the mom club

When I was pregnant with Miller, I remember a good friend told me she was excited for me to join “the club.” The club that no one tells you about. I remember looking at her confused until she continued with, “the mom club.”

She proceeded to explain that it is the club where you completely understand what each other are going through as mothers. It is the club that allows you to relate to one another in the joy, the heartbreak, and love your heart feels for your children. The club that gives you the support, the listening ear, and love only a mother could understand.

Baby & Mama “Must Have” Items 0-12m

During my first pregnancy, I spent countless hours on my phone researching the “must have’s” for newborns, babies, and mothers. Every single youtube video, blog post, Instagram story, and friend praised different products leaving me overwhelmed. I was “scared” to spend gobs of money on products that would not work for my baby and me. Two years and two kids later, I now know what works for one kid may not work for the next AND that is okay!

mama, you are so worth everything that makes you YOU

Since becoming a mother of (now) two, I often think I have a grasp on motherhood . . . but then I often realize I do not have a grasp on ME. I lose sight of what makes me “me.”

We as mothers all deserve to feel like who we know ourselves to be. I didn’t realize until just recently how far away from feeling like “myself” I had been. While breaking down to my husband, I figured out that I miss many things: wearing my pre-pregnancy clothes, being an ICU nurse, taking a shower that allowed me the time to shave my legs, curling my hair, spending time with my best girl friend, going window shopping, reading “fun” books, having my old (young) body (sans stretch marks, extra weight, cellulite, gray hair, etc), and enjoying alone time with my husband. It was in that moment of recognition that I knew I needed to make changes for me to feel like myself. Would these changes allow me to be who I once knew before becoming a mother? No. Nor do I expect that or even want it. The Kylie that I knew pre-kids is not what I want . . . I want to be a wife and mother more than anything else in this world. BUT, I know to properly love and care for them, I have to love and care for myself.

be our guest

When choosing a home, we wanted a place that felt inviting. A home that felt comfortable. And a home that felt like home to our guests. I believe one way to make a guest feel at home is (of course) a home cooked meal or a freshly brewed cup of coffee! So when remodeling our 1930’s home, I wanted our connecting kitchen and dining room to reflect a sense of coziness and comfort while spending as little as possible!

my kind of motherhood

I choose to believe that we all are born into this world dreaming. Seriously. Have you ever watched a baby sleep? One minute they have the most peaceful face and the next minute the biggest smile forms across their face. I’d like to imagine they dream about being held, playing with their daddy, and milk. As we grow older we dream about a variety of things.  We dream about becoming that superhero you saw on tv, about getting out of school and playing with friends, about getting that college degree you hope for, about planning that “dream” vacation you swear you’ll save up for, about starting that business you’ve worked so hard at, and about becoming what you’ve always wanted to be. For some, it’s being a lawyer, a business owner, a writer, a professor, a chef, and anything and everything else one can dream they can become. For me, it was always to be a wife . . . and a mother.