Best of Blogs eBook from Babble

Way back when, seems like forever ago, I had a newborn baby that didn't want to breastfeed. The struggle of those first few months and the desire to breastfeed an unwilling child made for a tough time. A time that I felt like nobody talked about. So I decided to write a blog post about it. A post to hopefully help others that are in my same situation. Unless you have been there you just can't relate.

Flash forward to now and Babble, one of my favorite Mom resources, picked up my post on breastfeeding to publish in their new eBook, Parenting, Uncensored: Straight Talk from Real Moms and Dads on Breastfeeding. The eBook is a collection of posts on the subject of breastfeeding from several wonderful bloggers who have gone through one thing or another with breastfeeding.

"In twelve frank and funny essays, Parenting Uncensored gives a range of perspectives on an often controversial topic: breastfeeding. From Stefanie Wilder’s plea for everyone to stop judging one another to Ilana Wiles’s account of pumping in public (“You don’t know breast pump awkwardness until two 20 year-old guys are coordinating your pumping session over walkie talkies, then appearing to escort you to the back of the hair and make-up trailer and standing outside the front door … “), you’ll hopefully find a kindred spirit and even be inspired to join the conversation. Several of the essays in the book were chosen by the Babble community as the most compelling and helpful examination of the topic."

I am honored to be featured in this eBook and excited that more women will get a chance to read and relate to my personal story on breastfeeding. Its a topic that is heavily debated and one that no matter what your story women continually feel judged. Hopefully more and more mothers will be empowered by this eBook.

Check out the Babble page to learn more and purchase your eBook today!

Mama, Mama, Mama!!

Molly's first word was Dada. She said it early and often. And she was so proud of being able to say it. For awhile Dada meant her Dad and me because she hadn't yet figured out how to say Mama. I couldn't wait to hear her say my new name, "Mama." She finally picked it up around 13 months old and it was so amazing to hear. I loved it. I could listen to her say it all day long. Mama, mama, mama.

When I returned from my short weekend trip to Vegas for a bachelorette party a couple weeks ago I couldn't wait to pick her up, give her a kiss and hear her say my name.

But then in the days to follow that simple little word would start to haunt me. It seems as though Molly picked up some severe separation anxiety with my being away. I also hear that around 18 months it really peaks as well as they begin to understand more. And whew, did it peak!

It was probably one of the most frustrating weeks of motherhood thus far. I couldn't leave the room, I could barely even step more than 2 feet away. Huge temper tantrums where thrown when I had to sit her down so I could use the restroom. (she was in the restroom with me!!) We had friends over and the entire time she wouldn't even play or let me have a conversation unless I was holding her. If I went inside to get a friend a drink it was an epic meltdown.

Then it started to affect sleep. It took me over an hour to get her down for a few nights and then she would wake up only 30 minutes later crying out, Mama, mama, mama! The only way we could get her to stay asleep was to have my husband go in and rock her back to sleep.

YIKES! I wanted to pull my hair out and scream!

This was a few weeks ago and it has calmed down a little bit but its not 100% better. She still needs more attention at bedtime, she still wants me in the room with her most of the time and if someone besides her Dad or I even approach her she starts to call for me - Mama, mama, mama!

I know its only a phase. I know it will pass. But man, its exhausting.

Anyone have any tips on how to handle this? Anybody else's little ones have extreme separation anxiety?

I want to be there for her, obviously, but I also want her to learn how to be independent. And be okay with me going to pee!

Front Door Makeover

Our 1958 home has these darling front doors. Yep, 2 of them. They have their drawbacks, we only open one and its not as wide as the average door. But they are uber charming and one of the historic features that I love about owning a home that is over 50 years old. They are solid wood, have beautiful detail and they don't look just like the neighbors next door. Swoon!

Despite all of their current pros I still wanted to take them up a notch. Lets paint them! Colored front doors are something I have always wanted and an easy/inexpensive way to add some pop to the entry to your home. That is all the convincing I needed and I put it on our Home Project List.

I had been admiring a blue/teal color on a house along a neighborhood street nearby for years. This was my chance to take that admiration to another level. So the decided color was blue/teal.

My mom was in town about a month ago and since Molly had Mother's Day Out while she was here we made that our project day (see playroom art).

Some people leave the doors on to paint but with the narrow space they are housed in and the detail of the doors we opted to take them off. Once we got them off we laid them down in the garage and got to work.

In total it took us 3 coats of an exterior primer and paint in one. We let them dry for about 4 hours before putting them back on (we could have waited longer but it was getting dark).

Voila! Painted doors!



And because a before and after is always necessary.

Before:



After:



And a night shot for good measure.




I can't wait to have all our planting and yard work done for Spring. Then its really going to pop!

I would also like to replace our light fixtures and do something different with the mailbox. In time.