Belated media roundup: it's been a busy couple of weeks for at-home dad stories in small local papers. How small? At least two of the pieces have been in publications so small that the stories weren't posted to the web (Longmont, CO and Lodi, CA). So if you hail from one of those locales, dig your papers out of the recycling bin and read 'em. (Thanks to Dayv -- prominently featured and well-photographed in the Lodi story -- for sending me scans of the article.)

The other story I missed over the holiday was this bit on the Wall Street Journal's real-estate site. It's a remarkably good, business-focused piece, even thought I can't say I embrace "trailing husband" as a SAHD euphemism. Rather than trot out familiar experts, the author, Jennifer Lisle talks to a number of consultants who work with "trailers." That gives the story a different feel, and it comes across as less of the same-old, same-old.

There is also a nifty stat from one of the consultants, which speaks to either the growth of at-home dads or the willingness of men to identify themselves as such:

The ranks of trailing husbands have been growing steadily since the late 1980s, but the rise has been dramatic in the past few years, according to Laura Herring, president of the Impact Group, a global relocation consultant based in St. Louis, Mo., that specializes in counseling trailing spouses. In 1988, Ms. Herring says trailing spouses [I assume she means "husbands"] were 6% of her business and 11% in 1993. In 2004, they represented 25%. She attributes the growth to the rising ranks of women in upper-management positions and the commensurate rise in their earnings.

Also: Thanks to all that have expressed their support for my somewhat new life. A few folks have asked how this impacts my care. I've chosen this gig with an eye to that very question. RebelMom has compressed her schedule and will be home one weekday. My daughter attends preschool some mornings, and I have two longstanding babysitting swaps. My in-office hours are scheduled around those arrangements, and I'll work odd hours -- some early mornings, some late nights and some naptimes -- to get to the 40 expected of me. It isn't a pretty schedule, and I fear that my Palm Pilot will buckle under the stress, but it ought to be workable for everyone in the family. I'll report back periodically and let you all know how it goes ...