Now introducing our first daddy guest blogger, Cal Daddy!! Cal Daddy is the father of a beautiful baby girl and husband to a loving and patient wife. In his free time, he enjoys hosting friends, family, and good times at the family estate in the Pacific Northwest. He has been blogging for five years on a variety of topics and is currently working on a book about ordinary people that we see every day.
Here are his: “Top 10 ‘Daddy’ Baby Items.”
This list is by no means comprehensive and certainly in no particular order – think of the order as changing with the mood of your baby. Each of them is equally as valuable as the others. Hopefully, these incredibly useful items can de-stress you, either through humor or use. They have certainly helped me in my first adventure as a parent.
Baby Bjorn: This minor expense can make it so easy for dads to carry around Baby while still looking macho! Moms get a break, you don’t have to wrestle with a stroller (unless you drive a Hummer), and Dads can happily care for Baby and get some quality exercise at the same time!
A Stanley Screwdriver with interchangeable tips: If you’ve ever bought anything larger than a binky for your baby, then you know that baby items rarely come “fully assembled”. Guess who gets tasked for putting it all together? That’s right – Dad.
Bounty Paper Towels: You’ve seen the ads where one paper towel absorbs a floor full of milk? It’s true. In fact, someone call the President – they could probably clean up the Gulf spill. Nothing is less stressful than feeding your baby and cleaning as you go. Sure, you can choose to clean up afterwards, but you may end up bathing the baby, sticking the high chair out in the rain, and sending your own clothes to the Goodwill.
Remote controls for the car, the garage, and yes – the front door: Here’s a common scenario - you’re carrying your baby in his or her car seat or in your arms. You get to a door (any door) and what do you do? Fumble for the keys in your pocket, cue up the right key in your hand, and reposition yourself to successfully unlock the door without disrupting the pleasant dreams of your “sweet angel”. Major fail.
A cat or dog: True, this is not in an inanimate item. However – nothing says “interactive toy that can occupy your tot for hours” like a toy that barks, meows, purrs, and basically responds differently to everything your baby does to it. Think of it as a lower form of early social education.
Backup camera batteries: Picture another moment – Mom is playing with Baby; Baby does something incredibly cute that he or she has never done before…and holds the pose. Mom gestures frantically for the camera (video or otherwise), and the battery is dead because “you” forgot to charge it. Save a fight; save your sanity – this is money well-spent.
Oxiclean: Yes, Dads do laundry. More than you think. And if you don’t want Daddy throwing away every baby shirt with a Gerber Sweet Potato stain in the mid-center area, invest in some of this. It takes out every possible stain this author has thrown at it – and then some (if you’re a parent, you can imagine)
Disposable (and compostable) dinnerware: Some days are just “bad days” for the little guy or gal. Don’t stress about the dishes; focus on your baby – the environment can handle it.
Electric Razor: If your man still takes 20 minutes to shave each morning or evening with the latest triple-action, smooth-cutting razor blade, take him by the arm and explain how that will work when Mommy is gone and Baby is crying in the middle of his masculine grooming session. Make the baby a part of grooming – he or she will probably find the buzzing sound fascinating.
Ice cream and cookies: Sure your doctor may be telling you to lose a few pounds, but does your doctor have a baby? Give him ten minutes with yours at its worst and see what his recommendation is then. Once the baby is down for the night, grab your partner and relax on the couch with a hearty serving of this blissful snack. Don’t turn on the tube – it’ll only ruin the moment. As you enjoy this solace with your partner, you’ll appreciate that he or she is just as tired as you and relax in the thought that you’re not doing this alone.
What’s something you’d like to add to the list??
