Ken Bruce
This Stay At Home Dad Needs to Get Going!
For the last year or so I have taken my eye off the ball of what is really important. It is a very subtle thing, the ability to take attention off what is truly important even when you think that you are not doing so. There are numerous factors that have made this happen and I blame only myself. Melissa and I have made some questionable decisions over the years but things have been very good for us–at least everyone around us would think so. I have always said that time flies, even when I was a young 19 year old I often looked back and thought “Where did the time go?” This feeling is always …Read more […..]
6 years old! Skip-Dancing Daddy!
Well, another year has passed and our little girl is now 6 years old! Wow! Where did the time go?!? I can’t believe that 6 years has went by so fast! Our little girl is growing up too fast! She is getting so smart and learning so much in kindergarten that I can hardly believe it! To celebrate her birthday, Emma was able to have 3 small parties. First, Emma had a Princess Party with her cousins and friends where the girls were dressed up like princesses and had lots of fun! Emma also had a small party at Nonnie and Poppie’s in Wisconsin. As is par for the course, Emma didn’t want …Read more […..]
Stay At Home Dad Thoughts While Holding Emma’s Hand While Walking to School, Emma Does My Hair
Everyday, when I bring Emma to school, I park the car and actually get out of the car and walk her to the door–many lazy and overweight parents out there!. I have been doing so through the winter too, good thing we have had such a mild one! While we walk, Emma always holds my hand. This also applies to when I pick her up after school.There are several other stay at home dads and stay at home moms that do the same. We have not given in, rebels as we are, to the school’s request that all kids take the bus. I recently got to thinking, as I often do, about holding my daughter’s little hand. …Read more […..]
Whew! We Dodged a Bullet!
Well, last night we surely got lucky! We had to call the Poison Control Hotline two times and were up very late. Their number is 1-800-222-1222. Emma has had a cold off and on for almost two weeks, us too. She had been coughing badly ever since the weekend-3, yes 3 parties on Saturday?.. Before bed we gave her a Triaminic grape flavored nighttime cough and cold strip. this was about 930. I thinking that i should put the medicine in the cabinet but figured that I would be coming up soon and Emma was trustworthy-I had told her before that she should never take an medicine without us knowing …Read more […..]
Daddy, We Had a Good Day…
Melissa was out of town for a day recently. Emma and I kept ourselves busy after school. Among other things, we danced–We took turns dancing to music from the Ipad(Emma loves the Ipad and plays many games on it). One of us would dance while the other watched and clapped afterwards. Emma loves to watch her Stay at home Daddy dance!!! After that we played Wii. We played the Disney Princess game as well as the Mario Winter Olympics. We had dinner and then settled down for the evening before bed. The main reason for this post is because while I was reading Emma a book in bed, she looked …Read more […..]
Life & Friendship–Enjoy it and Don’t Take it for Granted
As Emma develops friendships, several very close ones, I can’t help but think to myself whether they will be lifelong friendships or, as is most commonly the case, childhood friends. I think this because I still have close friendships with people who I met in the early grade school years. As This stay at home dad often does, I am trying to look ahead into Emma’s life and by doing so am reminded of past memories of my own life. Memories of a very dear childhood/teenage friend of mine come to mind. A life with such potential tragically cut short. This was a very significant …Read more […..]
The Big Boys! “Can I Tell You Something?” Privacy While in Bathroom..
Emma has become good friends with the boys down the street. There are 2 boys, Evan and Ethan, that are a year older than her as well as a boy, Nathan, that is a year younger then her. They live down the street and love to come to our cul-de-sac where they can ride their bikes, their motorized cars, and scooters with her. It is so funny to watch them playing because Emma leads the way with the puppy dog boys following along. When they are at their house and Emma is in our front yard, they are constantly yelling messages back and forth. The little guy, Nathan, is the most vocal and aggressive about …Read more […..]
Taking Emma to School—Priceless!
So, I am glad I went with my gut and didn’t listen to the naysayers who were telling me that Emma should take the bus to school because it would be good for her. Well, instead of the awesome pleasure of riding on a school bus, Emma is able to further bond with her Daddy! Which is the better option? Hmmmmm….. As we were walking the half block from the car to school today, I couldn’t help but think about this. I parked in the usual area and we walked holding hands as always past the crossing guard and to the school. It was a beautiful morning today and we talked as we always do about the exciting …Read more […..]
1st Day(half) of Kindergarten!
Well, the day finally arrived! After meeting with Emma’s new teacher yesterday for meet the Teacher Day, Emma had her 1st half day of school. Meeting her teacher yesterday relieved some of my anxieties as well as Emma’s since she got an awesome teacher! Her teacher is right up her alley–an energetic and fun sounding young woman. I also learned about the procedures that I will be participating in such as dropping off and picking up. I set my alarm for 7am but woke up on my own this morning at 6ish in anticipation of today. We let Emma sleep until Mommy went to work and Mommy woke her …Read more […..]
Bye Bye Yoda, Daddy Will You Stay Here with Me Forever?, Wisconsin for 9 Days!, VBS
I often think about how fast time flies but it really hit home hard recently with the passing of my cat of 17+ years, Yoda. Emma brushing Yoda about a week before he died. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Me holding Yoda 1994 Seems like another completely different life when I got that cute little furball! I was single and lived in my own house all by myself …Read more […..]