Green Bay Area Mom

When it comes to new house envy, I am the guiltiest. But it turns out the easiest way to stop comparing my house to those I see on TV … is to shut off the TV.

My husband and I are making a conscious effort to share the mental load. It’s not easy. I am by nature a planner, and my husband is not. It will take months if not years, but we are trying hard because the demands of our work/life schedule are growing.

I remember watching one of my closest friends putting her baby to her breast. It was like magic.  It was as if baby and mom were perfectly connected.  Meanwhile, I sat attached to my pump EVERY 3 hours.  I still needed to use formula. I felt like I failed to connect with my baby.  I’d cry because the sound of my pump parts clicking together made my milk let down…not the cry of my baby.  

When it’s all said and done, the truth is that lice is part of parenting.  Along with cleaning up vomit, helping them go to the bathroom, and the endless snot that enters your life upon having children, lice is another gross part of the journey.

AHHH February is here!! I don't know about your family, but by the time February rolls around, my kiddos are literally bouncing off the walls. By now we've done it all indoors - from play dough to massive blanket forts - and cabin fever is definitely setting in. My oldest asks me every day how many more days until Spring (I hate to break it to you sweetie, but Spring in Wisconsin is RARELY punctual). The only silver lining is the great area we live in! When we first moved here, we were pleasantly surprised at all of the family friendly activities in Green Bay. You can almost attend an open gym every day of the week! 

You know as well as we do that being a mom is hard.  Without a doubt, it is the most rewarding job we will ever sign up for. But...it can be isolating, overwhelming and completely exhausting.  In our endless quest to be the best mom possible, we can lose ourselves in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Pretty sure "it takes a village" was directed at moms.

Friday, Februrary 2nd is National Wear Red Day®. This day was meant to bring attention to the fact that heart disease is the #1 killer of women. This means that it is very likely that a woman you know will die of heart disease. By wearing red on National Wear Red day it shows that you support the efforts being made by the American Heart Association and other research institutes to curb the number of deaths that are caused by heart disease. So, along with wearing red, I urge you to consider one or two of these ways to love your heart this February.

The best way to be prepared is to plan. This takes time and coordination, but this is little to ask when it comes to the safety of our families.

The fact of the matter is, anything around us can inspire. Anything can bring us to appreciate. Anything can put us in a place of remembrance where we pause and reflect. You just have to find your “something”.

"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" has always been my favorite children's book. Inspired by that book, here is my mom version that pretty much sums up my daily life. I hope you enjoy it.