Play Dates Are Actually Mom Dates

May 31, 2018February 2, 2019

Play Dates Are Actually Mom Dates

I love moms. I love motherhood. I love being a mom. And being around moms. I can’t put words on it, but there’s certainly something special about womanhood being lived together.

I’m almost convinced that play dates are secretly for mothers. Sure, we plan and coordinate. Oh yeah, let’s get the kids together! They’d love it! We say we’ll meet somewhere for the kids. You know – the park or PlayPlace or children’s museum. We tell ourselves this is good for our kids socially.

And, of course, it is. But man, aren’t playdates just so good for us? You could easily argue that the good vibes are even better for moms than for kids.

(more…)

May 24, 2018February 2, 2019

Cheer Here #2: You Are Worth Helping

I began motherhood as an I-can-do-it-all mom. I was fiercely independent. I felt many cards were stacked against me, and I had to be in control in case they fell. If anything went wrong, I would have the assurance that I could handle it myself. It made me feel secure – this idea that I could bear it all.

Of course, this is unsustainable! Things go wrong, life happens, and it can quickly overwhelm a mother trying to do it on her own.

We all end up needing the support of others, which is a lesson I learned as I was preparing for my first international flight with my 12-month-old son. I was scheduled to travel for 25 consecutive hours without the help of my husband. Our situation was no anomaly to the dozens of military families around us, and one mom gave me sound advice:

Accept ALL help, she said, every single offer to hold something, get something, play, distract, retrieve, say YES.

(more…)

May 10, 2018February 2, 2019

The Postpartum Experience and the Church

Five years ago, I joined the Orthodox Church. And I’m tempted to tell you all about it. I’m quite proud of this community.

But I won’t. I’ll spare you the boring testimony of my years of struggle and eventual deep appreciation for the teachings, traditions, people, blah, blah, blah.

But, here’s what I do want to acknowledge:

Although the Orthodox Church has a grandiose exterior and profound teachings, by being a part of the life of the Church, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing traditions that have smaller voices.

The Orthodox Church taught me about the 40-day rest period after childbirth. This can quickly become a controversial topic for some who think this is about the “uncleanness” of a woman (which it is not). I can tell you from personal experience that this gift is a blessing to a woman. Instead of feeling pressed to fulfill our religious obligation or to show face in church because it’s a good thing to do, the Church simply lets us off the hook and tells us to stay home.

(more…)

April 26, 2018February 2, 2019

On Having A Clean House

It was a peaceful spring morning. And then it wasn’t.

I don’t remember what I was doing at the time, or why I wasn’t minding my kids on the other end of the house. The shock of it all probably blocked that out. What I do remember is the moment I walked into the kitchen.

And all I could see was cocoa powder.

It. Was. Awful.

The 3-year-old had poured it down the cabinets. The 18-month-old tried to eat it (read: wipe it over every inch of his head). I think there were even paw prints from when the cat walked in to find his bounty.

(more…)

April 13, 2018February 19, 2019

7 Ways to Deal with Sleep Deprivation

We make plenty of decisions when we become parents. Daycare or stay-at-home parenting. Crib or bassinet. Stroller or baby carrier. Breastfeed or formula. Or both. But there’s one thing that’s inevitable no matter how you finesse your decisions. At some point, you will be sleep deprived.

Dun dun dun!!

Few parents say, “I get more than enough sleep!” in their child’s first year (or two) of life. It’s simply something we have to go through at one point or another, a sort of rite of passage. There’s no real simple fix, there’s no elixir of life here (though wine does help), but here’s what helped me when the going got tough:

(more…)