Posts from — May 2006

Finally got some wheels this weekend after more than a week of sharing the minivan with Mommy Bacchus.  Found a website Car Buying Tips dot Com and did some research on the best car for me.  I ended up at CarsDirect.com and sent a couple of emails to dealers I was interested in.  Got a couple of calls Monday morning and had a deal closed by noon.  If your wondering, I got another Honda.  This makes my 5th one and very pleased with it after a day.   After the purchase, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the Dallas World Aquarium.  I finally talked Mommy Bacchus into getting a family membership since it costs $40 each time we visit. This is a wonderful entertainment option for the hot summer months.  Other than that, nothing much else has been happening with me. 

Even after watching the Mavericks lose by 20 to Phoenix tonight I am surprisingly in a good mood.

If we can put a man on the moon, develop wireless phone technology, and give people the abilityto pause live television, why can't we create a single machine that will wash and dry a load of laundry???

Toilet Paper Lock: Parenting Ideas

Ever since BJ's toilet paper fiasco, I have been looking for ideas to help with this problem.  Parenting Ideas has a good post on a product worth consideration. Stop by and take a look.

I have a large collection of bags and always on the quest to find the perfect bag.  It's apparent that the perfect bag doesn't exist, but I have found bagsperfect for the right occassion.   Evernthough BJ is a toddler, I often carry a backpack of various items on the weekends.  This messager bag has many features that I believe most dads could appreciate.  We all know that diaper bags are catered to women and those of us men who like to carry around bags would like more options designed for men.  I came across Dadgear.com that offers vest, bags and other items with men in mind.

"This rugged bag sets the new standard for Dad diaper bags by not looking like one. It is designed after the classic style messenger bag and incorporates our "hands free" approach which allows you to change, feed, and entertain your child without ever having to set the bag down. It includes our patent pending features and is available in numerous styles and colors."

It looks like any ordinary messager bag, but the pockets and features included would require a second look. Although these cost ($86) more than what you can find at the local wal-mart or target, it's one that makes the top of my list.

click to enlarge 

 On Mondays, Cat has Click & Comment Monay. She posted this to remind all of us how important it is to comment on other blogs. It truly DOES increase your readership and you most often gain regulars that will visit your blog day after day. I don't have a renter today, but please go visit some of my fellow Daddy Bloggers below:

Metrodad 

Mr. Nice Guy 

Chocolate Make it Better 

Dadcentric 

Dadbloggers 

Remember, please leave a comment.  That's the only way we know somebody is reading. 

Ok here we go.  I dreamed that I was watching a basketball game between the top women's and men's collegiate schools and the women prevailed with a sounding victory.  After the game, Vince Carter of the New Jersey Nets called me on his cell phone and asked me why the men's team lost.  I look up at the TV and see his current commercial where he's talking to various family members while being interviewed, and it's me he's talking to in the commercial.  Our conversation is being broadcasted live and my response to Vince was that the men nutted up (Yeah, I made up the word).  That's it…..I woke up after that.  

Just thought I would share.  Dreams can be weird.

BJ has had 7 stitches in his forehead, adenoid surgery and countless colds and doctor visits.  None of these experiences caused me to be nervous or overly worried.  This shouldn't be shocking to anyone who knows me.  I am usually the cool-cat in emergency situations.  Even during BJ's birth, I was coooooool as a cucumber (That's the story I'm telling and I'm sticking to it).  Nothing really phases me or makes me flinch. That was until last weekend.

BJ had his first karate test and I couldn't believe how this made me feel.  Since I had never taken karate before (I learned how to fight in the streets, where rules don't exist), I had no idea what to expect.  Early in the day, it dawned on me that I was concerned that he may fail.  I wasn't prepared to talk to a four year old about success or failure and this started to bother me.   I experienced general nervousness that included sweaty palms, agitation and a distant preoccupation throughout the day.  Unfortunately, my ego was getting in the way, and I now know, that I was tying BJ's success or failure to my own.  This is a ridiculous assumption I was making, but I knew that thousands of people do it each day.

Sometimes as parents we connect our children's accomplishments as correlations to our own lives; and this is wrong.  Once the karate test began, I came to realize that my nervousness quickly changed to pride.  He demonstrated his kicks, punches and stances just as good as all the other kids in the class.  Again, my lack of martial arts training wouldn't allow me to know the difference.  BJ did a fantastic job and received his yellow belt as a result.   I can't say that I won't become nervous for him in the future, but I will be mindful that his success or failure should be my focus and not mine…

I tried to go to work this morning and had to leave after a couple of hours.  This head cold was still bothering me and I was starting to cough up another lung so I left early.  On the way home the engine light came on and I was close enough to drive straight to the mechanic.  I got to the last light before the shop and the car completely shut down.  After a couple of minutes I was able to start it back up and creep into the lot.  After letting it cool off the estimate to fix it was approximately three thousand dollars.  

Well, time to go car shopping…..

The car had 221,000 miles on it and was 14 years old…….It served it's purpose and then some.  

 What a way to end the week

I know I stated something obvious, but I am really feeling it today.  Had to stay home from work because I was feeling awful……This really sucks……Will get back to everyone when I am better.

The number one office talk topic at my job was not the president's speech, not 24, not the Maverick's Victory over the Spurs, not the Cavalier's victory over the Pistons, but "I can't believe they killed off Denny." (Grey's Anatomy)

While everyone else was watching the season finale of Grey's Anatomy, I was watching the Dallas Mavericks overtime win against the Spurs (Go Mavs ).  I had my trusty laptop and was surfing the blog boards and realized that no one was on-line……..I recorded Grey's Anatomy, but Mommy Bacchus (MB) watched it live in the other room.  Now I don't know why I recorded it because I heard MB in the other room moaning, screaming and crying (keep it clean folks). Afterwards, she felt it her obligation to fill me in while I was still trying to watch the 4^th quarter of the game.  So it may take me a couple of days to find time to watch the final episode, but at work I have heard the details of each and every scene at least twice before noon. 

So if I were to use this as my measuring stick, Grey's Anatomy is a pretty good show……..Congrats on a great second season, now I just need to delete the show from my DVR.