Today, I watched my child play

I do a lot of things right as a parent. However, there are many things I would love to do better. When I ask myself, “am I doing my very best? Am I giving my all in each moment with my family?” Honestly? My answer is “no”. I know that the thing I struggle with most is being mindful in the moment. Ugh. It can be so difficult and seemingly exhausting to be present and engaged in every moment of the day. Sometimes, I think it feels good to take on a mindless task like watching TV or scrolling through photos on Instagram. When I really reflect on these moments of my day however, I am left feeling empty. Disconnected. Alone. Unsatisfied. Continue reading

138 days

138 days ago I looked into the eyes of my son for the first time. He was a few seconds old. The youngest he will ever be. The moment you meet your first child is feeling unique from all others. It is a moment that changes your life. A moment, which changes YOU. It is a moment you will only experience once.Continue reading

5 Truths About Postpartum

It has taken me awhile to write this post. 7 months, in fact. I wanted to write about my experience with postpartum for sometime now, but each time I attempted, I was overwhelmed with emotion, sometimes negativity, and I often felt ashamed. Postpartum depression is something that is not talked about enough. It is hidden. Covered up. It leaves mothers all over the world feeling lonely, weak, and helpless. It is a shame really, because the more we understand about the postpartum period, the more we can prepare ourselves, work through the sadness, and use our community of mothers as a backbone for the journey through it.

Not all mothers experience postpartum depression. But, I do believe all mothers transition through a period of what I like to think of as “Postpartum Discomfort“. My journey with postpartum depression was dark, painful, and lonely, but what was interesting is that it occurred during the happiest, most beautiful months of my life. Here are my 5 truths about my experience with postpartum.

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My Top Ten Tips for Introducing Baby Led Weaning

Baby Led Weaning– giving your child the opportunity to feed themselves whole foods.

Key words: feed themselves. Baby led weaning is a great way to allow your child to explore different flavors and textures of food. We began this type of feeding when Luca was about 5 ½ months old. He was showing a lot of interest in food, reaching for food on our plates, and was able to grasp objects in his hand and bring them to his mouth.

introducing baby led weaning

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Tips for traveling internationally with a newborn/infant/baby

As an American mom, married to a spaniard, international travel with a child will always be a part of our family’s life. Our first international trip with Luca was when he was seven weeks old. We flew from Spain to California to celebrate the Christmas holidays with my family. We stayed in the states for five weeks and returned when Luca was 12 weeks old. Needless to say, we learned a lot!

Traveling in and of itself is often stressful and unpredictable. Air travel with an infant can intensify feelings of stress and worry. Flying internationally with an infant is a whole different ballgame. However, traveling with a baby does not need to be a traumatic experience. It requires extra preparation, a lot of patience, and quite a bit more cargo, but it can be done! Here are a few tips for flying internationally with babies.

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Milestones

Some of my favorite moments

Developmental milestones. Every mom anxiously waits for them. Every other mom checks in and asks if your baby is reaching them. Pediatricians test for them. The books describe them. And when they happen, we cheer! We breathe a sigh of relief. We document them through photos and “Baby’s Firsts” journals and calendars. The first time she sleeps through the night. The first smile. The first time he rolls over. Her first time babbling.Continue reading