I OF COURSE love both my children the same. But having been a mom of two for a whopping nine days, I’m learning that moms love their kids in different ways on different days. The first few days after we brought Linnea home, I found myself feeling more bonded to Miles than Linnea. I felt… Continue reading How Having a Second Baby Changes The Way I Love the First One
I hate breastfeeding. It’s true. I do. I wrote about my dislike for breastfeeding right after Miles was born. Consider this the second and final (if someday there’s a third installment, I’m sure I’ll love the baby but it was a mistake!) post in a series. If I’m being totally honest and very dramatic, I… Continue reading I’d Rather Be a Happy Mother Than Breastfeed My Daughter
Welcome to the world, Linnea. We welcomed Linnea — a healthy, 7 1/2-pound baby girl — on July 23, 2021. She was born at exactly 39 weeks. She probably would have made it all the way to 40, but I opted for an induction. There are many reasons for that, but essentially I wanted to… Continue reading Holy Sh*t, I Had Another Baby!
This morning I saw an Instagram post that resonated with me. It was a variation of a thought I’ve had many times since I became a mother: You know what would be a great gig? Being a dad. This particular post was from a single mother who has one teenage daughter. She said she has… Continue reading The World’s Best Job: Being a Dad
How does a mom get over the fear and anxiety that comes with having a kid? Or I guess I should rephrase: How does a mom reduce the fear and anxiety that comes with having a kid? I realize it’s not realistic for it to go away. I don’t think I necessarily have an outsized… Continue reading Am I Going To Feel Mom Anxiety Every Day For the Rest of My Life?
I had an inappropriate thought this morning. While I was chatting with Miles’ daycare teacher during dropoff, Miles was doing the whole clinging to my sleeve and whimpering thing. She mentioned that he “seems to be adjusting fine — he’s struggling a bit with naptime, but that’s normal; he’s pretty much just like all the… Continue reading Is My Kid … Average?
If I were to bill my hours like the lawyer I once was (for a very brief period), here’s what this morning would look like: 6-6:15 a.m.: Wake up to whimpering, change baby’s diaper, bring him into bed to cuddle with dad. 6:15-6:30 a.m.: Prepare baby’s bottle, heat it up, bring it upstairs, lie in… Continue reading If I Billed My Mom Hours Like a Lawyer, Here’s What the Invoice Would Look Like
“The universe gave me a child because it knew I needed to learn how to be patient.” — I heard this on a podcast, and does it ever resonate with me. I was telling my husband last night that if I could change one thing about my personality, it would be this: Be more patient.… Continue reading How to Learn Patience: Have a Kid
Does anyone else feel guilty about not feeling guilty? I first noticed the phenomenon when I stopped breastfeeding (or, rather, stopped pumping 117 times a day to produce enough breast milk to bottle feed my little won’t-latch-on baby boy) after four months. Mommy culture had led me to believe that breast is best, that I… Continue reading It’s My Son’s First Week of Daycare, and I Feel Guilty About Not Feeling Guilty
I wrote a lot when Miles was born and during the first month of his life. Then, three months after he was born, the pandemic hit and took over the whole world. Then I went back to work, which was 1) a relief, 2) totally overwhelming, 3) completely different than before because I now work… Continue reading I’m Back, Baby, With Another Baby on Board
