All posts by R.C. Liley

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 and handsome little boy, Wes, who joined our family on 11/19/17. Also happily married to my wife, Kelley, as of 8/17/07. Sorry ladies... :) Fitness and nutrition is of the utmost 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!

Life, Parenting

Dear Daughter, Hold Your Bottle! Please?

02/21/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

I don’t know where we went wrong, but our toddler simply won’t hold her own bottle.

Okay, let me rephrase; she won’t hold her own milk bottle.

Dammit! Let me re-rephrase; she won’t hold and drink from her milk bottle. There.

Some of our neighbors with kids around the same age said their little ones have been holding their own bottle and drinking without a problem. I don’t know where they all are with breastfeeding and if that matters, but Going Mom is still breastfeeding so maybe that has something to do with it. If that’s the case, so be it, breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for our kids, even as toddlers, and I’ll support my wife as much as possible!

But still, Avery has no problem with holding, grabbing, and throwing things. She’s even becoming a pro at kettlebell swings!

So why won’t she just tilt the bottle up to get what’s inside? We have a sippy cup with a straw that she drinks water out of just fine, but a lot of it ends on the floor too, so we’re reluctant to give her Mommy’s milk that she works so hard to produce.

I’ve tried bottle “training” by just putting water inside and letting her do whatever, but nothing good came of it. Just confusion and spilled water.

If that was milk, we’d have a sticky mess, and I don’t feel like cleaning the floors more than I already have to.

Kelley and I have attempted to let her hold the bottle with milk inside while we stood guard, and she just tried to drink from the nipple as if it were the straw on her sippy cup.

We try and correct her by making a motion of tilting something up and drinking, but that only seems to confuse her.

And then, after several repeated attempts at explaining what to do with the bottle, she gives us this…

I mean, what the crap?! How do you not just smile, hug, and kiss this cute girl? After holding the bottle so she can drink, that is.

Anyway, we’re talking about weaning her from the bottle all together soon, and then she’ll have to use the sippy cup. Our cup has a spill proof nipple or a straw attachment, and she’s kinda getting that nipple down, but still just spits out the water as she drinks. I picture milk being in there and it sends shivers down my spine. Not out of fear, just because I don’t like cleaning, and I know how hard my wife works to make that milk.

The time to nix the bottle is fast approaching, and hopefully she’ll get the “big girl” cup down good enough to have milk in there.

Do you have a special “go to” sippy cup that you use for your kids?

What age did your little one start holding and drinking from their own cup/bottle?

Avery Talk, Life, Parenting

Our GoGo Squeez Applesauce Skeptic

02/19/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

I used to laugh at those little portable pouches of squeezable fruit puree and never understood the point of having them. Then we received a GoGo Squeez Applesauce pouch as a party favor for our neighbors’ 1 year old son’s birthday party.

Packaged food is highly scrutinized before I allow it in our home. IF it’s a gift and if it doesn’t pass, I politely (sometimes not so polite) decline. But the pouch gave me no reason to reject as it’s certified organic and only has apples and apple juice concentrate as ingredients. I could’ve really picked at it since it’s basically a lot of sugar with little fiber like you’d get from eating a whole apple, but I’m trying to pick my battles here.

Plus, the girl’s crazy and runs rampant every day, she needs the carbs! That said, I opted to give Avery the pouch to see how she liked it. Here’s what I think went on in her head as I offered this strange, non-bottle for her to eat…..or is it drink? Slurp? Ahhh, whatever!

Okay, I see he’s holding something and it’s getting closer to my face, but I’m not sure what to do about it. Is it a bottle? Do I eat the whole thing?

Looks like I’m supposed to get whatever it is from that white spout. Seriously wish I knew more about what Dad puts in my face. And why does he always give me green things?!

Well, here goes nothing, no turning back now.

Weird. It’s definitely NOT milk or liquid that I’ve ever tried! But, I think I like it.

This feels very strange in my mouth, like someone already chewed my food for me. More!!

Good, he got my message through telepathy. More pre-chewed goodness coming my way!

Mmmmm, if only I knew how to hold things for myself. Meh, Dad is my servant and I’ll make sure to “milk” it as long as possible.

I love the last photo with her beautiful blue eyes! I wouldn’t say I’d go out of my way to buy more of these, but it is nice to know she’s accepting of them. Just in case we’re out and about and I forgot to bring my own homemade goodness along.

Do you give your kids squeeze pouch foods or have you before?

Any favorite flavors/brands?

I’ve seen the reusable pouches where you make your own puree, maybe I’ll try that sometime.

Life, Parenting

Surfing in the Kitchen

02/17/2015 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

She just turned 15 months old and she’s already moving on to bigger and better things. Like, for instance, surfing……in the kitchen.

It’s everything you’d see a real surfer (please note: I have absolutely no clue about surfing) do when out catching the waves. Starting with paddling out away from the shore.

Then it’s time for action as she gets in her goofy footed stance and acts as if she’s taking “the drop” down the face of a gnarly wave.

But, oftentimes she get’s a little too daring while carving the other direction and will eat it.

No worries, though, it takes more than that to dampen this girl’s spirit! She just shrugs it off with a cheesy, close-eyed shimmy smile and prepares to try again.