My first two years as a stay at home parent were eye-openers.  Although we were careful with Bella, I still had to run errands, buy groceries and other necessities, and take her to all her doctor appointments by myself.  With each stop at the store and each trip to the doctors, I became more and more confident and empowered as a dad.  By the time Bella was almost a year, I had joined a weekly neighborhood gathering of ladies and their kids in what was called the “Bagel Club.”

Whenever I met someone new and they asked what I did for a living, I found myself saying in an apologetic voice that, “I stay home with my daughter.”  It was as if I was waiting for someone to chastise me for being different.  I'm not saying that didn’t happen; it just didn't happen as often as I had envisioned.  I think male pride can be a tough pill to swallow, but over the course of over seven years and three daughters, I can safely say that I have that sucker almost all the way down.