Boyd Meets Girl

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Mama, why are you crying?

I never knew motherhood would bring so many tears. Sure, it was assumed (acknowledged as a truth although never fully processed, funny how that seems to happen a lot when it comes to things you’ve heard about parenting) there would be plenty of tears from babies turned toddlers turned threenagers turned basically college graduates. But tears of my own? Never thought of it, really. Indeed, I give both of my children a run for their money in the tear department. Daily, at the absolute minimum, tears of my own well up in my eyes and eventually roll down my cheek a time or two before it’s on to the next thing, and the necessity to dry it up and move along is abundantly clear. And as we are in the absolute throws of threenagerness, an abundance of questioning follows consistently behind my trail of absolute raw emotion. Most of the time, eerily gentle, almost as if she is far older and in tune than her little 3 year old self could possibly be, comes a little whisper, sometimes accomp...

How Not to Raise an Asshole

Guys, you know how I am. I tell it like I see it. And these days, I see a LOT of two things: asshole adults and asshole kids who will grow up to be asshole adults. Not raising an asshole requires work , so if you aren't interested in some blood, sweat and tears, then close your browser, and don't forget to write a rude comment on your way out. Let me preface this by saying: these suggestions are being made from my professional side, not my parenting side--- let's be real, the verdict is still out on whether my kids will grow up to be assholes or not (just kidding... over my dead body will they be entitled, dependent adults)... but still, the important distinction of point-of-view needs to be mentioned. Here are some ways not to raise an asshole: 1) Teach them how to do stuff. You know how kids don't come with an instruction manual? Well, neither does growing up. Kids learn from example how to do almost everything - show them how to do things! Don't just...

Best Products for Baby Bath Time

Oh, bath time. When I just had one kiddo, it was actually enjoyable to bathe her regularly and relatively drama-free. My oldest loved to play in the water and only cried about getting out or pooped in the bathtub occasionally. Enter second child. Enter extreme sleep deprivation and being overwhelmed. All the sudden bath time wasn't so much fun anymore. 9 months into being a mother of two, I can say with confidence that bath time is more like the bath time I used to love and cherish - enjoyable! But not without the help of a handful of products that really make bath time more enjoyable and safe for both me and my sweet little angels. As a mom, I'm constantly looking for products that make my life easier and keep my kids safe. Without further adieu, here are some of the best (in my opinion) products for bath time! (disclaimer: some of the links provided are affiliate links, which will result in a small amount of compensation to help fund my freelance writing efforts if cli...

Dear Disgruntled Mama....

Dear disgruntled mama.... Dear disgruntled mama, who cusses (sometimes not very quietly either) in response to her 5:30am alarm clock who WILL NOT SNOOZE, both literally and figuratively. Dear disgruntled mama, who has set her personal aspirations and cleanliness aside for the last however many years while she cares for littles ones and makes their dreams hers. Dear disgruntled mama, who has yelled more in the last year than she ever thought she would in a lifetime. Dear disgruntled mama, who puts her frustrations inwards because there is no more room for it on the outside. Dear disgruntled mama, who wants to murder the next person who asks her "how do you do it all?" because like you have a choice. Dear disgruntled mama, who wonders when and if there will ever be a day again where she can sit down on the couch and truly be "done" for the day. Dear disgruntled mama, who longs for some time away but knows that even that time away would never be the same...

Lucy's Birth Story

((((This was first written when she was 5 weeks old, and now she is 5 months old (almost) ))))) It's been about 5 weeks since little Lucy was born into this world, and let me tell you: it's been nothing but a roller coaster since BEFORE she got here. So much has happened, I do feel the need to document it here, so one day if I forget all the details it will be here for her to read. Let's start with a side story, involving my sweet, sweet fur baby Max. I have had Max for 10 years now. 10. years. He is my little tenacious terrier who doesn't listen, loves cheese and popcorn, and has been my sidekick through jobs, boyfriends/husband, living arrangements... he is just the best. I have a feeling that I will be touching more on his story later, but for right now, I can be brief and say: Max started getting sick (vomiting and not eating) when I was about 37 weeks pregnant. We went through a huge amount of diagnostic testing and treatment and I'm sad to say that ther...

11 Ways to Calm Colic (from a Mom who knows Firsthand)

Colic. Fussy baby. Crying all the time. Needy baby. Spoiled baby. WHATEVER you want to call it, if you have a baby who is fussy A LOT then you know how hard it is. I, with a 4 month old who has been described as all of the above, am speaking from experience here. It is not fun. But, from what I read anyway, it goes away. Hopefully by the time she is 18 years old. Lord, help me. I actually hate the term "colicky." It doesn't really tell you WHAT the problem is. Just that there is one and that is supposedly goes away. I'm a problem solver. If there is a problem, I want to solve it. (Check out my hook while the DJ revolves it)... Really, from all that I have read and heard, the best "cure" for colic is time - which is the hard part. Because let me tell you, these months have been long and frustrating, and I'm only assuming that there are more months to come. Here are some tips that I have gathered in my desperate search for relief from the colicky baby. ...