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When trying to make arrangements for the holidays, you feel as though you’re competing between the two (or more) families. We’ve heard the horror stories about how your mother-in-law might judge how you cook the Christmas feast or decorate the house, and we’ve all seen monsters-in-law depicted in multiple movies. While some of those clichés can be accurate, I feel like I hit the jackpot when it comes to my in-laws.

In fact, my husband’s only sister was a big reason I fell in love with him. She was cool and a riot to be around. I not only gained her as a sister, but the other two women who married into this family, as well. They've all become my best friends.

Sure, we have plenty of differences—different backgrounds, beliefs, interests and life experiences—yet the love and connection we have for each other trumps all of that. People who see us in public wonder if we're old high school friends, longtime co-workers or even college roommates. We often hear, “You ladies are lucky. That doesn’t happen very often.” Yes, we are lucky. Even with our differences in age, musical taste, style, political beliefs, etc., it feels as though we are the exception to the rule regarding the dreaded in-laws.

(Read the full article HERE)

As I tried to do simple math in my head and figure out the tip for my pedicure, the sweet man behind the counter said, “Thank you and have a happy Mother Days” (no, that's not a typo). I smiled and turned to walk out, the placement of the plural “s” at the end of that phrase not lost on me. “Mother Days.” I snickered all the way to the car.

The salutation actually seemed much more fitting for the upcoming holiday because isn’t every day a mom day? As a kid I remember asking my mom why there was a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day but no Kid's Day, feeling completely screwed. “Because every day is Kids Day!” she and my dad would exclaim in unison.

I get it now.

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Read the full article at Mom.me by clicking HERE.

I’ll admit it, the idea of a glamour maternity shoot or professional pregnancy photos is one that has bugged me in the past. I’m not sure why, it just felt like it was so over the top. I unfairly judged the women who got all dolled up and showed off their bumps. Were they flaunting their perfect pregnant bodies? Were they bragging about the fact that they looked good while the rest of us were trolls in sweatpants?

Looking back now, I realize that because I never felt great during my pregnancies, I didn’t want my picture taken. And because I didn’t want my picture taken, seeing photos of beautiful moms-to-be with their cute little bumps and their glowing faces made me want to throw up.

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Read the full article at Mom.me by clicking HERE.

During pregnancy, our bodies stretch and get pulled, they grow and expand, our backs ache, our bones ache and our ligaments feel like they're going to snap. It is a beautiful time of life but it can, at times, feel like torture.

As your baby grows, your uterus takes up most of the space in your abdomen. It pushes everything else out of the way and those organs and muscles can press on nerves, causing pain or discomfort. The crowding affects the spine as well, causing even more discomfort. (Oh, the joys!)

Luckily, there is something you can do for your body: Go get a prenatal massage from a licensed massage therapist! Getting a massage can feel like an indulgence, and some moms have a hard time spending money on themselves. While it may be a luxury, it is one that could improve your overall sense of awareness and connection to not only your changing or changed body but even to your baby.

(Read the full article HERE)

We seem to have a common background noise at our house, one that I have been tiring of: Crying. Tantrums. Whining. I’ve tried many approaches to keeping those sounds at a minimum but for some reason 2018 has turned up the dial without my permission.

For weeks, I went to bed feeling shattered, like I'd been listening to static all day, unable to hear myself think. I felt like I lived in a circus. As the mom, it’s my job to put out the fires but I was running out of the necessary water to do so. My tank was empty and I couldn’t handle one more meltdown. I had suddenly become "that mom": Haggard. Tired. Done.

I needed to try something new.

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Read the full article at Mom.me by clicking HERE. 

Around here, the words "date night" don’t get said too often. We try, but it’s hard to sneak away from the little ones and give each other our undivided attention. When we do, we always try to make great, but I realize “date night” can evolve—and that’s OK. Love can continue to grow.

The goal is to keep smiling, keep kissing, embrace time together whenever you can get it and stay in love while in the trenches of parenthood. Through the noise, through life’s struggles, let the definition of “date night” evolve.

Read the full article at Mom.me by clicking HERE.