A Day in my Life of Fatherhood

Being a dad has brought me great joy, but it isn’t without its challenges. There is no one correct way to raise a child. Instead, everyone has their own unique style and methods. In the following video, you’ll see Valerie struggling and crying from trying to take her shirt off. Any good parent will help their child in need or trouble, but in this case, what do I do if Val doesn’t want my help? I apologize in advance if the video appears cruel but Val is quite independent, and pretty stubborn.



Drawing from what I know and my own childhood experiences, I feel having balance is very important in a child’s life. Sometimes, it’s just not that simple as you’ll see in this next video where Val and I are at odds in finding a balance between spoiling her with everything and depriving her of everything.



Haha, you may have noticed from the videos that my daughter likes to be naked. I just hope it’s a phase and not a sign of anything bad in the future…

Lactose intolerance

Valerie may be lactose intolerant. We mentioned that her tummy was big to her pediatrician when she was 6 months old. The doctor said it's normal, baby's tummy sticks out till they're 18th months old. So, we didn't think too much of it because she was tolerating her formula and the whole milk with no signs of diarrhea. Until, 2 weeks ago, Uncle Dave mentioned that Valerie's tummy seemed big. Thank You, Dave :)

I brought her to the doctor's office this week and mentioned that her tummy is still big to her pediatrician. The doctor felt her tummy and said "She's probably lactose intolerant." I switched her milk to Lactaid, and her tummy seems smaller. She's doing much better with the Lactaid milk and her tummy seems normal now.

Massage

One of my friends is telling me to get either a Swedish or Deep Tissue Massage. She says it's very relaxing and enjoyable. I don't have back pain or tense muscles. I'll give it a try. I'll treat myself to a massage.

Day-Care Update

Today is the first day that Valerie didn't cry when I dropped her off at school. The teacher is telling me that she's doing great and very talkative in class. I'm happy that my baby is finally warming up to her teachers!!!

Potty Training:So Hard

We have been trying to get Valerie to use the potty, but she refuses to use it. She does seem interested in the potty chair. She'll say "Mommy, I need to go potty." She would pull down her diaper and sit on the potty but she won't use it, when she really gotta go. She's 2 & 1/2 years old and we're ready to ditch her diapers for good. After many unsuccessful potty training attempts, we just gave up. Potty training is a big deal and it's going to be a long battle. Perhaps, we have to be more patience.

Cooking

I have not been cooking much after Valerie was born. It's a lot of work to work full-time, take care of her and juggle everything else around the house. Cooking is the only thing I don't do on a regular basis. Take-out or fast foods are not healthy as home- cooked meals. However, I have been cooking more after Valerie started going to school. It's healthier and it's less expensive. I still have to find more recipes.