parenting

Funny Stories from a Long Distance Dad...

Every dad has to travel or be away from his kids at some point while they're growing up. Luckily for us in this day and age, it can be really easy to stay in touch, and lead to some fun moments of connection even when you and your kids aren't in the same room.

Mike the author shares a sweet story about how he video chats with his 2 year old daughter... kids really do make any regular activity so much better, don't they?

"FaceTime rocks. For a traveling dad like me, I am thankful everyday for the gift of Internet video chatting. I feel like George Jetson every time.  I know many of us dads have jobs that take us away from home and away from those we love. Video chatting eases the pain and can make for some fun conversation.

I have recently taken to showing my daughter the various things that are around me when we are on video chat. She finds it totally hilarious and is like our own long distance version of "I Spy."

One time, I was at this super quirky restaurant that had to have been furnished from the estate sale of Sarah Palin's Alaskan hunting lodge.  There were animal heads on the walls and stuffed animals (not the cute and cuddly kind) everywhere. During the whole call, I kept asking my daughter, "Wanna see a <insert animal name here>?," and I would turn the camera around.  She kept cracking up at all the different animals. Now, she always asks me to show her some animals every time we are on a call. Still figuring out what to do.  Maybe I should visit more zoos while traveling for work?"

We'll leave you with a link to play your own I-Spy games - since it's Friday, and honestly who's working anyways?

And PS - our Kickstarter campaign is over a third of the way funded, click here to contribute now - we need YOUR help, and you can get your own Love, Daddy book!

Happy Weekend Love, Daddy fans! 

On First Steps...

Here are Mike's thoughts on one of the most momentous occasions in the first few years of having a child - when she starts walking!

"My daughter did not start walking until she was almost 2 years old.  For those of you parents that worry about the whole walking thing, well, don't worry because it will definitely happen.

For us, the day came one Saturday morning when she just stood up and took off like Usain Bolt in a new pair of winged shoes.  She must have run about twenty steps before sitting down at the other end of the living room laughing hysterically, almost like she was keeping this big secret the whole time. My wife and I cracked up too and breathed that collective sigh of relief. She was finally WALKING!!!!  Well, now she just can't STOP.  Thank goodness for baby-proofing and child safety gates!

This ended up being the inspiration for the line in the book, "ZOOM, like a race car speeding down the hall," which I felt would make a great visual for the spread.  Katherine has done a great job bringing this to life, and we can't wait for you to see the final result!"

Of course now we have to show you obligatory, beyond adorable videos and pics of baby animals taking their first steps because it's just too cute for words to see anyone tiny learning how to walk on wobbly legs!

Ahhhh too cute! And how about this gif of a little polar bear cub getting up on it's paws?!?!

Images and GIF all found via Pinterest.

Images and GIF all found via Pinterest.

We'll leave you with this cuddly ball of panda fur taking his first steps on film : D

BBC News found via Pinterest.

Do you have any funny or sweet memories of when your children first started walking? Or even your pets? We'd love to hear about them!