I have been asking myself this question for the last two years ever since we introduced baby number three and baby number four to our family. On the same day. We had a boy, and then four years later, a …
Tips for Bringing Baby #2 Home
The transition from being responsible for ourselves to having the honorable duty to care for a little human is overwhelming. NO, it’s earth-shattering in an amazing and terrifying way. Now, let’s insert child #2. Why in the world did I …
Love Times Two
“Every pregnancy is different,” so I’ve heard, and have now experienced. When pregnant with my first baby, everything was new and exciting, curious and magical – and also terrifying. Now, 38 weeks into my second pregnancy, I sure don’t remember being …
Believing the Best in Someone Even When (Especially When You Don’t Want To)
I was sitting at my MOPS table when another mom called me out. Though I didn’t like it, I knew she was right. I was headed into a visit where I was assuming the worst was going to go down. …
Navigating Tough Family Relationships
For some, the most stressful part of the holidays is being together with family. It’s true, families are inherently conflictual. In our culture, we’ve been led to believe that conflict is bad – something to be avoided because it’s the …
Creative Play
High low, up down Also known as the airplane game — a classic! Materials: Willing baby and a mom feeling silly What to Do: Sit on the floor with your child facing you. Gently place your socked feet on your …
Guiding the Sibling Bond
A few weeks ago I watched my favorite current television family dance on screen and cried. The Bravermans of Parenthood fame play out their plots of conflict, love, loyalty and generations with honesty and humor. It’s known at our house …
Why Equality is Overrated
Hello, Dearest… “That’s not FAAIIIRRRRR!” Those words must ring through my house at least 20,000 times a week. No matter if it’s waffle portion size, screen time or who gets to sit in the middle row in the van, there’s …
Sharing Space
To share or not to share? This is a question many parents debate when considering whether or not to have their children share a room. Our two boys started out life in their own rooms, but it soon became apparent …