Scared Skinny

It was August, 2010 and I was mysteriously losing weight. Not much, just five pounds or so, but I wasn’t doing anything to deserve it. I wasn’t eating less or working out more … It was simply falling off of me. For a moment I thought God had finally answered my lifelong prayer – to [...]

The Scenic Route Home

It was rush hour, I was on the other side of town, and I had a decision to make. Take the freeway (the 10)? Or go for the surface roads (McDowell)? I knew the 10 would be slow, but if I hit all the red lights on McDowell, that route would be even slower – [...]

Worth a Thousand Words

A friend of mine said that babies have come out looking like their fathers since the beginning of time. To make it easier on the cavemen. Who didn’t have the luxury of paternity tests. And while I respect the cavemen and all they did for mankind, I think it’s time to face the facts. My [...]

Adventures in Babysitting

Babysitting was never really my thing. In fact, I think there were only a handful of children ever left in my care. My piano teacher’s daughter – who ate half a tube of Desitin diaper rash cream when my back was turned for a mere moment. A couple neighbor boys who had a Super Nintendo [...]

What the Neighbor Doesn’t Know

Just a few days after Arn was born, Michael got together with a friend of ours who brought his 4 month old son.  Michael came home that night and all he could talk about was how ENORMOUS that baby was. “Seriously. The kid is huge. Must be because his dad is so tall. It must [...]

The Half-a-Heart Onesie

About two months before Arn was born, my sister-in-law Kelly and my good friend Melissa threw me a shower. It was filled with smiles. And gifts. And cupcakes.  My favorite things. I couldn’t wait to get home to Michael to show him all of the wonderful things my wonderful friends had picked out for our [...]

Baby Gaga

In the final weeks of my pregnancy I was all about Gaga. Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga’s Born This Way. I don’t know what it was about that song, but I couldn’t stop listening to it.  I danced around the living room to Born This Way. I walked (waddled) around the block to Born This Way.  [...]

More Than Marigolds

  It’s been two weeks since my first Mother’s Day – a day that took me a little by surprise. I had experienced Mother’s Days before.  Growing up, Mother’s Day started with trying to be on our best behavior while getting dressed and ready for church; in Minnesota this meant sometimes we were wearing frilly [...]

Giving Birth

It’s been a while. I know.  I’m sorry.  But let me explain… In the time we’ve been apart, I’ve given birth. Twice. It’s kept me very busy.  I’m sure you understand. The first happened in early April.  Those of you who know me best (and those of you who have been reading for a while) [...]

Brain Food

I remember the first time I had a Chipotle burrito. It was the summer after my freshman year of college. I was on a date (actually, on a last-date) with the man I intended to marry (I intended to marry most of the men I dated). The date hadn’t started out great.  I got lost [...]

Pregnancy