Dad Post: The Grammy's

I'll admit straight off that this post has little to do with Ady's recent activities, growth spurts, or cute faces.  So if that's what you're looking for stop reading now.  Probably not worth your time.  You will most likely just come away thinking "Dan, I think you've actually lost it this time" which could very well be true. (But not like these people)  Sometimes it takes a little "crazy" to make life interesting right?

Oh the Grammy's.  With a young daughter in the house I'm starting to think about what I will and won't allow her to watch and be influenced by.  Overall I considered the Grammy night nearly a complete waste of my time.  Lady Gaga disturbed me, Justin Beiber dismayed me (because I was actually very entertained), and the rest of the show just distracted me from anything productive.

So there's no way I will encourage/allow my daughter watch this kind of thing right? Or is there a level of creativity and a breadth of music I want her to be exposed to at a certain age?  Emily and I both were involved in music and we hope that our daughter at least has an appreciation for it (yes Emily, even classical music).  At least an appreciation that goes beyond being able to sing along with the most recent hit song on the radio.  I guess at some age it will be appropriate for her to watch and appreciate.  Unfortunately at the rate things are going I'm also going to have to give her a sex ed. lesson before she will be able to understand what/who is performing.  While the Grammy's probably aren't appropriate for a three year old I think I'd like to be able to expose her to different genres and artists in the home rather than her being exposed through friends at school. 

So my question is this. As Christians we are to be "in the world but not of the world".  Does this include watching (and even supporting through the purchase of music) artists such as those profiled and awarded on the Grammy's? Are the Grammy's something I want my daughter to watch?  If not are there aspects we can learn from and appreciate? Parenting is hard and I haven't even had to do anything yet (teenage girl years are still a ways away).

Random Sidebar: Sorry Emily, I have a new band crush, Mumford & Sons.  (Former band crushes include Relient K, The Fray, Snow Patrol, Sufjan Stevens, and Owl City)  A four man Indie Folk band from England gave a performance that caught my ear and reintroduced me to a song that I can't get out of my head.  I discovered the group a while back while watch CoolTV (yes, that broadcast channel that only plays music videos).  I all but forgot about them until their Grammy performance.  Banjo, tight harmonies, and lyrics that can get a guy thinking (I may investigate them in a future post).  Their music is an aspect of human creativity and thought that I hope my daughter has an appreciation for.  People who think and ask why, who create, and who want more than just face value from the this life.  Aren't those the attributes God created us for but in a worship context?

Dad Post: Dad Needs Help!

Sorry, this is a quick post.  I'm working on something longer for next week. 

The readers have spoken (I may or may not have voted from multiple computers) and unless something drastic changes in the polls, Ady will be wearing "Something Cute - Football Themed" to the superbowl party tomorrow night.  Unfortunately Ady's mother has stated that if Ady is going to wear "Something Cute - Football Themed" then I have to find it tomorrow. And I completely stink at shopping in general, let alone shopping for tiny girl clothes.

Any ideas where I can look for a tiny football outfit? Any kind of direction or suggestions will be better than what I have now (ie. nothing).  Cheerleader outfit (tasteful of course), tiny jersey (not Colts, just general), just a shirt with a football on it; I'll take whatever I can find.  Anything!  Worst case scenario I'll have to bust out some old nasty sweatbands.  Believe me, nobody wants that.  I was also trying to figure out how to do eye black, but that might be going a little to far (it would be so cute!!...please someone help me justify it)  So in the end I really need your help!  Suggestions???

PS. For all the concerned mothers and grandmothers out there, Emily has already stated that no matter what I pick out Adylyn has to wear some sort of a girly headband/bow.  It is not my intent to just dress her up like a boy.

Dad Post 2 - Conundrums

 A post of conundrums.  I have so many dad thoughts flying around up there that I'm having a tough time landing the plane.  I'd appreciate it if you would voice your thoughts using the opinion poles on the right side of the screen.

Parenting Conundrum: Does anyone else find it odd that so much time and money goes into making sure kids poop with their clothes on at a very young age.  But then we go and trying to teach kids to poop without their clothes on just a few years later?  If I was still trying to develop basic motor skills and the ability to communicate I think this would be highly confusing.

Sports Conundrum: Now that I have a young impressionable life under my influence what team should she root for in the Superbowl?  The Packers are a respectable franchise with a dedicated and hardworking fan base.  The Steelers are much the same.  I have good friends in both cities.  Such a tough decision.  But what fun is the Superbowl without picking a team to root for?

Nickname Conundrum: I need a good dad nickname.  You know, the name that only the dad uses.  Ady or Adylyn will be what everyone else calls her, but I want something different and original.  I already periodically call Emily, E-dizzle, so A-dizzle is no good.  I also figure it shouldn't be something that implies girth, promiscuity, or ugliness (Adasaurous Rex, A-girl, Little Ady Alligator).  Emily has emphatically vetoed everything I have suggested to date. Anyone have any ideas?  I will post any suggestions I receive in a poll starting after the Superbowl (vote in the What Should Ady Wear to the Superbowl Party? poll right now!).

Fun Fact: In an average day, a four year old child will ask 437 questions (and when that day comes I plan to make up a legitimate sounding answer for every one of them)

Dad Post: The First of Many

I just decided that rather than try to maintain a baby blog and a personal blog I will just take advantage of my unborn child's celebrity and write here. Hence, the "Dad Post".  It may stay, it may fade but for now it's here.

Baby Thoughts: Baby A few days ago a co-worker commented "Dan, any day now you could be a dad!"  While I realize that's how this whole process works it didn't hit me until then.  I'm actually going to be a dad with real duties and responsibilities.  To this point Emily has pretty much taken care of me, but this baby will be completely dependent on Emily and I for good jokes, dating advice, and fashion sense.  Let's hope she gets the fashion sense from Emily. The other two I think I can handle.

Dork Corner: Today we were watching Jeopardy (a guy won for the 8th time in a row) and all the contestants were stumped on a $1000 clue.  I made up a word as I usually do (Emily may have more correct answers but I get the creativity award) and it was correct.  Who knew that "elephantine" was a word?  Congratulations if you did, I'm just an accountant.

Sports/Accounting/Stats (SAS): In case you weren't already aware, taxes are rediculously complicated.  I claim to be an accountant and I haven't the slightest what's going on these days.  Keeping up with the tax code is getting to be worse that trying to keep up with Brett Favre's injury/employment status.  I ended up finding a listing of commonly overlooked tax deductions that is actually pretty good.  I think the key with this stuff is to just ask questions.  If we don't talk then we can't learn from each other.

Fun Fact*: You are more likely to be killed by a champagne cork than a poisonous spider.