Who's yo daddy?

Regular readers know that I always like to give voice to parenting blogs written by new fathers.  The more, the merrier.  Not only do I enjoy hearing the different perspectives and stories that other men have regarding their kids but I also think there's a great sense of community among "Daddy Bloggers".  And while there are a million "Mommy blogs" prevalent througout the blogosphere, there are still only a handful of fathers out there writing about their experiences.  Nobody seems to know that we really even  exist.  But we're a tight community.  We all read and comment on each other's sites.  And we stumble across one another on a semi-regular basis.  To me, that's very cool.  But the coolest thing is that I think I would like all these guys even more if we met in person.   

Anyway, although I've mentioned some of these sites elsewhere, I thought I'd do it here on MetroDad.  So without further ado, here's my latest set of Props for the Pops...

Sweet Juniper
This blog is actually written by a couple, Dutch & Wood.  But they're so cool and iconoclastic that I literally find myself always waiting for one of them to post something new.  Dutch is the kind of guy I would hang out with cruising old record shops, harassing San Francisco yuppies or discussing politics and literature.  Wood is someone I could see spending the afternoon with at a cafe, drinking espressos and talking about China or our mutual addiction to fiber.  Together, they're raising the very cute and adorable Junebug.

Child's Play
Matthew started his blog a few months before his lovely wife gave birth to their ridiculously cute twins.  And although he's not a new Daddy blogger, he just got himself some fancy new digs and a new url.  What can I say about Matthew?  He's literally one of the nicest people that I've never met.  But not only is he a good guy but he also might be the only new father around who's even sappier than I am.  While I have to rein in my mushiness, I often find myself reading Matthew's posts and going "awwwwwwww!"  We like Matthew.  A lot. 

Shotgun Daddy
I don't know what to say here except that Hank is fucking cool (even though he went to Stanford.  Go Bears!)  He's an 8th-grade teacher, a fellow sports nut and a father to three beautiful kids.  Mostly though, he just loves telling great stories about his children.  Go visit him and, if you're a sports fan, be sure to check out his other sites as well. 

Not-For-Profit Dad
Another father of twins and the best thing to come out of D.C. since Michael Jordan.  NPD is a man equally devoted to his wife, his kids and his job.  It's fascinating watching him balance everything in his life.  Sometimes, I read him and feel like he's busier than Courtney Love's pharmacist.  But he's bright, insightful and intelligent.  Like me, he's a semi-regular blogger but you can always count on him for a good read. 

Mr. Big Dubya
Mr. Big Dubya survived Catholic school, a maritime academy and the army.  Not only did he score a perfect trifecta by surviving all three institutions, he then went on to get a degree in English Lit.  How cool is that?  And although he's a Red Sox fan by birth, I think you'll find him as funny and entertaining as I do.  Plus, he's as addicted to parenting blogs as I am! 

Because I'm Your Father
Alan is the resident DJ of the parenting blogosphere.  As a music artist manager based down in TN, his blog incorporates the three greatest loves of his life:  his wife, his baby son and music.  He's got a great-looking site and an even better-looking kid (keep him away from my daughter, dude!)

The Bean's Dad
This blog is written by a SAHD with a lovely little daughter who knows sign language and the way to her dad's heart.  I enjoy reading this blog because TBD will throw up anything that comes to mind.  Relatively new but very enjoyable.  I'm looking forward to reading more.   

The MisAdventures of a First Time Dad
Amateur Dad is another relatively new daddy blogger.  And as much as I enjoy reading his blog, he only posts about once a month.  He attempts to atone for this by putting up very very cute photos of his little girl.  But go over and tell him to get his lazy ass in gear. 

Clare's Dad
Clare's Dad is the newest member of the Daddy blogger community.  This is a new blog started by a Ct. father just a few short weeks ago.  Even though he's a Yankees fan, he seems to be a generally good guy.  Besides, he was named after a sitcom character, is an EX-lawyer, works in the theater and was a self-admitted geek in high school.  How could I not love a guy like that? 

Chocolate Makes It Better
We're stretching across the Pacific to introduce you to Chocolate, an Australian father of one (with another on the way.)  Based in Brisbane, Chocolate is a cool dad who writes lovingly about the wonderful experience of fatherhood.  Say hello to him and his pot-belly friend named Barry. 

Adventure Dad
If we're going across the Pacific for some linky love, then I also have to go trans-Atlantic and throw a shout out to Adventure Dad.  Although he's an ex-New Yorker, AD is now living in Sweden with his beautiful family and spends his free time participating in adventure sports, taking photographs and travelling.  Pretty rough life, eh?  He's a very cool guy and if you ask nicely, he'll show you the fjords. 

Pet Cobra
Last but not least, I've got to mention my San Diego buddy Jason again.  His blog is basically a cool amalgamation of whatever happens to be on his mind at the time...whether it's surfing on the weekend, ranting about Katrina, reviewing his favorite TV shows or telling stories about his son Lucas eating rocks.  He's by far the most reliable and consistent blogger out there.  If he doesn't put something up every day, his body literally goes into convulsions.  Ok, maybe not literally.  But you get the idea. 

That's it, folks.  Check these relatively new daddy blogs out and enjoy.  Also, here's the previous entry I wrote about my feelings about my fellow Daddy bloggers.  And if there are any new daddy bloggers out there that I missed, post a comment introducing yourself or shoot me an e-mail. 

Don't forget, my friends....Men who change diapers change the world (or at least that's what my wife keeps telling me.) 

(Update: Thanks to my own personal Daddy Blog guru, Jay for continuing to pay it forward and mentioning these new dads today over at Blogging Baby.)

Comments

[Brent]

Brilliant, man! Thanks. I've never visited these sites before and I can't wait to check them out. Love reading what my fellow fathers are up to.

[Lois]

I always find myself reading more "daddy blogs" than "mommy blogs" so thanks for the new recommendations. I'll definitely check them out.

[Leora]

MD, you are too cool. It's so nice to see this great community of fathers who are so involved in raising their children. I agree with you. The more, the merrier!

[Jane]

I'm another mom who loves reading daddy blogs. Thanks for giving me some new sites to check out!

[ShotgunDaddy]

MD:
Thanks for the love! And oh, by the way... Beat cal!

[Mr. Big Dubya]

Metro - right back atcha.

Thanks for the props.

[landismom]

Thanks for the link list! I love finding new interesting blogs, and somehow it seems easier to find mommy blogs than daddy blogs. It must be an x chromosome thing.

[J. Turner]

NOW will you start that BlogHim Conference that you were talking about? C'mon! We can all meet in Vegas like you said?

[Dreadmouse]

I'm not a Daddy Blog yet but I will be in 20 weeks, give or take. Until then, I'll live vicariously through you lads.

[Matthew]

Oh, Metrodad.

Without trying to sound all sappy, I love you man!

[Jason]

Hey, it beats working. Gotta go write something before I swallow my tongue.

[The Beans Dad]

thanks for the props. I now feel validated in ways I can't fully explain.

[Not-For-Profit Dad]

What great company to be in. When are we all going bowling?

[BIYF]

Screw bowling... When are we going to VEGAS!

Thanks for pimping the site. Between you and Jay this week, I'm gonna have to start actually paying my brother's web hosting company for all the increased traffic.

[Melissa]

Yay! We love Daddy blogs. Seriously, I think I read them more than I do the mommy ones. Must be because I was such a tomboy when I was a kid.

[AdventureDad]

Thanks for the updated list of Daddy Blogs. These sites are awesome.
How about we relocate the BlogHim event to Europe instead.....

[BossLady]

I agree. MD, I think you all should organize a BlogHim conference. Could be the startt of something great.

[tod]

Great list!

Oh, and I dropped you an email.

[MIM]

Hooray for the daddy blogs!!! You've mentioned some of my favorites, MD. I love reading their perspectives.

[MIM]

I'm back. I think we need just a BLOGGER conference. If I'm going to attend any conference, I want the opportunity to see ALL my blogging friends.

[Dutch]

It is quite an honor to be featured on MD's blog among all these other excellent bloggers. But I think it is a testament to MD and some of the pioneering daddy bloggers out there that it was so easy for us to find ourselves in this growing "community." Like MD expressed in his February post, most of us probably learned about parenting blogs when we learned we were going to become parents and we went right to the internet to learn as much about it as possible.

The day my wife showed me the two blue lines, I put on some sweatbands and started hauling all of the unecessary crap out of our apartment to make way for the little person who'd be living there in eight months. I dragged my beloved desktop computer into my walk-in closet and created an extremely cramped home office. From that office I did my first web searches for non-ugly baby furniture and found daddytypes. Googling my hopes of retaining some of the things I love about city life after parenthood, I found metrodad, lurking here for months while he unknowingly comforted me that I could be a dad and not be resign myself to LAMENESS. I could be a dad and stay true to who I was before. When we started our blog, we did so not only out of narcissism, but because we saw the value in what folks like MD were doing.

While it's true that there is an amazing community of daddy bloggers out there, there are also a lot of amazing blog READERS out there too who make all this worthwhile. Not every reader wants to become a blogger, but they're still part of this community and this community is important to them. It was to me long before I ever had an inkling to blog myself. We've had a hard time connecting with other "real life" parents in San Francisco. When my wife was pregnant we didn't know ANYONE else who was. When I do meet other parents, I usually start ranting about gingham or something and they look at me like I'm speaking Farsi backwards. As a reader, having cool daddy bloggers out there makes me feel a lot less alone.

So MD, thanks not only for generating some traffic for us today. Thanks for being there all those months when you didn't even know we were lurking. And thanks for inspiring us to try to become a more visible part of this very cool community.

[The Zero Boss]

Jesus, Dutch, don't you ever leave short, pithy comments? Goddamn. I'd tell you to get your own blog, but obviously that isn't enough for you - you gotta come unload on OURS.

Aaaah, just shittin' ya. You know I love ya.

MD, mad props for continuing to get these bloggers' names in the spotlight. Community is what blogging is all about.

[Paul]

I just wanted to echo Dutch's comments. Although I've never commented here or even thought about starting my own blog, I thank you for providing some much-needed reassurance for me. When I found out my wife was pregnant a few months ago, I totally freaked out. How was I going to be as a father? Was I even ready? Will my life change forever? I'm not ready for this!!!

Like Dutch, my wife and I don't have any close friends with children so we didn't really have anywhere to turn for the advice that you just can't get from books. Thank God for Google though! That's how I found your site. And that's how I found this whole community of daddy bloggers. It's made my impending journey into parenthood much easier. I think you're all great dads and I aspire to become one as well. So from the bottom of my heart and the pit of my stomach...thank you!

[Dutch]

Pithy is for the weak.

[tpon]

exellent list, MD... I almost wish I was a daddy, except mommies get all the sympathy and flowers and jewelry. you get the point.

Dutch, beautiful acceptance speech... and yes, we love you, we really really love you. All of you.