A Guide to Childbirth for the Overly Modest

- Hailey 6 Comments

Childbirth is a daunting thing to think about. Aside from the obvious dangers, and the fact that you are pushing a human being out of a very small opening (OUCH!), there is a room full of people who will be watching and helping. And to be honest with you, that thought stressed me out more than everything else involved in the process. I am a very modest person. To the point that even I know it is ridiculous and excessive. And if you don’t want to hear about the different levels of nudity in child birth, I would recommend you … Read more

You Are Flawed, and That’s OK!

- Hailey 2 Comments

We all have those days. Days where we feel like we aren’t doing anything right. Days when we question every decision we have made. We can’t pull ourselves out of a funk, and we just aren’t happy, no matter what. We feel horribly inadequate, and incredibly flawed.

I’m having one of those days today. Stressed beyond belief, and not for one specific thing. It’s for A MILLION reasons. Am I making the right decision for my family by working? But not working doesn’t feel right either. And I need to be exercising, eating healthier, and I need to do more … Read more

Not so Sweet Dreams

- Hailey Leave a comment

Q: How do I best help my 6 year old? She struggles with anxiety and super creepy, demented nightmares. Tips for either issue would be very appreciated!

A: Nightmares are very normal at that age. Children at this age are starting to understand real life dangers, and these realizations can come out in dreams. At 6 years old, your daughter is able to distinguish between reality and dreams, but it is still a terrifying experience. Most kids get nightmares for no apparent reason, sometimes they are linked to stressors but often they are linked to TV shows, stories, or other … Read more

10 Ways to Survive Distance

- Hailey 2 Comments

As many of you know, I’m from Northern California (any Californian will differentiate!) and we currently live in Idaho. I love my adopted town, and I have WONDERFUL in-laws, but there is no getting around the fact that IT SUCKS to live far away from your family. Currently, my parents live in California, my sisters are going to college 30 minutes away (But they will both be moving states shortly), and my brother is in yet another state! Here are some tips I’ve learned on how to survive the distance!

1. Have a specific time set aside to talk.

In … Read more

When it’s not the Greatest Day of Your Life

- Hailey 6 Comments

 

I had the opportunity to write a guest post for Hot Minute Mom! Check it out here! Or read below!

I experienced one of the most beautiful moments in my life this weekend. What was unusual about this is that it wasn’t a romantic date, it wasn’t a holiday. I was sitting in church with my husband and baby, and the baby fell asleep laying across both of our laps. Really, it was just a Sunday. Nothing special, but it was one of the most beautiful moments I’ve experienced in my life. I was so content, and so at … Read more

When Breastfeeding Isn’t Beautiful

- Hailey 8 Comments

 

My Story

Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing. So natural, so easy, so wonderful…except when it’s not.

We had a rough start with our breastfeeding journey. My little man was in the NICU for his first 5 days of life due to low oxygen levels. He was so lethargic that we struggled to keep him awake during feedings. If any of you have been unlucky enough to belong to the NICU parents club, you know that they monitor many things, one of which is they weigh diapers to make sure those littles are getting enough to eat.

A few days … Read more

30 Things to do When You Are About to Lose it

- Hailey 4 Comments

Self-care is always essential, but as a new mom I am realizing even more how important it is. While taking care of my family is my number one priority, I’ve come to realize that I can’t take care of them if I don’t take care of myself. Here is a list of things to do when you are at your wits end. We all find ourselves about to lose it, especially those of us with small children! So if you find your sanity escaping, take a deep breath, and choose one of the below activities!

1. Go for a drive… Read more

The Daily Habit That is Destroying Your Self-Worth

- Hailey 6 Comments

Sometimes we have days where we get to take care of everyone else. But somedays we have days where we are the ones who everyone else has to take care of. I had one of those days this weekend. This called my attention to something I do regularly that is harming my self-worth.

 

 

It’s been a crazy snowy winter this year here in Idaho. I ran a few errands by myself, because my hubby was at work. I don’t know about you, but I’m proud when I leave the house by myself with the baby. (It’s a lot … Read more

The Moment That Changed My Life Forever

- Hailey 8 Comments

There are a handful of experiences that shape our lives in a significant way. They are different for every individual, of course. One of the most powerful is having a child. Being a parent is amazing. It’s hard. It feels impossible at times. And of course, you will find that almost EVERYTHING has changed.

There is a human being that I grew within my body for 9 months (Let’s be real, it’s longer than 9 months, but I won’t get into that now), gave birth to, and now needs everything done for it. Literally everything. Everyone tells you that being … Read more

10 Things to Consider When Choosing Childcare

- Hailey 4 Comments

So you have children and you are going to work. Maybe by choice, maybe out of necessity? You have a kiddo (or kiddos?) so what do you do with them while you are at work? What on earth do you look for in a quality child care? When my hubby and I were trying to choose a daycare for our little man, we had no clue where to start. We didn’t know which questions to ask, or what to watch out for. We were flying blind. Here’s a list of our experiences with finding childcare, to hopefully make this less … Read more