So the ABC Kids Expo is a pretty big deal in the industry of kid products, extremely relevant to parents and important to the parental "blogosphere." So I was stoked to be able to crash this industry only party with the DadLabs crew. However, this was no freebie! I worked(volunteered) for it. And I loved every minute.


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.

Friday afternoon I picked up Soon-to-be-Daddy Danny, DaddyBrad, and DaddyClay at the airport, and the abuse began. I struck first by saying, "Sure, it's close enough to the hotel. You can walk it, no problem." They were unfazed and returned fire with 3 bags o' camera gear for me to carry on said stroll. Suddenly, I suspected that the last few years of live show heckling were about to bite me square in the ass. I did know that Clay had been grumbling about some pedestrian injury, though I didn't realize the severity. But he gimped along with a minimum of fuss (at least on day 1).

This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.

Day 1 at the show was a bit overwhelming as we split up and Danny and I set out to find some interesting things to shoot. While stoked to be a part of the crew, I was terrified at 'representing' someone else's vision/business/dream, even if I am a huge fan. DadLabs is so much bigger than my personal entertainment. It was definitely cool to walk up to someone's booth and have the name DadLabs be recognized, one time specifically for the "DueDads" DVD. But wearing a "media" badge, it was weird being virtually accosted by someone desperate for coverage of their product (some cool, some not, some absolutely not). I really didn't "shop" too much as a parent, because I felt weird. I was workin' after all, and there wasn't much I felt I could do for an exhibitor. Next year I'll try take some time for myself to really check things out.

I continued to crash the festivities by tagging along as "Designated Driver" to the Fit Pregnancy party held at the Kentucky Derby Museum… a mere 4 blocks from my house, and I've never been there before. So to go and get free food and drinks (though dammit, I was driving) was cool. It was like high school all over again, but I was at the popular kids house party this time! Woo hoo! Closed out the evening with beer and wings at the Cardinal Hall of Fame Cafe. When it comes to wings, Danny is a machine.

Day 2. Rain (and my personal aversion to overexertion) meant we drove in this time. We made a plan (though my neurosis wouldn't call it that) and hit the floor. Today was sooo much more overwhelming with responsibility, but was soooo much more fun. I actually got to do some camera work as Danny hopped in front of the camera to cover various scores. Really felt like a "Production ASSistant" today. Learned a new term too, "Pop the sticks." (set up the tripod you minion) I also had a brush with greatness… Tiffani Theisen walked passed me, without even a glance. Good, she hadn't recognized me from the restraining order.

Live show was fun and not nearly as complicated to set up as I would have thought, or as Danny feared it might be(foreshadowing?). Even got to sit in a few minutes. STOKE!

This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.

Watch the show here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17483540

Then it was off to experience a bit of downtown Louisville. Dinner and drinks with the BabyBjorn crew. A huge thanks to them for including me. Again, I was at the REALLY popular kids party! For a wallflower, that's a big deal. But "Bourbon? For dessert?" Yea, no. I can't hang. So I thanked them all for dinner and left them to their own devices on their way to Stevie Rays Blues Bar. I headed home to do what they could not, stare at my kid sleepin'.

Day 3. I got up "leisurely" as I knew I'd still be up long before them. Picked up Danny and his gear and we drove in, again, 'cause I ain't carryin' that chit. Brad and Clay left before I got to the hotel, but we still beat Clay to the show. Poor dude. I felt a lil' bad about that as he hobbled into the show. But he's apparently a glutton for punishment. Pedestrians are weird. Today was busy busy busy… walking from one end of the acres and acres of kid chit to the other, several times. Because their "plan neurosis" is not quite as demanding as mine. (Can we attempt a single circular path on shooting day next year fellas, 'K? Thanks.)

Live Show #2… remember that foreshadowing I mentioned before… well, more and more people were complaining about the internet connectivity on Sunday and we started to get nervous… when setting up at the SCI booth, it was discovered that even an iPhone show wasn't going to happen. Besides, no way could we top the greatest iPhone episode. (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/14501439) So we scrambled to the hallway to set up a makeshift studio so we could shoot 'tethered'. Danny stole an ethernet connection and I poached a table. While placing products as a backdrop, I obliviated™ (obliterated because I was oblivious) a glass baby bottle. There was no blood, except in my face as I was thoroughly embarrassed, considering this happened right in front of SCI's CEO. Nice. Way to go jackass. She waved it off as if it were no big deal, and then Clay saved me with the "Windi." Me "going nuts and wantonly smashing" a bottle to the ground was no match for talk of butt whistles and aerating your baby's bunghole. (true story - watch it here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17509942)

This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.

A full day, no doubt. But we're not through yet! By recommendation of a skater friend (as I seriously don't get out much) we had beers (and a business meeting) at O'Shea's. Though we do question their definition of 'bourbon beer.' I am not a connoisseur of hops beverages by any stretch, but I know BEER should not even hint of gasoline and vinegar. Thankfully, Danny had ordered the sampler, and his first selection was most excellent. Score another one for the connected wallflower and Louisville… well, until the 20-something hipster-wanna-be got arrested right outside the window… *sigh* Still wondering what was in the duffle bag in the trunk.

On to meet TheBoy, HisMother, and Mayor Ben at The Bristol, my go to restaurant for out of towners. Great food, mellow atmosphere. Where discussing anything from parental tips for puberty issues (yep, masturbation) to NetFlix to "Dry Humping the Classics" will only be met with looks of mild astonishment and amusement rather than full on eviction. Then there was the whole alcohol deal that went down in the parking lot, some guy(Ben) in an SUV gave some other guys(DadLabs) a bunch of beer(home brewed) and went speeding off, perhaps in the wrong direction?

This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.

The night ended in pain as my ribs hurt from laughing so much, especially at Daddy Brad's butter fingered attempt to enter the hotel with his shadily acquired beer. We told him he didn't have to hide it, but I think he was trying to tuck it under his shirt or something. :) The night manager didn't miss a beat, and just handed him the mop and bucket. The smile on DaddyBrad's face never faded. Ever. All weekend.


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.

Oh, and the hotel wanted you to have safe fun, but also repent afterwards apparently. Just lookin' out for your soul. Nice.

This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.

Day 4. For me, meant going to a 'real job' at least for a few hours. For them, it meant buckling down and shooting the last few show segments. I met up with only 4 or 5 things left to shoot, and my personal mission to actually meet Mrs. Suit.


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.

Missions accomplished. One last toast with Mayor Ben's beer in the media room and then off to the airport. We said our good byes and I rushed home to attempt to catch up on chores I neglected all weekend before TheBoy and HisMother got home… and by chores, I mean I napped.

Their wallets may have noticed they weren't in Vegas, but their livers certainly didn't. While there was much grumbling by virtually everyone else about how Louisville sucked (come on, NOWHERE compares to Vegas), I did my best to show the DadLabs crew that it's not the locale, it's simply your choice of Minion.

Thanks for everything guys! I had an absolute blast! Looking forward to next year!

Great seeing you again, Sir Nik. I need to block out next year's dates and hope my granfather's birthday is another weekend.

Tiffani didn't hate Louisville. While she didn't mention me, I like to think I helped. A lil' bit. That's how I'm tellin' it anyway.

Interview here: www.celebritybabyscoop.com/2011/09/30/th...ith-tiffani-thiessen