Today We Made No Income and Went Shopping

01/29/2014 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Since yesterday was my last working day and Kelley took one last day before returning to work to be with Avery and me, we both earned nothing. Ironically, we decided to make our rounds for grocery shopping today. But first, we “had” to go to Starbucks. Priorities, right?

I proudly wore Avery in Central Market and Costco and she was pretty good for the most part. A little fussing, a little sleeping, and a lot of just wide-eyed staring at everything. Coupled with flailing arms and legs along with her constantly turning head. Yeah, those limbs and that head are going full throttle most of the day. I suppose that’s a good thing though!

Despite our new tight budget, we splurged on a nice bottle of Kirkland brand red wine (the really big bottle) to enjoy with some friends who are coming to visit. And, I’ve been thinking about the fresh Brussels sprouts Costco had on my last visit and made sure to grab two bags of those suckers this time. Next to mushrooms, steamed Brussels are my favorite produce.

Like popcorn, only green.... — Like popcorn, only green….

After the store trips and another stop for a refill at Starbucks (hey, it’s free with the card!), we hurried home to feed Avery and put her down for a well overdue nap. After she ate, she started getting pretty cranky and we knew a nap was imminent! I swaddled her and sang random made up songs in a deep voice until she fell asleep, then I sat in our recliner for a little while to make sure she was settled. Kelley put a heating pad and one of her milk-stained shirts in the crib and I attempted to lay her down.

We watch this monitor like it's playing "Breaking Bad" — We watch this monitor like it’s playing “Breaking Bad”

This is a huge thing for us as it seems the second she is put down, the eyes shoot open and pretty much have fire in her whites. Basically, we’ve been unsuccessful. But not this time; she slept 3 hours and we (yes, we) had to wake her up! Then it was feeding time and a cold walk after.

The day went by fast as usual, and tomorrow I’ll officially start my life as a stay-at-home dad. It will be weird with Kelley going to work and me staying home, but I know it will make a better quality of life for us all. I already started to miss her today, when she was still here! We make a great team together, and I never feel whole when she’s away, so I bet I’m as nervous as she is.

Hopefully I’ll have a great update on my first day “on the job” with Avery. I’m counting on a repeat nap in the crib to allow me to get a workout in and do things around the house.

Any other stay-at-home parents have tips for fitting it all in while answering their baby’s constant needs? Maybe I can just start doing lunges while wearing Avery, but I’m pretty sure pushups would be ill-advised…..

Goals, New Life

Seven Goals as a New Stay at Home Dad (SAHD)

01/28/2014 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Today marks the end of my office dwelling days and the beginning of my house dwelling daddy days. I’m excited, scared, nervous, happy, relieved, worried, and anxious all at the same time. One thing’s for sure, I have zero regrets and am ready to be the best dad (and husband) I can be!

1) Figure out a good routine. First thing’s first, and this is a big one! Avery needs to be on a routine as well as I do for sanity purposes. Kelley has done a great job at setting the ground work, now I need to maintain and improve as needed.

I hope to see this more than the other expression.... — I hope to see this more than the other expression….

2) Keep a (somewhat) clean house so Kelley doesn’t have to worry about it when home.

3) Cook good food. I’ve already been doing this for years, but that was as a non-dad, so it could be a little more challenging. Either way, I want to make sure Kelley has a good, healthy meal to take to work and when she comes home. At first it might be my infamous one-pot meals where it’s just a lot of veggies and a protein source thrown together, but that will improve. I hope.

4) Post to the blog at least twice a week. This fits in with goal number 1 and hopefully will be part of the routine. I suspect I’ll be writing while wearing Avery……and she’s asleep.

5) Take a lot of pictures and video. I have confidence in the fact that you can only have too little and never too much on (digital) film.

6) Find time to work out during the day. This is a big one. I heavily depend on getting some form of exercise most days of the week. I used to just run long distance for exercise, but now I focus more on strength training. We have a fairly good setup with a squat power rack, bench, and Olympic weight set in our garage, so I just need Avery’s permission.

Just one set...Please? — Just one set…Please?

7)Make our own snacks. I used to do this often in the past, and hope to find time to do it again. A favorite around here are my homemade salsa goat cheese crackers and they keep Kelley a happy wife. And you know what they say about happy wives! They usually smile.
That’s not being overly ambitious, is it? Okay, probably, but I need to have something to work towards, and these goals will do just that!

Ready to eat. I might get one if I'm quick enough. — Ready to eat. I might get one if I’m quick enough.

So, without further ado, here I go!!!!

Do you ever try to do too much in too little time? I’m expert at biting off more than I can chew, but hopefully my mouth has grown since becoming a father.

New Life

Business Casual No More

01/27/2014 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

After tomorrow, the 28th of January, I am going to happily put my dress pants, shoes, sweaters, and shirts away! I’m pretty sure hair gel or mousse or what-have-you will be very rare in my hair (see what I did there?).

Putting on dress shoes feels like attaching anvils to my feet. What if I had to make a quick getaway from a bear or mountain lion?! #screwed Okay, that’s a rare instance, but I like having shoes that allow me to run, jump, and play a whole lot better than the faux leather slip-ons I have. Same goes for the shirts/sweaters and pants; nothing fun about those cotton ~~prison~~ work clothes.

Nope, business casual no more for me, I’ll be dressing in one of my few pairs of athletic pants, a comfortable but not too loose shirt, and either my Vibram Five-Fingers or New Balance Minimus Trail shoes. Now I’ll show those bears and mountain lions!!!! How fast I can run away from them, that is.

Perfect for swaying side to side with a baby….

My body’s nerve factory is in full production right now, but I am excited for this journey to start and am comforted knowing I have a wonderful partner, Kelley, to be by my side. Where this new road in our lives will take us, no one knows, but that’s what makes it so exciting.