This post is sponsored by Athleta AND all of this is my own content, thoughts, and voice. I don’t know how many of you saw my story poll on Instagram asking about running a marathon but my thought is that for those who are interested we could all train and run a marathon together! The marathon I want to run is in June and my plan is to get everything up and ready for everyone to start training in January! SO you may be wondering how do I stay fit now? What can I do to get in pre marathon training shape? I should mention this is just what I am doing it isn’t a “how to” or even advice you should follow but it is how I am staying in shape until I start marathon training! Also if you want to join in on the marathon training definitely stick around as I will be sharing more details in December! PS. if you want to join in comment so below so I can start to get an idea of how many of us will be training together… I am going to share which marathon I am doing so that if you want to actually physically run the same one with me you can BUT you could also totally just train along with me and run one wherever you are!
Read moreAlmost One Year Postpartum....What I Wish I Had Known in Labor.
This time last year I was in labor... okay actually that is a lie I never actually went into labor with Ophelia. My water broke while we were out walking around watching the eclipse on August 21, 2017. I of course gave all the credit to my weak bladder and assumed I had pee'd myself and we continued in our day. It was a Monday and Ben was off work so after we walked home I changed into clean underwear and we took Jessamyn to the aquarium as anyone whose water had broke would do...just kidding actually at the aquarium it became increasingly clear I had not pee'd myself. SO we called our insurance and tried to get an appointment that day so I could be checked as I was still pretty convinced my water had not broken and I wasn't in labor. At that appointment they confirmed that yeah... it definitely wasn't pee and we should maybe think about getting to the hospital. They actually were a little more firm about the hospital part but being the rule breakers we are we went home, packed our over night bags, called our babysitter, AND got Ben Chicfila all before heading to the hospital. I wasn't actually having any contractions so it all honestly didn't feel real to me.
Read moreDO You Need a Double Stroller?
Your having a second baby, you have a single stroller you love but you know there really isn't a good way to cram two babies in there. Yeah you might wear your new baby in a sling or carrier for a while but do you really want to wear them all the time? But wait.... double strollers are bulky, heavy, awkward... yeah okay you can just make the single stroller work. BUT WAIT... CUE Disney Land... you put your 6 month old baby in the single stroller because you are also chasing your 3 year old around. It is hot, tiring, your 3 year old is starting to melt down... her feet hurt, her legs are too heavy to walk, BUT you already have a 6 month old asleep in your single stroller what do you do? if you actually are me and lived this situation you put your 3 year old shamelessly into the basket under the stroller so she can take a nap and you can watch people snicker and giggler at you as you walk around Disney for the rest of the day. NOT ideal but hey it did the trick. SO let me ask again is that double stroller sounding good right about now?
Read moreI was Mom Shamed for BreastFeeding (by Other Moms)
I can't believe I am writing this post... the title alone makes me frustrated and sad BUT it happened and I need to talk about. This isn't what you think though... I was mom shamed for breastfeeding not by strangers in coffee shops or internet trolls but by other moms, moms who have fed their babies too, moms who know how hard motherhood is... moms. Which is why I am writing this post in the first place because mom shaming needs to stop. Motherhood is hard enough without us judging and tearing each other apart, we need to unify and speak from a place of love not judgement and so that is why I am sharing this experience with you today.
Read more4 Months PostPartum (a Mama Update)
I meant to do this every month... I really did but life and babies and just a lack of words have kept me quiet. I wanted to post an update thought more for myself than anyone to share where I am at because we don't talk about the postpartum period enough and because I need to take a moment to reflect and define how I feel. It is so easy to just go go go and then all of a sudden look back and realize you weren't actually feeling or living you were just doing... or maybe surviving and I don't want to do that this time I don't want Ophelia's entire first year of life to just be me in survival mode. So this is just a little update to share where I am at and how things are going... it isn't meant to be a guide or really a definition of motherhood for anyone else just my thoughts and experiences because motherhood can be isolating and lonely and I need to share this.. we all need to share this and stop going at it alone.
Read moreThe Holidays! A Gift Guide For New Parents
It is that time of the year again... and by that I mean time to find gifts and wrap presents! I am kind of an over excited gift giver meaning I like to find something unique, lovely, and most importantly that I think the person I am giving the gift to will actually love. SO this year for a gift guide since we are new parents (again... I think it totally still counts the second time right?) I thought it would be fun to put together a gift guide for new parents... these are items we have used and love that would make an awesome gift and are all from beautiful little shops I completely adore.
Read moreHolding Space PostPartum (Some Thoughts on Motherhood After Baby)
I spent the entire first month of Ophelia's life convinced I was dying. I didn't have any specific proof (except for a slightly suspicious lump in my left breast) but even though my husband, and doctor told me I was fine I spent everyday of her first month of life under a dark cloud. It wasn't that I wanted to be miserable, or even that I wanted to doubt the people around me but I couldn't stop the overwhelming panic and anxiety. I couldn't keep the loud voice in my head telling me again and again that I was not going to get to see my babies grow up at bay. And today I want to share this with you, because I don't think we talk enough about that first month postpartum and I think that needs to change.
Read moreThird Trimester Things (A Pregnancy Update)
We are only 10 days away from our due date and it feels like time to recap this trimester because fingers crossed there will be a sweet little baby here soon! I naively thought this trimester would be easy since coming into it I was feeling really good and had tons of energy BUT the closer we get to my due date the longer the days get, the less I am sleeping, and the more I am understanding people who told me the end really drags out... not to complain but I was totally wrong in my earlier hope that this trimester would just fly by! The good news is we are so close and I cannot wait to meet this little girl. Even Jessamyn tonight was talking to my belly and saying "Come on, Hold you" which was basically the sweetest ever!
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