So, if you are a reader of fellow blogger RebelDad, then you are in the know regarding a recent article concerning SAHDs on this site. I won't go into details, but apparently there are a lot of angry parent bloggers out there. And I am one of them. The nerve of this lady, a miss Lindsay Ferrier. Although I have her personal blog tabbed in my browser right now, I am not going to leave any sort of evil, hateful garbage in response to her article. That would just give her the satisfaction of having yet another blogger bash her thoughts only to have those same thoughts responded to with a snide, smart-alecky remark. Just by typing her name in this space has increased her already high presence in Google. Instead I send out a plea to the blogoshpere. Fellow Stay-At-Home-Dads, and Moms for that matter, listen up:

Its hard enough taking care of our little ones and finding time to socialize with other humans without the phrases "Did you go pee-pees?" or "Is my little gremlin hungry?" coming up every 30 minutes. Why do we have to further distance ourselves from other stay-at-home parents just because they are of a different gender? What the hell is that about anyway? Why does there have to be a "dad's group" and a "mom's group"? Why can't we all (no I am not going to finish that sentence. It is black history month and all, but come on...) Isn't the welfare of our children more important than any misgivings we may have about hanging out with someone of the opposite sex? It isn't even about US as parents, if you really think about it. A play date with other kids is supposed to be about having a chance for our little ones to interact and socialize with children their own age. Being able to socialize as parents is just a perk of having our kids hang together. Why does having our children play together have to have any sort of boundaries surrounding it at all? Of course it has the parental boundaries of discipline and fair play and all, but why do we as parents have to limit ourselves to just hanging out with others of the same sex?

Because of this article, and the droves of comments that followed, a group of men in Nashville, TN have started their own play group. The site for the group is called NashDads.com. Check it out. The idea is simple: A bunch of SAHDs meet once a week and let their kids play together. Then at other times the dads meet, sans kids, and just hang out. Doesn't that sound AWESOME. So now the real reason of this post comes...

STAY-AT-HOME-DADS AND MOMS IN THE SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO AREA:

Please contact me via email. I would love to hang out with other parents while our kids play. Lets start something wonderful in our city different. I invite any and all SAHPs (that's Stay-At-Home-Parents, for the uninitiated) to drop me a quick line and let me know your thoughts on this matter. I mean, come on, aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that just because some people have prejudices in this world doesn't mean we have to have the same mindset ourselves? Seriously people, its time for us to grow up a little. 

My email is housedad AT housedadchronicals.com 

So, what is it with kids and their ability to go completely limp when you try and pick them up? Its like my daughter's bones have been replaced with jell-o. This new, "jell-o bone syndrome" we'll call it, is also somehow linked to the vocal cords and the more jell-o like the bones become increases the decibel level to which the voice can reach. Say, for instance, the little gremlin is at the park and you've been patiently waiting for her to poop so that you can take her home and change her butt. The instant you say " Its time to go, your butt smells like a landfill." so begins the screaming and the jell-o bone syndrome. Now not only do you have a ragdoll screaming at the top of her lungs in your hand, you also have a shitty diaper in face as well. This effect is amplified to astronomical proportions if food or a favorite toy is involved. Like when its time to put down the toy you errantly gave to her while grocery shopping that you don't intend on paying for. When the jell-o bone syndrome starts in a grocery store, however, this also starts the "you have entered the slowest line possible" effect. Super. Now half the shopping population of your town has seen your child throw a fit. When this happens I pray for someone to say something to me like "control your child" or "can I help you sir?" This will unleash a torrent of un-repeatable statements sure to scare the knickers off of any nun. I save up all the rage that comes from these situations for the moment when I can watch someone wither away like the wicked witch of the west. No one yet has asked me for help. I wish a muthaf***** would.

Wow. That was quite the rant. Happy Saturday everybody. 

So I caught my little gremlin and the house cat on video today and thought you all might need a pre-Superbowl chuckle. Enjoy! It takes a second to load, but it is well worth it.

Upon the advice of fellow SAHD Joeprah and my good friend Danielle, I introduced my child to the infectious wonderment of Yo Gabba Gabba, a children's show on Nick Jr. 

I found some older episodes on Comcast on Demand and decided I would give it a shot. Holy Christ, I don't think I have ever had so much fun watching a children's show. The songs that are played on this show are beat-heavy and engaging. The music will bore its way deep into your skull, set up shop, and send signals to the rest of your body to jerk and gyrate uncontrollably. I giggle constantly at my little one as she moves and shakes to the `80's-infused hip-hop beats. The characters on the show are super colorful and the different segments with these monsters always has some sort of life-lesson involved. Stuff like learning how to brush your teeth or not to cut in line. Then there's the host of the show: DJ Lance Rock (Lance Robertson of west-coast indie music fame) I look at him and I think: Were we separated at birth? My little girl points to the screen and says "Dada!" every time he pops up in an episode. Here, decide for yourself on this one:

 

If I had thick sideburns . a big fluffy orange hat, and some bigger Run DMC-esque specks, maybe, just maybe, we could be related. I have to ask my mother on this one...

Happy Friday Everyone! This picture shout out is directed towards my good buddies Ace & Jared. Please read this post on their site and then the picture makes all the more sense. To anyone who may not find this all that funny, check out this site (I Can Has Cheezeburger.) Then you'll realize just how big a dork I am. Have a good weekend!