Hot Mess Mommy Express

"Experts" recommend a quiet activity before bedtime for a sound night's rest. Yeah...ok. Am I the only momma out there who absolutely freaking dreads bedtime? In the social media world, bedtime often means we mommas get to stop for a moment, sip a glass of wine and get stuff done. And on the rare nights that actually happens here in our house, I definitely document it. However, it is such a rarity, because of this. Three little monkeys bouncing off the walls and going 110% ape shit. I'm serious. 7:00 hits and all of a sudden it's like somebody loaded them up on Red Bull. They start running, yelling, acting insane and my voice goes in one ear and out of the other. It's enough to make one insane and some nights I feel like I'm there! That being said, we are only on week two of a new routine that goes like this: 7:00 - All screens off (TV screens, tablet screens, phone screens) 7:00-7:30 - Play Time, Books, Art, Board Game (Quiet Activity) 7:30 - B...

A common question that I get as a working mom of three crazy kids is.... "How do you do it?" No two moms are exactly alike and props to each and everyone of you for powering through each day. Life throws us a lot of lemons or in today's case Mondays! At the end of the day, when your children have their homework done, their baths, teeth brushed and are tucked into bed, you did it! It doesn't matter if you are a hot mess mom, a mom who has her shit together or the perfect combination of both, you deserve a pat on the back, a glass of wine, a bath, book time or whatever it is you do to unwind. I like to think of myself as the middle of the road mom. Some days I am a complete hot mess. Other days, I think to myself "yes you've got this" and I go out the door feeling like a boss. There are some things that keep me sane; things that I should mention to those who wonder how I do it. So let's just dive in! Number 1 - FamCal  Before I explain, le...

I'm not talking about the kind that burns houses. I'm talking about inner fire. This year I turned thirty-one and and while for some that isn't a significant number, for me it is. Thirty-one represents a year of personal growth for me as a person and professional. There came a day where I just woke up and said to myself....today is the day I start to pursue better.  I realized that I have spent such a long time just settling for less than and clinging to my comfort zones. The first thing I did was scrap my resume. I ripped it to shreds and spent hours designing a fresh version that reflected who I am and my marketing skillsets. I started making lists of goals. I wanted more out of life, both personally and professionally. I realized that I am too young to get comfortable. I started to pray, something that I definitely didn't do enough in the past.  The next thing I knew, I found myself walking into Chaddock for interview number one. I went in knowing that I had...

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis That's the official diagnosis from the specialists at St. Louis Children's Hospital. The first question we had was if our daughter would struggle with this forever. All of these thoughts start to run through your head. Will Everly always struggle to walk? Will she ever be able to play soccer or take dance? Will she always have flare ups? Will this affect her for life? Will she have to be medicated? What are the side effects if so? A million questions begin streaming through your mind as a parent. Well I am thrilled to report that her arthritis diagnosis isn't chronic! Knowing that was the case, the doctor gave us two options. The first option involved a steroid injection in the foot. 50% of patients who receive the injection see relief in 2 days. I liked those odds! Should we choose to forgo injections then our next option was to medicate for up to a year, until the arthritis cleared. The medication of course comes with side effect risks. ...

Never doubt your intuition as a mother. Never. Roughly 12 weeks ago, my little Everly appeared to have injured her foot. I assumed it was a mild sprain. It swelled up and she had a hard time walking. I took her to her pediatrician that next day. We ran x-rays, which came back clear. They just assumed it was a mild sprain. I was referred to an orthopedic doctor who basically informed me that I was a crazy person and that there wasn't a thing wrong with her foot. "Three year olds do this for attention sometimes." I can still hear those words and inside I was screaming, because I knew deep down that there was something wrong. Why would my three year old choose to limp and fake a daily struggle to walk and run with kids on the playground. Something wasn't right. I insisted that she needed a boot or something to alleviate some pain while she healed, which he obliged. What's even more ironic? That doctor is no longer there. Fast forward 8 weeks... Things were ...

This has been weighing on my mind lately. Let's talk baby names. Not that you can copyright a name, but if you are like me, you spent a lot of time and even a sleepless night or two thinking about what to name your new baby to be. You want it to be unique, original and in my case uncommon.  Rhylan, Emersyn and Everly. My babies. The names that I put so much thought into. As a mom, it's not just a name. It's something so special to you, because you put so much thought into that perfect name.  I feel like there should be some kind of mom code. Listen. I know that it's impossible to have the only Rhylan, Emersyn and Everly on the planet. Thanks to Pinterest, many names will take off and start trending. As a matter of fact, I have started to see and hear the name Everly popping up more and more. But what about when someone you know or in my case once knew, names their children the same thing? When I first heard they named the...

I remember when my little Everly first rolled over. Tears streamed down my face as I sat at my desk looking at the video that was sent to me so that I could see it. I remember wishing that she could've held off until momma got home at 5:00 and wondering if going back to work was the best decision for me. That's the thing with kids. They are completely unpredictable. There's just no telling when they are going to take that first step, say that first word or in my recent parenting world, starting to use the potty.  I love following a lot of moms on social media. There's nothing like feeling like you have the support of moms worldwide and of course my local mom squad! Along with that following comes mixed emotions. At times when I see that mom who potty trained her kid long before they turned two, that working mom who took a week off to do just that or even that mom who's on Instagram snuggling her babies over morning coffee, I can't help but g...