Stay at home Daddy

Let me begin by explaining why I am a stay at home Daddy.  My wife, Estella, is currently in the police academy.  With her income alone it isn't necessary for me to work plus we are saving money by bypassing daycare....for now.

Being a stay at home Daddy has many rewarding aspects to it but it also has its share of big challenges.  Having an 8 month old daughter and a two year old daughter can be quite the handful at times.  In the early morning I awake to the sounds of cries through the baby monitor.  I rush to the kitchen (if you could picture a zombie “rushing”) in the hopes of making a bottle, feeding her, and then racing back to dream world.  But, as you would expect, this doesn’t happen often.  My two year old, Amaylie, usually hears Jordyn cry and also wakes up to join in the torturing process.  The instant Amaylie is out of bed she says, “I want to watch cartoons”.   I typically finish feeding Jordyn, put her back to bed for a few more hours, grab a pillow and blanket, and then throw myself on the couch for some cartoon action.  Just as I start to doze off again I hear, “I want cereal”!  This is basically how the rest of my day is played out.  Bouncing back and forth between the two girls and the two dogs doing the best I can to keep them all happy and challenged throughout the day.  I usually try to sneak in a nap while they are sleeping just after lunch, too (almost always interrupted by those annoying things called cell phones).  Shortly after the naps are completed I like to toss the kids in the stroller, hook the leashes up to our German Shepherds, and take a long walk to get out of the house.  Once the walk is finished we usually settle down for some dinner, watch TV, play, and then this is when the freedom starts….bed time for the kiddos! 

Kids+bed time= Shayne time.  This is when I watch actual normal adult shows such as Family Guy, Wipeout, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.  In addition, I get geared up for some Call of Duty Black Ops over XBOX Live to destroy online opponents world-wide.  Once the eyes are burning and cease to function, I finally get the message and slump my way into bed.  Repeat.

Despite the challenges of raising children, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I know I have accomplished the most important thing I could ever accomplish in this life.  Sharing the huge amounts of love, laughter, and even sadness is the most amazing thing I could ever hope for.