BOB Revolution Revelations

One of the things I've been looking forward to most... was taking the boy on a run in the BOB (for those without kids, that's a really nice jogging stroller). Nearly two months after Dominic was born we finally headed out the door.

Melissa had already used the BOB in a stroller strides class. She said it was a piece of cake and that Dominic really liked it.

So there we were ready to run. First observation, it's way harder to run with a jogging stroller than by yourself. Especially if any hills are involved.

Dominic spent the first 3/4 miles checking out the scenery and enjoyingthe ride. He started to dose off and then...

The wheels came off. Literally. The front wheel came completely off... bringing the run to an abrupt stop.
So there I am in the middle of the park, broken down stroller, screaming baby and no cell phone. A true father-of-the-year. Panick started to set in... how am I going to get the baby (who's in the carrier, which by the way isn't exactly light), the now broken down $300 stroller and myself home?

Luckily, after a few mintues of work I got the wheel back on. Turns out it was loose to start with. So here are my BOB Revolution revelations... check the wheels before I leave next time... and oh yeah, bring a cell phone.

The Late Shift

In one of the few baby books for dads, the author suggests you work out a deal with your wife where she gets up with the baby and you sleep all night. I'm not sure who he married... but this ain't happening in my house and probably not in yours.

It doesn't matter that you have to work, it doesn't matter that you can't actually help the baby in most cases (daddy just doesn't have the goods), what matters is keep your wife from going crazy. Sometimes I think, Melissa just wants me to get up so she doesn't feel alone.

I'm not going to lie... getting up with the expectation of being functional isn't easy. You find yourself doing crazy things, rationalizing with the baby (come on, just a few more hours of sleep), even bribing him (I already owe Dominic four or five trips to Disneyland). On the flip side, I've learned you can get a lot of DVR time when you get up at 4 a.m. and even a few rounds of video games (I've mastered holding him and the controller at the same time).

Besides... when you're rocking the baby at 2 a.m. and he gives you a big toothless grin... it's all worthwhile.

Two of a Kind

A lot people say Dominic looks like me (some have used the word “clone”), others say he reminds them of Melissa.  But the family member Dominic has the most in common with right now… is our dog, Sputnik.

I’m not saying Dominic acts like a dog or the dog acts like a newborn, but the similarities are undeniable. Let’s start with the obvious, they both spend their days doing one of three things… sleeping, eating, or pooping (we’ll only tackle 2 of these three).

The average newborn spends 16-18 hours a day sleeping, the average dog 13. See, it’s science, not just my own paranoia.

When it comes to food… Sputnik barks when he’s hungry, growls if you get too close while he eats. Dominic cries when he’s hungry, grunts while he’s eating.

The similarities don’t end there. They both feel about the same when it comes to water... neither likes a bath. Sputnik hates water in general. As for Dominic, I think the picture says it all...

Neither likes their finger/toe nails cut. Thankfully, Dominic doesn’t bite you while your cutting his.

They both start the night out in their own beds, and somehow end up in ours (turns out... four IS a crowd). There’s no hope of breaking Sputnik of this habit, but there’s still hope with the boy.

But it's not all bad. Perhaps the best trait they share right now… they’re both here to greet me when I get home. It’s great to come home to a dog that’s always excited to see you and a little boy who’s future is wide open.

Who's the Boss? That's easy...

"What shall I decide today? So many options!"

If life with a newborn is all about balance… then right now we’re like Bambi on the frozen pond… still trying to get our legs under us.

Hold on I think I need to go change a diaper…

Ok I’m back now.

Here’s the thing. You spend the first part of your life being told what to do by your parents, then your teachers, and now a number of bosses. They all had one thing in common… they could walk & talk. Now the person in charge of my life can’t do either.

Dominic decides it all. He dictates when we eat, when and how much we sleep, where we go, when we go (there’s no more “quick trips” to the store). And while he’s not exactly Clinton Kelly, he can even decide for you “what not to wear” (albeit in a much messier fashion).

He decided that mommy didn’t need a bagel the other morning, so he created a “diaper” situation that allowed the dog to steal it. He also helps other people make decisions, like when we took him to a nice restaurant and you could see people deciding whether to stay. For someone so small… he wields a lot of power.

We are slowly learning. Melissa has mastered making dinner is very small increments. I’ve finally figured out that if I’m going to blog I need to make it shorter, and while he’s eating.

Now if we could only figure out how to get more sleep.