God tomorrow is Friday!!!

Must-Know Tips for Starting Solids

Now that Kensington has started solid foods, I decided to do some additional research on the new feeding wisdom. It seems like EVERYONE has an opinion when it comes to starting solids.

When I dropped Kensi off at school today, I noticed this cute picture on the wall of her class with "Aiden in June Parents Magazine". What?!?! I was just skimming through that magazine last night. Did I miss an article? Did I not recognize that cute little face in the magazine? What do you know... I did miss the article. Guess what the topic was? Come on. This is an easy one. I just tee'd it up - "Baby's First Foods".

The article [which is just the right length a piece should be since more than likely it's a busy parent trying to read it in between bottle feedings, diaper changes, naps and life] was a great one-pager that discussed the 'myths' of solid foods and some great advice every parent should take. For those of you wanting to read it for yourselves, you can click here.

As for little Aiden here, I think we have another contender for "The Courtship of Kensington Grace". Come on... look at those eyes. We do have to work on the table manners though.

Designer Dad

After having children, Chris Pegula, aka The Diaper Dude, realized that diaper bags were way too feminine for guys to carry with any enthusiasm. So the Santa Monica, California, dad decided to design his own line and in the process changed how fathers deal with diaper duty (no more toting baby's gear in a gym bag). Check out his line here.

Pain Relief Secrets

I wish I would have read this article in Parents Magazine before Kensington's last vaccination.

Whether your child is getting a shot or having surgery, there are ways to protect her from unnecessary agony (but your doctor may never mention them).

There are a couple easy, and inexpensive ways, to help take the sting out of shots.

EMLA Cream
Topical anesthetic that deadens pain. You request it before the visit and apply it beforehand.
Pro: Works very well and most pharmacies carry it.
Con: Must be applied an hour before the shot, so it takes some planning.


Vapocoolant Spray
Rapidly cools a small area of skin to help reduce the pain of needle pricks.
Pro: Works within seconds.
Con: Many pediatricians don't keep it in their office. Some studies show it doesn't reduce pain nearly as well as EMLA.

Numby Stuff (Iontophoresis)
An anesthetic similar to EMLA is applied to the skin, and a device uses a tiny amount of electric current to speed its absorption.
Pro: Numbs the skin in about 15 minutes.
Con: The electric current feels funny to some kids and can cause mild irritation. Most doctors don't have it in their office.

Pacifier Dipped in Sugar Water
Start giving it to your child a few minutes before a shot to distract her with the pleasant taste.
Pro: Cheap and easy, it works within two minutes.
Con: Not as helpful with older toddlers and doesn't eliminate pain entirely.
Originally published in the June 2009 issue of Parents magazine

To find out what parents can do before a routine check-up, in case of common infections, or during a hospital procedure, visit here.

Knock, Knock...

Who's there?

Nobody :(

Does this house look familiar? For many of you, probably not... but for Pete and Melanie, you may notice that you had company at your house while you were away.

Rule #1 - Never EVER leave your key under the door mat. That's the first place we looked. And want do you know - there it was.

Rule #2 - Always stock your your refrigerator with an ample supply of brie. You never know when you're going to have guest, silly. :)

We miss you and hope to see you soon.

1000 smiles

You really know how to light up a room. From the moment we walk into your nursery in the morning, you greet us with the most amazing smile. Throughout the morning as we get you ready for school and prepare ourselves for work, we are faced with smile after smile. When you enter your class and greet your teachers, the smiles continue. Your daily progress reports tell us that “I was smiley today” and “I wanted hugs”, and when we walk in to pick up you – yep, you guessed it – more smiles. In the evening when we play with you on your explorer gym, in your swing, on your boppy, on our shoulders and our stomachs, we are delighted by all of the smiles that we receive. And as we kiss you goodnight, the biggest smile is given. We have to count at least 1000 smiles a day that you give us. And at night, while you sleep, we continue to smile at the thought of how blessed we are that you are in our lives.

What the Flock...

OMG. It's Wednesday night and I still feel bloated from all the food I ate over the holiday weekend. Multiple cookouts on Saturday in the Poconos... followed by multiple cookouts on Sunday (at Cathy & Kyles), and more on Monday. Needless to say, I didn't hold back. And I should have. No really. I should have! But the food was SOOOOOOO amazing.

Reaching out into the bloggershere, POM Wonderful graciously sent us a sample of their 100% Pomegranate Juice to try and review. I know, I know... is this what you're reading the blog for? We thought about this long and hard before we considered writing a product review... and then we realized, that's what we've have been doing for other items and those companies didn't send us a sample. We've been sharing products that work for us... whether it be types of wipes, toys, facial products, etc. It's about what makes our lives easier now that we're parents, and hopefully guide others to leading a try things that work for them.

Besides tasting great, you can do so many great things in the kitchen - and on the grill - and at the bar - with POM Wonderful Pomegranate juice.

So... what does one do on a holiday weekend and numerous dishes to cook up? Break open a bottle of POM Wonderful Pomegranate juice and get creative. And so we did...

First up: Mango Tequila Pom Shrimp



In a food processor, combine the mango, cilantro, jalapenos, onion, and garlic and finely chop. Gradually add the all the juices, salt and sugar. Pour this mixture over the shrimp; cover and refrigerate for 30-45 minute. Turn the kabobs several times during this marination.




Next Up: POM Wonderful Pomegranate Barbecue Ribs.






















For step-by-step photos and technique, visit fotocuisine.com - Note that we eliminated the lemon juice.

And the finale of the POM Wonderful recipes, my famous Ménage à trois cocktail (usually made with Three Cherry Pomegranate Vodka... but this version uses 100% pomegranate juice and is much better). This version has been renamed Ménage à POM.

Our love didn't begin with a court decision...

and it won't end with one either.

While the California Supreme Court today let stand Proposition 8, continuing marriage discrimination in California, they refused to undo the 18,000 marriages that same-sex couples celebrated in 2008.

While we take some solace that other loving couples who did marry in California will stay married, an estimated one million more individuals have been denied that dignity and basic right.

For that, we are heartbroken... but we have known this pain before.

Despite today's flawed court ruling, momentum for the freedom to marry continues across the nation. Since April, three more states—Iowa through court decision and Vermont and Maine through legislative action—have the freedom to marry, joining Massachusetts and Connecticut.
All eyes are now on New York, New Hampshire, and New Jersey, whose governors have pledged to sign the pending freedom to marry bills once they reach their desks.

It's all about winning hearts and minds so we can repeal this hateful marriage ban, once and for all. And it's not just California. We need to keep the recent momentum for marriage equality alive until every loving couple across the nation has the right to marry.

I know that those of you who are reading this are on our side... and we can not thank you enough! But we're asking you to help us take action. Watch the video below... and then send it to your friends that may not be so open minded. Ask them to look into the eyes of the people, LGBT and straight, who stand in solidarity today - and then ask them join the effort we must begin. It's one small step. We can't win this fight without you.

Together in the fight!

Boom Boom Pow...

Today, Kensington had another installment of vaccinations. The ride was very similair to Fergies/Black Eyed Peas song.


Gotta get [home] Gotta get [home] Gotta get [home]


Boom boom boom (my headache... from the screaming coming from the back seat)


Gotta get [home] Gotta get [home] Gotta get [home]


Boom boom Pow (where is the asprin when you really need it. It's not in the car - i looked twice).

Watch Out McKinley High School...

Chris and I were extremely excited to watch the students of McKinley High School (aka - GLEE) this past week. The show is a one-hour musical comedy that follows an optimistic high school teacher (our favorite - Matthew Morrison) as he tries to transform the Glee Club and inspire a group of ragtag performers to make it to the biggest competition of all: Nationals.

We were in H E A V E N.

Not only because we were riding the American Idol high, but because we were reunited with Lea Michele (who does an amazing job as the perfectionist firecracker Rachel... who happens to have two gay dads). Lea also starred in "Spring Awakenings", one of our all-time favorite Broadway musicals that won numerous Tony awards in 2007.

In the video below of the Tony awards, you can see that during the production, Spring Awakenings has some of their cast mixed in with audience members that sit on the stage. After seeing the show for the first time and totally falling in love with it, I purchased Chris a seat on the stage. So, in a sense, he was able to share the stage with Lea (they are now they are BFF's). We were able to get our program signed by the entire cast and it's hanging in the game room (next to the new fuse-ball table that matches the pool table perfectly! Ya'll are invited to come over and play anytime. Just call first so I can have a fresh batch of cookies waiting for you :)

Now, I'm off to find a way to get Chris on Glee. Maybe I can get him a role as the janitor or as one of the cafeteria ladies. I can't wait to see him in a hair net [he's going to kill me for posting this!]

Babies for Kris Allen...

will be sleeping VERY well tonight.

Recently married Arkansas college student Kris Allen won the eighth (and best to date) season of "American Idol" tonight... dealing a very unexpected defeat to musical theater actor Adam Lambert - and it was all because of you :)

What a show (though I could have done without Rod Stewart and KISS... what were they thinking?!?!?)!

As the great JT once said,

"What goes around... Comes all the way back around."



What do you get when you leave your camera on the table and walk out of the diner? Your cousins hijacking it and taking tons of pics that cause you to laugh outloud and wet yourself when you finally view them.





Cousins... what do you get when you take my camera?


Those pictures posted on this blog.
















Are you scared yet?























You should be.



Seriously... you should be :)




Keep Scrollings...







Okay.

I'll be nice and hold off on the others.
For the moment

{smile guys - and gal}

Don't Resist Me...

Now is your chance to make this baby a happy one... and a happy baby means two happy daddies!

Kensington stayed up past her curfew to watch her favorite American Idol of the season... Kris Allen.

You have 4 hours to call in and vote.
Now is your chance.
Call 1.866.436.5704 and make baby Kensington smile!

"It was bold, it was brave, and it was fearless..."

Thats right folks... Kara DioGuardi just announced on her blog that Kensington has been elected as the President of "Babies for Kris Allen" fan club. Kensi is urging all of her fans to make sure they Rock The Vote for underdog. Kris did an amazing version of Falling Slowly from Once, and that performace took little Kensi's breath away. Don't let this little Princess down... :)

Small Acts Of Kindness

Kindness in words creates confidence.

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.

Kindness in giving creates love.

~Lao-Tzu

Today... Kindness in giving helped create a loving family.

Chris and I have been met with many acts of kindness along our adoption journey... and today we received another one.

As we approach the final days until our adoption will be put in front of a judge, we've had to have several additional documents notarized. Today we received a new set and our attorney's office wasn't able to get us in, so we ended up going to a place in town that would do it.

We were greeted by a lady who stayed seating behind the counter. Chris told her we needed to have a couple documents notarized and she asked us if Kensington, who was being an angel in her car seat, was our child. We smiled and raised the car seat to eye level and Kensi let out one huge smile. After looking at the documents, she realized it was our adoption paperwork. She told us where to sign and date, did what she needed to do, and returned the papers back to us, "This is for her." We thought it was a question, "This is for her?" so we answered "yes". With a smile, "This is for her. It's on me. I wish you all the very best of luck. You two have one adorable little girl there."

Why yes... yes we do.

Catch Up Time...

Over the next couple of days, I'll be posting some pictures from the past couple of weeks (Now that I've transferred the 526 pictures off of the camera since Kensington's Mazha and Fazha visited). Here are a few from Kensington's first, first Easter outing. This was Saturday evenings festivities at Kevin and Carmens...

Pre-event wardrobe...

Kensi meets her Great-Auntie Jeff.

This will definitely cause her to go to therapy! What were they thinking?!?! :o)

Later at Uncle Rob and Mikes house.

Nighty, Night.

Yummy, yummy... more food in my tummy!

Kensington has been on a serving of cereal a day... starting on her 4 month birthday. It's usually in her last bottle of the night, which - for the most part - allows her little belly to be full throughout the night. Full belly = less feedings throughout the night.

Auntie Cathy and Uncle Kyle came over this weekend and, with Daddy's help, assisted Kensington with breaking in the highchair and being spoon fed...
Cathy has also informed us that Kensington is a fan of "Asian Food"{Her words, not ours}.
Umm... where's the duck sauce?



[frames courtesy of BBK Scrapbook Corner]

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.

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.

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!

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!