I had to stop breastfeeding when the baby was 5 weeks oldI say had to, but really, it was a choiceThat’s what motherhood is– choice after choice after choiceHow will I mother in this moment?How will I respond to the things that are out of my control today? I had to decided to stop breastfeeding…
An excerpt from the book I’m working on- prose and essays on motherhood. The first timeA short service On a crisp spring dayStars in our eyesPromises on our lipsI doAnd I do, too The second timeA 3-day ceremonySoundtracked by tears and breaths In perfect synchronyWorking to bring our creationEarthside and into our arms The third time Standing in…
Sitting in the garden last week, as if in slow motion,I watched my daughter touch a bumble bee on the backAnd then lean forward to blow it a loud, exaggerated kissBefore it flew away Maybe not the safest thing to be observing, without stepping in,But I was mesmerized by the sceneAnd I was also tiredBut…
People start asking you very soon after having a child if you plan to have a second one. A harmless and understandable question, sure. But it always sends a shock through me. I know the socially appropriate way to respond, so I smile and give a lighthearted, “Maybe!” or “We’ll see!” Sometimes if I have the time…
I sat in the lobby waiting to hear my name. Mismatched clothes, slippers for shoes, bloated and empty belly resting on my striped thighs. I couldn’t look at the glowing women around me, I wondered what they might see in my face? Terror Exhaustion Apathy Sadness Counterfeit joy Envy Anger Confusion Physical pain Emotional pain…
As my husband and I approach our seventh year together and our second wedding anniversary, we are fielding more and more “when will the babies come?” questions from friends and family. They have led to a few late night, not-so-serious baby discussions between us, but in all honesty, we are still really enjoying living child-free.…
This post isn’t about food, health, or my skin!!- I can hear your simultaneous sighs of relief. No, this post is purely to show off the sweet baby girl who recently joined our quickly growing family of 9. Isaac and I got to meet Hailey two weeks ago (when she was just a few days old) and…
Yesterday I learned a valuable lesson: if you have had a stomach bug for a week and it is still in the stages of don’t-venture-further-than-10-feet-from-a-restroom, do not go mountain biking. But it was my only day off of work with Isaac, so I figured what the heck? I thought that I would feel better once…
As an ex-coffee drinker, I no longer get excited about the oh-so-popular Pumpkin Spice Latte making its grand reentrance this fall. Instead, the photographer in me is excited about gorgeous backdrops. The writer/reader in me can’t wait for the chilly weather excuse to stay inside all weekend curled up with my laptop and a book.…
The Other Courtney 