It Takes a Village

I must say that I am quite pleased with the village that surrounds my daughter. Thankfully, it's a collection of family members and people we have befriended over the years. I'm also thankful that these folks represent so many different constituencies and a broad spectrum of diversity. It is certainly not token representation either. Obviously, we value difference, and we want our daughter to as well. In addition, there is a wonderful support system in place full of friends and family. Whatever our daughter discovers about herself, she should have someone other than family to confide in.
It's interesting that despite this appreciation of difference, that I am thinking more and more about difference of opinion. Do we want our daughter to be exposed to someone who doesn't share some of our core values? Should we even have those people in our village? These are tough questions. At this point, I think it is most important for our "villagers" to have respect for all types of people. Tolerance is essential. One cannot use ignorance or privilege as a crutch or excuse for mean-spirited, thoughtless comments and actions. To be continued.

My Princess Diary

Here are some things that I have learned bother me as a father.

-Princess-I do not appreciate when someone calls my daughter, "Princess." I am not against my daughter having a princess phase. I certainly wouldn't push her away from something she likes at such a young age. However, I don't see enough examples of princesses that look like her. Let's move her away from the gender stereotypes and underlying message of entitlement. Please just call her by the name we painstakingly selected. 

-Clothes-Way too much pink out there for girls. Couldn't the design and the fact that it might be a dress be enough. My daughter happens to look quite nice in blue. I'm tired of stores telling me that she is better off in pink. Just to be clear, she does have pink apparel. However, I would appreciate some variety. Girls like superheroes and sports, too.

-I've had some people refer to me as Mr. Mom. I am not Mr. Mom. I am a father. I am a responsible parent. I am also quite capable as a dad, so you won't catch me making grilled cheese with an iron. 

My next entry: Hillary was right because it does take a village.

A New Adventure

It's been more than a year since I have written on my blog. For that, I apologize. My plan is to now write once a week, with a focus on being an active dad. You see, I am doing something very different for me. Very much away from my preferred comfort zone. Thanks to the support of my wife, I am planning to be home at least 3 days a week with our now 16-month old daughter. Honestly, I couldn't be happier knowing that I will play such a pivotal role in her ongoing development. It also allows my wife some level of comfort (there's that word again) knowing that one of us will be spending more time with the little one. She is at the point where she is truly developing her vocabulary and understanding of the world around her. I cannot wait to use NYC to the fullest, because I view it as one of the world's great classrooms. I am lucky to have friends who have been quite supportive of me during the decision making process. I am also excited to share aspects of my adventure with people through this blog. More to come.

Four weeks . . .

I can't believe my baby girl is already four weeks old. Time has flown. The plan is to continue to enjoy it. On a different note - a rant!
So, why are there people who only seem concerned about how much sleep I'm losing and ask about this with a hint of sarcasm? Reaching my limit on that. Caring for a child is about so much more than loss of sleep. That is a major challenge, but we will deal. End of rant.
Most people are so thoughtful and ask about not only my wife and daughter, but also about my feelings on being a parent. I appreciate those questions, because it is important to be able to reflect on the experience to date.

Change of Pace

Sometimes, I might need to post something a little bit different. I was truly moved when watching this video. Just hoping I can help my daughter be a hero and not a bully or bystander.

Top Ten Observations As A New Dad - Week 3

10) The Baby Bjorn Is Awesome! (See picture)
9) Baby Farts Are Tremendously Funny.
8) Baby Poop, Not So Much.
7) My Daughter Does Not Like Bob Marley.
6) However, She Likes The Beastie Boys.
5) People in Nail Salons Love Babies.
4) Nothing More Rewarding At This Point Than Changing A Nasty Diaper.
3) Except Having My Daughter Finish A Bottle With Me For The First Time!
2) Patience Is Truly A Virtue. Really. Trust Me.
1) It's Very Difficult Not To Become Emotional About My Baby Girl At Least Once A Day.

Back Soon.

Back to work

It was interesting to return to work today, now as an official dad. People were so excited to see me, see pictures, and hear details about the birth of my baby girl from my perspective. It was warm and fuzzy and I loved it! Thanks to my colleagues for all of their warm wishes. Yes, it was tough leaving Pepper and her mom after our extended time together. So, I'm hoping to spend some time during my lunches each day on FaceTime with my two ladies.