Marriage while raising children doesn’t always look like I pictured it would. In what feels like a different lifetime ago, we were just a couple of kids navigating our early twenties. There was a playful freedom that comes along with still having time to explore who you are as a couple, and as an individual. In that era, family was a shared dream that we’d tackle when we were ready. But in those days of just you & I, time seemed to move so much slower and there was so much mo

Have you ever found yourself surprised by a subconscious notion that was still living in your head from childhood? If you asked me outright, I’d say of course, toys don’t have a gender. Boys can enjoy baby dolls, barbies and crafts. It’s acceptable and encouraged for girls to like getting dirty, blocks and monster trucks. Turns out though, there was still a tiny piece of a stereotype, built on things I’d heard through childhood, still buried in my head- that caused me to thin

We’re the house where the neighborhood kids gather. Our yard is filled with bikes abandoned in favor of a soccer match. Chalk drawings cover our driveway and the woods behind our house has eaten a whole lot of kickballs. The home where the screen door is opened twenty-eight times in one afternoon and the kids are constantly sticky with popsicle juice. A space where jokes are shared, laughter is loud and imagination lives on. The house where it feels safe to still be a kid. Fo

Let’s chat on messy, sensory play. There are two types of people. One is the embracer of the chaos, the process over product enthusiast. The other cringes when rice hits the floor or a toddler with sticky hands is rapidly approaching them and there’s not a single pack of wipes in sight. And usually, they marry each other. Or perhaps, they are co-teachers running a classroom together. Based on this photo, I’ll let you guess which I am. Here’s the thing I find about sensory pla

What my family is currently reading — and for the littlest two of the crew, that means what they’re asking to be read over and over again. Toddler- 𝐏𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐲’𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 by Elm Tree Books An interactive “lift the flap” book that features a puppy as the main character who is hunting for and exploring different places to play. Each page depicts the puppy visiting a new spot and the dialogue offers a clue about what animal the puppy (and your toddler) will find

Let’s talk about the woman who gave it up. The one who found a career she loved. A place where she belonged. A space where she felt confident for the first time in her life. Until at some pivotal moment, lost among the chaos, everything changed. Maybe it was when two lines appeared on the stick instead of one. Maybe it was that first day back from maternity leave. Maybe it was the first missed milestone. Perhaps it wasn’t until child two or three that brought a jarring realiz