I'm an ex-mutual fund accountant who left the cubicle world to be a stay-at-home dad to my beautiful little girl, Avery, who entered our life on 11/15/13. Also happily married to my wife, Kelley, for 7 years as of 8/17/14. Sorry ladies... :)
Fitness and nutrition is of the upmost importance in our family and we strive to reflect this in our daily life. I always prepare our meals at home and only go out if it's a special occasion, and even then I tend to not get much. Food should be fun and a joy to eat, not something quickly consumed from a fast food chain or scarf down before the next meeting.
I have come from strictly logging high miles to train for the next marathon to keeping exercise varied and focusing more on strength. I still enjoy going for a run when I can, but nothing crazy, and I prefer hill sprints while pushing my daughter, Avery in the stroller. She loves it and I get a great workout!
I want to show the world how to appreciate their body and feed it real, wholesome food while moving more throughout the day. In doing so, everyone would be healthier, happier, and we'd all live in a better place as a result.
I blog mainly about my life as a stay-at-home dad and frequently include reviews, participate in campaigns, and share my thoughts on fitness and nutrition.
If you ever have any questions or thoughts to share, please reach out as I'm always open to listening or helping others however possible. That is, when I have free time since Avery is and my wife are the number one priorities!
This was originally posted on New Year’s Day last year, the beginning of 2015, but wanted to repost to show how much smaller our little girl was. She’s obviously a master at working out now, and only getting stronger! Enjoy the post and Happy 2016 now!
Hi babies, Avery here, and I’m here to tell you Happy New Year!! Oh, and to reveal one of my biggest resolutions for 2015. Can you guess what it is?
I’m staring at it right now.
Yep, this here is what you call a kettlebell. Simply put, it’s a cast-iron ball with one big handle on top. Kettlebells vary in weight from a wimpy 2 pounds to well over 100lbs!
This one is only 45 pounds, and I figure since I saw daddy pick it up and carry it around so easily, I’d like to do the same. So, this New Year, I’m making one of my resolutions to master the kettlebell! Starting today, I’m beginning my journey to increasing strength and endurance with kettlebell training!
*Uuugghhhh* Okay, just need to get a better grip first…
Yak! My foot slipped! Oh yeah, and my grip is all wrong, I need to hold it from the other side. Here we go…
Fine, I’m letting my ego get the best of me. Just because daddy walks around with the weight in one hand doesn’t mean I have to…..yet. For now, I’ll stick with using both hands. Let me just regain my footing here.
Annnnnddddd go! *Grrrrrrr*
Holy diaper explosions, is this thing bolted to the rug?! What is wrong with you, hands?!
I think I need to focus more on my leg power and thrusting in the hips.
Whoa, talk about diaper explosions! I think I had a New Year’s firework just go off!
Nope, I passed the smell test, so I’m good for another go at this kettle…..no, dumbbell. Ha ha ha! Oh yeah, they have those too, crap, I’m already turning corny like daddy! I better work on my strength just to stand up to bullies picking on my corniness. Thanks, dad…….NOT!
Ah ha, I moved it! Take that, heavy ball with a handle!
Guess that answers my question…..it’s not bolted to the rug. Phew, that was an exhausting workout, but I think it’s safe to say progress has been made. Avery – 1 : Kettlebell – 0
And that, my baby peers, is how to start the New Year off right; by attacking your resolutions in full force right off the bat! Don’t put it off, you’ll only find more and more excuses as the days pass. Plus, if you never conquer your goals, mommy and daddy will continue doing things like this to you…
Not my proudest moment, obviously. Anyway, I’m off to work on my other resolution; getting these darn colorful balls in the right colored hole! They aren’t heavy like a kettlebell, but for some reason they keep throwing me off with their 3 different colors.
Go on now, go enjoy 2015, I’m sure you’ll see me again soon!
If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I love wearing my baby. I try to urge everyone to choose babywearing over alternative methods whenever possible. Check out my post on Why I Wear My Baby to get a better understanding of how important it is for parent and child and know my stance on the topic.
Being one who always wants to try everything, I was delighted when Ergobaby agreed to send me their new Ventus baby carrier from their Performance Collection to review. The Ventus is designed for the active parent who wants to comfortably take their child on adventures both around the city or hiking on trails. Adventures, baby, comfortable; all sound great to me!
I’ve had the pleasure of wearing Avery in an Ergobaby Original carrier and we both enjoyed the time spent with it on. But, when it gets hot outside which is guaranteed here in Texas, things can get sweaty, fast!
In the Ergobaby Original Carrier
When the Ventus arrived, I immediately noticed the difference in overall look and feel from the Original.
The Ventus is lighter and less bulky with breathable, moisture-wicking fabric throughout. It only comes in one color, graphite, and is perfect for a gender neutral carrier.
The Ventus offers 3 carry positions (front, back, and hip), but I’ve only worn Avery in front so far. Once she’s a little older and sitting up on her own, I will feel better about trying her in the back position.
Putting the carrier on was fairly easy, and if you’ve ever used a soft-structured carrier before, this will be no problem. The straps are pretty thick and proved slightly difficult to adjust which is annoying when you have a squirmy baby to hold on to at the same time. But, those thick straps also help to limit slippage and the need to re-tighten after a while, so I’m okay with the straps.
Front carry position
I truly appreciate the ability to move the chest strap up and down to get the right fit, and reaching behind my head to connect it was pretty easy. Actually getting the clips connected is hard at times; I just have an issue with how they are shaped and feeling my way to connect them. It’s not always, but just a minor thing to note.
Our first walk in the Ergobaby Ventus was over an hour and Avery slept most of the time while I was able to comfortably move at a brisk pace. Avery felt secure and snug against me the entire time and we both kept rather cool despite the heat and humidity that day.
Napping with the hood up!
If you are looking for a baby carrier, a small but very important thing to look for is a built-in hood. The Ventus has one and it works great to block everything from wind, dust, sun, and noise when I’m walking and trying to let her nap.
Once it is adjusted to fit Avery and me, the lightweight structure feels great all around except one area. The straps wrapping around me under my arms rub and put pressure on my shoulder blades. This only happens when I’m on a walk and I don’t notice it when moving around a store, but I walk a lot!
See how the clip us just under my arm where it will rub.
Again, the rubbing comes and goes and doesn’t stop me from using the carrier since it really is a great option for us both. Going Mom even enjoys wearing Avery in the Ventus and we even argue over who is going to use it when we’re together. But, Going Mom, as usual, wins.
That’s okay though, I love seeing my two girls together and know how much Kelley misses Avery when she’s at work; they both put a permanent smile on my face.
Part of what makes the Ventus so light is the absence of the bells and whistles like other carriers. You get a zippered pocket that conceals the hood and that’s it. To me, this is good and bad. If I were to go hiking in the Ventus, I would want some sort of storage compartment.
In our Onya Outback, it is heavier, but it has several pockets to store necessities which always comes in handy for me. So for going on an outdoor adventure, I’d prefer the Onya.
But if you have other places to store your necessities, the Ventus is a great choice with its breathable, lightweight material. I’ve actually started keeping it in my car so it’s always on hand when I bring Avery to the store. Plus, I know she likes that she can already stick her head over the top without an infant insert.
And it’s the perfect spot for her to chew and soothe those sore gums.
I have only tried a few soft-structured baby carriers thus far, but the Ergobaby Ventus is an overall great carrier for the active parent just as it claims. Since it is made to carry babies weighing anywhere from 7 to 45 pounds, it will last years as your baby grows with no need to upgrade.
Being lighter, Going Mom enjoys wearing this one more than our heavier Onya. I don’t mind the extra weight in trade for its storage space, but I would say the Ventus would be preferred by those with a smaller frame.
Here is the list of features on Ergobaby’s site:
Special
Body Material/Shell: 100% Polyester
Body Material/Mesh: 100% Polyester
Lining Material: 100% Polyester
Standard
Comfortable for Parents: Baby’s weight is evenly distributed between the hips and shoulders
Ergonomic for Baby: Baby is cradled in a natural sitting position
3 Carry Positions: Front, Back and Hip
Baby Weight Range: 7*-45 lb/3.2* – 20 kg (*Newborn with Infant Insert)
Stitching: Reinforced at all fabric intersections for extra durability
Shoulder Strap Length Range: 24”-44” (61cm-112cm)
Waist belt Circumference Range: 29”-55” (74cm-140cm)
Shoulder Strap Padding:4mm EVA with 15mm High Density PU Foam
Hood
Machine washable
Designed in the USA
I have and will continue to enjoy using the Ventus with Avery and want to thank Ergobaby for the opportunity to use and review their carrier. As an active dad I want to get out and move with my baby to show her the world, and carriers made for this are awesome!
Disclosure: Ergobaby sent me their Ventus Carrier free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are strictly my own. I did not receive compensation for this post.
I wrote the post below over a year ago, when Avery only made a lot of noises, but now she’s starting to communicate A LOT to us and I know these tips helped. Going Mom and I have worked on all 6 ways to develop early vocabulary skills consistently which created the walking, talking, crazy talking little girl we have today.
Since they worked so well for us (and still going), I wanted to share this post again to help anyone in the same position. Parents, enjoy the tips and get your little ones talking sooner rather than later. Trust me, them letting you know when they pooped is more than worth it!
Me: Hey Avery, are you hungry?
Avery: ……..
Me: Okaaayyyy, how about we try walking?
Avery: …….
Me: What’s wrong, did you poop?
Avery: ………
And so on and so forth. Thus is the typical conversation most parents have with their babies.
When you start life as an at-home parent your infant, silence is inevitable and expected. Sure, there’s crying and cooing, but unless you’re caring for other kids at the talking age, you have no one to actually converse with when at home.
We only have one kid, so it’s just Avery and me spending every day together, learning and growing along the way. I love it. It’s fulfilling, rewarding, better than sitting in an office (to me), way better than daycare (financially and physically), and it sometimes drives me INSANE!
Oops, did I say that? It’s not when she’s extremely fussy and screaming out loud, or when she’s pulling out my leg hair as I’m trying to cook meals for day; it’s the silence. Crying, I can take, but sometimes it gets quiet, a little too quiet.
Don’t mind me, I’ll just sit here and stare.
As I first mentioned, it’s expected from an infant, but at a year old and close to making actual words with her babbling, it’s just awkward when she turns silent. I’ll be working in the kitchen as she’s happily pushing her boxes across the floor (yes, we’re classy) or we’ll be playing in the front room, but all too often, she turns silent and stares into space.
I know you’re thinking, “Must be poop!”, and I used to think the same, but that’s usually accompanied by grunting and a strawberry-red face. I’ll check anyway because you never know (right?), but 8.3 times out of 10, there’s no poop in sight……or smell.
Luckily, there are solutions to most problems in the world, and I’ve found six that help combat the awkward silence as an at-home parent. As she grows, many of these will act as a wonderful base to build upon and hopefully expand her vocab skills and mind.
1. Explain what you are doing. When I’m in the kitchen (it’s a lot!), I’ll catch Avery staring at me as I work. Instead of just carrying on in silence, I’ll explain to her exactly what I’m doing as if she’s a student anxious to jot down all of my notes. I do this for everything from the exercises I do when working out and even during diaper changes. This gives me the pseudo-conversation I sometimes miss and helps keep her engaged in daily activities.
2. Explain what they are doing. Since it would be narcissistic to only talk about yourself, describe the actions your kid is making too. This goes along with number 1 above, and will help them begin to understand their capabilities.
Yes dear, you are accurately portraying Chucky, the killer doll.
3. Make eye contact when speaking to your child. In doing so, your child may be more inclined to communicate. Of course, watch what you’re doing too; like changing dirty diapers!! I’ve tried looking into her eyes while explaining how I’m cleaning her bottom and next thing I knew, well, you know. #ParentingFail
4. Read to them often. Even when they can’t stand still and try to tear the pages from your hands as they scream, keep reading! Avery does this to Going Mom and I daily, but trust me, you’ll help build vocabulary skills and maybe even have them reading before others their age. Make sure to choose books with big, bright colors and fun pictures. Moby Dick is not the best book to start with. 🙂
5. Acknowledge their sounds and actions. When Avery started blowing raspberries, we made sure to return the action and let her know what she was doing. Now that’s she’s babbling a lot, we repeat (as good as we can) the string of “words” she spouts out and encourage words like “momma” and “da da”. Lately, Avery has become an expert at sticking out her tongue on queue and it makes my wife and I so proud!
6. Play music. You don’t have to have “The Wheels on the Bus” on repeat, play actual music, whatever you like, and it’ll be fine. This is a big one for keeping sane and having some kind of background noise at all times. Almost every day, I turn on Pandora with a mix of my favorite channels and frequently sing out loud with Avery staring at me in bewilderment. Despite the strange looks you might receive, have no doubt that your kid will pick up on words that help expand their vocabulary. For this reason, I tend to stay away from the Eminem station….
Although you can never fully escape the awkward silence when you’re an at-home parent with only one kid who’s not yet talking, these six solutions will help get you through this time and help build your child’s speech and learning skills as well.
Have you made use of any of these before?
Do you have other tips/advice to share?
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
