Michael Phelps enjoys first Father’s Day with Boomer, Olympic qualifying in sight

Michael Phelps celebrated his first Fatherā€™s Day last Sunday by hanging out with with son Boomer and fiancĆ©e Nicole Johnson. How cute is Baby Boomer?!? He’s already seven weeks old – aaaw, the little wubbicums. Both Michael and Nicole are doing their parental due diligence by padding their Instagrams with Booms. I have some for you below but go check out their pages to get your Baby Boomer fill because OMG is he worth it.

Michael, of course, is currently training for the Olympic trials next week. Everything coming out of camp says he is on track to qualify and will be a medal contender for the Games. As we have discussed before, the Michael Phelps going into this Olympics will be a very different Michael Phelps that competed in the 2012 Olympics. Not only was last Sunday Michaelā€™s first Fatherā€™s Day but it was also day he successfully completed his 18-month probation from his 2014 DUI. The common thread in all of Michaelā€™s interviews leading up to the trials has been that he is a new man.

At the swimming Olympic Trials next week and presumably at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, America is going to meet a new Michael Phelps. The old one, by his admission, never let the public get to know the real one. But now, sober and at peace, heā€™s willing to share.

ā€œI donā€™t have anything to be afraid of or anything to hide from,ā€ said Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in any sport. ā€œI want to show people who I really am, because Iā€™m not sure the world has really seen who I am.ā€

ā€œDo I recognize myself? Sometimes I do, and sometimes I donā€™t,ā€ Phelps said. ā€œI think I see a complete change, just living a freer, happier life. Itā€™s a huge change. I donā€™t feel like Iā€™m carrying weights anymore. I feel like whatever Iā€™ve been holding inside of me, Iā€™ve been able to get it out and start fresh. Thatā€™s a pretty incredible feeling.ā€
He says heā€™s more laid-back, more open, and stays closer to the most important people in his life. And heā€™ll actually answer the phone when it rings.

ā€œThatā€™s a big change ā€” I used to always dodge phone calls,ā€ Phelps said. ā€œIā€™m just more engaged in everything I do. Thatā€™s a big change. The process I went through is difficult and challenging. Everything happens for a reason, and Iā€™m thankful Iā€™m alive today, able to grow from the experiences Iā€™ve had.ā€

[From The Denver Post]

I dodge phone calls. It isn’t because of the person calling (not always) but getting trapped on the phone. I have sent The Mister to voicemail and he is my favorite person to talk to.

I’ve gone on about it but watching Phelps swim is like watching Gregory Hines dance; itā€™s beyond beautiful. But his DUIs bothered me immensely for both their recklessness and entitlement. Since his 2014 arrest, he completed rehab, adhered to the terms of his probation, entered into a stable relationship and became a seemingly doting father to his little boy. I donā€™t know if this is the real Michael Phelps as he insists or the changed and humbled Michael Phelps but whoever it is, I hope he remains a loving father to Boomer and kicks a** in Rio. #TeamUSA!

As promised – Baby Boomer!

I'm a proud daddy!! Finally figured this out!!! @uppababy #helovesthecar #fathersday @nicole.m.johnson

A photo posted by Michael Phelps (@m_phelps00) on

Boomer says what's up y'all!!! @nicole.m.johnson

A photo posted by Michael Phelps (@m_phelps00) on

Getting kisses from daddy while he works šŸ˜ @m_phelps00

A photo posted by Nicole Michele Johnson (@nicole.m.johnson) on

Hard being away from you Boomer!! Trying to do everything to make you proud of daddy!!! #dreamingbig @boonestudios

A photo posted by Michael Phelps (@m_phelps00) on

Photo credit: Instagram

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27 Responses to “Michael Phelps enjoys first Father’s Day with Boomer, Olympic qualifying in sight”

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  1. Kate says:

    That is one cute baby!

    • michelleb says:

      Boomer is really, really cute! I love baby cheeks and tummies. MP does seem really thrilled to be a daddy and I hope that he continues to do well.

  2. MrsBPitt says:

    That baby is adorable! And MP seems so in love with being a Daddy! I hope he can stay on the straight and narrow….Also, I dodge phone calls ALL the time…text messages were the best invention ever!

  3. littlemissnaughty says:

    I do believe he has changed and/or simply grew up. Never seemed like the douchey type, just overwhelmed. Cute baby!

    • Esmom says:

      I think you’re exactly right. The life of an elite athlete like him is so far from normal, and so unbalanced with training being the main focus for so many years. I’m actually surprised that more people don’t go off the rails. And swimming is the kind of sport where you’re really stuck in your head, which can lead to serious backlash.

      And Phelps had the added pressure of being so high profile and so highly decorated. I believe he finally has some perspective and is more at peace. And agreed…his baby is so cute!

    • Rhiley says:

      I don’t know, smoking a bong is a college dorm room and allowing someone to take your picture for instagram or twitter or whatever, when you are the face of Wheaties and Nike is pretty douchey. Getting popped driving drunk not once but twice is pretty douchey. There is an air of “you can’t touch me” about it. Hiding behind your mama is also pretty douchey. Plus, the whole Taylor Chandler thing is pretty weird. So, yeah, there is an air of douche about him, but maybe he has grown up and changed. I hope so, and I hope he does do well in the Olympics. I also hope that when it is over he can successfully move on to something else and feel confident and fulfilled. Watching him swim is like nothing else in the world, but he is not going to be able to do it forever. At some point he is going to have learn to function without a nation cheering him on.

  4. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    Darling baby. What a shame they named him Boomer.

  5. Lozface says:

    I agree – he is one beautiful swimmer in the water. He and Ian Thorpe (Australian swimmer) are so effortless and graceful in the pool – it’s magical.

    I believe he has changed. This situation reminds me of an Aussie Rules footballer here who had disgraced himself over and over again, lost his entire wealth gambling and also broke up with his wife (they had 3 kids too).

    When he finally hit rock bottom, got dropped from his team for his behaviour he went to rehab and had a total turn around. It took him a while and a move to the country to play football but he and his wife rekindled their relationship. She became the breadwinner, whilst he took on the home duties.

    He went on our version of I’m a celebrity get me out of here this year and shocked a lot of people. The country fell in love with him as a changed man. Caring of others, never complained and actually loved his time in the jungle. He ended up winning too!

    I have faith that phelps has done the same and wish him well in Rio!!!
    Not too well… #teamAus

    • Tiffany says:

      Ian Thorpe….*puuuurrrrr*

      • Lozface says:

        I had the pleasure of swimming in the same lane as Thorpey during warm up at our national champs! I couldn’t concentrate haha

        He’s a wonderful swimmer.

  6. jeanpierre says:

    Boomer? I guess…

  7. SamiHami says:

    Cute baby for sure, but I can’t get past that stupid, stupid name. Boomer is a name for a dog, not a child.

    • michelleb says:

      I don’t mind the name. My stepdad’s middle name is Boomer, after his father’s friend who was killed in WW2. Boomer was the name this friend was always known by, so it had sentimental value. The original Boomer and my step-granddad were shot down over France, but only my stepdad made it back to England. My stepdad was his first kid, so he was named Boomer. So, to me, it is a sweet name. I like it.

  8. leigh says:

    This doofus named his kid Boomer?!
    Anyway, I hope he wins in Rio.

    The Olympics sure is going to be interesting this year.

  9. Dani says:

    I’m confused as to what he did…he smoked pot as an olympian swimmer? Or he took enhancement drugs? He always seemed kind of nice and earnest in a sense, to me at least.

    Looks like he’s loving fatherhood and that’s great. Cute kid.

    • Esmom says:

      I haven’t followed his story closely but if I remember correctly he smoked pot in the off season. And got a DUI or two, he’s lucky he or no one else was hurt or killed. But I don’t think he’s ever been accused of taking banned substances.

    • Bridget says:

      He was drinking and partying hard, and ended up with a couple of DUIs. But not performance enhancing drugs. At this point I am not comfortable pronouncing any athlete completely clean, but Phelps was one of the most drug tested athletes around and always came up clean.

  10. Alex says:

    Boomer is adorable. I honestly cannot take how cute he is. Phelps I think needed time away from the pressure of the spotlight. I think he took that, recentered himself and is actually enjoying his last Olympic bid. Which I’m glad because I feel like London he didn’t really enjoy as much as he should have. Phelps is a JOY to watch as a swimmer myself and I’m going to miss that after Rio

  11. Bluevelvet says:

    Boomer…. really? Booomer? Why do famous people name their kids dog names…jeez
    Cute baby though… poor Boomer…

  12. Miss M says:

    Boomer is so cute!!! Awwww

  13. JRenee says:

    He is a cute baby.
    Phelps needed to get himself in order, hopefully he’s really on the right path.

  14. mrsrockstar says:

    My son went to high school with Michael and we lived in the same neighborhood. I remember him talking about t&e kid who was a good swimmer but I was surprised when it turned out to be the understatement of the year.Anyway the partying did go on then and I was not surprised about his struggles.On the other hand his behavior was not highly unusual for that age.And like my son these kids are 30 years old and have changed considerably and have settled down. I know his pressures were and are substantially different from the other kids but still all the mothers in our group have seen maturity work its way into our kid’s lives.He might very well have changed.

  15. Dolkite says:

    “Boomer”? My uncle had a dog named Boomer.