I chose to write about PURPOSE this month for, well, a purpose. I thought I would need to prepare myself for the feeling that I was losing my current life’s purpose by giving up mommy-time and writing-time in favor of going back to work. I thought this transition, from stay-at-home to working mom, from writer back […]
baby
Child’s Fear, Parent’s Fear: A New Space
My good friend/cousin recently had a baby. Soon afterward, Edwin and I went to visit her and the baby at their house. Edwin has been there before, but not often. As soon as we got in the door, he was glued to my side. He huddled next to me, sucking on his pacifier, and barely […]
What To Say To “Baby Encouragers”
It’s a fact of life: some people will always try to encourage you to take the next step on the ladder of traditional societal norms. When you start dating someone seriously, it’s “So where’s the ring?” When you get engaged, it’s “Set the date!” Once you’re married, it’s “Your biological clock is ticking!” And then […]
A Mother Of Two, One In Heaven, One On Earth
Today, I am honored to share a beautiful, heartfelt poem written by my friend Marie, a very special kind of mother. In Marie’s words: “I am proud to be the mommy of two beautiful baby girls, Sadie and Emily, one in heaven and one on earth. Our firstborn daughter, Sadie Jane, was stillborn on June […]
A Breastfeeding Timeline
Breastfeeding, Day 1: Wait, why is this so hard? Don’t all mammals do this naturally? Isn’t my baby supposed to have the instinct to nurse? Why did I take all of those “breastfeeding essentials” classes? This is impossible! Day 4: Phew! I’m glad I stuck it out. I think we’re getting the hang of this. […]
Why I Stopped Reading Parenting Advice
When I was pregnant, I read every pregnancy book I could get my hands on (including this, most popular one). The advice in those books was easy to follow: what not to eat, what symptoms to get checked out, how to safely prepare the baby’s room. But when I switched from pregnancy to parenting books, the […]