An Ode to My Daughter on Her Ninth Birthday

Today my daughter turned nine. This is wild to me. Kids grow up too fast. I know it's a cliche, but time does truly fly by when you have kids. I feel like she was born yesterday. Oh boy.

In reality, she is a fierce, strong, loyal, stubborn and beautiful 3rd grader. She loves to read, enjoys Disney movies, likes "The Simpsons" and is a very creative and inventive writer. She could easily take over my blog today if she wanted. She is very smart, very friendly and smiles way more often than she frowns. She likes jokes, both hearing and telling them. She is very into science projects and she can sit down and write and draw a cartoon in a day if she wanted to. She is the best.

The whole world changed for me when we had a daughter. I grew up with three older brothers. I am my father's child. We do a ton together, be it movies, music or sports, my dad and I hang out a bunch. My wife is pretty girly, but she also likes what she likes and does what she does. She isn't into makeup or dressing up or any of that unless the situation calls for it. She rules. We had a son first, and he is all about sports, music and video games. He does the stuff I did when I was younger. He loves football, basketball and Fortnite. He is a typical 7th grader. Our daughter, she is into a bunch of stuff that I never really thought about until she was born. She loves getting her hair done. For her birthday today, she went and got a trim, glitter put in her hair and two braids. It looks dynamite by the way. She is really into Disney princesses like I mentioned above. When I was younger I was all about "Lion King" and "Aladdin". She loves "The Little Mermaid", "Princess and the Frog" and "Moana" just to name a few. I never sought these movies out, nor were they an option that came up until our daughter was born. She is in her short shorts and big t-shirt era right now. I guess this is what most young kids like to dress like now. But, she had a big dress phase when she was younger. She would not leave the house unless she was in a dress. I found myself shopping for dresses for her when she was younger. I never did that before. She likes to hold hands and give hugs. We showed love in our house growing up, but it was never physically shown. It was an understood thing in the house. My daughter wants to hold hands when I take her to bed or give me a smooch when she's in a good mood or she will give me long hugs after I pick her up from school. And she is very much into how soft her stuffies are and has a bed filled with stuffed animals, some of which she has done their makeup on. Makeup is another thing that I never, ever thought about nine years ago. All of this is awesome and I love that I now know about all this stuff. She has opened my eyes to things that were never on my radar. I'm all in on the Disney princess stuff. Now I give her my race shirts to wear because they're oversized. I know more about Taylor Swift than I thought possible. I let her paint my nails all the time. I love the affection that she brings and has brought out of the rest of us. My kids both bring different things to the table and I am forever grateful that they're in my life.

Happy birthday baby girl. I love you and I am so excited to see the person you grow up to be. Just slow down with all that growing up so fast. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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We Want the Best for Our Dogs as They Age

Our dog, Charlie, is getting old. He will be 12 in December. He is still all there with his mind. Unfortunately for him, his back legs are starting to give out. It sucks.

When Charlie was a young pup he used to jump everywhere. He would jump into bed with us, jump into recliners or love seats or couches, jump into the car for rides, hell, he even jumped gates while being trained. He had hops as my son would say. He also liked to chase squirrels when we would let him roam in the backyard. The moment he caught a glimpse of one, he was off like a bolt. He would try to chase them down to no avail. As he was getting a little older his chases got shorter or he would just jump a few times a day so he could cuddle up on a pillow. But now, his jumping days are behind him. He had a herniated disc in his back that made it very hard for him to jump. He also walks with a little swing in his gait. His back legs tend to sway side to side when he walks now. He still hops down the one step to get in the backyard, but no more bounding out there to get squirrels. We have taken him to a few different vets, and he has an appointment scheduled with a neurological vet later this month. We have gotten the same feedback from all of them so far. The herniated disc makes it difficult for him to jump. He has shown no signs of pain, we tried to put him on strict crate rest for six weeks, and he barely got better. I'm sure the neuro vet will tell us much of the same, but I don't think we will do surgery unless he starts to show some kind of real discomfort.

All of that is to say, it is wild to watch this dog age in real time. I have knee and foot issues, but they haven't gotten so bad that I cannot do the physical things I am used to doing. Sure, I don’t play competitive rec league basketball anymore, but I still coach the game. I can still trail and distance run. I still hike. I still do yard work. I can still do these things because I listen to my body, understand when I need to take breaks and do the important things to assure I can still be physical as long as possible. Charlie doesn't really have that option. We can crate rest him, but the moment he gets put he wants to move. We can limit his jumping, but if we don't watch him like a hawk he will try it sometimes. We can limit his movement, but I want him to still have some kind of freedom. But it has to be a real mind screw for him to not be able to do all the things he used to do with ease. It bums me out.

Right now I am writing on the love seat, and while I'm sure he'd like to be up here with me, he has decided to lay down on the floor. When I get my son up for the day, after he has left I usually have an hour to kill before my daughter has to get moving. Sometimes I like to lay on the couch and look at my phone. Charlie would usually join me. Now, he waits for me to pick him up or he just goes and lays in his dog bed. The vet has pretty much ruled out a walk that lasts past one block, and he is not happy with that. He wants more but we were told that could further his injury. But he doesn't get it. He is confused. We used to let him run down the steps when friends or family would come over. Now we have to hold him for fear that he wouldn’t make it back up the steps. It is a downer to see him go through this. He used to run all day along. He used to jump and play for hours. But now he cannot physically do this and you can tell he is frustrated.

We all get pets and grow to love them immensely. But deep down we know that they will be long gone before we are. We know this is coming yet we still do it. And we will continue to do it. But it is a real bummer to watch my dog going through this now and knowing this is how it is going to be for the rest of his life. I'm going to try and make it as fun as possible for him moving forward. Maybe the neuro vet will give me some pointers. But seeing his lack of mobility in person is truly upsetting. I want him to feel better, and again, he has shown no signs of real pain, but I don't think his back legs will work like they used to ever again. We got him a ramp to get into bed with us, but he is not the biggest fan. Maybe it is time for some wheels for his back legs to see if that will perk him up. The legs are still functional, so that is a future decision to make. So we got that going for us. But, for the time being, if he wants cuddles I'll gladly pick him up and let him rest next to me, hoping one day that he may just jump up here again. Till then, we will do what is best for the Charlie boy. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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A Message for a Happy Birthday

My son turns 12 today. I am finding this very hard to believe. I feel like he is still a little kid, a toddler. He very much is not a toddler.

Raising a pre teen can be both rewarding and frustrating. Things are no different in my world. I adore my son. He is my buddy. He is getting into sports more and more everyday. He loves football. He is a basketball fan. He enjoys playing baseball and has started to watch it from time to time. He is becoming, against my better wishes, a Michigan football fan. I know that life and I am trying to steer him towards other teams, which is kind of working. But hey, no better time to be a Michigan Wolverines football fan. I coach him in basketball, and while his listening skills still need to be better, he does things at practice lately where I see he is figuring stuff out on the court. I'm an assistant baseball coach, and his fear of the ball when hitting is all but gone. He may swing at too many pitches if I'm being honest. He is a super bright kid who may not push himself enough in school. He is inherently smart, but he doesn't apply himself all the time. He wants to get his work done so he can goof around with his buddies. I get it, but he is too smart to not push a little more in school. We have given him incentives to work hard, not a great parenting moment, but what are you going to do, and it seems to be working. I thought I caught him watching YouTube on his chromebook the other day, but he was studying. It was a wonderful surprise. And he got every question right on that quiz except for one. Studying did the trick. As much as I love him, we do argue. I feel like this is pretty commonplace for a dad and pre teen son. And our arguments are never over the top crazy. He doesn't want to make his bed or clean his room. I often have to remind him multiple times to do his homework. He pees all over the toilet seat. He doesn't really clean up after himself when he makes a mess. I think he plays too many videogames and doesn't work enough, for my taste, on his athletics. And we bicker like a married couple. But this is all very small in the big picture of things. I have to imagine a bunch of other parents my age with kids my son's age deal with the same stuff. And if that is all I have to gripe about when it comes to my son, I think that is okay. I'm not mad at that at all. I do give him a hard time, probably too hard at times, but it is all coming from a place of love.

I love this kid with every single inch of my heart. He is my first kid. He is who made me a dad. It is due to him that I am a stay at home dad, which is the greatest job a person could ever have. I lost weight and became a runner to keep up with him when I first started staying home with him. He was my introduction to my best bud. Without us being at home dads, we may have never met. That is all due to my son being the social kid that he is. I love watching him play football. He is becoming a better player every year, and the fact that I don't have to coach makes watching so much more rewarding. As I said up top, the kid is figuring things out on the basketball court and has no fear when batting in baseball. He takes multiple challenge courses, and he scores A's and B's. He has worked harder lately. He is a funny and fun kid to be around. He makes me want to be social. He pushes me to get out of my comfort zone in social situations. He is so good at chatting people up, and I envy that quality of my son. My son is the best kid there is on this planet. He may drive me nuts, but every time I think of this day, I smile. I'm also grateful and thankful for him. He started this whole parenting thing for me, and I couldn;t be happier.

Happy birthday bud. I love you so much and cannot wait to celebrate with you. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Happy International Women's Day

In honor of International Women's Day I want to talk about the three most important women in my life. Well, not talk about, but give them the credit they deserve.

First off, my mother in law. I struck gold with my in-laws, especially my mother in law. She is wonderful, funny, and incredibly smart. She has taught me so much about gardening. I had never done it before in my life until I met her. Now I look forward to planting our veggie garden every year with her. She has taught me how to mow my grass, plant bushes and lay grass seed. She is also incredibly handy. I know how to use certain tools, like a saw, that I had never used before. I implore you to come to my house and look at the retaining wall she built and let me help make. It is immaculate. She helps with things around the house that I had never had to fix before. She taught me how to tear out flooring and replace it. She showed me how to insulate my garage and make a cover for it. I know how to take out and install a toilet now because of her. She is a marvel at gardening and updating houses. She is also a masterful cook. I was never a carrot cake guy until I tried hers. Now it is the only carrot cake I will eat. I never had cornbeef and cabbage before, now she has made me a fan. Her sugar cookies, which she ices with a glorious lemon frosting, are my favorite cookies of all time. Above all though, she welcomed me into her family with open arms. I asked her for her blessing to marry her daughter. I have conversations with her like I do with my family. She has never judged me and has always been there for me. My mother in law is an exceptional woman and should be celebrated as such. Love ya.

Next, my mom. I mean, my mom is the best. No mom is better than her. She rules. Full stop. My mom has been there for everything. She was the at home parent when I was a kid. She taught me how to clean and gave me guidance on how important regular cleaning is. She came to every sporting event, and still does with her grandkids. She has humbled me and taught me the right things to do in life. She was my inspiration to do things the right way. She was my movie going buddy for a long while. No one else would go see weird indie movies with me when I was in my early 20's, except my mom. She fed my desire to watch these movies and to spend time with me. She is a tremendous cook as well. Her spaghetti sauce is the best food in the world. She could whip stuff up out of leftovers like no other. She is a stuffed shells master in the kitchen. She also loves harder than anyone I know. She will give love and smiles and hope in the darkest of times. I go to her when I want to feel better and smile. She is a cancer survivor. She has had a heart attack and is even stronger. My mom is the strongest person in the world. She also makes this world a better place. My mom is the best and I love her more than life itself. You are the best mom. Love you.

Finally we have my wife. I have talked about her a lot and I will continue to today. My wife is the best. She is a kickass worker. She provides for our family and then some. She is an excellent planner. She plans trips and school events and our daily calendar. She is the girl scout troop leader. She works her tail off at her job. She has consistently climbed the corporate ladder. She heads committees and plans events. She is a true boss. She is also the smartest person I know. She is so much better at helping the kids with their math homework. She is also much more patient with them. She knows the answer to most questions all of us have in our home. She is our comfort as well. When the kids are sick they look to mom. If I'm having a bad day, she will let me vent. Even if she is having a rough day she will brush it aside and help us out. She is such an excellent healer. She is also hilarious. She can make me laugh at the drop of a hat. I can just look at her and she will make a face that will crack me up. She is also very quick witted and a wizard with words. She is an excellent friend. She will text and talk to anyone who needs an ear. Most of all, she accepts me for who I am, and she has from day one. She has never judged me. Sure we have spats, like all couples, but I think she loves me even more today than she did when we first met. She is the best thing to ever happen to me and I cannot picture my life without her. She has given me 2 wonderful kids and makes me laugh and smile every single day. I love her more than life itself. She is the best.

I love you ladies and you all deserve this day, and every other day for that matter, as a celebration to how great you all are. Happy International Women's Day.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Now I Have an 11 Year old

My son turns 11 today.

I am kind of in shock still.

I feel like he just turned three a few days ago. He is still my baby. He is my first born kid. When my wife went into labor he was the baby that didn't want to come out. He was supposed to be born on the 25th. He stayed in the womb as long as he could though. He was content there. But ever since he was born, 11 years ago today, he has been an absolute delight. We have our squabbles, as all kids and parents do, but Miles is a damn good kid. He doesn't cause trouble. He is never looking to stir it up. He wants everything to be amicable. He wants everyone included and everyone to be friends. He wants nothing but peace. Miles has never been in any real trouble in school. He is not a disturbance. The only thing I get on him at home about is how messy his room is. Again, he is 11.

This is the kid that made me a dad, and eventually a stay at home dad. I was there for his first steps, first words, first time using the bathroom, his first hit in baseball, his first basket in basketball, his first tackle, I have been there and loved every second of it all. He has an endless wealth of knowledge on the things he loves. You want to know a certain basketball player from the 80's, Miles is your guy. He knows players I don't even know. He has recently gotten heavily into football and his knowledge of the sport knows no bounds already. He is already asking me about guys that came and went when I was his age. He loves music of all kinds. He likes the stuff his friends like, but he will listen to Kendrick Lamar and The Black Keys with me happily. He calls it "old people music", but I can tell he likes some of it. Hell, he has admitted as much. He is a video game fiend. He loves them. From NBA 2k to Pokemon to Mario Odyssey and Paper Mario, the kid is a wizard at those games. I am not good at video games, and when I watch him play I am amazed at how good and how smart he is. He picks up those things so fast. He is an excellent student as well. We just had a parent teacher conference and his teacher was singing his praises. He is fast and should take a little more time on his work, but he knows the answers to all kinds of stuff in his many different subjects. He has been smart from day one. As mentioned above, he plays football, basketball and baseball. He is an okay catcher. We have things to work on, but he readily committed to being a catcher when he was young. He devours all things basketball. He wants to learn the game from the inside out. Basketball is tough, but he is coming along. Football was a revelation this past year. He played flag football before, but this year he played tackle football and he was good. Real good. He likes to tackle and block guys. He likes taking them to the ground. He plays with an edge. I didn't know what to expect when he started playing, but I was hyper impressed with his improvements from day one to his team winning the title in their division.

Most of all, the thing that makes Miles Miles, he is totally 100 percent himself. There is nothing phony about him. He is very happy with the person he is becoming and he is proud of it as well. He is uniquely himself. There is no other Miles out there like our Miles. He is truly one of a kind. The best kind.

I love you buddy. You are growing up too fast, but there is nothing I can do about that. The sun shines and sets with you buddy. Keep being you and keep doing your thing big guy. You rule. Love ya. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Making the Whole Bed is a Whole Lot of Torture

As you all know by now I am the homekeeper of my house. I do all the chores. That is my job as the at home parent. But today I had to do what I consider to be the worst job of any homemaker, make a bed. And I do not mean just put the blankets on the mattress all nice and fluff the pillows. I am talking about making the whole bed. From bottom sheet to top sheet to pillows and pillow cases.

This is the worst. I loathe this chore. I put it off until I absolutely have to do it. It is too much for me. And I get that this is a champagne problem and I shouldn't be griping, I get to stay home, I do not have to go to an office and do mundane work. But the job of the at home parent can be hard at times and I have a venue with which I can vent about the stuff I do not like.

Let’s go through the ordeal.

First off, I am a bigger dude. I lost a good amount of weight, but I am still on the bigger side. I am also hairy everywhere except for my head. This means I sweat. A lot. So the full process of making a bed gets the sweat glands going. Then the whole process is just a nightmare. If you get the bottom sheet wrong you have to rip it off the mattress. If the tags are on the outside you have to start all over again. It can be very frustrating. The older I get the more I act like my father, and I love this by the way, so that means making the bed causes me to curse under my breath. And when it doesn't go right I am a sailor. I say all kinds of swear words to an inanimate object. I go off on the sheets, cases and blankets. Pillows better watch out because I am coming for them. Almost nothing frustrates me more. And even when you get that bottom sheet on, you have to do it all over again with the bed sheet. That is as much a pain as the bottom sheet. Then you have that thin top blanket that continuously blows off the bed with the slightest gust of wind. I could clear my breath and that whole blanket moves. It is a pain in the butt. Then you have the pillow case. This should be the easiest, but if you do not get that pillow in correctly the whole thing looks wonky and doesn't feel right. It almost makes the pillow harder if the pillow case is not on there properly. And just when you think you have finished, when it feels like the work is done, you have to put the blanket on top. Myself, my wife and now my kids all like our blankets to be faced in a specific way. And if it is not, we have to do it until it feels and looks right. This could be several different movements before it is in the right spot. And with my kids, after making the full bed, I have to put all their stuffed animals and other accoutrements on there. It adds up to five minutes. My daughter has so many stuffed animals that I had to put some away for donation just to make enough room for her to sleep comfortably in there tonight.

As I said, I get that this is pretty ridiculous to gripe about but I bet there are a good amount of people out there who agree with me. And I bet the ones who think this is nuts will look at making a bed a little different next time. They may think more about it. I just needed to get this off my chest today. This was a nice little therapy session for me. Thanks for indulging.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.  

It has Been a Great Six Years for Ty and his Son

Six years ago on this day my life changed forever. My wife gave birth to our son, and my life got instantly better. Today, he turns 6, and I am in shock that 6 years of his life have already come. I mean, so much has changed since he was born.

When my son was born, I was way in over my head. I had no idea what I was doing, like most first time parents. I had never, ever been that tired before. I also, besides my wife, never have loved someone with the entirety of my heart and soul. Miles completed our family at the time. He was the easiest baby that I have ever been around. Now, to that point, the only babies I was around were my nieces and my nephew. They were also easy kids, but Miles was easier. He rarely cried, unless he didn't have a bottle. He was on the smaller end when he was born, 7 pounds 6 ounces, but from the day we brought him home to now, that boy loves his food. Besides the food, he was pretty easy in every other aspect of his infancy. He slept through the night at 3 months. He crawled early. He walked before he was one. The only real scare we had was his minor surgery, and that went off without a hitch. It was so clean and well done, we got home that night, and that was when he took his first steps. From there on out, he remains a great kid, and super easy to take care of.

When he was still a baby I was still a 40 hour a week worker. I went to my job everyday while my wife was on maternity leave. This was very tough for me. I wanted to be around my baby everyday. Then, after 12 weeks, my wife went back to work, and we were both a mess. I had to take him to daycare everyday, and it was tough everyday. We had talked about me staying home with Miles before he was born, and at the time he was in daycare, the talks became longer, more frequent and more realistic. When my wife and I sat down and did our books, I was making no money. Everything I made went to daycare, diapers and formula. It just didn't make sense. That night my wife said I should quit to stay home with him and the very next day I put in my two weeks. While I loved the job I had, it was mainly the people I worked with that made me want to go to work everyday, this was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I found my calling. I started to stay home with Miles a little bit before he was 1 and a half.

This was when things truly started to change. I started to wake up with my son everyday and do everything with him. We ate breakfast and lunch together everyday. We worked on talking, walking, running, everything together. I was able to see milestones first hand. I was there for all of his firsts. It is truly amazing to watch your child grow. I will always have that. Then, we started to venture out and do things outdoors more often. We'd go to the zoo, the Science Center, the Magic House, the library and every free thing we could find in Saint Louis. It was awesome, but it also could be lonely at times. Talking to a 1 and a half year old all day can get frustrating.

It was through another dad I knew that I found out about a group of at home dads that get together once a week. I checked it out on Facebook and immediately became a member. Through this group not only was I able to teach my son to socialize with kids his age, but I was also able to talk to dads that were living the exact same life as me. This group was my saving grace. I now have great friends from this group. It is an amazing thing to be a part of.

As Miles kept having birthdays more and more things changed. When he was 2 he started to speak full sentences, and he hasn't stopped since then. Two years old was also when he became interested in sports, trains and super heroes. It was a fun, exhausting and all a blur. Then he turned 3. He was finally able to start playing tee ball and this meant more socializing and a chance for me to coach him. We loved the program he played in, and as you all know now, I am an employee of the wonderful i9 sports.

This was also the same age that my wife and I decided that we wanted Miles to have a brother or sister. He was on board with this idea too, but I don't think he truly cared either way, that is until he found out it was going to be a sister. He said he wanted a brother, but we explained that we had no choice. A sister it was going to be. I'll never forget when the nurse doing the ultrasound said it was a girl and Miles said, "but I wanted a brother", and we all laughed. Miles eventually laughed too. He has always been a funny little dude.

Before his sister was born Miles started preschool at 4, and another milestone was hit. This was hard for me. I had been home with him for 2 plus years, and now for 3 hours a day, he was going to be gone. I needed something to do with that time before my daughter was born. This was right around the time I took up hiking and running. All the hiking and running led to me doing 5k's, 10k's, mini triathlons and even a half marathon. I also lost a big amount of weight(100 pounds to be exact, and I have kept it right around 60-65 total off). Being home with my son literally changed my life. I became, not fit, but in better shape because of him.

When he was in preschool, his sister was born. He was hesitant at first, but what 3, almost 4 year old wouldn't be. Someone new was honing in on his territory. But, after a rough start, he became a great help. He started to become more self reliant. He was still an excellent sleeper. He started to want to help with everything, except changing diapers. He was, and still is, a great big brother. He protects his sister, but he also plays with her. He truly loves her, and it shows.

At age 4, Miles, along with tee ball, started to play football and basketball through i9. He struggles with football, and I get it, that is a hard sport to learn. But, he is starting to love basketball, but I feel like he has loved it from the start. This makes me very happy on a personal level. I played sports with my dad, now my son is playing them with me. It is awesome.

It didn't just stop at sports for Miles. He loves school. He still loved super heroes. He started to love "Star Wars". He was still into trains. He became a dinosaur nut. He started to want to read more and more books. And, most importantly for me, he was potty trained. All this stuff happened between 3 and 4 years old. It is crazy how much growth happens in such a short span of time. He was also in his second year of preschool, and my wife was on maternity leave with our daughter, and we were both home with her. Those 3 months were amazing, and everyday that Miles got home from preschool, we all got to have lunch together. It was amazing.

My wife then went back to work, and it was me, Miles and our daughter. Again, Miles rocked the house. He was not only killing it at preschool, but again, he was a tremendous help at home. He would hang with his sister so I could shower or make a meal or just get a little break.

Then 5 came, and my baby boy was headed to school. No more preschool for him, he was a full fledged school kid. He goes full day kindergarten, and he is doing an amazing job. He loves it. He is in a gifted program there. He does Read, Write, Run, which is a great program. His teacher loves him. He has a ton of new friends. His transition to full time school has been remarkable. He has also become obsessed with Power Rangers and Legos during his fifth year. He has also gotten pretty good at basketball. He knows karate without taking a class. He plays video games with us. He is a real kid now. He is not a toddler anymore. It is so surreal.

Now that Miles is 6, I am just amazed at how much he has grown, and how the time has flown by, and everything that has changed since he came into our lives. I mean, I became a stay at home dad, my wife continues to climb the company ladder, I got a coaching/instructing/marketing job, we had a second child, we got a dog, we moved into a new house and are now looking for a newer house, I lost over 100 pounds and have kept 60 plus of it off, I have made new lifelong friends, Miles interests have only expanded, my daughter is now walking and talking and about to get potty trained, my parents have retired, I started writing for a website, I'm a podcaster, I got back to regularly playing pickup basketball, Miles continues to grow and learn new things everyday, he asks more and more questions, there are countless number of things that have changed in the past 6 years. It has been awesome, and it is all due to the arrival of Miles.

So, for his sixth birthday I wanted to give you all a little trip down memory lane for myself, but I also wanted to highlight the greatness that is my son. Miles, you rule and I love you so very, very much. You made my life so much better and I am grateful every single day that you are here. I love you buddy and I hope your 6th birthday is amazing. Happy birthday big guy, have a great day!

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The Head Editor also wants to wish a very happy birthday to our sometime podcast co-host Miles. Have a great day buddy.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Happy Birthday to a Great Dog

To finish out this week I have one more birthday to talk about. Our family dog, Charlie, turns 5 today.

I have so many great memories already of our little mutt. I remember the day we first saw him. He’s a rescue puppy. I was driving home from my dental lab job, before I was an at home parent, and I got a flat tire. I had to wait around for an hour or so for Triple A, and a new rescue shelter had just opened by my job. I decided to pass the time by checking out the dogs. When I first laid eyes on Charlie, then known as Patrick, I snapped a picture and sent it to my wife. She came straight to the shelter after she got our son, and we all checked him out. We spent some time with him in a room, and it just clicked. My wife and I both knew that we wanted him. It was time for a new dog. We put in to adopt, but found out we were number 2 on the list. Thankfully, the people before us changed their minds the next day, and we were able to adopt him. We picked him up that Friday and brought him home.

From puppy to now, Charlie has been an absolute delight. It was great to have a 1 year old and a new puppy. They essentially were on the same schedule. Bathroom breaks, sleeping, eating, they all coincided perfectly. While potty training Charlie was tough, and having to leave him gated all day while my wife and I went to work stunk, it was all worth it in the long run. Charlie was a pretty great puppy. Sure, there were accidents and some chewed on shoes, toys and curtains, but otherwise, he was easy. He potty trained fairly easy, and, luckily for us, he took to our sleep schedule with ease.

Charlie has always been a pretty independent dog. He does get separation anxiety, and he has to be kenneled when we leave him home. But, we we stay home, he kind of sticks to his spots and sleeps for awhile, and then plays. He will get riled up for a bit during the afternoon, so I’ll play some fetch with him. He is not a great running partner, but he is an excellent hiking partner. Charlie is so relaxed that sometimes I forget he is even around. He has definitely taken upon our way of living. As I type this right now, he is laying next to my head on the couch. He is so calm and cool, that is, unless someone knocks on our door. He loses his god damn mind. He has a loud, piercing bark. It can be annoying, but it’s also helpful. We always know when someone is coming to our home. He also likes to eat literal garbage, but what dog doesn’t?

What I’m trying to say is, 5 years ago my wife and I struck gold with Charlie. He is the perfect dog. He loves the kids, our parents, he doesn’t shed and he is, most of the time, quiet. Charlie has made me a better animal parent and I love him so much. I know he can’t read this, but happy birthday Charlie Boy. We love you so much, and here’s to many more birthdays big guy. Enjoy your day.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. How does Charlie match up to the dogs of pop culture? Listen to a podcast we did about that very subject. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Happy Birthday Memory for a Great Wife

Yesterday was my birthday, as you all know, and I wrote about a specific party that stuck out to me. Today is my wife’s birthday, and I’m going to write about how great she is, but also another joint party that we shared a few years back.

First off, my wife is amazing, and she deserves to be treated as if it’s her birthday everyday. She works hard, she’s the best wife and mom, she is funny and smart and I couldn’t have found a better partner to spend my life with. Our kids may not realize it now, but they got the cream of the crop when it comes to mom’s. She is the most loving and sweet person to our 2 kids. She also disciplines them too. I love that because that means I don’t always have to be the bad guy. She kicks ass at being a Mom. She also crushes at her job. She is the “bread winner” in the family, and I’m so grateful that she is so good at what she does. She is amazing. For these, and many, many more reasons, my wife rules, and everyone should wish her a happy birthday today.

Now, on to the joint party that I spoke of earlier. My wife and I aren’t big party people. We prefer quiet dinners with family and friends for our birthday’s, at least since we’ve gotten older. So, when our 30th birthday came up, we didn’t know what to do. Turning 30 is a big deal. It was the first time I truly felt like a real adult. We had some friends say they wanted to throw us a big party, but we eschewed that pretty quick. Our parents offered to hold a party for us. Again, we didn’t want that either. These were great gestures, but it just isn’t our thing. Also, our son was only 11 months old when we turned 30, so having him out at a party did not sound like fun to us. We were tired and just wanted to relax. And like some god damn superheroes, my folks stepped in and offered to take our son for the weekend and said that we should take a short trip.

We decided that was a great idea, and we chose Memphis. It’s close, the food is spectacular and it’s a fairly inexpensive place to go. There’s also something for everyone to do there. And since our birthday’s landed on the weekend, it was the perfect idea. We took that Friday off, my birthday, and drove up in the morning. We got to the hotel and they upgraded our room for free when we told them it was our birthday. Already off to a great start. The hotel was near downtown too, which was great. We didn’t have to drive anywhere. We got where we needed to go via trolley. It was awesome.

After we checked into our room and relaxed for a bit, we headed out to Rendezvous for the ribs. Those are, by far, the best ribs I’ve ever had. We then walked on Beale Street for a bit, went to my favorite record shop and then grabbed some dessert. After a nice date, we returned to the hotel. I watched basketball while my wife took a bath. It was so perfect. We then slept for about 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Being that we had such a young child, it was the longest either of us slept since he was born. When we woke up, we went and had breakfast at the hotel. While at breakfast I asked my wife what we should do since it was her birthday. She didn’t know yet, so we went back to our room to try and decide. While we laid in bed thinking, we both fell asleep. We were taking full advantage of a big comfy bed and no kid. After our 2 hour nap, plus our 12 hours from the previous night, we got up, got ourselves dressed and did some more sight seeing. We went and watched the ducks at the Peabody Hotel. We got our son some toys and books. We checked out the minor league baseball stadium. We went to a bunch of different shops. It was great. Then for dinner my wife wanted sushi. I razzed her a bit, we were in Memphis after all, but she did make a solid choice. The food was great. We then went back to the hotel and did the same thing as the night before. Again, it was great and super relaxing. We slept for a good 10-12 hours again, had breakfast and headed home. It was an awesome weekend. The best part, besides being alone with my wife, was all the sleep we got. It was stupendous. This is another birthday I will always remember, and I’m pretty sure my wife does too.

Anyway, happy birthday to my wife. You rule and I love you so much.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He definitely married up in this world. Charm does pay off.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Happy Thanksgiving

Eat me

Today is Thanksgiving, and I want to tell everyone what I’m thankful for in a short and sweet post.

First though, what I’m unthankful for. I’m unthankful for the “government”. It’s filled with racist, fascist, money grubbing, sexual harassers. I HATE what is going on in our nation’s capitol right now, and I hope with all my heart that these monsters get what they deserve. Got that out of the way. Now, what I’m thankful for.

Of course I’m thankful for my family. My wife has a job and is kicking corporate ass. My son is rocking the house in kindergarten and loves it. My daughter is getting a mind of her own and I get to spend everyday with her being the at home parent. I’m thankful for my coaching job. We are in full swing and things are looking great. The basketball program is tremendous and we are crushing it right now. I’m thankful for my folks. They have both retired within the last year and seem to be loving it. I saw them a bunch when they both worked, but now I get to see them even more and I love it. I’m thankful for my brothers. I still get to talk music and sports with Ross, and we joke around a ton. I’m thankful for Cub for giving me a platform to spout my thoughts on any and everything pop culture. I’m thankful that Seth still lets me go to shows with him and see some of the best live music I’ve seen in my life. I’m thankful for my nieces and nephew. Even though they still think I’m nerdy, my nieces tell me I’m the least nerdy of their uncles. I love joking around with my nephew and making him laugh. His laugh is contagious. Outside this horrid government, my life has been pretty good. I have a great and solid family. Michigan isn’t great at football this year, but I love watching them every Saturday. The NFL has been rough, but I love the protests. And my favorite sport, basketball, has been a blast so far. The NBA is a treat.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone. Don’t eat too much turkey.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He forgot to mention the great food he is looking forward to for Thanksgiving. Things like Brussels Sprouts, Dehydrated Foods, and Whataburger. Make sure to stay away from Hostess Pies and Arby's venison sandwiches. Trust us.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Playing Ten Questions with a New Five Year Old

Nothing is off the record here

My son turned 5 yesterday, and I decided that I wanted to interview him. I wanted to know how he sees the world. I wanted the insight of a 5 year old because, honestly, I do not remember much, if anything, from when I was 5. I asked him 10 very simple, easy questions. He answered them all as truthfully as he could, and then he asked me the same 10 questions. I thought this was an interesting idea, so I'm going to go through each question, his answer, why he answered the way he answered and my response when he interviewed me. Here we go.

Question one: Who is your favorite superhero? As you all know by now, my son loves superheroes. His answer was, very quickly, Captain America. When asked why, he simply said because he has a shield. Nothing else, just that he has a shield. Short and sweet. My answer to this question, Wolverine. When asked why, I told my son that I liked his powers and his claws. Both of us needed little to no time to answer this question.

Question two: What is your favorite movie? Miles thought about this one and finally settled on "Captain America: Civil War". See the running theme so far? When asked why it was his favorite, he said because of the battle scene in the airport. Now, full disclosure, that is the only scene of the movie he has ever watched. He hasn't seen anything else in the movie. I thought it was an interesting choice. My pick, "Napoleon Dynamite". When asked why, I told him that it was silly and goofy and I've seen it over 40 times. He was unimpressed.

Question three: What is your favorite TV show? He quickly answered "PJ Masks". You all know how I feel about this show. But, my son loves it because of the "superhero" theme. Simple and plain. When I was asked, I of course said "The Simpsons". It's the best show ever and I will not hear of anyone not agreeing with me.

Question four: What is your favorite book? His answered spoke so much to his age and the time we live in now. Without hesitation, Miles said, "Captain America: An Origin Story", on his Kindle Fire. He reads books off a tablet now. I still read paperbacks, but this generation of kids, everything is digital. When I asked him why this was his favorite, he said because it tells him everything about his favorite superhero. When he asked me, I said "Lord of the Flies". He asked me what is was about, I told him, and he said he wants to read it someday. This was a very proud moment for me.

Question five: What is your favorite sport? Miles said baseball, baseball, baseball. When I asked why, he said it is easy, he likes to hit and throw and play first base. It was a very child like answer, and I loved it. I was the same when I was his age. I told him that, but when he asked me the same question, I told him basketball. It is my favorite to play and watch. He thought I was going to say football, which I love, but I surprised him with basketball.

Question six: What do you like about school? He told me he likes his teachers, the stuff they teach him and playing with his friends. I thought this was a perfect response from a 5 year old in Pre K. That is exactly what I'd expect most 5 year olds to say. When he asked me what I liked about school, I told him recess. He was confused because recess is so short, but I told him I looked forward to it everyday.

Question seven: Who is your favorite family member, grandparents and cousins included? This may sound like an odd question, but he's 5, and he said he loves everyone! I was floored. He was being completely honest too! Anyone that knows Miles knows that he loves everyone and everything. I know I'm biased, but he's a damn good kid. When he asked me, I said besides Mom(my wife), I told him my brothers. I've been through it all with my brothers and they have all made me a better person. Thanks guys.

Question eight: Who is your best friend? Now, this may have been an answer based on who was around, but I think this is true for most 5 year old boys, he said Mom(my wife). When I asked him why, he said she is the nicest and sweetest person he knows and he loves her so much. It was very nice. When he asked me, I did not have as quick an answer. I have lost touch with a lot of people I used to consider my best friend, but when it comes down to it, my father is my best friend. We go to shows, games, movies and just talk about everything. He has always been there for me and he's always kept me level headed. Not only is he my dad, he is undoubtedly my best friend.

Question 9: What is your favorite food? He answered just as I thought, saying mac and cheese. This kid would eat it everyday if I let him. He said he loves it because it is gooey and cheesy and that his Grammy, my mother in law, makes the best. I told him my favorite food was steak. When asked why, I told him that I love meat. That is it and that is all.

Final question: What is your favorite restaurant? He said Chuck E Cheese. I think this place is gross, Miles loves it. This is the most 5 year old answer imaginable. That place is made for young kids. He even likes the food, where I find it inedible. My answer, The Block. It's a local Saint Louis butcher block that has the best meat I've ever had in my life. It is really great. If any readers not from Saint Louis come to town, check The Block out. It's incredible.

So, that is the life through the eyes of the newly minted 5 year old son, Miles Kulik. I loved this idea and I'm glad my wife suggested it. I had a lot of fun doing the interview and even more fun writing it. This was great. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed doing it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man. The other great thing about having a new five your old in the house. The dad can spend the weekend playing at an indoor water park. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Gives Thanks

Gobble indeed

Today my blog is going to be short and sweet. I'm going to keep on the same path as the recent podcast and just tell what I'm thankful for today being that it's Thanksgiving.

As I stated in the podcast, I'm thankful for my family and friends. My wife is the best person I've ever met. She is one hundred percent my better half and my life would be incomplete without her. I love you and I'm so thankful for you, you're the best.

I'm thankful for my two wonderful children as well. They can be a handful at times, but it's worth every second. My seven week old is the cutest baby I've ever seen. Her smile lights up the entire room and I can't wait to see the person she grows up to be. My son is wacky and goofy in the best ways. He keeps me on my toes, but he's always there to snuggle. I also am thankful for the fact that he's into sports. He plays tee ball, football and basketball and loves them all. He's my mini me. I'm very thankful for my two wonderful kids.

I'm thankful for my mom and dad. You are the best parents in the world and I'm the person I am today because of you. I'm the parent I am because of you guys as well. Mom, you're the calming influence in my life. Dad, you're my best friend and I love watching sports with you. I love you mom and dad.

I'm also thankful for my three weird, odd, nuts but awesome older brothers. I feel that I have bits and pieces of all of your personalities in me and that's also made me the person I am today. Ross, you gave me awesome sports abilities. You and dad taught me how to play everything I still play. Cub, you gave me my taste in movies. You joke and say I'm pretentious, but you and I like similar movies. Seth, you gave me my taste in music. The day you sat me down and played Bob Marley for me changed my life. I love you guys.

I'm also thankful for all my nieces, nephews and in laws. You guys are awesome and I'm so happy to have you in my life.

So go out and enjoy your big Thanksgiving dinners today and enjoy your time with your families. I know I will. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Ty 

Ty is the Pop Culture Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He is extra happy that Thanksgiving means his diet is taking a holiday. Follow him on twitter @tykulik.