Ten of the best!

It's been an eventful year in blog-land. There have been league-tables, newspaper features, magazine make-overs - even TV interviews! Having started writing this drivel just over a year and-a-half ago (largely to keep far flung members of the family informed of Charlie's doings and to prevent my brain from atrophying) I've found myself on the receiving end of certain PR invitations too. I've been asked to try stuff, watch stuff, drive stuff, go to stuff and even get-stuffed. (They're just the ones I decline.) Mummy-blogging has started to become something of a phenomenon. And the daddy's aren't slacking either. Here, to end the year, is a small selection of some of the best daddy-blogger posts from 2009. Some sites will be familiar, others less so. What they all have in common is that they chart the fascinating journey of child-rearing from a dad's perspective.

Here's my pick of some of the best daddy-blogger posts of 2009.

In The Longest Day Brit out of Water describes a familiar terror as he is left alone for the first time with his ten week old daughter. Dumdad is the monika of an ex-pat Englishman in Paris. His post Ironing Bored will strike a chord with anyone who hates domestic art of trouser-pressing.

Meanwhile, Nota Bene has a week off all domestic duties as his son goes to Army Cadet Camp. But on his return as the Conquering Hero the contents of his army kit-bag are liberally strewn over the sitting room floor. Alex (aka Daddacool) recounts the tale of his son Strutting His Stuff at the childminders, while Paul celebrates a ten week old milestone with farting, burping, and TV dinners in his post Manchild.

Ian 'SingleParentDad' writes movingly about loss, grieving and helping and being helped by his son Max in My Turn. Darrell's picture-post Another Fine Mess speaks for itself and looks remarkably similar to our own living room after a day of Charlie play.

Like me, Dad at Home left his paid job in 2008 to be a... what, exactly? Whatever you do, don't call him a househusband. And on the subject of language, it's remarkable how similar the words 'bus' and 'bum' can be, especially when being shouted out by Charlie. Finally, some music. Well, the lyrics anyway. I'm sure you can provide the tune as Jamie gets to work on a stay-at-home version of the Queen classic, called Housebandian Rhapsody.

And that's just the beginning. If you've got a favourite post (written by or about a dad) then add it to the link below. And here's to another great year's blogging! Happy 2010!