Category: mom life
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smile at your baby
“A smile is the universal welcome.” Max Eastman When Gracie was first born, I was forced to come to terms with how scared I was to be a mom again. I was learning to parent with a heart that knew the sting of massive loss. In a way, I was a first-time mom, but I…
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guard your rest
Recently, I paid attention to the “bedtime” function on my phone. For some time now, I have seen the cute little bed icon nestled into the bottom row when I set my alarm, but I never bothered to checked it out. I associated it with the sleep-tracking function of my FitBit, which I turned off…
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what did you do today?
“What did you do today, daddy?” This is my preschooler’s favorite way to start conversation at the dinner table. She hasn’t seen daddy all day. She wants to know what she missed. Her little world is pure and simple, lined with stickers and colorful necklaces, but still constantly changing. She cherishes the potential for adventure…
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i know i will miss this
So much of what I thought about being a mom before I was a mom turned out to be false. For example, before I had kids, I didn’t know a particular cliché would stir up so much confusion and doubt for me. In fact, I thought it would be easy to graciously accept this reminder,…
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guard your heart
My favorite part of the day is the early morning. As much as I can, I try to get up before the rest of my family. I usually like to get in a run, I’m crazy like that. Sometimes I make coffee, sometimes I read, sometimes I shower, sometimes I just sit. I relish the…
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because the laundry never stops
I love Seinfeld. When I was on bedrest 5 years ago, I filled time by playing Seinfeld trivia regularly on my phone. I got pretty (pretty, pretty) good. The repetition of the questions made the most intricate details form the show stick with me. For example, Jerry’s phone number is “KL5-8383.” There is a scene…
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just a little hanger
This small hanger caught me by surprise one average morning. I was in a rush to brush my hair, because of course, we were 2 seconds away from being late. We are always late. I opened my drawer and thought to myself “another sign of Gracie,” grabbed what I needed, styled my mom bun, and…
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you are a really great mom
You’re a really great mom. Does it feel like bragging? Don’t let it; it’s the truth. If you look at motherhood from 5,000 feet, it doesn’t usually match that perfect Pinterest board you likely haven’t touched since you went into labor. You’ve assumed a role for which there is no real training. The books are…
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9 months in, 9 months out
Pregnancy is typically expected to be a 10 month ordeal. And yet, 9 months is more popularly recognized as the length of pregnancy. Avery Joy has been here, on earth, for as long as she grew inside of me. Therefore, it seems fitting at the 9 month “out” mark to reflect back on all the…
my western nest 