I Need Your Help!

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Thanks to you and your nominations (and maybe one of mine too!) The Better Husbands and Fathers Blog is a finalist to be one of Top Marriage Blogs for 2010!!  Go visit this page and vote ---> The Top 10 Marriage Blog Finalists for 2010 (and while your there, check out 40+ other blogs that have been nominated!) I have only been blogging since May and this is just the kind of boost my blog needs, so if you enjoy my content, please go vote for Better Husband and Fathers!

A big thanks to Stu Gray (aka The Marry Blogger) for hosting this event.  In addition to posting great content on his own blog, he is one of most well respected leaders in the Marriage Blogging community.

Go Vote for Better Husbands and Fathers.  When you do, please come back and tell me that you did, so I can thank you!

5 Ways to be a Better Husband: #3 - Hold Hands

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I know it has been a while, but today we finally continue on the Top Five Ways to be a Better Husband series.

#1 - Saying "I love you"
#2 - Service

#3 - Hold Hands (or other frequent non-sexual touch)
Holding hands seems like such a simple thing - because it is! This is one of the pieces of advice that my own mother gave me before I got married and one that she and my father exemplify. I think this is important to do for 3 reasons - 1) It is a public display of your affection for your wife.  It displays love to her and to those around you, 2) It creates a bond between you only achieved through physical touch, and 3) It is hard to stay mad at someone when you're holding their hand.

Date Your Wife: Harry Potter Marathon!

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The Date: While I have not ready any of the Harry Potter books, I have seen all the movies and actually quite enjoy them.  However, I have yet to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1.  So in preparation, we are going to have a mini Harry Potter Marathon!

Preemie Dad, Johnny Bowen, Shares his Story

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Johnny is a father of a preemie, born at 30 weeks.  I recently met Johnny via Twitter (@johnnyb4577) and have been impressed with his desire to reach out and connect with other preemie dads, so if you one, go follow him! I really appreciate Johnny's story because it brings me back to my NICU days, read his story below to get a good taste of what its like being a working dad with a baby in the NICU.

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving!

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I want to take a quick break from my Preemie Dads week, to write a quick thanksgiving post and to tell you all about a few things I'm thankful for right now (but don't worry we'll have another Preemie Dad post tomorrow!).

Preemie Dads: Meet Marc Mapes

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Today's featured Preemie Dad is Marc Mapes.  You can follow him on twitter @marcmapes and he blogs here. As you will read Marc is the father of a premature son - a 28 weeker!  Marc and I have similar stories, in fact, both of our wives are pregnant again and are about 30 weeks along - Congratulations to Marc and his wife for a more successful pregnancy this time around and good luck the rest of the way!

Meet Tom (@Dad_U), a Preemie Dad

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Tom (aka @Dad_U on Twitter) is a father to a Preemie daughter and He blogs over at Dad-U.com.  At the end, he provides some great suggestions on how to survive the NICU.  Many of the thoughts and challanges he expresses are common among Preemie Dads, so pay attention to what he says, it includes some great insights into the struggles of preemie Dads.

Preemie Dad: @aspieme, Father to a 27 - weeker!

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Our first Preemie Dad of the week is known as @aspieme on Twitter.  He is a dad of a 27-weeker and shares some great insights and perspectives on being a Dad to a preemie!

Introducing a Week of Preemie Dads!!

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As we all know, the blog-o-sphere is dominated by Moms, while the Dad's perspective is just starting to find a place.  As I've mentioned many times before, Prematurity Awareness Month  is November, and last Wednesday (11/17) was Prematurity Awareness Day.  This was my first Awareness Day as a blogger and I was happy to share the story of my preemie son to the world. Through this experience, I noticed that the Fathers of preemies don't have much of a voice, so this week, the last week of Prematurity Awareness Month, I wanted to give some Preemie Dads a voice!

Date Your Wife: Weekend Trip

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The Date: After having lived in Seattle for most of my life I have not yet visited Portland! So we decided we would make a little weekend trip South to Portland!  Its only a 3 hour drive, so hopefully our 2.5 yo will be able to handle it ok.  I am really looking forward to our little trip.  We have done a lot of research and even found some fun things to do in and near the city.

Prematurity Awareness: Our Story

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Happy Prematurity Awareness Day! 

Our son was born at 30 weeks in May of 2008, here is his story...

The Complications
During my wife's first ultrasound, she was diagnosed with a bicornuate uterus . At the that time we were warned of the potential complications, even the increased risk of pre-term labor and delivery (though her doctor was very optimistic).

Date Your Wife: Blizzards!

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The Date: It's been a while since we've had a blizzard from Dairy Queen. Tonight or tomorrow night I think we'll have just that! We usually try to eat fairly healthy (we haven't had a Blizzard in a year or so), but this was my wife's idea and she has quite a sweet tooth during this pregnancy! 

Wordless Wednesday: Our Little Monkey

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November is Prematurity Awareness Month

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November is prematurity awareness month, so during November, In honor of preemies everywhere (my son, included) my blog has a new look to it!  I have also added the March of Dimes Prematurity Awareness month badge on my blog (top right).  Please click through to learn more about prematurity from the March of Dimes and how you can get involved and help out.

I will have additional posts about prematurity as the month goes on.  Specifically 11/17 is prematurity awareness day and I am working on a special post for that day.  So, to get things kicked off, here are a few quick stats about prematurity (Source: PeriStats) -

Michael J. Fox - Better Husband and Father through Parkinsons

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For the past week or so, the internet seems to have been buzzing a bit about the Michael J. Fox interview on Letterman recently.  So what did he say that everyone is talking about?

Wordless Wednesday: Tractor!

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5 Ways to be a Better Husband: #2 - Service

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Today we continue on the Top Five Ways to be a Better Husband series.

#1 - Saying "I love you"

#2 - Service
The idea of serving your wife should seem obvious and simple.  In fact, it is one of the most important ways to show your wife that you love her. I remember receiving some advice when I got married that both my wife, and I were to serve each other. At first, I couldn't understand what this meant - if we were both serving each other, who would be the one being served?  I soon realized the answer to this question. We both are being served too! It is quite a beautiful thing!.