We embarked on our journey 6 months ago. I worked really hard to accomplish success this time around. We didn’t work out our first go around, but this time I vowed for it to be different. Even with success, I continuously find myself asking: Do I love or loathe you?
I love you because I don’t have to make bottles. I remember the days of endlessly cleaning bottles and I find joy knowing that I don’t have to this time around.
I loathe you because bottles don’t exist in our house. I dream of the day I can go to the store or on a date, and not have to worry about getting back soon.
I love you because of the convenience factor. There’s no true prep work necessary.
I loathe you because I still don’t find comfort in feeding in public. I literally break a sweat when it’s time to wrestle with a cover on a bench or chair in plain sight.
I love you because I have worked hard to make it work.
I loathe you because sometimes we have bumps in the road.
I love you because it makes me stop and sit stationary. This allows me to absorb all those sweet baby moments.
I loathe you because honestly sometimes I don’t want to just sit.
I love you because it’s amazing what a woman’s body can do and provide.
I loathe you because I don’t feel like my body is mine. I don’t know the last time I’ve worn a “real” bra. I see myself one way and one way only: food provider.
I love you because I’m thankful to be experiencing you.
Besides the four years spent as a Spartan in East Lansing (GO GREEN!), I have lived in Oakland County the majority of my life. Although I do enjoy traveling to other states and countries, Michigan is definitely “home.” In addition to the fact that I love lakes, cider mills, and Greek salads from Coney Islands, I’m constantly researching new restaurants to try and interesting places, especially kid-friendly ones, to check out all over the Metro Detroit area.
Sparty gave me a hug at this year’s Duel in The D at Joe Louis Arena.
As a child, I recall only visiting the city of Detroit for random Red Wings games with my dad and, on the not-so-cold years, the Thanksgiving Day Parade. I remember gazing out the backseat window of my mom’s burgundy ‘91 Grand Caravan, wondering how these worn-down, vacant structures were once happy homes to my grandparents, two of whom immigrated to the city from Malta seeking the “American Dream.”
Like many who have been in and out of the city throughout the past decade though, I honestly become increasingly impressed with each visit. I currently reside in West Bloomfield with my husband and daughter and love that it only takes us 30 minutes to get to Detroit, a place that is undoubtedly developing on the daily.
My family and I enjoyed Sesame Street Live at Fox Theater this year.
:: My Life ::
Chris, my very first boyfriend, proposed to me at Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills in 2011, and we will be celebrating our fifth anniversary this July. Throughout our marriage thus far, we obtained Master’s Degrees from Michigan State University, had a variety of career movements and changes and were beyond blessed with the greatest gift of all: the arrival of our now almost two-year-old daughter, Analise.
Chris proposed to be at Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills in 2011.
Pre-motherhood, I taught high school English and journalism for two years at L’Anse Creuse High School-North and then another two years at North Farmington High School. Although the profession seemed like a natural fit, and there were many aspects I loved, I knew I could no longer sacrifice my family, or me, for the long hours, low pay, high stress and unethical acts that were seemingly occurring more frequently each year that I remained in the profession.
After my maternity leave, I began tutoring and freelance writing for some extra income. It’s been over 1.5 years since I started this “path,” and I now (during naps and in the evenings) get the pleasure of working with 12 to 20 middle school, high school and college students a week and writing on a regular basis, something I sincerely enjoy but haven’t had time for in years, all while spending my days with my daughter. I honestly could not see myself as a full-time-working nor stay-at-home mom and, although it’s insane at times, truly believe I have the best of both worlds.
Chris and I got married on July 27, 2012 at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church in West Bloomfield.
:: Babies & Beyond ::
Analise Sofia, known to our family as “Mama’s Little Shadow,” came two weeks early in 2015 on April Fools’ Day, sharing a birthday with her Godmother and my little sister, Whitney. Like her aunt, she is impatient and short-tempered but probably the most enthusiastic, caring and hilarious little leader-in-the-making I have ever met. She loves her classes at The Little Gym of West Bloomfield and Born Yoga of Birmingham, and, as long as I get her a banana and avocado smoothie after, she finally lets me workout while she plays at my gym’s daycare center; I try my best to model a healthy lifestyle for her.
9-month-old Analise loved- and still loves- shopping at Target.
For my husband’s birthday this year, Analise had big news to share: she’ll be promoted to “Big Sis” this October! I’m a little nervous about the adjustment to two, but Chris and I couldn’t be happier about it. We are also extremely fortunate to live by both of our families who are always willing to help us out with Analise when needed, and I even have an amazing mother-in-law who often drops off home-cooked meals! (Yes, really).
Contributing to Detroit Moms Blog is something I’ve wanted to do for a while now. I am constantly preaching to Analise that “Nice friends share.” Not only do I love writing, but when I learn new information or experience something great in our community, I want to “be nice” and “share.”
My family and I had a blast at Huckleberry Railroad in December.
Maybe you’re contemplating becoming a stay-at-home parent and wondering if your family can survive on one income. Or perhaps, you’re looking to save up for a family vacation. No matter your motivation, we all want to save money. For this edition of Frugal Friday, I’m sharing my 7 favorite ways to cut back on monthly spending.
Always Shop with a List – Never, ever shop without a list. This rule applies to everything, not just groceries. Without a list, you will tempted into impulse purchases.
Meal Plan – Meal planning is the easiest way to save money. Food can be such a waste of money because without a plan, we tend to overbuy. You can read more about meal planning in contributor Meghan’s guide here.
Eat Out Less – This goes hand-in-hand with meal planning. If you must go out, some easy ways to save are by drinking only water, skipping dessert, or going to restaurants where kids eat free.
Cancel Cable – Quite a few of our contributors have done this, including myself. I can tell you first hand, we don’t miss it one bit. Cutting this huge expense from your budget provides your family with extra money for activities that don’t involve sitting in front of the TV.
Cancel Your Gym Membership – This is another unnecessary monthly bill. There are many free ways to exercise, especially as the weather warms up. Take the kids for a walk, go for a bike ride, or have your girlfriends over for an at-home yoga session.
Buy and Sell Gently Used Clothing – Clothing is such a huge expense. A lot can be saved when you sell your unwanted clothes and then use the money to purchase “new” gently used ones. You can view our favorite children’s resale shops here.
Utilize Your Local Library – The library is a wonderful, sometimes forgotten resource. In addition to books, many local libraries have DVDs and video games for rent as well. There are also many free programs for kids and access to websites and apps that you would typically have to pay for.
Does your family have any unique tips or tricks for decreasing monthly spending?
Being born and raised in Metro Detroit, Sterling Heights, I never realized how much I love this city, until my husband and I moved away (more on that later). I love the culture that we have in Detroit! You have every option of restaurants that you can imagine, the amazing car museums since we are The Motor City, and ample parks to take you child to play! Greektown, Mexican Village in downtown, Dearborn offers so many middle eastern choices, Hamtramack for some good old polish home cooking, not to mention their amazing paczki’s for Fat Tuesday, and the east side for several amazing Italian options. You don’t have to go far from your home to feel the sense of culture here in the Metro Detroit. We live in Livonia, where we are so close to the all the parks down Hines Drive, a quick drive over to Plymouth, the beautiful Ann Arbor is not far away, a hop over to Novi for ample shopping, and 30min to downtown for a sports game. We enjoy being close to everything living here in Livonia.
:: My Life ::
Mohamad (Mikey) and I met in high school, although we didn’t share the same social circle, we still had a few classes together. Also, he was on the football team while I was a cheerleader. Fast forward several years later to May of 2006, I was at a party that I reluctantly attended and we ran into one another. We chatted a bit, he asked for my number and made plans to hang out the next night. He called that night, 3am, to verify that I didn’t ignore his call the next day. Needless to say I think he was smitten. We went for drinks at a local watering hole the next evening and we have been together ever since. That night when he drove me home I just had a feeling this was the man for me. People always would say, “when you know, you just know” and I finally understood the meaning. Mikey and I got engaged in July of 2006. We faced extra challenges since Mike is Muslim and I am Catholic, however, that didn’t stop us and in September of 2009 we exchanged vows.
Mikey graduated with a Plastics Engineering degree from Ferris State University and works as a Process Engineer at a company in a Saline. He has crazy hours and, as you can imagine, being in the automotive industry is chaotic. After we had our wedding we moved to Howell where Mikey was currently employed, lived there for two years and I loved the small town feel and sense of community. Once the throws of the recession really hit he was offered a job out-of-state, pushing an engineer out of their comfort zone is not an easy task, but I told him to do it now before we start of family. So we packed up and moved to Terre Haute, Indiana (7hrs away). It’s small town about an hour southwest of Indianapolis. I was in culture shock to say the least. Talk about a different world and a SMALL TOWN. Terre Haute is home of Indiana State University and also a family town. You can get to any one side of town in about 20 min. No they didn’t have a Target, Tim Horton’s or 7-Eleven so my only options were Walmart, Starbuck’s, Kroger and some little mom-pop shops. They had a mall, which was a joke. It was an experience to say the least.
:: Babies & Beyond ::
We lived there for almost two years when we had our son, Vincent (Vinny). When Vinny was about 15 months we started realizing that we missed our family being around our Vinny. We didn’t want him missing out on the opportunity of building a relationships with his grandparents. Mikey started looking for jobs back in Michigan and in October of 2014 we moved back!
I have never been a “kid” person and always knew I was a “one and done” type of girl. Since I can remember, I wanted one child, a boy, and to be a SAHM. I am blessed and thankful that I have been able to accomplish both of those. When I was pregnant with Vinny, I decided to leave my job at a salon due to complications in my pregnancy. This gave me ample time to go stir-crazy and nest before the arrival of our first born. Vincent joined us on June 4, 2013, weighing 6.9lbs and 22in long . . . best day of my life. I am so beyond thankful to be a mom to such a sweet, lovable, kind and humorous little man. He has been such a blessing to us and taught me what unconditional love truly means. Now I know you are dying to ask, “don’t you want one more?” and my answer will be “why would you mess with something so perfect?”
I remember the first time I saw him…his sweet little face and his tiny nose. I remember how he looked at my husband and I with those sweet sleepy eyes. We were instantly in love. On that cold day back in December 2014 we adopted our first born, Theodore Snuggles. He was a tiny, two pound ball of fluff that we were so ready to bring into our home.
Teddy was not just a ‘furbaby,’ he was our baby. He went on car rides, hung out at Grandma and Papa’s house, and was the coolest pup in obedience school. We were pretty relaxed puppy parents, he was always by our side. I even broke the rules and allowed him to sleep in our bed at night. He was truly my baby.
We had a really rough journey to have a baby, as I shared in my introductory post to Detroit Moms Blog. Teddy came into our lives after a few years of unsuccessfully trying to have a child. Teddy coming into our lives brought joy, happiness and a new ray of hope. Everyday he was by our side, and loved us unconditionally. He sat with me giving me kisses and snuggles many times as I cried through negative pregnancy tests and pregnancy announcements of others.
Fast-forward to the fall of 2014. We got the surprise of a lifetime that we were expecting our son. After the wealth of emotions that came along with the great but unexpected news, my thoughts went to Teddy: How would he do with another ‘baby’ in the home? Would I still be able to give him the attention he needs and deserves? How can I prepare him for the baby? I wanted to ensure that the transition would be good once the baby came home. I read blogs and books, and asked friends with babies and pups, and came up with a game plan that worked for us.
While I was nervous how it would go once the baby arrived, Teddy was so sweet while I was pregnant. He was always snuggled right up against my belly, as if he knew his little brother was in there. Even on those days where pregnancy took a toll on my body requiring a long hot bath, he sat right on the ledge of the tub. It was as if he already knew his role as a big brother.
In true pregnancy fashion, things never go as planning. I was a week overdue, and had to get induced. Teddy went to stay with his Grandma and Papa, and ended up with the puppy flu. All of our plans went out the window. We were all nervous our first day home. Teddy came in excited, and then noticed the baby. He walked around me as I held Blake, he sniffed Blake’s blanket, then went in for kisses. At that moment, we knew we were going to be OK!
I am lucky to say that Teddy and Blake have an amazing relationship They are not just brothers, but best friends. Teddy is the first to jump up when Blake makes any kind of noise, and will sit outside his room waiting for him to wake-up. Any meal time is generally a bite for Blake, then a bite dropped for Teddy. Bedtime is Blake drinking his milk, and Teddy laying by his side, kissing his hand if he cries.
When we adopted Teddy almost three years ago, we knew that he would be an important part of our lives. Now to see him as a big brother to Blake, it shows just how much of a role he plays in our family story. A furbaby, a big brother, and forever, our first born!
We are beyond thrilled to present our 2nd Annual DMB Easter Eggstravaganza on April 15, 2017 at Total Sports Complex in Farmington from 9am – 11:30am. This event is focused towards all families. Whether you have tiny babies or growing tweens this event is for you! Grab the whole family and get ready for an epic egg hunt while hanging with Spider Hero, Beauty and the Beast, facepainting, bounce houses, photos with the Easter Bunny, soccer activity demos, play-doh making station and so much more! If you’ve been interested in checking out Total Sports Complex now is the time.
Because of the high interest and demand for this event and the fact that we can only accommodate a fraction of that number, we are anticipating that this event will sell out quickly. For that reason, we want to make sure you have all the necessary details to secure your tickets as soon as they are available!
Tickets will become available starting on Thursday, March 23rd at 8pm.(we will not reserve any tickets in advance of this date).
You can purchase your tickets by using THIS same link – and at the bottom of this post you will see the TICKET section – once ticket sales go live.
Everyone ages 1 and up will need a ticket for the event – babies (under the age of 1) are free.
We are limiting the event to roughly 400 people in order to ensure that everyone who attends has a wonderful experience. There are not any additional required expenses once you are there.
You are able to purchase tickets for friends or family members.
Tickets are transferrable, but are NOT refundable. The event will take place rain or shine.
We encourage you to sign in right at 8pm to get your tickets if you plan to attend – and we hope to see you there!
If the event has sold out before you try to secure your tickets, we suggest you to add your name to the wait list – as we sometimes are able to use it!
Ticket Information
General Admission :: $8
event admission
snacks & drinks
superheroes + princesses
facepainting
bounce houses
photos with the Easter Bunny
play-doh making station
games + crafts
epic egg hunt
and much much more…
We will be splitting our Egg Hunt into three age groups this year! Our Egg Hunt will have approximately 4,000 eggs designated as allergy free. A lot of the eggs will contain items (other than candy), such as trinkets, and tokens for prizes from amazing local businesses.
Strollers are allowed at the event – but we do encourage you to avoid using them (for your convenience) if possible. We realize that in some cases they are still necessary. The event will take place on two levels and there is one elevator, which is why it might be in your best interest to wear your baby (if possible) or to avoid bringing a stroller. BUT with that said – they are absolutely allowed.
Tickets go on sale Thursday, March 23rd at 8pm.
Make sure you join the Facebook event page to stay up to date with all of the details.
Co-Title Sponsor :: Essential Family Chiropractic
Dr. Natalie, owner of Essential Family Chiropractic has a passion for helping others reach their potential through pure, hands-on chiropractic care. She has the best interest of every patient that walks through her door. She is a wealth of knowledge and can’t wait to share her love of natural chiropractics with you. She is going to share with you ways you can keep you immune system healthy by eliminating as much chemical, physical and emotional stress as possible and through chiropractic adapting to what stress we can’t eliminate. Her and her team are just as excited to share their new location with you. It’s pretty amazing if you ask us!
Co-title Sponsor :: Goldfish Swim School
Come learn all things {swim} from one of our favorite swim schools in the area! Goldfish Swim School constantly amazes us with their love for teaching children the importance of knowing how to swim. As a parent this is something SO important. Goldfish Swim School’s tropical facility offers a welcoming and fun learn-to-swim experience that is both inviting and built to help kids develop strong swimming skills. Their shiver-free 90 degree pool, flexible class schedules, and easy enrollment process all combine to give your family a true Golden Experience.
Our Generous Sponsors
We just can’t wait for you to meet all of the amazing sponsors we have in store for you! Stay tuned as we add to this list or jump over to our Facebook event page as we announce them over the couple of weeks. You won’t want to miss getting to know them!
Emma Burcusel Photography
We strongly encourage you to bring your phone or camera fully charged to document the morning{And when you do, be sure to tag your posts and pictures and follow along using #DMBEasterEggstravaganza + #DMBegghunt} However, please know that we will also have the incredibly talented Emma Burcusal Photography on hand to help capture the morning too. She’ll capture you in a way you’ll absolutely love!
Every year on March 21st we celebrate individuals with Down syndrome all over this beautiful planet of ours. Why March 21st you ask? Down syndrome happens when the egg that is fertilized, or the sperm that does the fertilizing, has an extra copy of the 21st chromosome attached to it. This results in the baby being born with three copies of the 21st chromosome in every cell of their body. Three copies of the 21st, or 3:21, are celebrated on 3/21. Get it?!
To celebrate World Down Syndrome Day, we would like to take the opportunity to introduce you all to some facts about that extra 21st chromosome thanks to our friends at the National Down Syndrome Society. We’d also like to introduce you to some Metro Detroit parents and their children who are celebrating today!
Did You Know?
Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. Approximately one in every 700 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome – about 6,000 each year.
Emerson is 3.5 and lives in Warren, MI. His mom, Melissa, tells us:
“He loves swimming, books, music and dancing, especially to the Hokey Pokey. He is always eager to learn new things (with lots of clapping and hi-fives to show his gratitude) and loves being independent and adventurous when exploring his new environments.”
Photo Credit: Amanda Armitage Photography
Did You Know?
The incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. But due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.
Landon is 2.5 years old and lives in Algonac, MI. His mom, Shannon, states:
“Landon loves reading books, dancing, and pushing people’s faces together until they kiss. He dislikes when people have to leave the house. This photo, taken in front of the Belle Isle Casino when Changing the Face of Beauty came to Detroit, we feel, symbolizes what the world needs now; for everyone to come together and love one another.”
Did You Know?
All people with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays, but the effect is usually mild to moderate and is not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses.
Meet Ethan! Ethan is six years old and hails from New Baltimore, Michigan. His mom, Angel, tells us:
“Ethan is a fun and outgoing. He started kindergarten this year. He loves to hang out with his 2 older sisters, and especially loves sports. He plays soccer, basketball and baseball and loves to route for the Detroit tigers. He also started fishing this summer and caught his first fish! Prior to that he would practice casting all the time in the yard and on the boat!”
Did You Know?
Quality educational programs, a stimulating home environment, good health care and positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down syndrome to lead fulfilling and productive lives.
Eliyana is six years old and hails from Chesterfield Township. Her mom, Cheri, tells us:
“Eliyana is our sweet 6 year old. She has brought continuous joy to our family with her spunky personality and gentle demeanor. Her smile can light up any room and she loves to make others around her laugh. Whenever someone new comes to the house, she will introduce herself and then go around and tell them who everyone is. There isn’t a single person she doesn’t like!
Did You Know?
A few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are: low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm. Every person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees or not at all.
Meet Sofia! Sofia hails from East China Township, Michigan. This picture, portraying her silly personality, is one of mom, Nici’s, favorites! Fellow Detroit Mom Blogger, Kelly Long, tells us:
“Sofia is 4 years old and the sweetest, happiest, most loving little girl I’ve ever met. You can’t help but be drawn to her personality!”
Did You Know?
Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels.
This handsome guy is Noah from Royal Oak, MI. Noah’s mom, MaryAnne, tells DMB:
“Our son Noah is 3 1/2, and is a silly, sweet, energetic little boy. Noah LOVES music of any kind. One of our favorite places to go is to the DSO Super Saturday Family Concert series. Pictured here, Noah is enchanted by the “Instrument Petting Zoo”, where kids can learn about each individual instrument from a proficient musician. It’s very important to us that Noah be involved with many community offerings, not only for HIS benefit, but for the benefit of educating other families and kids about the joy and “More alike than different”-ness of our kids.
A big “THANK YOU” to the National Down Syndrome Society for the facts, the World Down Syndrome Day for the use of their logo, and to all the Detroit area parents for sharing their loved ones with us. We wish we could have included them all!
I was six months pregnant when my Grandma Evie died. Of course, there is never a good time to lose a loved one, but I wished – and still wish – so strongly that she could have held on for a few more months to meet my baby and witness me become a mother. It’s a consolation to know that she saw me begin my journey as a parent, and I will always cherish my memories of us swapping pregnancy stories. (My one experience hardly compares to her fourteen pregnancies, though.)
My Grandpa Donnie passed away recently. My 17-month-old son was fortunate to have spent time with him every few months. It pains me to think that those afternoons of my grandpa sitting in his usual chair, cracking his classic one-liners will go unremembered by my son as the years pass. It has me thinking of ways to keep my grandparents’ presence felt, these people whose lives have so impacted mine. I want their stories to be told and re-told. I want my children to ask questions about them, to know their names, to feel proud of the legacy to which they belong.
Here are some ideas for creating routines and traditions to remember loved ones who have passed:
Photos – Assemble a special photo album, a gallery wall of old photos, or a framed picture hanging in your child’s bedroom.
Nighttime prayer or moment of silence – We have started a tradition of praying for our family members and for special intentions every night after we read bedtime stories. Now, we’ve added a moment at the end of our prayer to list those who have passed.
Cook their favorite foods together – Food can be a strong connection to memory, especially if you are able to track down copies of their recipes.
Honor their birthdays – Go to a place that was meaningful to them, visit their grave site, or share your favorite memories with each other over dinner.
Names– If using a family member’s name for one of your children isn’t a good fit, or if you’re done having babies, consider a pet name inspired by your loved one, maybe using a nickname or middle name. My niece has a baby doll, Evelyn, named in honor of my grandma, and it is such a sweet way to remember her.
Make a keepsake – Find an Etsy shop (or a talented friend) to create a “memory bear” or a quilt from old clothes.
Create a memorial garden – Find a quiet spot in your yard to sit and reflect, maybe with a bench, swing, bird feeder, a statue, or plant some of their favorite flowers. You could consider a space inside your house, like a shelf decorated with some of their belongings, photos of them, or a candle that you light as a memorial.
Story books– There are lots of children’s books about loss that you can read with your child as part of their bedtime routine or on special days of remembrance. You could even write an inscription about your loved one inside the cover so that your child can think of him or her for years to come. (Some book suggestions include Water Bugs and Dragonflies, When Dinosaurs Die, and Badger’s Parting Gifts.)
Communicate – Although my son is currently too young to discuss loss, parents of older children will want to be prepared to answer difficult questions. Different people will explain death differently, in ways that are consistent with their religious/spiritual beliefs, but the most important thing is that you are open in your communication and accepting of kids’ reactions and emotions.
Have you tried any of these ideas in your family? How do you honor and remember loved ones who have passed?
After graduating from University of Michigan in 2008 (Go Blue!), I stayed local and taught at a preschool for the next 6 years. I love so many things about Ann Arbor and it will always have a special place in my heart. Its an awesome place to live if you’re a student or have a family.
Baby’s first Michigan football game.
3 years ago I was firmly in between those 2 phases of life and looked around and realized most of my friends had moved on from our college town. It was time for a change so I decided to move in with my boyfriend, Mike, to Berkley. We live in one of those neighborhoods where all the houses are different and I adore it. My favorite thing about our neighborhood is it’s proximity to everything. You’re a short ride from Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and they all have their own vibe and their own hidden gems to discover. There’s always a new restaurant, obscure festival, or a Tigers game. You name an interest, and you can find a place to fulfill it. I’m currently searching for the best breakfast/brunch spot. Research is pending.
Tigers Opening Day 2015.
:: My Life ::
Before I was a mom, I was an early childhood teacher for almost 10 years. I decided to stay home when I had my first and I sometimes find myself missing the chaos of the classroom. I’m very passionate about early childhood and it has been eye-opening to see aspects of development as a parent. When I manage to squeeze in time away, you can find me enjoying time with friends, neck deep in a random craft project, at a Barre Code class, at happy hour (bonus points if it’s on a patio), or binge watching cooking competition shows. I love Halloween and I’m a huge fan of homemade costumes.
Our Halloween costumes from the last few years.
Most of my close friends are spread across the country, but the bright side of this is it gives me extra motivation to visit them. They make efforts to come back to Michigan too, usually for a Michigan football game. In my 20’s I had a habit of travelling to a new city every year for my birthday. My favorites were Nashville and Honolulu. I’ve decided now is the perfect time to bring that tradition back!
:: Babies and Beyond ::
A year and half ago, Mike and I had recently been introduced into “auntie” and “uncle” life and we were loving it. We had no specific plans for kids anytime soon, until (surprise!) we found out we were expecting. Fast forward to now, and I couldn’t imagine our family any other way. I was never a huge believer in “things happen for a reason,” but I am now! Michael, who is almost 1, is a happy, healthy, silly, active, boy. Motherhood has been just like I thought it would be, while simultaneously being absolutely nothing like I thought it would be. There’s been ups, downs, in betweens, and I’m looking forward to expanding my mom group and sharing in the experiences. I would classify myself as a hot mess, kinda crunchy, pinterest-inspired, bad mom so I think I can relate to every category of mom there is. My favorite thing about motherhood is that there’s no perfect way to do things. Every kid, pregnancy, family, and situation is different and it’s a beautiful thing.
Hello! My name is Dave and I am honored and humbled to be the first dad on the team! A couple quick “Alternative Facts” about me are that I am 6’3, sport rock-hard six-pack abs and am often mistaken for Brad Pitt when I am out on the town. (That sound you just heard in the background were my wife’s eyes rolling) Okay, I’m actually about 5’10 on my tippy toes, have a pudgy mid-section and bear a closer resemblance to the boulder that chased Indiana Jones than any other celebrity.
I live in Farmington Hills, where I “married up” (as my parents often remind me) to my intelligent and patient wife Lindsey. We have an overly dramatic 5-month-old son named Grayson, who is amazingly cute when he is not in the midst of a Colic meltdown. His Colic may or may not have prompted a 3 a.m. call to the hospital inquiring about a “newborn return policy” at one point. (There isn’t one, if you were curious.)
My family initially moved to the Detroit area just in time for the Pistons “Bad Boys” era of the late 80’s & early 90’s. I am one of those die hard Detroit Lions’ fans that rolls into every Fall thinking “We really have a chance to win the division this year!” and end up throwing a worn shoe at the television on Sunday afternoons. And I unapologetically look forward to passing that tradition on to my son!
:: My Life ::
Beyond our young son Grayson, our family also consists of 2 mischievous cats and an oblivious Shih-Tzu with pink bows in her hair named Munchie.
As if that wasn’t already enough to strip me of all possible “street cred”, I am also as “geeky” as they come. I consider myself a “savant” of extensive knowledge and useless trivia about comic books, Star Wars, History channel, Weird Al Yankovic, Karaoke Skillz, Star Trek . . . think Big Bang Theory without the marvelous intellect and annoying recorded laugh tracks. Here is a picture of the night light I put together for Grayson’s room.
I mentioned I married “up” right? I was a sales manager for a local flooring distributing company for about 14 years but felt as though my career had leveled out. My sales manager position was right beneath the owners of the company so there was no way to climb up the ladder. So a couple years ago I left the field altogether and started a new career selling online advertising to agencies. I loved learning the new technology and I was fascinated by the near limitless targeting methods of online marketing. I enjoyed the team I worked with (although they were all a decade plus younger than I and wouldn’t let me forget it). None of them could understand why I didn’t care that there was a “Pokemon stop” in the building’s parking lot.
:: Babies and Beyond ::
Shortly after Grayson was born, he developed what our pediatrician described with meticulous detail and clarity as “the worst case of Colic I have ever seen.” He very soon became simply too much for one of us to handle at night. The nightly inconsolable breakdowns would last anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. While on the threshold of crafting a mutual suicide pact, it became obvious one of us was going to need to step away from our career (at least temporarily) to stay home with our baby. My wife has a very successful career at a little start up out of California that starts with a “G” and rhymes with frugal, which allowed me to temporarily leave my sales career to handle more homefront responsibilities as a SAHD.
It took my ego a little time to come to terms with not being the breadwinner of the household. I grew up in the traditional Midwest family structure where the dad was the patriarch and provider for the family and the idea of “not working” was very foreign to me. So down the career path of bottles and diapers I went. Little did I realize that this little 14 pounder would be the most demanding, least compromising, and most unrealistic expectation setting manager I have ever had. And I love (nearly) every minute of it.
I knew I was starting to take this “daddy” thing pretty seriously the other night when, while at a friend’s house, I caught myself eyeing his stack of 20% off Buy Buy Baby coupons very jealously. I horde those as if they will someday be used as ante in poker tournaments or currency in some post apocalyptic future.
Writing has always been a hobby of mine and between poopy diapers, snuggles and nap times, I now have more time to write. I started a blog encompassing two of my favorite interests – geekiness and parenting. I’m sure I”ll figure out a way to sneak football in at some point. But for now, you can find me at GeekyDaddy.com when I’m not contributing to DMB.
I am aware that I am an unconventional choice for the team and am very thankful for this opportunity. I look forward utilizing my unique perspective to contribute to the team, pass on some best practices I learned about parenting a colicy baby and hopefully brighten everyone’s day with some well-placed humor.
