A foresty mom-and-me session with a single parent and her five-year-old
These photos of Athalia and her daughter, Lailah, were recently sent over to us from California photographer Whittaker Portraits. Athalia is a single mom, and wanted to capture this time in her five-year-old’s life. Athalia plans to give these to her daughter when she grows up along with poems, letters, and quotes she’s kept in a journal, which I love!
From infertility to pregnancy and moving forward with new life
Then I took the test. It was positive. I genuinely believed the test was faulty. I was torn between a massive urge to run into the street and scream at passers-by “I’M PREGNANT”, and the ever present feeling that this was not possible, I was not pregnant, and the test was wrong. I walked home in the rain. I dropped my paperwork on the floor, and it stuck there like glue. I left it. The wind was cooling my neck. The moment is so clear.
How do we tell our toddler that we’re breaking up?
My partner of 9 years and I recently made the amicable decision to end our relationship. Though the split hasn’t been easy on either one of us, we are devoted to our almost-three-year-old daughter and are adamant on cultivating a healthy environment moving forward so that she may continue to thrive as we continue to co-parent her in separate homes.
I’m still performing burlesque at almost eight-months pregnant
We had a wildly successful show this past weekend, the club was packed and the crowd was very enthusiastic and responsive, which was fantastic. I’d spent the last month wavering between being very excited about my two solos, and being very scared about how exposed I was going to be up there. Normally when I perform, I leave a waist cincher on because body issues.
Single parenthood by choice: I adopted a child after ending my 15-year marriage
Most days as I push our stroller up a hill loaded with my son and a week’s supply of groceries and feel the muscles in my arms and legs working, I am reminded of the total body workouts I used to enjoy at my local gym. Not that long ago I lived a very different life — one that included a husband, a charming little house that we owned on a tree-lined street, a fulfilling full time job, a fun fashion part time job, volunteer work as a board of director for two companies, four weekly gym workouts and a circle of friends for dinner parties or BBQs and occasional travel.
My pain-med-free four-day induction
Like many first time pregnant moms I envisioned that my labor and delivery would go a certain way. I planned a natural birth using Bradley Method techniques, hired a doula, and anticipated laboring at home for as long as possible before heading to the hospital to deliver. I wanted minimal medical interventions and no drugs. I managed to pull off the no pain medication and a vaginal birth, but only after a four day induction and a heap of drugs helped get me there. Here’s how it all went down.
How will my kid’s childhood be different from my own?
I grew up in Alabama so I’m well-versed in the wonders of the humidity in the region, and though my son spent three years living in the South before we moved back to Oregon he didn’t remember this particular sensation. I was struck by the funniest feeling, and realized I’ve never considered what it will be like to raise my child in an entirely different environment — and largely different circumstances — than I was raised.
How do you handle jealous grandparents?
My husband and I are expecting our first child in September. My parents are divorced and both remarried. My mom has some anxiety issues that she generally handles very well, but can get overly emotional very easily when it comes to me (an only child). She has a jealous streak when it comes to my Step-Mom, which is not helped by the fact that while my Dad and Step-Mom live 10 minutes away, my Mom and Step-Dad are a good five hours away.