Papas take the challenge!

Papas, having a child is one of the best opportunities to make the changes in our lives that we have always talked about.  An obvious area of our lives we often over look is our health. Our wives, girlfriends, mothers, even our kids see the need for change when we don’t. We must to do all we can to be the solid rocks our kids think we are.

With that said, I am officially issuing the 50 Million Pound Challenge for Papas. The Challenge was started by Dr. Ian Smith to provide a forum for people to track their weight loss, get information about healthy living, and be encouraged by collective progress. This is a great way to get fit for yourself, but not by yourself.  There are now thousands of people who are tracking their progress for the group goal of 50 million pounds lost.

I have set up a team for Primo Papas to work together and lead the way to healthier living in our homes. Click the link below or on the right and join the team! Simply fill in your information, then your current weight and your goal weight. From there you can log on any time to record pounds lost. The site automatically charts your progress and ranks us as a team.

This is not a diet program, you are encouraged to find the HEALTHIEST and most convenient way for YOU to reach YOUR goal. By joining the team you will be challenged and encouraged. As we move forward I will be spotlighting standouts on the team. Look out for more fun stuff as we go!

Please read all disclaimers and consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Cheap Thrills

This weekend I was given a great idea for a kid’s party.  The Airport! Yup, that’s right the airport. Now I am not talking about O’Hara, JFK, or LAX. Check out your local municipal air strip.  Here in Santa Monica Airport our airport has an observation deck and there is a play ground next to the property. Jim who was there with his 4 year old said his son has been wanted to have a party there every since he was old enough to ask. Sure enough, on a subsequent visit he saw a bunch of kids with cake and candles in tow. So guess what his son is getting for his next birthday?

smgov.net

As I perused the small group of observers it became clear that this is a popular place for dad’s on Saturday mornings. You can kick back on the bleachers and watch your kids go crazy over tiny propeller planes and the occasional jet taking off and landing. I was able to keep my 18 month old occupied with little effort on my part for 45 minutes. The only reason we left is because there wasn’t enough action for me, no close call or emergency landings. While there may not have been any planes on fire, the big thrill for me was to watch my boy’s face light up and see him wave bye-bye with each take off.

Am I pregnant?

Any of you who have read my first entry or the About page know that I have taken being a father seriously from the moment I was given the news. However, I do have some concerns as a new millennium father I haven’t quite come to grips with.  The biggest one is this phrase “we are pregnant”.  It is always the woman who lumps you in as being pregnant, but I don’t hear many guys saying that. I was many things during my wife’s pregnancy, but pregnant wasn’t one of them. I didn’t even gain sympathy weight, I got skinnier with worry. So I have to ask, are you pregnant? Was I pregnant?

Definition of Pregnant:

1archaic : cogent

2: abounding in fancy, wit, or resourcefulness : inventive <all this has been said…by great and pregnant artists — Times Literary Supplement>

3: rich in significance or implication : meaningful, profound <the pregnant phrases of the Bible — Edmund Wilson> <a pregnant pause>

4: containing a developing embryo, fetus, or unborn offspring within the body : gravid

5: having possibilities of development or consequence : involving important issues : momentous <draw inspiration from the heroic achievements of that pregnant age — Kemp Malone>

6obsolete : inclined, disposed <your own most pregnant and vouchsafed ear — Shakespeare>

7: full, teeming, Merriam-Webster

After a quick trip to the dictionary I may have to rethink this whole “we are pregnant” notion. Let’s take a look at these one by one.

We can rule out number four right now, that is the domain of women only. I don’t care what scientific oddity you find on YouTube.

1: It seems that the writer is admitting up front that some of the uses of pregnant are outdated and uncommon in today’s speech. That is another point for men not being pregnant.

2: During those nine months I don’t know if I was “abounding in fancy” but I definitely had to be witty and resourceful. I was asked to do things that no movie, sitcom, or class can prepare you for.

3: While I do believe that people acknowledge a man’s feelings and his role during pregnancy today more than in generations past, it was all about wife and baby. I was not feeling very “rich with significances”. On the other hand I was definitely implicated as being a party to my wife’s state.

4:Not medically possible. See above.

5: There is no doubt that fatherhood has added to my continuous development as a person. So in that regard I will be pregnant for a long time to come. I know the consequences of having a child will bring positive results to our lives as men if we stay engaged.

6: Shakespeare is great for reading and discussion, but doesn’t quit translate in this conversation.

7: I was and still am full and teeming with indescribable joy, pride, love, respect, and humility for both my wife and child.

Most all of the definitions that apply, applied before we had a child anyway. No doubt, I have one more person to feel these things for and the magnitude is much greater. You could say many of the same things about getting engaged or your wedding day. So, I guess I was always pregnant and hope to always be in that sense. Fellas, we may be excited, full of emotion, closer to the wife than ever before but don’t worry “we” are not pregnant!

An Olympic PrimoPapa

From the performances of Michael Phelps to Usain Bolt and others, these are  a very entertaining Summer Games. The pride and joy on the faces of the parents in the stands is great to see. I can only imagine the elation of watching my child achieve in such a public forum.

What you don’t get to see that often on a world stage like the Olympics is a parent on the field of play. Here is one you won’t soon forget. Among all of the glory to be had, the “agony of defeat” can spring up at any time. Being there counts just as much in moments like the one below.

Derek Redmond 1992 Summer Games Barcelona 400 Meter Semi-Finals

The spark of greatness

O.k., so Michael Phelps sets a new standard in swimming and sports in general with 7 world records, 8 golds in one Olympic games, and the most golds of any Olympian. Over and over it has been said that he has the “perfect” body for swimming. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France 7 times. Again, according to the cycling experts his “perfect” body was a factor.  How fortunate is it that these guys found their sport and had the passion to pursue what they were designed for.

What does any of this have to do with being a PrimoPapa you ask? After watching this great feat, here is the question I walked away with: how do you help your child find what they are “perfect” for? What if Archie gave Payton a basketball due to his height? What if Earl had given Tiger a football instead of a golf club? You can repeat that question about so many of the greats in any profession or pursuit. What is really sad are the people who have ‘It” but are never exposed to the arena to see “It” flourish.

Every time we look into our children’s eyes we see great potential. As a father striving to be a PrimoPapa I realize that I am a steward of that potential. There isn’t enough time to expose them to everything, but my hope is that I am aware of the spark when it is ignited.

The loss of a funny t.v. Papa

This is one of those times when it is hard not to sound cliche.  To hear that Bernie Mac passed away today was truly shocking and sad. Bernie Mac was most widely known for his role in the Oceans 11 series and his stage shows, but my favorite was his role of surrogate father in the “The Bernie Mac Show”.

There have been many great TV papas over the years. Bernie’s characterization of his true live experience as an uncle who was thrust into papahood was able to say things that parent many feel when driven to the brink. The results were milk through your nose funny! The show was also a great illustration of how children refine and help us grow as people.

This unfortunate event got me to thinking about the greatest TV papas. There are many to choose from, and here are a few that stand out for me.

#1 Heathcliff Huxtable

#2 James Evans

#3 Bernie Mac

#4 Michael Brady

So who is your favorite t.v. papa?

Thank you for the laughs Mac!

The best part of waking up!!

The most outstanding thing happened to me last weekend. At 6am I hear my son babbling and I can’t believe it. I am thinking “No, no, no, come on kid give mom and dad a break, its Saturday! ” I am so use to him waking up at 6:30 or 7:00, now I am really hurt that my day will be starting so early.

Then it hit me, HA! I am dreaming! YES, I am dreaming and he is still asleep! You have to have lived with a baby to appriciate to the drastic swing of emotions from dejected to elated upon realizing that he didn’t wake up an hour early. Sleep is good!

Welcome to papahood Samuel

Congratulations to Sam and welcome to Trey !! You have now begun a journey that is like no other. It has only been 24 month from the day I found out I would be a dad. Even in that short period there have been highs and lows. The highs completely out shadow any lows.

Sam enjoy this ride called papahood!

A Primo Papa is a prepared Papa

EARTHQUAKE!!!

What an interesting turn of events! Last night I started a draft about what to have at the ready in case of an emergency. I envisioned dashing through smoke and fire in the predawn hours with wife and child in tow. Then having to turn back and watch your house go up in flames. This morning I was gently reminded of where I live by a 5.4 earthquake.

This was not “the big one” and thank God it wasn’t because we would have been in bad shape. We don’t have anything set aside. We have been too preoccupied with every day parenting disasters to worry about a real one.  So as much as this is a to-do list for me, it is a strong nudge for everyone out there also. Now go get ready for that universal peril, the dreaded house fires, and whatever flavor of natural disaster that is unique to your neck of the woods. Here is what I need to handle a few days on my own with the family after a quake.

The PrimoPapa disaster kit:

Cash money: A couple hundred dollars at least! No power and now phone lines means no credit cards nor ATMs.

I.D.: Make copies of Driver’s license, S.S. card, medical cards etc. You may have to run without your pants.

Drinking water: 1gallon/person/day. Water purification tablets if you have to drink from an unknown source. This includes the garden hose, there could be damage to the water line.

Canned food: have a hand opener, hand breast pump, formula and or baby food etc. (age appropriate)

Camp stove: or grill for cooking outdoors (keep all fuels and lighter fluids out of children’s reach)

Matches: Matches? Yes, you will need some stinking matches!

Utensils

Drugs: A weeks worth of any prescriptions for you or your child. Don’t forger extra prescription glasses.

First Aid kit: Your local camping supply store should have a good one or get a few small ones from the drug store.

Eyes and ears: Flashlight and radio with extra batteries and bulbs.

Clothing: A few changes of clothes for each season. You never know when something could happen.           Comfortable shoes.

Carseat: Hopefully, it is already in the car in case you have to get a move on.

Shelter: Sleeping bags and a tent.

Tools: Cresent wrench in case you have to turn off your gas (If you do turn it off, let the gas company turn it back on after inspection). Screw drivers, pliers, and a Leatherman or Swiss Army knife should do.

Storage: Plastic garbage bags, 1 gallon zipper bags, and rope.

Last but not least keep, all of this in the fewest number of bags possible. The best is one huge duffle on wheels. Store in a cool dry place. Check the contents of your kit every six months. Jr. won’t be able to fit into those sames onesies by winter.

Best wishes,

PIT

Did I forget anything?

All in the name of “family time”

I pride myself on being a guy who is open to new things, but a baby jogger exercise club? That is a stretch even for me. This past weekend was my second visit to the baby jogger exercise club my wife attends. On my first visit I was assured that dads join in on Saturdays. Despite my suspicions I went along. As we approached, I could plainly see I would be the only potty trained male.

Here I am in a public park with 11 babies and 11 moms talking about getting their bodies back, and I am being invited to do jogger jazzercise! I couldn’t help but laugh at myself for having gotten into this situation. I am talking “kick and reach and squeeze”, the whole nine yards.

You know that saying “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me”? Well shame on me!  On my second visit the husband of the instructor stops by toward the end, he extends a hand and tells me that other dads are missing this week and some of them are even former NCAA D1 ball players.  He obviously didn’t remember seeing me out there the week before (sole dad then too).

Any time spent with my wife and son is great, and the ladies are all very nice. The group is great for moms and dads (so I am told) who don’t get to the gym like they use to before Jr. arrived. Perhaps this is one time where being a Primo Papa doesn’t mean you have to be an “everywhere, all the time” Papa.