There are a lot of days I screw up. But today was not one of them, even though it could have been. After work I had a doctor appointment, and then I picked up the kids from daycare and we went straight to the grocery store. I knew I was pushing it, but my kids are pretty good and I brought diapers and snacks. I … Continue reading Today I Did Good.
When I was pregnant with my second child I was pretty relaxed compared to being pregnant with my first. I didn’t obsess over which porta-crib had the best mobile, or whether or not I needed a diaper genie, or even what childbirth would be like. I knew that all that mattered was that the baby had onesies and diapers and I was ready. Or so I thought. Looking … Continue reading How Being the Parent of Two Kids is Different Than Being the Parent of One
You know how when you sing, sometimes you can’t hear when you’re off-key? It seems like a lot of people tend to think they are better at singing than they actually are (especially after imbibing adult beverages) but, not me. I can hear my off-key-ness LOUD and CLEAR and you know if YOU can hear it, it must be really bad. Really really. So, it was a … Continue reading Singing Off-Key (And Loving It): A Small Collection of Remixes For Parents of Toddlers
My daughters come from a long line of strong-willed individuals. Before they were born Mr. Grouch and I wondered what our kids would look like, or what they would be interested in, but one thing we knew for sure. They’d be headstrong. Our girls have aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents, and, lucky for them, great-grandparents too, who are full of strength, who say to themselves, “I will … Continue reading We’re Full of Bull
As a working mom, I have a love/hate mentality about leaving my kids in someone else’s care for what amounts to about 40% of the time my child is awake, each week. Sometimes there are things I think should be done differently, sometimes I question how well I really know what is going on there when I’m not around, and sometimes I have concerns about the sheer … Continue reading These Are The Reasons I Am Thankful For My Childcare Providers
So, there’s the tantrums. And the screaming. The “Mine!”s and the “No!”s. The bazillion toys with annoying musical themes. There’s the feeding and the changing and more feeding and more changing. There’s the blowouts and the spit up and the adult-type vomit that begins at a much earlier age than you would expect. There’s the cleaning food off the walls and off the floor, … Continue reading I Am Equally Terrified of Having More Kids and Not Having Any More Kids
After having kids, shit changes. Anyone who argues this point is either a liar or is truly an asshole of a parent. But, I will concede that shit changes in varying degrees, due to the natural laws associated with Tiered Friendships. Tier One: These are your closest friends. You communicate with them the most, they have known you for the longest, they know the details … Continue reading 10 Ways to Stay Connected With Your Friends After Having Kids
A few years back, when I was pregnant with my first child, some of my friends and I were gathered around my living room, chit-chatting it up. I don’t remember the details of most of our conversation, but I will never forget one particular sentence. A good friend of mine, who at the time was the new mom of an seven-month-old, said, “I think I love my daughter … Continue reading I Love My Kids More Than You Love Yours
She was jarred awake. She opened her eyes and her vision was clouded. Foggy. Dim. It was the same, day after day. Sometimes she noticed that what she saw was darker than normal and sometimes she thought that this was just what her life looked like. Maybe you should get checked out, she said to herself. She was a little worried about her view. Maybe a little more … Continue reading She Was Jarred Awake
Prior to becoming a parent, I was a napping PRO. I have insomnia and crazy sleep issues that have left me waking up exhausted for most of my existence, so I utilized the mystical force of the power nap to keep me going on a regular basis. In the weeks leading up to the due date of our first child, one of the most common pieces of advice … Continue reading Catching a Nap When You’re a Parent is Like Trying to Catch a Mythical Beast
A Morning Grouch 