Almost immediately after dropping the “baby bomb” on social media, doubts ran rampant in my mind. “Was it too soon? What if I’m wrong? What if the pregnancy doesn’t stick? What if…”

Even though the bloodwork confirmed, even though my body is exhibiting ALL of the classic symptoms of early pregnancy, part of me worried that maybe it was all a farce. Some rare genetic condition that causes pregnancy hormones and no baby. Because it’s so hard to believe, even when your body has done it before, that a HUMAN BEING is growing inside you. It’s weird. Even when it’s the most natural thing in the world. And you know what they say, seeing is believing.

So I should be excited about my …

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Okay, I know there are other parents out there who’ve been caught with their pants down…in the bathroom. Seriously, especially for us moms, I never knew what a luxury it was just to pee (and perform other bodily functions) alone. So today, I developed a plan. It’s called the “Lack of Privacy Payback Plan” to be exact. So here goes:

The number of minutes my preschooler stands in the doorway and talks to me while I’m using the restroom are equivalent to the number of minutes I’ll stand in her doorway and talk to her…while she’s trying to make out with her boyfriend someday.

But I’m not going to stop there. This next step is the pièce de résistance. I’ll not only stand in her doorway and talk to her, I’ll repeat word for word the questions, statements …

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Yep. It’s real. I’m pregnant.

Last week, I wrote a post for WhattoExpect.com, the website spawned from the infamous “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” pregnancy bible that’s on every woman’s nightstand who’s “with child.” It was a dream for me, the chance to write on such a big platform, and I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to come up with anything compelling. But life is funny like that. Always changing and twisting and turning until you remind yourself, again, that nothing is predictable. Nothing. Even your period.

As I headed to an out-of-town conference, I was certain my Aunt Flo would be along for the ride. Cramping, a touch of moodiness, weeping at insurance commercials. I packed along my “supplies,” a bottle of Advil, …

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I sit and stare at the number on my computer screen. It’s big.

“Can I really sell that much jewelry? In that much time?”

Doubts and fears and second thoughts flood my mind. Is it worth it? Will people think I’m crazy? Will I annoy someone if I ask for their help?

But then I remember the payoff. Putting a significant dent in my student loan debt…and…the tropical icing on the cake…an all-expense-paid trip for two to Panama in January, 2014.

“Do I deserve that? Will I even want to leave my girls? Will I be too scared to fly?”

But then I remember the upside. Quality time with my husband. A chance to take a trip of a lifetime. Making memories that will tighten the bonds of our marriage for years to come.

Yes. I must do this. Yes. I …

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I haven’t always been a runner…or so I thought. Me and my bro used to tear up the driveway with our speed races. (He always won.)

For nearly five years now (if you count pregnancy) my body hasn’t been mine. It’s been stretched, leached, swollen, ripped open, sewn back up, bitten, sucked into a vacuum (of the Medela type), bruised, infected, and overall, manhandled. When you become a mother, you lose full custody of your body. Your legs become trunks of safety for little arms to wrap around, your softened belly becomes a pillow for fevered foreheads and your dimpled bottom becomes a source of amusement for curious preschoolers. Every great once in awhile, I might get shared custody for myself, to enjoy a long, hot shower alone, a rare pedicure, or even just relish …

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I recently wrote an open letter on my Facebook Page to another page that features far different content than I do: local teens posting selfies in hopes of finding out if they’re “hot or not.” While many of the photos were benign, the whole concept was deeply disturbing. And even though I know this is a widespread trend (and not even a new one), I just couldn’t let it go. After all, these are girls I know. Quite literally. The post has received many positive comments and has even been shared many times, but the page in question continues to carry on as normal. So what do I hope to happen? I hope that this message will cause a girl to think twice before posting to this page, or others like it, and at the …

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