Reflections on a year of parenthood

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#I've got a parenting question!#babies#birthdays

Summer Pierre (who some of you may remember from her back-of-a-cab birth story) recently wrote about her son’s first birthday:

I used to read about mothers describing how vulnerable they felt after having their children, and think “Oh, isn’t that lovely. You’re so wide open now and loving at such a different level — how powerful.” Um, no. Powerful? Yes absolutely, but having your heart live outside you isn’t all lovely. It’s UNNERVING. It’s waking up to the fact that now, for the first time in my life, I truly have something to lose.

Go read the full post!

About the Author: Ariel

@findyourafterglow

Author of three editions of the Offbeat Bride book and its sequel (From Shitshow To Afterglow, the ultimate offbeat breakup book) Ariel Meadow Stallings is the publisher of all the Offbeat Empire web properties. She lives in Seattle with her son. To read her latest work, follow @arielist.

Comments on Reflections on a year of parenthood

  3. Having your heart live outside your body.. When we first had our son we couldn’t put words to the feelings we were having until a friend with children explained it in those exact words. It’s so true and absolutely unnerving!

  5. Yes, yes, yes. Totally relate.
    It’s the extreme highs where you cry at the beauty of a moment and then cry at the feeling that you just can’t do this anymore, all in an afternoon.
    And I am thinking of doing it all again..

  6. So beautiful. I’m not a mom, but I’m a big sister to three, and I’ve read a lot of mom blogs. This is the most clear description of parenthood I’ve read: the aching of truly having something to lose.

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