Today I rode a bicycle for the first time in 16 years. A child born on that last day I rode a bike with my scout troop can now legally drive a car. Finding my balance again was a little shaky, but I still got it. I guess the saying is right that you never really forget. But the best part today wasn’t necessarily while I was riding, the best part was when I got home.

I snapped a picture out of real pride. I thought deeply about my Uncle Don who passed away recently, who was a professional cyclist for many years. I walked into the house dripping wet on the outside, covered in sweat on the inside of my jacket. The only thing I didn’t feel was tired, no tired isn’t the word for it. I felt well used. I felt like I had accomplished something in that 6 miles.

I suppose what I accomplished was getting myself off the couch and out of the house. Working harder towards my goal and towards running the 5K on Thanksgiving, which I haven’t been able to train for in weeks due to being ill. I felt not tired, but energized.

So I started cleaning the house and planning my route for tomorrow.

What a day.

Day 1: 246lbs

Day 35: 233lbs

17 Days till the 5K

-B.K.

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As a teenager I spent some time down their, whether it was for birthday trips to see all the museums and hang out on South Street, or to…..widen my scope….while visiting my brother and his friends for a weekend or so.

In any case, we love the city for what it is and the city loves us back. So it was only natural to take the little one to the Art Museum of Philadelphia when we felt she was ready. Age 5? Yeah….I think it’s time to crack open that part of her brain. But like most first trips anywhere, this was mainly for her to get used to the place.

We’ve taken a few walking trips before, as well as a trip to the Please Touch Museum. But this was different in a few ways. The steps of the museum, the hallways adorned with whatever the artistic flavor is this month, right down to the copper-faced doors. They are soaked in history beyond our family. How many millions have been here since it’s doors first opened? I remember these steps from my childhood, from countless times throughout my life including February when The Eagles Super Bowl winning team used it as a stage. Last month when we initially wanted to go, we couldn’t, because for the fifth (sixth?) time, Jay Z was using it as a stage for his Made In America festival.

More than all the well-known feet too, the every day men/women/children coming here for inspiration, for knowledge, thirsty for something more and leaving with that thirst quenched. Or the countless others, not even stepping inside but basking in the majesty of the building itself. How many selfies taken, tears cried, weddings had, marriages proposed, marriages ended, etc. There is so much more here than steps and artifacts of people that came before us. There’s a feeling and an attitude and it is magic.

She doesn’t feel it yet, but she will. I’ve lost count of all the times I’ve ever been here, and I plan on losing track on how many times we bring her back for more. There are people who say that holding onto the past keeps us from progressing forward, but remembering where you came from and who has been where and done what before you is important to remember as much as possible.

It doesn’t even have to be a museum. Maybe it’s a tree in a park, or a pier on a beach, something or some place that holds onto those memories for you like a safety deposit box for life.

Whats your spot? Where is your place?

-B.K.

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You have to understand, I’m not a runner. At all. Mostly because of asthma but also because (especially now at 241lbs) I’m just not built for it. To an extent I feel like Gimli from Lord of The Rings: natural sprinter, wasted on long distances. But I have a few things going for my advantage.

1) A few months ago I hurt my back at work, now dealing with a “protruding disk”.  Doesn’t sound like advantage from the get-go but because of the rehab I’ve had to start working out my core and doing cardio in ways I never have before. This is putting me in a great spot motivation wise since not only will I do these workouts at PT, but I’m also doing them at the gym.

2) The 5K in question is in my town, and it’s 95% flat.

3) And possibly the most important advantage: I thought a 5K was 10 miles. Turns out its 3.1 so it’s astronomically better than I thought it was going to be.

4) It’s on Thanksgiving Day. This gives me a solid goal date to shoot for and then after my running extravaganza: FOOOOOOOOOOOD.

I’m looking forward to it either way. Even if I end up walking the last mile, I’m confident I’ll at least finish. That’s the biggest draw for me, doing it and finishing it along with the process of getting there. Being back in the gym, headphones on and in the zone almost every day for the next 51 days. I feel it, I feel the drive and I feel the confidence.
-B.K.

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The seasons are changing again, this time to cold. It’ll float around 70 for the next week or so and then take that dip. That wonderful dip I’ve been waiting on for what feels like forever. With the shift to cold and dead leaves and hoodies comes another season starting up: Dance.

The pink outfits (sometimes black), tap and ballet, sweatpants for Hip-Hop, we’re back again. Same place, although it’s gone through a re-design since we’ve been gone. Whatever switching around they did, it made better use of the space, adding a second studio and more effective seating areas for parents. Em changed too, growing two inches or so, going up a few shoe sizes, etc.

We’ve been waiting for this. Not that we can’t fill our time other ways, but the change of season makes us more excited to be out doing things. Being active aside from working and occasionally going to dinner. Stretching our legs, doing something fun, and getting fresh cold air breathed deeply into our lungs.

-B.K.

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I’ve become a machine of efficiency unlike the previous incarnation of myself, an occasionally puttering relic of an industrial revolution also known as my “teens”. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve had a problem with what could be considered the basics, keeping up with things on a daily basis.

Keeping up with things on a weekly basis has been more my speed, dishes on Friday, breakfast and lunch prepped the night before cause the kiddo will eat at daycare (rotating between two or three of her favorites), Wifey takes care of laundry cause she’s a powerhouse of amazingness.

But this has all changed.

Since the kiddo has started kindergarten I’m up making breakfast by 8AM, and starting to roll out new things for her to try instead of the same three things every week. Dishes are done every day, dinner is more homemade instead of purchased. All these things we have struggled and tried to do for so long, now in place. Why?

Maybe we just needed that kick in the ass.

Best I can figure is that’s what happened. A solid “start date” of “this is what life is now, you must adjust or fail”, and in that I find something I’ve been looking for in my 5 years of parenting/parent-blogging. It’s the answer to “the question”:

“I’m about to become a parent, what advice can you give me?”

When you start talking about your parenting, your wins and losses and your advice in areas that are considered the minutia, you’ll get that question every so often. In some ways it’s someone seriously asking for a little direction, in others it’s a test of your character. Either way it’s a check of your confidence.

“Ok, Mr. Man who thinks he knows so much about parenting, answer this age old question that doesn’t really have an answer.”

Now I have it.

Adjust or fail.

Every single day you will be tested either by new challenges, or harsh repetitiveness. But the biggest challenges will be changes in lifestyle. Sleeping and feeding schedules, work and vacation schedules, everything changes. Then it stays the same. Then it changes again. You have to be just as prepared for “another day in the life” as you are for “the biggest shakeup”.

We’ve adjusted, and we are succeeding. Well…..for now anyway….

-B.K.

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iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/poppin-bottles-dad-cast/id734155403?mt=2

To be fair, she’s had a few from her mom, but nothing beyond trimming off a few inches off that crazy little head.

Over the last couple of months the conversation has been on-going for a pro-haircut. After hundreds (and hundreds) of viewings of Disney’s Decedents she was pretty sold on the idea of having “Mal hair”. We even dyed half her head purple using Kool-Aid!

But this week there was no dancing around the issue. She scrolled through some photos with Mom, picked out the one that she wanted, and quite enthusiastically on Saturday morning, we went in for the snip.

The part that surprised me wasn’t how short it is now, that part I was expecting. The surprising part is how well she did in the chair. We’re so used to seeing little ones online bawling their eyes out or barbers struggling to keep their attention etc.

But not Emma, chill as a cucumber and listening to every direction. Head down, look to the side, look at mommy and all that. This kiddo never ceases to amaze me.

-B.K.

@pbdadcast @bkmullen_

The way it works is you bring a printed out photo of a location from years ago, go to that location, and snap a pic of the two together like so:

Image youarecurrent.com

But then an idea struck me the other day while chatting with a friend on Facebook, and my movie-loving self came out to play. What if you did this exact same thing with your kids, but with stills from your favorite Comic Book movies and tv shows?

The most popular of locations of course is New York, where they’ve filmed for almost every Marvel Movie since the first Toby Maguire Spider-Man. Not that I expect anyone to climb up the sides of skyscrapers, but there are still plenty to check out like these!!!

In fact you can find stills from all over the world from different movie franchises, like a lot of the Marvel and DC movies being filmed in Toronto. Plus the Mission Impossible series has filmed all over the world as well as James Bond!

Looking for a little extra adventure on a trip or in the city where you live? See if a flick shot there and play along!

Cheers!

@pbdadcast

The ocean does something to me and I’m not quite sure how to explain it. It’s the closest I get to true mental relaxation and focus, brings me to that point where I can clear my mind. It could be 10 degrees and snowing and I’d still go out on the beach for a stroll. Another important factor was missing for me though, and I’m glad we finally caught up with it.

We had a very serious conversation a long time ago about the importance of sharing what we love with our little one. To gift upon her the knowledge and the experiences and especially the existence of places that feed into who we are. So since we had been unable to take a trip to my favorite spot, I hadn’t been able to share it with Emma.

My kid had never been to the beach, experienced real sand, or the ocean. This was a deep need. So as soon as my lovely wife suggested we finally take that trip this year, I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough.

The travel to Ocean City Maryland wasn’t bad, about 4 and 1/2 hours. We had taken a long trip before for a wedding down in Arlington within the last year, so we had already “broken her in” to what a long drive entails. The hotel was fun and the weather was perfect for us, and by “perfect for us” I mean: 65-70 degrees every day, on the verge of rain almost constantly, heavy fog for 4 of the 5 days, and 25-30 degree water. For some reason we both really enjoy that “Northern Ireland/Northern France” type weather where you can wear a light sweatshirt at all times.

It was perfect. We were lazy when it was appropriate, indulged in snacks whenever we pleased, wore comfy clothing the entire trip, got the kiddo’s feet into the ocean (which on day 3 she became afraid of for some reason, despite loving it the day before), and she got to play in the sand the likes of which she hadn’t previously. She had a blast and we got to relax all at the same time. If you are familiar with the island and are thinking “did you go to Assateague Island” the answer is no. I’m crazy allergic to horses and we were mega content with being by the boardwalk and just spending quality time together.

Special shout-out to Backshore Brewing Company on the Boardwalk. Holy shit that beer is delicious, and Mary was fun company as we talked about how crazy our kids can be. I promise a full review soon!

We may not do it that often, but when we do, we do it right. This is one of those things I’ve been looking forward to the most as a Dad, being able to take trips with the little one and show her new things. Give her experiences of the world to expand her horizons etc etc. I’m not sure where we’ll go next, but the travel bug that my wife and I share has resurfaced and given us another big 0l’ bite.

Ideas? Tips? Throw em at me! Comment below or tweet @pbdadcast or @bkmullen_ and lets chat!

-B.K.