300 Days of Sunshine

We are one month into our adventure as a family of four!  Life is fast-paced, noisy, and chaotic, and I'm learning new skills I never even knew I required as a mother of two.  My strategies for managing a three-nager and a newborn are very different, I still have a lot to learn, and I am stretched to my limits most days,  but it's also immensely rewarding to watch the kiddos learn new skills, interact with each other, and express wonder about the world.  During my first month of maternity leave I have had the opportunity to reflect on my relationships and values, and as always I strive to maintain balance in my life.  I'm trying to get out of the house every day, keep up with hobbies, connect with friends, and avoid completely losing my mind. Here are a few tidbits about life lately: 1. Valentine's Day :  Despite the overly capitalistic, patriarchal, and heteronormative nature of Valentine's Day, I actually enjoy this holiday.  I think of it as a t...

Today is our baby girl's due date, but Meredith Rose was ready for life on the outside and decided to make her debut 12 days early!  We're thankful to have had almost two extra weeks to snuggle and get to know our beautiful and smart girl.  Our tiny Capricorn entered the world during a snow storm on a Thursday afternoon, and life is forever changed.   If thereʼs one thing I have learned from my vibrant community of mothers is that a birth plan is an oxymoron.  But despite this reality, I also believe whole-heartedly that birth is something that a woman does, actively and purposefully, not something that is done to her.  And that all births are "natural."  My birth story started on Wednesday afternoon when I was admitted to the Labor and Delivery unit directly from work because of inconsistent blood pressures and early signs of preeclampsia, and the midwife recommended induction.  I had known this was a possibility for a few weeks, and while ...

Here it is - an overview of my year of reading!  Books broaden our horizons, offer unique perspectives on life, help us to process the world and the events going on around us, while providing an escape from reality at times.  I love looking at the cover of a book and remembering where I was when I read it.  This year I read books on our Alaska trip, on road trips, at local coffee shops, and listened to audiobooks while hiking or walking the dog.  I read a few newbies from favorite authors (Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys , Elizabeth Gilbert's City of Girls, Barbara Kingsolver's Unsheltered , Stephen King's The Institute ), explored some new authors (Sally Rooney's Normal People , Carmen Maria Machado's Her Body and Other Parties , Candice Carty-Williams' Queenie ), read some award-winners ( Florida , The Indian World of George Washington ) and some lesser known titles ( The Intuitionist , The Ensemble , The Whale: A Love Story ).  I love...