It's that time of year where there is so much going on in the city so it's tempting to fill each and every weekend with parties, appointments, festivities and play dates. I go through moments in my life where the stillness scares me, the quiet is uninviting and the slow vibes start to make me feel uneasy. But having a baby really makes you see these moments at home with a different lens.
Read MoreAlthough this is Winter’s second Christmas, it feels like the first all over again. She was so tiny last year at around 5-weeks-old and essentially slept through the entire Christmas Eve gift exchange. This year, she is walking, talking and showing interest in all the things I love about the holidays, like the lights, the parties and the holiday music and cheer.
Read More
I am slowly starting to put the life vest back on. The life vest that I always knew was there but was maybe too proud or too weak to grab for. For the last year, I have set unrealistic expectations for myself. When I am at work, I give 150%; I pumped three times a day while I was nursing, which meant I never got a lunch or any other break and I often felt like I was failing my colleagues because I couldn’t stay late for meetings. At home, I gave 300%; I took care of Winter, I grocery shopped, I tried to cook, I stayed up late to clean the house, worked on my blog, texted my family and friends, and responded to comments on Instagram all while trying my best to stay positive and enthusiastic.
Read MoreSo weaning happened and all I can say is holy hormones! When I first had Winter, I thought breastfeeding would come naturally for us. I literally thought that you just put the child up to your boob and they got milk. My naïve self snuffed at the thought of a breastfeeding class and never thought to ask any other mother I knew what it was like for them. When I first launched this blog, I wrote about my breastfeeding journey here.
Read MoreWinter,
On November 6, 2016 at 6:39 PM, you turned one years old. I can’t describe to you the joy it brings to me, the honor I share with your father in wishing you a happy first birthday. From the moment you were born, my soul flew free, wrapped its arms around you and hasn’t left your side since. I picture this process often. I envision a warm, translucent light hovering over you as you explore your world, encouraging you to spread your kindness to everyone you meet.
Read MoreA few weeks ago, I had the honor of planning the second heymama Denver chapter event held at a gorgeous space called Union 27. The focus of the event was social media: how to speak to your customers, build loyalty and drive growth via your most relevant channels. We had the chance to sit with a wonderful mix of panelists who taught us the tricks of the trade.
Read MoreA few weeks ago, Perry and I harvested the pumpkins that we grew in our previous house that was rented out over the summer (the tenants are amazing and still share the crops with us). When we planted these pumpkin seeds, Winter was a mere five-months-old. We both find so much enjoyment growing her goodies and we were super impressed with how big these pumpkins got this year.
Read MoreI had the honor of being in one of my best friend’s wedding a few weekends ago. The day after the wedding, I had coffee with the bride and our other dear friend. I started telling them about how my postpartum funk had begun to show its ugly face again once I started back up to work in August. I keep thinking I am past it, but then stress hits and bam, I am completely brought to my knees by my inability to cope with it all. My friends asked me (more like begged me) to start putting myself first so I could get a grasp on things and when they inquired what helped me, I responded “to write”.
Read MoreWinter,
Every time we approach a mirror and you see your reflection, you smile. You grin ear to ear as you look at yourself in the mirror. I wish I could be more like you, grateful, non-judgmental and simply happy with the image staring back me.
Read MoreWinter has two bottom teeth coming in! It is such an exciting milestone but can be a difficult one to navigate for both parent and baby. So, I asked the greater community of Instagram to provide any teething tips and was overwhelmed with the knowledgeable responses. I haven't tried all of them but I figured I would compile a list in case you too are needing some ideas.
Read MoreAs a first time mother, I was unsure about a lot of things. I was definitely one of those mothers who would wake up multiple times in the night just make sure Winter was not too hot or too cold and to check if she was breathing.
Read MoreThe day before returning back to work from maternity leave, Winter and I visited Meek Vintage and sat on their couch for an hour while I held my sleeping then three-month-old baby. Tears filled my eyes at the thought of leaving her. I am actually getting teary-eyed typing this because I remember the raw emotion so well. I don't know if that memory will ever leave me.
Read MoreLast week, I had the honor of partnering with heymama to plan and co-host a launch event in Denver. When I started talking to Katya Libin, the co-founder of heymama, I explained to her how lonely it had been for me to be the first woman out of my group of friends to have a baby. I conveyed to her how I used social media to connect to other like-minded mamas; adding, that it would be a dream of mine to be able to use my creativity, drive and empathy in a role that would allow me to connect and advocate for other women while working from home.
Read MoreWe sat at this trailhead near our current house just days before we found out that our offer on our new home had been accepted. I've heard the real estate market all over the country is competitive and the Denver metro area is no different. To say that we were shocked that our bid was accepted above the other seven other offers made is an understatement. It definitely took a few days to sink in.
Read MoreThere are so many products out there for mom + baby. It can definitely be confusing to know what to buy or use. Perry and I took the approach of trying to buy the least amount of stuff and get to know our daughter's like and dislikes before we went crazy at the store. However, we all know that hindsight is 20/20 and there are a select few products that we wish we would have known about earlier and plan to save and use when baby number two comes (which is yet to be determined).
Read MoreIt's Perry's first Father's day and I could not be more proud to call him my husband and the father of my child. For as long as I have known Perry, he has wanted to be a father, especially to a sweet baby girl. He is often a more patient parent than I and I have no doubt that Winter already knows that he is the fun one! Anytime I am in the other room, laughter radiates from the room that they are in, sending me warm and fuzzy feelings from afar. I am not sure he knows how much comfort it brings me when I watch the two of them interact. I will spend my life trying to remind him how truly grateful I am.
Read MoreThis past weekend, some of my friends and I took a baby massage class from the Colorado School of Healing Arts. I've been interested in learning new ways to soothe and connect with Winter so when this opportunity arose I quickly jumped on it. Plus, it was free!! Winter decided that she didn't want to nap before the class so she was a bit of a wiggle mess.
Read MoreWe’ve been going strong for nearly six months, she and I. If you would’ve told me that I would actually enjoy breastfeeding after the first time that Winter latched, I probably would have thrown my breastfeeding pillow (and everything else within arm's reach) in the direction of where you were standing. Nursing was neither pleasant nor beautiful in the beginning.
As a new mom with very few friends with kids, I was blindsided by how much it hurt, how physically and emotionally draining it was and how steep the learning curve was to learn to do it effectively.
I know that no gift could ever trump the best gift which is being a mother of course but I figured with Mother's Day around the corner, I would put together some gift ideas that feature some of my favorite small shops. So Mamas, let's treat ourselves :)
Read MoreOn one of the last snowy days in Denver this winter, I dressed our Winter in her bear suit and we headed to Meek Vintage to check out their shop. I have been following the owners, Kelly and Emma Meeks, on Instagram for a while and was excited to see their new storefront that opened this past November. Have you ever walked into a place and immediately felt this overwhelming sense of familiarity and peace, like you just walked into your own home? That's the exact feeling I experienced as I walked through the doors at Meek. Not only is the decor calm and inviting, the store well-organized and well-thought-out, but Kelly and Emma have the most welcoming and sincere disposition.
Read More
