Cool Papas Helping Pretty Mamas

Hey Pretty Mamas!

We went to Tampa, Florida this past Christmas to visit my husband, Stephen's, family and friends.  One night we headed out to Tampa's historic Ybor City for an impromptu reunion with some of Stephen's best friends at New World Brewery.  New World Brewery is a great beer bar with live music and dj's, that is pet and baby friendly, depending on the hour...which makes it a required stop on any pretty mama's Tampa vacation.  Everyone was really cool but my favorite of Stephen's "no good Tampa friends" (his words, not mine) is Brandon.  Brandon and I hit it off instantly.   We both love good beer, good music, and good times in general.  But the most important of all our commonalities is our mutual recent venture into parenthood!

Not only does Brandon have an amazing story about starting his family with his beautiful wife, Jenn, but he also has a vast knowledge of baby food preparation, baby toys, and tons of other baby tips.  Since I often find myself asking him for advice, I asked him to pass some information along to all pretty mamas. He agreed to write a few entries for us, so keep a look out for tips from this honorary pretty mama...pretty papa, Brandon Wright!

Here's the first part of his story:


From the time I grasped the concept of what it meant to be a Dad, I wanted to be one.

I would guess I was about 12 or 13 when this kicked in, and it was from that point forward that I stopped being a kid and began my growth toward being a Dad. I doubt most fathers feel this way, but it was almost like I was a sponge soaking up knowledge to pass along. No, it wasn’t a conscious realization at the time, but one that I have come to understand throughout the years.

Brandon and Justice

My son, Justice Christian Wright, was born May 2, 2010. We adopted Justice after a very short process. Some families have to wait a year or two or longer…we were very lucky not having to go through such a lengthy ordeal. Our birth mother picked our profile right away from the adoption agency…that really made us feel good about the pairing.


We got to know Katie for about a month and half before Justice was born. She was a very nice girl but predictable for most 19-year-old girls in her situation: undereducated, poor, no family support, shy and scared to death. Our original meetings with her were uneasy, but that was about what I expected.


She took to me more so than my wife, I think, for a number of reasons. Katie had a horrible relationship with her mother, leaving her wary of women. And I think she viewed Jenn, my wife, as someone who would be replacing her. I also think Jenn, as a working professional woman, intimidated her. Katie had a tough time relating to my wife, but even though I could sense some mistrust, there was also a slow connection brewing that was evident.


Me, on the other hand, seemed like someone she may come in contact by chance…like at a party or a bar. Although I am older than Jenn, I come across as someone you’d like to hang out with more so than my wife. That’s not a knock on her by the way – it’s part of what makes our dynamic as a husband and wife work so well. Jenn makes a six-figure income working in a professional setting with doctors and entrepreneurs whose net worth approaches the millions. I am a sports reporter who owns a DJ company and loves beer. Which of those two would make you feel more comfortable if you were in Katie’s shoes?


It was a scary time for all three of us – none of us had any sort of experience with this. We got to see an as-yet-unborn Justice during one of Katie’s ultrasound appointments, spent time with her and talked about the little man’s future. Each successive meeting became a little more comfortable, but the dynamic was fascinating. Jenn was “nesting”, as they call it. Not so much in the traditional sense of preparing the house and nursery – but almost “assuming” the motherly torch Katie would soon be passing along to her. Their talks were much more serious; Katie and Jenn spoke of things only mothers can speak on. It was great to watch them interact on that level.  I, on the other hand, was there to fill in the gaps and provide the comic relief when there was a lapse in conversation. I always wanted to keep Katie lighthearted because I could only imagine what she was going through.


We got the call on a Sunday morning that Katie was going into labor. I’m a late sleeper, so Jenn took the call and started shaking the bed, waking me and screaming “Let’s go to the hospital!!!” Even though we had preparing everything over the past month and a half – the house, our family, the nursery, our emotions – suddenly, I felt completely overwhelmed.


And for the first time since I was maybe 12 or 13, didn’t feel ready to be a Dad.





Brandon is a full-time husband and father.  He is also a writer, DJ and beer aficionado. You can check out his website at: www.cigarcitydjs.com