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 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?

Can’t you see that?

Fathers, I am so glad to see so many of us in parks playing with our kids. For many like myself, time on a holiday weekend is more than what we normally get during the week. So, it makes sense to me that we may forget things when we take the kids out. Tools for snot management can’t be one of them!

Out at the park last week the family and I were playing in the sand. Along comes a small brood trailed by their dad. He has forgotten the sand toys so we offer ours. As the middle child walks up we notice he has the beginnings of a runny nose. We engage in the usually parental park banter as we watch the kids play. I can’t concentrate much on what the dad is saying because my internal clock is ticking at a deafening volume.

When his he going to take care of that? Within a few minutes the kid was able to taste his snot without sticking his tongue out. All I am thinking is, “I am glad my kid is done with those toys. That shovel and rake are going straight into the dishwasher when we get back!” I just don’t get it. Maybe it is because he was on number three and I am on my first child. But can’t he see that?

If you find yourself with out proper gear, ask for help. In the sea of strollers and diaper bags in a park someone will dig in and lend, I me give, you a tissue. If all else fails, take one for the team and use your sleeve!

Tech Daddy

Being a Primo Papa means taking good pictures and video. That’s right, a new baby is a free pass to spend more time wandering the aisles of your favorite electronics outlet. When questioned, your reply is simply “We have to get great shots of the baby, Honey.”

So where do we start? Begin with the manual and the camera you already have! A free online tutorial is a great place to go after that. Also, many manufacturers give free seminars at camera shops. Once you have taken some type of class you will realize that you don’t need to spend a ton of money on equipment. To use a sports metaphor, if we are picking teams on any court we will pick Jordan in a pair of Chuck Taylor All-Stars over anyone else any day of the week. So contrary to what Mars Blackmon had to say it’s not the shoes, but the man in the shoes. The same applies with cameras.

If an upgrade is necessary try an entry level digital SLR. They are more flexible and will be indispensable when baby goes mobile. It is very important to have a fast camera that will give you clear pictures when kids are moving. Most importantly, you can get one for not much more than a high-end point and shoot. There are basically two major camps – Nikon and Canon. The entry level models are the D40 and the Rebel XT respectively. Don’t let anyone talk you into anything more unless you have money to burn or plan on getting serious.

I made the leap because I got tired of shots like the one above taken with my point and shoot. Also, I wanted to get a system that could grow as my kids get faster. After reading a bunch, asking questions, and playing with both in the store the Nikon D40x was the one for me. The main reasons were that it felt good in my hand despite the small size. Nikon uses SD memory cards which I already had (still bought a high speed, 2GB card anyway). The kit lens that came with it got better reviews for picture quality than the Canon kit lens. Above all else these two cameras have an automatic mode and are cheap enough to get a second ”cute” point and shoot camera for the wife.

Moving Pictures

Do you have a clunker of a camcorder? Its been 7 years since I got my last camcorder and it hasn’t seen much action. You know the drill. Is it charged up? What is on the tape that’s in here now? Where is a blank tape? All of those built-in effects functions that go unused. The high end camcorders will come in hand when there is a special recitals or when you are putting together the highlight reel for the college scouts. 

In the beginning main goal is to capture funny and momentous occasions to embarrass your kids at graduations and on their wedding day. After that, we are trying to appease the out of town relatives. To get this done check out the Flip or the ATC2k .

Flip: First off I have been using this camera for  several months. The main draw is the simplicity. Only four buttons and a direction doughnut around the record button. This means I am quick on the draw and can start shooting when my son does something. Second, my wife loves it because of the size and ease of use. If anything interesting happens while I am at work, it will be there for me when I get home. The camera runs on two AA batteries, records up to an hour depending on the unit, and goes from off to recording in a flash. To keep the out of town relatives happy “flip” out the unit’s built in USB arm and download it with the on-board software. From there you can post to your favorite video sharing site, attach in an email, or add some effects with your Windows PC or Mac software.

ATC2k: This one I haven’t used myself but I have seen it in action. The big deal is that it is made for action. It goes under water and can be attached to your child’s bike or helmet. You put in a SD card to store video, up to at 2gig card. Sounds like fun, but what does this have to do with babies you ask? My son has done some of the most amazing things and given me some of the greatest laughs while in the bath or on the changing table. Those are times when you CANNOT run and grab the camera. I would have loved to have a camera strapped to my head with a headband or shoulder in these priceless moments. ATC2k gets you there.

I haven’t gotten too technical here because you can get the specs and other user reviews from Amazon, Cnet, etc. At the end of the day get a camera that is fast and easy to use. Shoot often so you remember all of the controls that are useful to you. Most importantly, have fun with your kids and the gadgets. The memories are all in your hands, but I am sure you can handle the pressure.