Baby Blackwell #2!

If any of you are friends with Stacey on Facebook, you already know.  Or, if any of you are friends with us in real life, you already know...

Stacey and I are expecting Baby Blackwell #2!!

Yup!  We are building the Empire, ladies and gentlemen!  Only 7 more to go!  Just kidding ... who knows how many.  But here - I'll answer some of the questions you may have...

Didn't you just have one? (aka, was this planned?)  Yes, yes we did!  Thanks for the reminder.  The babes will be 21 months apart.  We want to have our children close together for a number of reasons, so this works out perfectly!

Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?  Nope!  Stacey will be 13 weeks along and you don't find out the gender until 18 weeks!  I'm crossing my fingers for a boy. ;)

What are you going to name him?  Him you say?  Well, we have a few names picked out, but we'll keep that under wraps until he/she arrives.

How the heck are you gonna handle 2? Good question!  But I've learned after handling one, if I can do that, then I can do anything!  I'm Super Dad and Stacey, Super Mom.  We aren't worried any more than we should be and are excitedly planning the future of our growing family!

We are going to the Doc later today for an extensive ultra sound and checkup, but everything so far has been great!  The babe has a steady heartbeat, and he/she is making Stacey hungry, nauseous and tired, which is a good sign!

I just wanted to share!  I've been meaning to for a while, but we just figured the online world would figure out in due time.  This is the time!  :)

Cheers!
-marc

Family Man

As a family man, I had a revelation today.  I need to take care of my family.  Don't get me wrong, I haven't been lacking on this ideal in the past ... but I can always be better.  I need to really take care of my family.  Just like my mother took care of our family; emotionally, physically, and on every single level.

Raising a human is a crazy experience because they are so dependant.  They rely on you for EVERYTHING.  Just like Zoe needs enough food, sleep, love and attention - so does Stacey. 

And that is my responsibility as a husband, a father, and a man to make sure they are taken care of on every level.  It's something I can be better at, with Stacey especially.  She's the best mother I know, and right now she is working for our family.  I could make sure she has lunch prepared, and I can always tell her more how beautiful she is.  I gotta step up and provide in other areas like making sure she's getting enough sleep and has security. 

I'm always learning.  This is just one thing that hit me today in the car. 

Thought I would share.

What can you be better at?

Zoe is 8 weeks old...What can you do?

It's Saturday night. A year ago on a Saturday night you could find me at a concert, bar, club, friends house, partying and having a crazy good time. Tonight my wife and I are chilling at home, listening to music, having just as good of a time, but with our little 8 week old girl.

Her name's Zoe, I'm sure you know that by now if you're reading my blog, and she's the most amazing thing to happen to me since...oh, I dunno, Stacey? :) They both lighten up my world daily, hourly, even every moment. Stacey's so happy to be a mom, and Zoe is so happy to be alive. She tells me with her smiles, they both do.

I didn't know what it was going to be like to be a dad. I had no clue. I didn't really comprehend that I was GOING to be a dad until the moment she exited Stacey's body and entered the world. Her first cry was my first "oh. uh. i'm - a - dad." And so far it's been a great, exciting, entertaining trip.

We've taken her all over California, although she's never seen the beach...but that will change once it gets a little warmer. Time suddenly goes FASTER. It's harder to get out of the house when we do get out. Not only do I have to get ready, and Stacey, but we have to make sure a baby's ready too. And that means bottles, diapers, burp cloths, blankets, change in outfits (this is hollywood), and much much more. I'm surprised we even eat!

Did I mention that Stacey is an AWESOME mom? She's the best mom I know. Sad to say, but happy to say at the same time.

I wish my mom could've met Zoe. She would love her.

Sometimes we talk about how Zoe is a part of my mom. That my mom probably looked like Zoe when SHE was 8 weeks old. How crazy is that? It's the circle of life I assume, one goes out and another comes in.

Words can't explain, no matter how hard or poetic I get, the feelings of being a dad. When Zoe smiles at me, I feel a joy that is new and exciting. When Stacey (as she always does) does something very motherly, it creates a feeling in my heart that I can't explain really. I'm a family. I have a family. I am in charge of another little human being, who is my daughter, and will ALWAYS be my daughter. That's cool. That's magical. That's the best feeling in the world. My head rests a little higher on my shoulders.

And as messed up as the world is, as sirens blare outside our window right now as I type, I know that Zoe Marcia Blackwell will be fine because she has good parents, a good family, and a good network of friends. She will know love, and peace, and happiness, and she will have everything she needs, always. She will grow up with 2 parents who love her unconditionally and be supported up until our last days.

I ask that YOU create a better world for my daughter as well. Don't do anything that would comprise Zoe. Don't be a jerk in traffic, try to be more environmentally conscience, treat your neighbors better than you have. If everyone does this, maybe ... JUST MAYBE, we can change the world and Zoe won't have to know war, or hate, or discrimination.

That's all.