The Ice-Cream Can Wait
It was a long week, but doesn't every week feel like a long week? I made it to "bed-time," and I made it to Friday. After 5 days of parenting three small children pretty much on my own, nothing sounded sweeter than the respite of another set of hands. Another person to bear the weight. Another person to acknowledge the endless chatter, to answer the endless questions, to make the endless snacks, to clean the endless messes, to wipe the endless tushies. Not only did I make it
Why Are We Still Making A Mockery Of Mental Illness?
Originally posted on The Huffington Post With the emergence of fall comes the promise of Halloween and all things pumpkin spice, festive, and spooky. It’s no surprise that the people behind the scenes of Knott’s Berry Farm carefully curated a new attraction to cater to this season; an attraction to entertain a crowd of consumers who enjoy being spooked. An attraction that, in its essence, uses the idea of mental illness to create fright, interest, amusement, and — let’s be ho
How To Survive The First Trimester Of Pregnancy With Young Kids
Originally posted on the Huffington Post This one won’t be as easy as your first — not that the first was easy (and if it was, you are a mythical creature and I covet your genetic good fortune). The first time around, all you had to think about was yourself, and your misery. You wallowed in the despair of the relentless and cruel life of morning sickness. You hauled your tired self to work, armed with snacks and constantly on the lookout for a place to throw up. You slept whe
What I Learned From Spending 44 Days on Hospitalized Bed Rest
44 days, 88 nurse shift changes, and two babies later. In the beginning it wasn’t so bad. The concept was still novel and I remember thinking, “Hey, this isn’t the worst thing that could happen. I just get to lie here all day and let people serve me food. I’m tired of coming up with dinner ideas anyway. Win!” Clearly I had never experienced hospital food before - or being confined to an uncomfortable bed for nearly two months. It wasn’t long before reality set in. One room. O
10 Unexpected Perks of Being a New Parent of Twins
Originally posted on Huffington Post When I became a new parent of twins, I had a lot of expectations of how my life would be. I imagined chasing two kids around in two different directions at the same time (which by the way, turned out to be exactly what I do). What I didn't expect, however, was the many bonuses and unexpected perks of having two little ones hanging out with me all the time. So to all you new and expecting parents out there, here are a few cool things that n
How to Get Out the Door with Twins in 10 Easy Steps (Or, Why I'm Always Sweating)
Originally posted on Twiniversity.com 1. Check/Reload the Diaper Bag. Because babies poop. A lot. You will need wipes, diapers, and back up clothes for the inevitable poop explosions (AKA poop up the back, poop up the front, poop out the sides). Just to be safe, pack extra back up clothes. Two sets for each baby. This is your warm up. 2. Bring Snacks (for eating). Because babies are always hungry. 3. Bring Back-Up Snacks (for bribing). Because this is how you will get things
A Twin Mom’s Advice for New Parents of Multiples
Originally posted on Twiniversity.com Having twins means twice the work, twice the mess, twice the sweetness, and twice the love. While every baby is different – and every parent is different – I would like to share with you a few things that have made life with my twins easier, more manageable, and more enjoyable. Join a twin club. Early on in my pregnancy, my doctor (also a parent of multiples) urged me to join a twin club. Not only does this provide a sense of community an
Parenthood Isn't All About Me: This Is My Husband
Originally posted on Twiniversity.com This is my husband.
Within just a few weeks of being married, he won the "best husband of the year award"(according to me). He stayed with me every single night during my two month hospital stay -sleeping on a little blue pull out chair.
Every night when we went to sleep with the glow of the fetal monitors in the background, he said “Goodnight beautiful,” and I thought, “Who me?”
Puffy, swollen, covered in acne, 6 months pregnant wi
How To Beat The Monday Morning Mommy Blues
Originally posted on Huffington Post It all starts on Sunday afternoon. That overwhelming sensation that the weekend is coming to an end, the ominous notion that Monday is just around the corner (again?!), the realization that all fun weekend-ey things are coming to a close. The feeling gets louder as the day progresses: Monday is coming, Monday is coming! And then it happens, I wake up to Monday -- with a case of the Monday Morning Mommy Blues. With my husband headed off to
