I deleted the photos, and put the phone down: letting go of nostalgia for the future
I recently tried to sync my phone and couldn’t because it was too full. I couldn’t even update my podcasts because of all the pictures and videos taking up space — so I had to pare down. Deciding which photos and videos to save and which to delete was a challenge: what if I had a few minutes on the subway and wanted to look at pictures from a few years ago? I wasn’t ready.
I’m anti-circumcision and am invited to a bris — how can I make it through without being rude?
I have a friend who is pregnant, and as it is wont to do, the topic of circumcision recently came up. My friend’s husband is Jewish, and a bris is expected. I am very anti-circumcision, but I don’t make a habit of preaching about it and my friend has no idea.
A dreamy nature park maternity session just in time for Mother’s Day
Happy Mother’s Day, moms! I thought this gorgeous whimsical maternity session by Kentucky-based Seriously Sabrina Photography would be a great addition to our site today.
Creating community by using donated breast milk
I feed my daughter a mix of my breast milk, formula and donated breast milk from five different women. Not only has donated breast milk benefited my daughter’s digestion and overall health, it has introduced me to other moms that I’m now proud to consider part of my community.
I’m using Harry Potter to teach a first grader literacy skills
Just as caretakers have been surreptitiously sneaking veggies into kids’ favorite foods for eons, I have been hiding literacy skills in games and activities that center around JK Rowling’s brilliant, alluring universe. And it’s working. I might even say… it’s just like magic.
Our one-bedroom condo in Seattle: Home to four people and a kitty living well
We’re a family of four that love living in a pretty small space. Our condo is 730 square feet, one bedroom and one-and-a-half baths. We didn’t intend to stay here, and I certainly never expected to end up loving small space living or a minimalist approach to possessions but this home has taught me the value of both and shaped the expectations I put on myself for how I want to show up as a home maker in the world.
How the Wall Street Journal took a giant dump on women
You’ve heard about blogging conferences and events, right? Basically, a huge group of bloggers get together in a pre-determined location to do what people do at work conferences — network, hang out, and learn. Or, that’s what I’ve always assumed happens at work conferences, but according to this piece published by the Wall Street Journal, the only thing that happens when you gather a large group of mothers who blog together is a whole bunch of selfies and mini bar raiding.
42 hours of back labor was actually pretty awesome
I had enjoyed an easy pregnancy without many of the usual issues, but as we reached the 40th week I was ready to be finished! We had decided to go with a midwife for our prenatal care and the birth, and also brought in a doula on the recommendation of a few friends. We also definitely wanted a hospital birth, so we made sure to choose a nurse midwife who was affiliated with the best maternity hospital in the area. I run with a fairly offbeat crowd, but having the baby anywhere other than a hospital was just not for me. I was hoping to not take any pain meds, but was fine with doing so if that’s how it went.