being a mom

Remy Bea’s Pink, Blue, + Gold Birthday Party

March 13, 2019 by Rachel 5 Comments

Remy Bea celebrated her 3rd birthday in January. Last year, for her second birthday, I planned an elaborate party. But January is a rough month in general. And between flu season and weather, I feel like I can never count on anything to fall into place, let alone everything that needs to for a party. Alas, it had to be cancelled.

So this year I felt like I really needed to make sure she had a great birthday party. And that’s why I planned a delayed birthday party for March!

Her one request from her Mimi was a Barbie cake. I don’t know what happened, but this child turned 3 and she decided she was a million percent girly. Well, a Barbie cake she received!

Her theme? Well, technically she didn’t have a “theme,” but she had a color scheme! And that color scheme was baby blues, pinks, gold, and GLITTER — so much glitter and sparkle!

The day of her party we were lucky to have so many of the people who love her present! Cousins, friends, grandparents, aunts, and uncles — they were all ready to celebrate our special little lady.

I debated the food for forever. I usually keep the food “on theme” but I was coming up blank for a kid who either wants to eat everything or wants to eat absolutely nothing but yogurt. Well, we went with a simple route — Philly Cheesesteak Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls (thank you, Instant Pot!), Remy’s favorite veggies (carrots + cucumbers) with dip, chips (obviously a toddler staple), and salad (oddly enough, also a Remy fave)

Her Mimi (my mom) made her two cakes — her requested Barbie cake and a blue ombré round cake with pink candies in the center. The ombré was a surprise from Mimi to Remy and she loved it!

After everyone snacked and chatted, we headed down to the gymnastics center for some tumbling. All of the kids — young and old — had so much fun.

By the end of the day, we were all completely worn out. But it was entirely worth it to see the joy in Remy’s eyes as we all celebrated her big day!

Cake: Made by Mimi
Decorations: Party City
Plates/Flatware: Target
Location: Riverfront YMCA

It’s Normal For Your Baby To Wake at Night

February 20, 2019 by Rachel 10 Comments

When I first became a mom nearly 7 years ago, I felt completely lost. I came home from the hospital and expected my baby to act like a ‘normal’ baby — you know, the babies that all of the moms are posting on their Facebook pages about? So when that didn’t happen, I was distraught. I vividly remember calling my friend Sarah and crying. Crying about the adjustment and crying about the fact that no one told me just how hard it would be.

See, my first baby did not sleep through the night. Nor did my second. Nor does my third. And despite what my Facebook friends would have me believe, it is absolutely normal for your baby to wake in the middle of the night.

I repeat — it is normal for your baby to wake up in the middle of the night!

For those moms in the back, your baby is normal!

I wish someone would have told me that the highlight reel I was viewing on Facebook was the extraordinary rather than the ordinary. Instead, I was inundated with “I can’t believe so-and-so has slept through the night since day 1! I’m so #blessed!” It left me feeling entirely defeated. I truly thought my baby was defective.

The highlight reel of social media left me feeling defeated. I thought my baby was defective because he didn't sleep through the night. Click To Tweet

But, it turns out, he was normal. He just wanted to eat and be held, as all newborns do. In fact, according to research, only 57% of babies stay asleep for 8-hours straight by one year of age.¹

Let’s break that down for a second — because babies go to sleep early. My own have always been put to bed at 7:30 PM. Eight hours from 7:30 PM is 3:30 AM. So at some point, if my baby goes to bed at 7:30 PM, they are still waking up in the middle of the night. Even if they go to sleep at 9:30 PM, that’s still a 5:30 AM wake-up call. And that’s only roughly half of newborns!

So for those of us with babies that wake to feed or be comforted in the middle of the night? That’s a 1:00 AM wake-up…. and/or 3:00 AM… and/or 5:00 AM. And lack of sleep can make even the not-so-hormonal people just a tad bit crazy.

Here I am, at 8 months with baby number three, and I can confidently say I somehow survived the deepest, darkest moments of sleep deprivation. I was not a “hashtag blessed” mom with my babies sleep. I was the opposite. I struggled. I cried. I, GASP!, even screamed.

But I also have spoken out about my struggles. And when I did, something magical happened. I learned that many others struggled with getting their babies to sleep at night. I breathed a collective sigh of relief. It may be a little true that misery loves company, but there is also a mutual support and understanding that comes with this kind of misery. The solidarity of knowing that I wasn’t on this journey alone was enough to really push me through.

So, Mama, I see you.

I know your struggles. I know you’re trying. I know you cry. And I absolutely know you’ll make it through.

In the meantime, if you need someone to talk to, to vent to, or to cry to… I am here.

¹Uninterrupted Infant Sleep, Development, and Maternal Mood

Mila Rose // 8 Months

February 13, 2019 by Rachel 3 Comments

How. HOW?! How is my littlest babe 8 months old?! I am in SHOCK, y’all. Straight up shock. I meant to do a six-month update… and then time got away from me so I planned on doing a 7-month update… but time got away from me again. So here we are at 8 freaking months.

Mila Rose is known to those who love her as Meebs.

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but she now answers to it! Remy calls her Meeba because she can’t say Mila. So she shortened it to Meebs and it kind of stuck. Everyone that I work with and most of the extended family refers to her as Meebs. I really don’t think it’s going to be something she can escape as she grows. Chick will always and forever be “Meebs.”

She’s my happiest baby — even when she’s under the weather.

She’s been sick a couple of times in the last 8 weeks or so with various viruses that have caused her to be a snotty mess. Honestly, I’ve handled it worse than she has (because, lack of sleep). But she still manages to be a happy little camper.

The worst part? Meebs hates the Nose Frida. She sees me coming at her with it and she loses her mind. I can’t say I blame her, but the Nose Frida works like a charm!

Rolls on rolls on rolls.

She is still tiny (5th percentile for weight), but she’s the first of my three kids to ever have any sort of rolls! She has a roll on each thigh and the chubbiest cheeks when she smiles! It’s so perfect.

And — in addition to the rolls — she is terribly ticklish. Her thighs, her neck, the bottoms of her feet, and (of all places) her back are very sensitive.

Sleep? Kind of.

Meebs is my best sleeper, but she’s still a baby and babies wake in the middle of the night. I try to remind myself that her pattern of waking twice a night is completely normal. Do you hear that, friends?? It’s normal!

I have found solace in the fact that this is my last newborn stage, and so this lack of sleep seems to be easier this time around.

Movement.

She’s not quite crawling, but she’s so very close. She’s sitting for hours at a time on her own. I’ll set some toys in front of her and she will just play while sitting — which is completely different from my other two kids. She’s pushed herself up onto all fours several times and will rock back and forth, but not yet crawling!

That’s not stopping Mila from getting where she needs to go! She rolls all over and turns herself to wherever she wants to go.

Food? A teeny bit.

But truthfully? Mostly still boob. It’s honestly fine. I am relishing these moments because I know they are fleeting. She has eaten some baby food — carrots, bananas, and avocados. She is definitely very interested but still makes a face with every bite. It’s so funny!

LOVES…

…Mommy, Baby Genius Nursery Rhymes, chewing on bristle blocks, her coffee cup teether, and her binky. Pretty much in that order. I don’t recall whether or not my other two ever had mommy-separation anxiety this early on, but I truly don’t think they did. And I kind of love it.

I can’t wait to see what this upcoming month holds in store for this little lady! Happy 8 months, Mila Rose! ♥ ♥

Remy Bea // Three

February 5, 2019 by Rachel 11 Comments

One day I’ll be the mom that is on top of everything. This is not that time, friends. Hence, a belated birthday recap for my middle child — the one who keeps me on my toes — Remy Bea.

Remy Bea turned 3 on January 23rd. I’m in disbelief. Absolute disbelief.

It seemed like just yesterday that she came bursting into our world — faster than expected and with a full head of hair!

Since that day, she’s been full of spunk and sass. Her first year of life made me literally question whether or not I could survive my battle of postpartum depression and anxiety. It was really, really awful and I was not in a good place.

But soon after her first birthday, we settled into a routine that was — dare I say it — enjoyable! Her spunk and sass went from “threatening” to hilarious. She was an absolute joy!

Thank goodness, right?? Well, that joy of a child made me so brave in my pursuits of motherhood that I decided to have a third. And at some point between getting pregnant with baby number three and her arrival, Remy Bea turned into a full-fledged terrible two-year-old.

Over the last year, we’ve been learning a lot about one another. I know that she is incredibly strong-willed — which I keep reminding myself will suit her well through her adolescent and early adult years.

She is smart and brave and funnier than most other people I’ve met. She will light up a room with her smile and tell you exactly what is on her mind. She will steal your snacks and convince you to share your food with her. She will sing you her favorite songs and encourage you to ‘try your best.’

And I love every part of her — every painful, every stubborn, and every wonderful part of her.

Happy (belated) third birthday, Remy Bea. I love you a bushel and a peck. ♥

2018 // That’s a wrap!

January 2, 2019 by Rachel 10 Comments

This blog post is coming to ya 3 days late, thanks to a healthy dose of laziness at the holidays! Ha! At least I’m being honest.

But also? I’ve been doing a lot of extra reflecting over the last couple of days. And my emotions are straight up all over the place.

I truly expected 2018 to be SUPER hard. I started the year pregnant with baby number three and fully anticipating that this child would send me down a deep dark hole of PPD and PPA. It turns out she didn’t. In fact, I’ve kinda been flourishing and finding myself kicking butt at this mother of three thing.

We ended our night in perfect ‘parent-of-3-kids’ fashion — with an 8:30pm Netflix countdown with party hats and sweet tarts. And followed it up with a parents-only movie night in our NEW home, with a bottle of champagne, and homemade lobster rolls.

So while our 2018 came to a slow and quiet end, I looked back through my camera roll to see all of the amazing things that transpired since last January.

January

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I met up with some great local bloggers for a little networking and brainstorming. It really kicked off my year in a big way by getting the creative juices flowing and reigniting my spark!

February

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Visited NASA Glenn Research Center with a special group of influencers for the State of NASA address. We got a behind the scenes look at some really cool aerospace technology.

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Later in the month I covered the Cleveland Auto Show on behalf of Toyota!

March

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We spent most of the month having fun at Cafe O’Play with the kids (thanks to a Winter family pass!). It wore the kids out and allowed me to get some work done at the same time!

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Oh – and Chad and I had a much-needed date night at Hilarities at Pickwick and Frolic, complete with a Barrio dinner-date beforehand!

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April

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This was a pretty big month for us. We had (secretly) known about the gender of baby number three for a while, but we finally revealed the news to our friends & family! Baby number three was officially a GIRL!

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We also celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary with little fanfare. And, by little, I mean none! Ha! But that’s what happens when you’re pregnant with your third baby, right?

May

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This, the month before my due date, I spent as much time as possible loving on my existing two babies. Lots of small adventures were had.

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Oh, and I had some maternity photos done.

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And met up with some fabulous bloggers for glass blowing at the Glass Asylum.

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And then again for a photoshoot meetup at Borrow Rentals.

June

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I swear to you I spent this entire month just ready for Mila to arrive. In any spare moment I had, I was walking. Usually with the other two kids in tow.

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The kids also enjoyed a LOT of swimming!

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And then, of course, the arrival of Mila Rose.

July

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We adjusted to life with another little.

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But I still managed to make it out of the house with all of the kids! Like Mila’s first trip to the Cleveland Flea with me and Remy Bea!

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And her first trip to the LEGO Store with Ari!

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Oh, and we had amazing newborn photos done.

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Then visited Edgewater Park Beach.

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And I took a yoga class with some fellow bloggers at Sibling Revelry Brewery. Mila came, too, although she spent most of her time in her car seat. Ha!

August

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My first baby went off to his first day of Kindergarten!

September

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I spent my first week completely solo with all three kids. I survived while Chad went away on his business trip AND I even managed to sneak out with just Mila to see the Infinity Mirrors by Yayoi Kusama exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

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Remy and I went out exploring our local Akron neighborhoods.

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And we visited the apple orchard when Mimi came to town!

October

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Ari turned SIX!

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Chad and I went on our first truly solo (no Mila!) date night to the Best of Cleveland party at the Rock Hall.

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And we had a fun Halloween photo shoot with the girls!

November

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I got to check out the new indoor putt-putt course at Punch Bowl Social in the Flats!

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The Big Kids went to Kringle’s Inventionasium to see Santa’s workshop!

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And we decided to purchase our forever home!

December

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We closed on our new house!

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…and between moving and getting settled, we celebrated Christmas.

Seriously I could not be more grateful to all of the people who made 2018 the best year yet. I may not have taken a fancy vacation or gotten a big new promotion, but I had the most fulfilling year to date! It was full of everything that is most important — family, friends, lots of love, memories, and delicious food.

Cheers to 2019!

A Different Kind of Happy

December 14, 2018 by Rachel 12 Comments

“We haven’t been happy for a long time.”

Before Kids – AKA when it was easy

Disclaimer – this may be an unpopular post/opinion, but it’s real life. And, in all honesty, when my husband said this out loud to me, I responded with, “we’re just a different kind of happy.” But then he said, “Yeah but not a ‘happy all the time just because‘ happy.”

And you know what? He’s right.

But so am I.

Having kids is completely draining. Sure, it’s emotionally draining. But it’s also physically demanding. At the end of a busy day, when you have zero left to give, you have no choice but to give just a bit more. Your little humans’ lives are depending on it.

And it’s emotionally exhausting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been brought to my knees and at the mercy of a two-year-old demanding lord knows what. That’s not to say that I give in, but I’ll tell ya what — there have been many moments where I’ve negotiated with the (tiny) terrorist if it meant just a little bit of sleep.

Would I trade them? Not for all of the riches in the world.

But I can still long for the days where I only had to wipe *only* my own ass.

The days where I could live by my own schedule.

The nights where I could work extra hours in the office and not have to worry about anyone waking up and needing me in the middle of a deadline.

I look at my husband and long for moments where we aren’t both too tired to converse during (a long overdue) date night.

Surely I know these days and moments are fleeting. But right now? Right now they are REALLY FREAKING HARD. They are fabulous, messy, hilarious, frustrating, and so. damn. HARD.

So if you’re in the thick of it like us, just know that you’re not alone when you get these feelings. It’s okay to be bummed about the fact that your life looks vastly different than it did before. It doesn’t make you a bad mom (or dad); It doesn’t mean you don’t love your kids; It just means you’re normal.