Laundry Day!

Woot woot! Buckle your seat belts ladies and gentlemen, we're about to discuss the most interesting topic in the world ... Laundry!

Here's a little fact for your dudes who might be staying home, or thinking of staying home with your children ... there's a shit ton of laundry! (Perdon my French) I'm totally used to doing laundry for myself, ever since my mom taught me before I went to college. But I'm easy. I have 7 shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, and 2 pairs of jeans. (Do I wear underwear? You'll never know.) But add 1 woman, and 2 girls to the mix and that's a lot of laundry!! We all know women have a lot of clothes and younger women have TONS of clothes!

Z takes over Blackwell Photography tasks while Dad does laundry

One of the facts of being a Stay at Home Dad means you have to take up certain roles in the household you normally wouldn't. Laundry is one of them. Washing dishes, cooking and keeping the house clean are all other chores you find yourself doing as your wife sits in a cubicle and punches out sales. Is it fun? Not always. But if you get a good system going, it doesn't take forever and you feel so much better once it's all day.

I takes a nap, being cute and providing motivation

I think I need an apron. ;) I plan on having dinner ready for Stacey when she gets home from work this evening, but for now both of the ladies are taking a nap (Yay for planning that one correctly today) so I'm going to go on the clock and knock out some work.

Cheers!
-marc

A Question of Laundry Etiquette

We live in an apartment complex that has 2 washing machines and 2 dryers.  There are probably 30 units in our building and I would say 75% of everyone here use the sock eaters.

Today was just another day in the life of a stay-at-home-dad, it's laundry day.  I've been doing laundry since 9:00 this morning (it's 1:04).  Every 52 minutes my iPhone alerts me that the laundry is dry and it's time to put another load in. 

But here's my question.  I was on my way to do the 5th and 6th load of laundry and when I got to the room I noticed a bag of clothes ... waiting ... lonely in the room.  I had 2 more loads to do.  2 washing machines... What do you do?

Do you only use 1 of the washing machines and take twice as much time to complete the laundry, giving the other person an opportunity to use 1 machine and maybe also take twice as long.  Or do you throw both of your loads in and continue because the person wasn't there and timely like you are with your iPhone.  Maybe the poor person doesn't have an iPhone ... wouldn't that be sad?  But anyway ... What would you do?

I'll tell you what I did after I see your responses.  :)

Have a good one!
-marc

Hunter S. Thompson and Laundry

I guess it's no secret, especially not after I blog it to the world, but I love it when people meet Zoe.  I secretly hope when we go out that we will run into people.  There's something pure and innocent of mankind when they meet a new baby, and I appreciate those moments. 

Like just now, I strapped her in her Baby Bjorn (sorry ... no pictures) and we ventured to do our laundry.  I heard voices at the end of the hall and smiled to myself, knowing someone's day was about to be made by my happy little baby.  And sure enough, 2 Mexican ladies who have cleaned the apartment for years lit up with joy and sputtered broken english musings about my little ZB!  Made their day ... and mine ... and well, I dunno if Zoe cared, but she smiled a lot!  

Then I dropped her in the washing machine and decided, oh well ... she was dirty anyway. ;) 

Hunter S. Thompson is my new Dave Matthews.  I just finished a documentary on the man, and while I don't agree with EVERYTHING he did, I respect the majority of his life.  What a legend.  What a writer.  What a true man's man!  He's inspired me to write more truthfully, the live how I want to, and to do big things so that my name isn't buried along with me.  His subjectivity and truthfulness changed the world, for the better in my opinion.  I too, wish to change the world for the better, so watch out.  ;)

I even got a flannel shirt like he always wore. 

Have a good weekend!!

-marc

Zoe is 4 Months Old!

4 months ago today was like any other Friday.  Stacey was off work, we decided to go to the hospital, and at 9:22 that evening we had a baby girl!  We named her Zoe Marcia Blackwell.  Zoe, a name that our great friend Michael Brown helped us find, and Marcia, for my late ma.

 

I didn't really comprehend being a dad until the moment she made her grand entrance.  I had talked to a lot of dads, read books and discussed almost everything with Stacey - but the first time I got to hold my daughter and look into her eyes I knew my life was changed forever.

 

Zoe is such a positive, pure and innocent human being.  It's nice to be around that type of person every day and all day.   I try to take lessons from Zoe's newness to life.  She smiles at everyone, understands only love, and doesn't have a negative bone in her body.

 

This beautiful girl with her stunning blue eyes is changing the world already, one person at a time.  Strangers on the streets, our friends, and especially us (me and Stacey) have changed dramatically for the better thanks to Zoe Marcia.  

 

Sometimes household chores take a backseat, but that's ok.  Everything gets done eventually and our family has really learned priorities.  I feel so grown up!

 

A candid family photo taken at Thanksgiving Dinner.  We're mucho in love.

Zoe on Christmas day.  She didn't really get the point of Christmas, but who does?  And she got to meet her entire family in Oklahoma.  It was 70 degrees in Cali and snowing and below freezing in OKso she got to experience the best of both seasons.

And this is Zoe today.  4 months old, on the dot.  She's so much more alert, fun. funny and sociable now more than ever.  We love this age, and look forward to the future when she's 8 months, 3 years, and 25!

Zoe, we, your parents love you.  Your entire family loves you.  You can change the world for the better.  You already are. 

Peace,

-marc

Venice Is Floating

This morning after Z and I dropped Mom off at work, amidst the rain, we traveled Venice, California.  Zoe's Uncle Anton lives out here by the Sea and we came to work. 

It's pouring outside.  Usually it never rains in L.A., but today it's raining hard consistantly.  But who cares about the weather? 

This is a cool mural I pass by when I come to Venice.  It's ... incomplete, I think?  And it has been for years.   But I love the colors, the white and what's going on in the painting.  I hope it never gets finished.

And not to disappoint, here's a photo of Zoe in her clothes basket!   We did 6 or 8 loads of laundry this weekend.  Crazy, huh?  Not in our house! 

Well, I know it's time to close this blog when all I've talked about is the weather and doing laundry.  Does that make me a true Mr. Mom?  "The weather, blah, blah, blah and the laundry, blah, blah, blah"...

OK.  I'm done.

Peace,
-marc

p.s. did you know that Venice, CA is where my lovely wife and I spent our honeymoon?  Baby...I promise one day real soon we'll go on a proper honeymoon to Europe.  :)  Love you!