Growing Up

From the moment babies are born, they already have certain milestones they have to hit. Which is when I think my stress began, at the time of my own birth. They need to have their first poop within 24 hours, crawl by ___, walk by ___, say 10 words by ____. I mean, I get it, medical reasons and all, but was it always like this? Were moms always overwhelmed when their kid didn't meet a certain milestone at the time they should have? Or is this just me? I just like to think times used to be much simpler. I like to think that milestones weren't always there in the stone manner that we view them today. I can...

Dear College Freshman So this may be a moms blog, but when I think of a period of my life that most helped prepare me for the future as a professional and a mother, my college years stand out the most. The beginning of a new school year is near, and with it, a brand new crop of students will invade our town, ransacking Target for the latest dorm room trends. While most Baton Rougians roll their eyes over the increase in traffic, I find myself rolling my eyes at the carefree attitude these young folks exude. Really, I'm just jealous! College was one of the most exciting and crazy fun times in my life, and I look back on...

Note: This post is part our series in observance of World Breastfeeding Week and is sponsored by Woman's Hospital.  My Breastfeeding Evolution When I was pregnant for the first time in 2005, I remember always knowing that I would breastfeed. Somehow it was just a given that it was what I would do. I think at that time, it was more in a nutritional sense than a relational one. I knew it was healthy and I knew my body was designed to do it, so it just made sense. I researched and read and felt prepared in the academic sense. It's Go Time! But when my son Ben unexpectedly came early, I was thrust into a challenging breastfeeding experience for which I was...

I don't really enjoy cleaning. So when my kids - ages three and two - each started showing small interests in helping, I took advantage of the educational opportunity! While their willingness to help clean is not a huge help to me just yet, I know it will be in the future. But it's not just that - I think this also allows them to feel more a part of the family while having a role in the overall picture of what it takes to run a household. And in this house, every member of the family pitches in! Here is a list of chores we've started doing with our toddlers: 1. Unloading light items from the dishwasher. Since both my kids have always had a...

Sometimes as parents we see a light bulb go off in our kid’s mind, and they just get it. These are some of my favorite moments in my journey of motherhood. Recently, things got switched around for us and my daughter said something that made a light bulb go off in my head about body positivity and raising girls. On a Sunday before church a few weeks ago, Keilyn was watching me do my makeup which she does regularly. She loves to ask questions about the colors and how to blend eye makeup. Playing dress up is one of our favorite activities after all. I was beginning the process of “putting on my face” with foundation and Keilyn pipes up...