Real. Simple. Parenting.
I’ve been a Catholic my whole life. One thing which is rather unique to my faith is the importance of the Virgin Mary. Sometimes overlooked in other denominations, Mary was hand-picked to be the Mother of God, and spared from original sin. I always felt close to her when I was growing up; she was so young, and so unaware of everything which would befall her. And yet, her faith persevered.
As a mother, my love and admiration for Mary has only continued to grow. Continue reading
By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the stunning images which have gone viral: a mother breastfeeding her child. This new trend for the breastfeeding selfie, aka “brelfie“, is not only helping to normalize breastfeeding, but it’s a gorgeous keepsake for the mom. Breastfeeding can be so difficult, painful, and time consuming, that these photos are extra special! You could save these to your phone, upload to social media, or even have them printed!
The guides I’ve seen for making a brelfie weren’t easy to follow (and the process is quite simple, as well as free), so I’m jumping on the bandwagon to tell you how to make one! Essentially you’re editing a brelfie photo on your phone with a free app, adding the tree with roots and then some badass filters.
This process can take less than 5 minutes, but I warn you: it’s addicting!
Unwinding in a fragrant, steaming hot bubble bath. Eating a delicious hot meal slowly and deliberately, savoring every bite and enjoying meaningful conversation. Getting a spa pedicure. Peeing alone. Apparently as a mom, I’m not supposed to want those things. Because if I do it means that I don’t love my kids. Mom guilt is real, and it sucks.
I don’t have anyone to blame for this mentality more than myself. Sure society can be a bit of a jackass sometimes, and make me feel like I should always be overjoyed to be trapped in my home 24/7 with my offspring. I don’t earn an income per se (though let’s not get started on the outrageous daycare savings) and I don’t have a “real job.” I mean, all I do is sit around and watch TV in yoga pants, right?
Cue hysterical laugh. Continue reading
I want my children to grow up with a healthy emotional intelligence. Simply put, I want them to have a healthy range of emotions, know the vernacular so that they can express those feelings, and deal with unpleasant feelings in a safe way. That emotional education begins when they are still quite young and must happen regularly. Let me give you some insight into what’s working beautifully for our family! Continue reading
For my daughter’s first birthday, I thought to include a special entry into my journal for her, like a love letter. Read on to see it in its entirety…
From the moment I first saw your face, I adored you. You came into this world with a triumphant yell, opened your eyes and looked right into my heart. We all realized immediately that you were the personification of Shakespeare’s quote, “though she be but little, she is fierce.” Continue reading
I feel like moms who breastfeed have lots of resources online, not least of which is right here on Real Simple Mama. But I think that moms who pump are often left to figure things out on their own. In a topic which is widely experienced but not widely discussed, I’ve created an extensive article about pumping gear for nursing moms.
Let’s talk about the stuff I recommend for pumping… ‘cuz there’s a lot. Continue reading
Ain’t it always the way life goes: you finally think that you have everything figured out, and you get a good routine going with your first child… and then Life throws a curveball at your face. That’s what happened to us when we were expecting our second child. My husband and I were so ecstatic to see that positive pregnancy test! But we were shoved out of our comfort zone all over again. In many ways, it felt like being a new parent for the second time.
Now that my hindsight is 20/20, I’d like to tell you about how our lives changed the second time we became parents. Continue reading
Congratulations! You’re having a baby. How exciting!!!! I’m sure that everyone is flooding your mind’s inbox with tons of ideas and suggestions of stuff you just GOTTA have for you and the baby. While I have my own opinions of those things and what you really do (and don’t) need, this is not that post. I am teaching you what underrated – sometimes random – items you should add to your registry, or get for yourself before your baby arrives. These things are meant to make your life easier so that you can rest and admire that gorgeous little squish you grew! Read on for my list of the most underrated items for new moms! Continue reading
I want all parents to know about this man: while his name isn’t as popular as it should be, it doesn’t undermine what he did to literally save thousands of premature babies. Before his dedicated care, premies were basically sent with their parents to die at home. Because of his selflessness and determination, baby incubators were adopted into hospitals. Now a premature baby has an extraordinarily better chance at survival. All thanks to this man, Dr. Couney. Continue reading
I was a working mom for two years, and am so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to be a stay at home mom since I had my second child. I had no close friends nor family who were SAHMs and I went into this new job without a clue. It’s been beautiful, stressful, and the best year of my life! My hope is to make your journey into motherhood as seamless as possible. Here are my tips for what to expect, and what to do, so that you and your littles are as happy as can be. Continue reading
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