A well known figure on Instagram recently welcomed her first daughter into the world. As she briefly shared an update on postpartum life with a 3 day old, all she could exude was pure joy. She explained that everything was absolutely wonderful and perfect and everything she had ever dreamed of. I was so happy for her and those feelings. Everyone wants those feelings and that type of experience. But, my heart broke and ached for another woman watching the […]
Continue ReadingYou are a Good Mom
Yes, we have eyes in the back of our heads. And of course, “momma knows best.” But, we are not omnipotent. You are not a terrible mother. Someone out there called herself a bad mom this week. Maybe out loud, maybe under her breath. Maybe those words were on repeat in her head as she just couldn’t figure out how to calm the crying. We’ve all been there: that panic feeling of trying everything under the sun to make your […]
Continue ReadingBig Lessons from Little Books
You learn a lot of things when you become a mom. How to change diapers, how to burp a baby, how to wrangle an toddler, how to coerce said toddler into a carseat, the list goes on. You also discover a lot of skills you never knew you had. Like who knew, my husband was an expert at getting a toddler to enjoy brushing his teeth? I discovered that I have an absolutely incredible memory. Ok, maybe that’s an exaggeration […]
Continue ReadingRedefining our Perspective: Realizing an Answered Prayer
It had been one of those nights. Little man had woken up four or five times. We were coming off his first cold and his sleep schedule was a wreck. The easiest way to get him back to sleep {and me back to bed} the quickest was to let him nurse. I knew it wasn’t the ideal or sustainable solution, but it worked in the moment. As morning came, I was exhausted and running on empty (literally and figuratively). But, […]
Continue ReadingHow to Prevent Overwhelm in our Daily To-Do’s
Emery and I were sitting on the playroom floor. We had the blocks dumped out. All the books were spread across on the floor. A few random toys were scattered about – and then he knocked over the sweetgrass basket full of wooden letters. I looked around and it was all the toys all at once. I don’t think he could even concentrate on what to play with next. As he reached for another bin of toys, I said “Let’s […]
Continue ReadingFinding My Why: The Heart Behind Charleston Homemaker
I am writing this from our kitchen table. The tumble of laundry serenades me in the background along with inter-mitten beeps from the baby monitor that is looking over Emery while he naps. It’s a typical morning. As soon as he goes down to nap, I try to check off as many to-do’s from my list as possible. This morning includes a daunting to-do: Push past the doubts to explain the heart behind Charleston Homemaker and why I’m crafting this […]
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