Risky Business

I'm all for giving children chores...but putting baby to work, with power tools no less, seems a little—how should I say it—risky.

Dancing on the Ceiling

Oh, oh what a feelin'! Daddy gives Mommy the fright of her life with a newborn dance party. Baby didn't shoot out of his arms and end up hitting the ceiling, but only by some miracle!  

Tree Hugger

Wow, the world sure looks different from up here in this tree.  Why am I up here? I have no clue.
Good thing my Daddy has a firm grip on me. 

Cooking Class

Daddy is eager to give Baby her first cooking lessons, starting with the knives!!!  Please girl, listen to Mommy and let's look but not touch.

On the Edge

I'm sure baby will be ok teetering on the edge of the desk in this bumbo while I play video games. He won't be cold while he is naked in front of the air conditioner. Nope.

Blue Ribbon Baby

I'm all for Baby having his first beer with Daddy; I just thought he'd hit a few other milestones first. Like, say, walking, becoming potty trained, learning to read, etc.

Double Duty Daddy

Annihilating aliens while bonding baby boy = talented multitasker.

Jam Session

This is the scene one mama came home to when her baby daddy was babysitting. I think daddy's got his backup singer! He's got stage makeup and everything. Just so long as nothing goes wrong with those amps...

Face Time

Mmmmmm...these baby feet are soft. They sure feel good on my tired face. Baby, just hold still. I'm gonna rest my head right here.

(The look in the baby's eyes says: What is Daddy thinking??)

Bun On The Oven?

At a friend's backyard bonfire party, this baby daddy just wanted to make sure his three week-old daughter did not get cold. Like, not at all.

(via blackandwhiteandlovedallover.com)

Snug Fit

Me: hey, what were you thinking when you decided to lie down on the bench with the baby on your chest?

Baby daddy: I was really tired. But I was holding the baby for you while you did...something else (cook dinner? clean up? laundry? pay the bills?). So I killed two birds with one stone.

Me: Why not the bed?

Baby daddy: Because we fit there.

I guess I can't argue with that.

Hanging Out

Wow, Daddy, the world is so much more interesting from this perspective. I mean, I'd much rather stare at the wrinkles in your shirt than check out what's going on across the room. At least you're cracking up.

(This was the kind of move that induced terrible visions of what might happen if Daddy lost his grip, even just for a second. Those what if scenarios took at least 15 years off my life in just a few months.)

Sleeping on the job

Hey, can you put the baby down for his nap? Yeah, just put him right on the edge of that sofa and then pass out yourself. Perfect.

(Actually, this one makes my heart ache with sweetness. (They all do, obvi.) I never, and I mean never, would have let myself relax this much with the little bitty guy. Boy, did I miss out.)

Driver's Ed

Look Mommy, I can drive! Sure, I still have to wear a bib to keep the milk that rolls out of my mouth from staining my bubble. And, ok, you're right, I can't sit up on my own. But look at my perfect form! 10 and 2, hands on the steering wheel. And at least I'm focused on what's out the window and not talking on your cell phone!

What Was Your Baby Daddy Thinking?

Mamas:** have you ever happened upon a situation involving your baby and baby Daddy that made you ask yourself, "What was Daddy thinking??!?" If you've been able to document said moment, and you feel like sharing it (and you should: it's therapeutic and sometimes even educational), send me your photos and I will post them here. All you need to do is email the photo and a caption to steele.marcoux@me.com. Let's just agree on a few "terms and conditions." I promise to keep things anonymous...and all I ask in return is that you submit in the spirit of mild mockery of or pure fascination with—but never outright disdain for—daddy's creative parenting.

To kick things off, here's the very first photo submitted to What Was Daddy Thinking. It made me laugh out loud when I opened my email.

I eat the pancakes, she eats the plate, we're both happy!

**You don't have to be a mama to submit. I'd love to hear from amused aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends, and even proud daddies themselves! Just make sure to stick to the terms and conditions.

Using Protection

Every now and then, Daddy gets real serious about protection. I mean, ruuuuhl serious.

Like, say, in hammocks. Can't risk drowning in all that...rope.

Or on boat rides. There's no chance the sun's getting in the baby's eyes with those shades on.

Airplane Mode

Honestly, how did parents (dads) first think of this? It's like: Hey, I've got an idea. This peaceful little two-month old infant looks like he wants to go for a ride. Does he want to keep hanging in out in the warm, fuzzy vibrating chair where he's pretty much incapable of breaking? Nah. Let me just scoop him up, raise him over my head, and make him fly like an airplane. It sure makes me smile.

When my son was this age, I'm pretty sure I walked around carrying him at three feet max off the ground. I figured that way, even if I did drop him, things would probably work out ok. The post-partum period + a fear of heights = a perfect recipe for extreme anxiety.

Beach Bums

Just a couple of dudes relaxing by the pool. I'm still trying to figure out how Daddy got the baby to fall asleep like that. When he was this age (one month), it typically took me an average of 20 minutes of rocking and singing like an idiot next to a running faucet just to put him down for a quick little catnap nap every couple of hours. Maybe not trying so hard has its advantages—for Daddy anyway.

Multi-tasking

This is what I returned home to find when I asked Daddy to "babysit" so I could get my hair cut. (Note: this was also the *last* time I used the term babysit to describe a father spending time with his son.) Yes, that's right, he's playing a video game with our newborn in his lap. Impressive. And quite brilliant, really. Both parties win: Dad plays his game while baby is cozy, comfy, and fascinated by Dad's face. Why didn't I think of a women's equivalent scenario? Do you think it would have worked to get a pedicure and hold the babe like this?

Meet and Greet

What better way to meet the dog for the first time than to use him as a live, and very fluffy, pillow.