When I mention that I love having a two-year old, I often get the same response. “It gets better, just wait,” people tell me. They say it with knowing smiles, thinking about their own kids who are teenagers or adults or middle-schoolers. I can see in their faces how well rested they have become over… [Read More]
Adventures in Gardening
Last month, I decided that I was going to plant herbs this summer. My yard has a dirt bed that is perfect for planting and my mom gave me gardening instructions. I have never gardened before in my life and actually had to purchase tools, so this was a new adventure for me. I brought… [Read More]
unfinished…
Cheerios are everywhere – always: in my diaper bag, in my daughter’s pockets and behind the sofa. They crunch under my feet in the kitchen. My daughter picks them up from the floor and eats them. I shrug. “At least she is eating something for breakfast,” I tell myself. I find them in her toys… [Read More]
wild child
There are some toddlers who play quietly and eat meals while sitting nicely in their high chairs. I observe these calm children, patiently working on a puzzle or reading a book. I see them in mommy and me classes, sitting nicely in the circle and listening to the teacher. My daughter is not like these… [Read More]
How Becoming a Mom Made me Less Busy
Before I became a mom, I was always really busy. I loved my whirlwind life of being out and on the go. Between brunch with girlfriends, double dates with other couples, family obligations and travel, it seemed that I never had a free weekend. And if I did, I made plans to fill it up. I… [Read More]
How I teach my daughter that her voice matters
On the afternoon of my daughter’s second birthday, we met my friend and her son at the local children’s museum. As soon as we walked inside, my daughter’s little chin began to quiver and she turned to me and asked to go home. Her voice cracked when she spoke and I could see tears in… [Read More]
Fill Your Bucket: Breathing to Find Balance
Last week, BonBon Break published my original essay called “Breathing to Find Balance in Motherhood.” This piece was one of fifteen selected for their March theme, “Fill Your Bucket.” I was thrilled to have my writing chosen. When I set out to write my post in response to BonBon Break’s call for submissions, I initially planned… [Read More]
My daughter, my heart.
When I ask my daughter where the most important part of her body is, she always has the same answer. “Heart, on inside,” she says while lifting up her shirt and trying to convey to me that her heart beats inside her chest. She points out her stuffed animals’ hearts me to as well. “Ba-boom,… [Read More]
Tethered
This article initially appeared on Mamalode and is reprinted here with permission. I have been a huge fan of this site for years and was honored to have the publish this piece, which is one of my favorites. There are times when I miss my life before my daughter was born. I miss the… [Read More]
A letter to my daughter on her 2nd birthday
Dear Emma: I can’t believe you are turning two today. These are my wishes for you as you continue to grow up and become your own woman in this magnificent world. May you always be so proud of your body – pointing out your beautiful belly and happy to see your reflection in the mirror…. [Read More]