Tag Archives: parenting

I’m Leaving Home to be At-Home

09/23/2015 R.C. Liley 1 Comment

Yep, the 20th Annual At-Home Dad Convention in Raleigh, NC put on by the National At-Home Dad Network. So the title is not my best work, but I seriously spend too long thinking of titles sometimes, and I think it works. Any other bloggers or writers in general do that?

I wanted to go to the one last year in Denver, CO, but it was too hard financially and just not easy to figure out. But, no worries, I heard plenty of exciting stories from last year that has me fired up about participating in this year’s event!

There will be parenting experts as well as dads just like me there to talk and listen to for us all to share tips, ideas, and crazy poop stories. I mean, c’mon, what parent doesn’t have a crazy poop story? I’m still waiting to walk into Avery’s room to find that she “repainted” the walls with a paint scheme you can’t have mixed at The Home Depot.

The convention begins on Saturday, September 26th, but I’m flying in to North Carolina tomorrow, that’s Thursday the 24th, to join other early arrivals for a nice beverage while we introduce ourselves. I’ve been talking to a lot of these guys through social media for at least a year, some closer to two years, and it’ll be great meeting them in person.

Remember how I mentioned that I’m following the Squat Every Day program and would make sure I would find a way to squat while traveling? At first I was seeking local gyms that I could go to and use their squat rack, but after stressing too much about something that shouldn’t be top priority during the convention, I came to my senses and stopped looking.

The hotel gym has dumbbells and several machines including a leg press, so I’ll just do some form of squatting with the dumbbells in order to say that I did squat every day. Once I get back home, I’ll just pick back up where I left off and I’d like to bet the world will still go on. Maybe I should spend less time inside and more time enjoying a different atmosphere too…

….or maybe the hotel gym isn’t that bad. Note to self: pack a jacket.

Not only will this be my first time travelling alone in years, but it will be Going Mom’s first time to stay home with Avery all alone for a few days. I already have some food prep done since I’m a good stay-at-home dad/husband, but she’ll have reign over the kitchen too.

In our home, this is weird as I’m used to taking control when it comes to kitchen duties (actually, I’m already feeling a little anxiety set in), but I know there’s nothing to worry about. Although, she might make her awesome spaghetti sauce; hopefully she’ll save a little for me! Please, wife, if you’re reading, save some sauce!

Better wrap it up now since I still need to pack so I’m ready to go for my mid-morning flight tomorrow. I’ll be sure to share the adventures when I get back, but until then, no more posts for a few days. In the meantime, head over to Gary’s blog, Skipah’s Realm, to see what crazy antics he’s up to. The guy gets himself an awesome girlfriend who treated him right on his birthday (it was last Sunday, the 20th) and suddenly he’s yelling about walking whales getting in the way.

Have a great rest of the week, and if you’re in Raleigh, maybe I’ll see you there!

Life, Parenting

A Parent vs Toddler Standoff

06/19/2015 R.C. Liley 6 Comments

So it’s come to this. We have stooped to the stubbornness level of our toddler and now have a standoff at least twice a day. It’s usually us asking her to pick something up, but she won’t budge and neither do we.

We both end up standing there waiting for the other to act, but nothing happens. Well, my wife or I will repeat ourselves more than any parenting book would recommend, and Avery will usually let out a series of whines and/or a cutesy “hi” with a cheesy grin.

Seeing as to how Kelley and I are both pretty stubborn already, and Avery is, well, a toddler which automatically equals stubborn, these standoffs can be quite time consuming. As a matter of fact, I was able to take pictures during one of our said standoffs and figured I’d go over how the event went down here.

The scene begins right after Avery dropped her almost finished green smoothie. Instead of picking it back up, she walked away to a corner in the kitchen despite my request to hand me the bottle.

I ask her to pick it up again but only get that “I’m innocent” look.

Going Mom and I have both been through this several times, so I knew it was going to be a while before one of us caved. I asked once more trying to keep a straight face as her turned all puppy-dog-eyes on me.

Meanwhile…..

Ummm, can't someone at least just stand me up? — Ummm, can’t someone at least just stand me up?

5 minutes have passed at this point, but it felt like 30. I just kept busy with food prep and dishes for the day while she stubbornly stood in her favorite corner. Just as I was about to give in because we had plenty more to do that day, she walks over to the bottle.

I freeze, try to be nonchalant and keep away from the camera, but all she does is stand it up on the floor and step away.

My relief that our standoff was over quickly turned into anguish as I realized she was going to continue dragging it on. Her smile said it all, “I won’t give in that easy, Dad!”

It was on, there was no way in hell I would give in now! All chores could wait. Kelley just might come home from work hours later to see us staring at each other with the bottle still standing on the floor. I would win this standoff, dammit!

Several minutes slowly passed as I looked around for something else to do while asking her to pick up the bottle a few more times. My angst about how long this would last kept growing deeper, but finally a glimmer of hope emerged; she bent down to get the bottle!

Was this the end of our impasse? Would the household chores and a workout actually get done? My anxiety eased up a little with each progressive move she made.

Yes, contact! Keep going…..

We have liftoff! I think even Avery felt relieved as she held the bottle high in celebration.

I was about to hold my hand out for her to give me the bottle, but I guess all of that time in between made her thirsty.

Ummm, Avery, can I have the bottle now? I’m pretty sure she was telling me to hold on a minute here.

Finally, after finishing what was left, she relinquished the bottle and most importantly, our standoff. But she didn’t want to act happy about it…

I took the bottle with a giant grin and praised her for doing good. I think that turned her mood into something better and she even gave herself a little round of applause.

How can you be upset with that face for more than a minute? Not easy, I’ll tell you that much.

Although, this is only one of many occurrences that have happened and will happen, I guess it’s just a part of parenting.

Do you find you and your kids in standoff situations often?

What are some of the ways you deal with these trying times?

Life, Parenting

Recovery Mode From Boob Milk Magic

04/18/2015 R.C. Liley 6 Comments

After two days of a roller coaster fever and lethargic toddler, Avery no longer has a fever and seems to be on her way to recovery. I attribute much of her recovery from her Mommy’s boob milk magic since it’s full of antibodies and nutrition that’s hard to find anywhere else.

Avery was refusing most solids, so Kelley nursed more in place of the food. Not only did this give Avery vital nutrients to fight of the sickness inside, but it acted as a the perfect way to provide soothing relief from her ailment.

If I wore a hat, I’d take it off for my wife for being so bad-ass when comes to breastfeeding and just being a great mother all around. Actually, maybe that’s why I never wear hats, because they’d always be off anyway since she’s just great all the time. Well, besides when…nevermind….. 🙂 I love you, Kelley!

We were supposed to go to a good friend’s house for their son’s 2 year birthday party, but felt it best not to bring Avery out quite yet. Despite the healing properties of nursing, Avery is still not eating well and has had a case of “the runs”. Here’s a pic I took 5 minutes after I gave her a small bite of something soft.

Yeah, she simply refuses to chew and will end up spitting whatever it is right out on the floor after it sat in her mouth for 10 minutes. Damn teething, and poor little girl!!!!!

Yesterday morning was a slow start and Avery just wanted to be held most of the time, but she eventually became mobile and started playing with her toys. She even attempted to dance a little, always a good sign!

But right as I busted out the camera to capture our daughter feeling better, she went into a slump. At least her Catch-Me-Kitty was there to help comfort her in the box.

Such a depressing photo, huh? She never lets me put the camera in her face and will just turn around or be too squirmy resulting in a blurry image, but this time she kept still with a blank stare.

Double depressing! I kept thinking I was pushing my luck with the camera in her face, but she acted as if nothing was happening. Or maybe she simply did not care.

Just as my broken heart broke further into tiny pieces, she gave a glimmer of hope with a halfsie-grin-like-thing.

I must of scared whatever excitement she was working on away because the next shot had her back in slump mode.

That was too much, so I put the camera away and just read several of her new Sandra Boynton books. It didn’t help to get her to smile, but she sat snug in my lap the entire time and will hold on to that sweet memory for life. Just as my wife has the same memory from cuddling with our sick baby in bed the night before.

I wish we had our normal toddler back and we were celebrating at a 2 year old’s birthday party today, but Avery has a little more recovering to do first. The good news is that we’re going to find another time to go down and visit with our old friends and see how grown their kids are now.

Not much happening this weekend, just a trip to Costco and getting our little girl back to normal. By normal, I mean the crazy, rampant and overzealous toddler that she is!

Do you have any plans for the weekend?

Have you nursed or witnessed nursing that helped your kid recover from illness before?