I'm Back

So if you know anything about me the last few months have been the most entertaining of my life.  Bode became national news as the only known person to witness two perfect baseball games in the first two times he's ever gone to a game.  What a time not to be blogging huh?  So as we come back to reality lately I have been thinking about the future and decided to start blogging again.  I've been home with Bode for over a year now and in the next few years I see several possibilities as things stand now.  1)  We have another child.  Jenn and I are serious about this and if it's going to happen it will happen soon.  This, however, would probably mean that I will be staying home for a few more years.  2)  Back to work.  I don't think I'll go back to managing restaurants again but you never know.  One of the main reasons I decided to stay home was because of the goofy hours you work in restaurants.  You see a lot of places say you don't have to work the late nights because they are only open until 9pm but you're still there until 11.  Daycare and a babysitter probably wouldn't be in our budget so hopefully I could find something for a non-profit or something.  Work easier hours but maybe do something that seems more meaningful.  Really impact some people's lives.  3)  Start my own business.  I have a couple ideas about what I could do but to truly have something unique is incredibly hard.  The idea of getting my own business together seems like a daunting, scary task.  Do I really have the guts and drive to do it?  Jenn and I have played it safe most of our lives so who knows how she would feel about it.  She would have to have tons of faith in me to get it done.  I guess more importantly, do I have faith in myself.

Perfect Day/Perfect Game

Not bad seats for a first game.

Standing on his feet and cheering.

Gatorade bath for Phil Humber.

After the game.  What a great day.

This past weekend I took my son to his first major league baseball game.  What an amazing day.  It's something I've been thinking about since I found out we were having a boy and I can remember the first game my dad ever took me to.  I was 5 but Bode is 9.5 months.  He won't remember a thing but we have lots of pictures to commemorate the event.  My wife actually ordered a Shutterfly album to give to some of our family who would have loved to be there.  I was so excited I could barely sleep the night before.  We had great seats.  My wife and I were planning what he would wear and fortunately we have many Chicago sports clothes depending on what's in season from all of our friends and family back home.  The weather was perfect, we never know what we will get here in Seattle in late April.  What I couldn't plan for was Phil Humber's perfect game for the Chicago White Sox.  Who knew going to the stadium that day with all the thoughts on my mind we would witness baseball history.  A day I will never forget.

The Decision to Stay Home

When it came down to it we decided I should stay home because my wife travels so much.  We found out a week before she was to return from maternity leave that her job was changing and it would require extensive travel.  Sometimes they would be quick day trips to and from California but more often than not Mon-Fri in NYC.  Since my schedule required early mornings and late evenings that didn't go with our day care schedule, it made sense for me to quit work.  We don't have family here so any time we have to have somebody watch Boden we are paying.  Plus Jenn did not want Boden in day care anyway for his first few months and there is a certain comfort she has knowing I am with him all day as opposed to wondering how it's going at day care.  We actually went for our orientation at the day care but decided it was going to be too crazy to try and manage.  So far it's worked out well with her schedule and me being home...with the exception of when she becomes resentful that she is working and I am home with Bode.

No Money

One of the harshest realities about being a stay at home dad is that I am not earning a paycheck.  Honestly, it hasn't bothered me too much because other than work and Boden our lives haven't changed that much.  Until we purchased our new house.

We recently purchased a new home and we decided to move and were under contract on a new place in ten days.  It also happened to be during a time when my wife was in NYC for two straight weeks followed by a few days in Salt Lake City.  So other than a few mortgage documents I had power of attorney and signed just about everything.  Going through the process I am not sure why my name was even on the house.  I HAVE NO INDIVIDUAL INCOME!  For once in our lives a major creditor could care less about what I do.  Though I have a W2 from the previous year it wasn't even needed.  It's hard to describe how it made me feel.  A little nervous, a little scared.  But it definitely felt like a reality check.

Luckiest Guy in the World

Where do I start.  I feel like I am the luckiest guy in the world being able to spend every day home with my son.  As I write this, my wife is on a plane home from NYC because  her job has taken her there three of the last four weeks.  She has been busting her butt at work, traveling like crazy and misses my son immensely.  I honestly can't say I would like to be in her shoes.  Meanwhile, I am here in Seattle trying to make her and my son proud by doing the best for them that I can.  I try not to take for granted a day that I get to be home with my son.  I hope to utilize this blog to give insight on what my experiences have been leaving work, how I feel amongst the moms, how my relationship has changed and developed with my wife, and the feelings and experiences that I get when I am with my son.  Hopefully this blog will bring together other stay at home dads for great discussion about our experiences.  More to come soon.  Here we go.