10 Tips for Finding a New Normal
If you had asked me three months ago if I felt like I had it together, I would have probably told you that I felt like I did most of the time. My life wasn’t in picture-perfect order, but overall I felt like I created a life with just enough organization that I wasn’t usually blindsided by anything. In fact, I will admit I prided myself on my ability to prepare for situations. Then Things Changed But then things changed. The addition of our newest little babe was wonderful and magical but also unexpectedly difficult. Our sweet little girl came into the world ready and wanting to nurse, but we…
A Letter To My Breastfeeding Toddler
To my sweet, nearly 3 year old, breastfeeding toddler: Would you have believed, almost 3 years ago, that you’d still be breastfeeding today? Probably! In fact, you probably never imaged NOT breastfeeding. You might not realize it, but our journey in nursing started off a bit non-traditional due to your short NICU stay. But even after a tumultuous birth you came out ready for milk. I was so worried nursing would be difficult due to your birth but you latched, fed, burped and fell fast asleep. After that first session, there was no turning back. In no time, you and I were a cohesive milkin’ team. As a baby, you…
The Importance of Organizing Mental Clutter
There has been a big push in the last few years to de-clutter our homes and organize our physical spaces. There have been many, myself included, that can attest to the positive effects of decreasing physical clutter and creating an organizational system that works for you. But what about our mental clutter? Mental clutter includes all those pesky to-dos, appointments, and schedules that are constantly running through our minds. Our mental clutter consists of all those things that are completed silently and without celebration but are what keeps are family’s lives flowing easily day to day. If you talk with any mom they will tell you that often this form…
Letting Go of the Need to be Busy
“Mama what are we doing tomorrow?”, “Mama, where are we going next?” These were the questions my four year old was routinely asking each day that made me realize our family was just too busy. After our second was born, and I was no longer working full time, it didn’t take long before our days were filled with library events, trips to the zoo or children’s museum, or to the park… all on top of our normal errands. While of course we enjoyed these trips and adventures, it led to a feeling that we always had to be “doing something”. So much so, that even on days when we should…
6 Ways to Improve Your Mental Load Today
Mom Brain. Mental Clutter. The Mental Load of Motherhood. We’ve heard it described a million different ways, but no matter what you call it, we can all relate to the stress-inducing, never ending to-do list that is always running through our brain. Grocery lists. Sport schedules. Household chores. Doctor appointments. Home improvements. School events. Birthday parties…It goes on and on and on. This mental load is like that closet on TV where everyone shoves everything to make the house look clean. On TV it’s a funny joke when the character tries to push the closet shut before all the stuff falls out. But as moms, this load isn’t a funny…
10 Ways to Be an In The Moment Mom
Time is fleeting. We hear that everywhere. Poems, cute memes, videos. The message is everywhere…time is flying by and the children won’t stay cute and snuggly forever. Leaving The Dust Bunnies Isn’t Always Possible. If you’re a mom you’ve read the poem: Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep. If you’re like me, you read this poem, cried, and then felt guilty for all the times you cleaned, folded laundry, or did any other chore that gives your children a clean and healthy lifestyle. Poems like this…
Reconnect With Your Kids: 5 Questions to Ask Each Day
Not to sound like a complete old fart, but what has happened to face to face conversation? I remember as a kid being chastised for talking on the (landline) phone rather than in person but even the act of actually talking on the phone is a dying form of communication. In a race for efficiency we’ve lost authenticity. Relationships are only screen deep and feelings of loneliness and depression are on the rise. Desiring connection with other beings is a biological trait of the human race. We are pack animals and we crave the love and affection of those around us and our lack of actual connection is hurting us…
The Curse of Mom Guilt
Perhaps you have heard the phrase “mom guilt”, “mental load” or “the mental load of motherhood”. The Mental Load is a term that refers to all the ‘stuff’ moms are always carrying around each day: the stuff we are thinking about, planning, handling, and doing to keep our family’s lives going. Over the next few weeks, I want to dive deep into the Mental Load of Motherhood. What does it mean? What does it include for me? For you? What does the weight of it do to us as moms? And how can we overcome this load to better serve ourselves and our families? Moms Tell Me the Biggest Contributor…
World Breastfeeding Week: My Story
It is World Breastfeeding Week and I thought it would be fun to share a bit of my experience and my bumpy journey of breastfeeding. For me once I was pregnant I knew I wanted to breastfeed but the journey to actually breastfeed was not as easy as the decision to do so. After a long labor with Asher, breastfeeding didn’t come as easily for me as I had hoped. I delivered Asher after 50 hours of hard, exhausting labor. I hadn’t eaten in two days and had slept only 2 hours, BUT after he was here all that was a mere memory and he and I dove into our…
How I Turned My Lonely Day Around
A few weekends ago the hubs went out of town from early Saturday morning until late Sunday night. With him leaving so early Saturday the kids and I saw him last at bedtime Friday night. I have never been a person who is able to sit still and with the hubs out of town, I felt the need to do something with friends or family. Something that would provide fun for my kiddos and a little adult conversation for me. So, I reached out to a few girlfriends and even my mom but everyone was busy and so it was just me and the littles for the weekend. Now for…
