This sweet and spicy cake is like a warm hug from the southwest.
With fall flavors like cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, and clove, it’s a great alternative to a traditional pumpkin or pecan pie.
Struggle Helper: Horchata Cake
The Bechdel Test…For Moms
As part of my unit on Media Literacy that I teach to my high school students every year, I talk about gender representation and The Bechdel Test. For those of you that don’t know, there’s a detailed explanation of the test here, but essentially, a movie/tv show passes if:
- There are two, named female characters
- Who talk to each other
- About something other than a man
Seems like a low bar, huh? Yeah, well a surprising number of films don’t pass. Continue reading “The Bechdel Test…For Moms”
Today I’m Struggling With…Other People’s Kids
I don’t like kids. There. I said it. I have never liked kids. I don’t even recall liking kids when I was a kid. I’m the youngest in my family. I never babysat. Until I had I had a child, I was never around babies for any extended amount of time.
To be clear: I love my kids. They are the bee’s knees. The cat’s pajamas. My world. But in no way does that obligate me to like other people’s kids, or as like to call them: OPP (Other People’s Progeny).
Now that I’m a mom, I feel like I am expected to gush over everyone else’s kids, to find them endlessly charming simply because I have one (or two) of my own. And that’s just not the case. My coworkers have kids. They’re fine. My sister’s friends have kids. Cool. H has preschool friends. Neat. The case just remains, if I’m completely honest with myself, I don’t like kids.
Continue reading “Today I’m Struggling With…Other People’s Kids”
Today I’m Struggling With…Mom Propaganda
Not to be dramatic, but this is probably the most important post I will ever write. It is, in my humble opinion, the most toxic mentality that reveals America’s inherent sexism and classism. It is the main reason why I get frustrated. It is the thing I warn women about before they are even pregnant — when they are deciding whether or not they even want to be a mother.
Struggle Helper: Pumpkin Spice Boobie Bites
So I’m not gonna try to hide the fact that I am a basic bitch. I love fall. I love flannels. I love buffalo plaid. I love Starbucks. And I love pumpkin spice. No shame!
I also have a baby that has decided to cluster feed overnight and my milk supply is struggling to catch up. So when I was about to stir up a batch of my favorite no-bake lactation cookies, I decided to put a pumpkin spice spin on the recipe.
Continue reading “Struggle Helper: Pumpkin Spice Boobie Bites”
Today I’m Struggling With…Loneliness
I recently saw a friend whom I hadn’t seen in many years. She used to be my best friend and roommate, but life and my bad habit of losing touch had allowed us to drift apart. In the years since we’ve last spoken, we both have gotten married, I’ve had two kids, and now she’s pregnant with her first. When I was in her area, we got together and had breakfast with my family. The night before I was so nervous, because I realized I had nothing to talk about except my kids. I had no idea what else her and I had in common anymore. I feared to ask her the same dull, asinine questions that everyone asks pregnant women.
“How are feeling?”
“Are you nervous?”
“Have you picked any names?”
I hated having to answer these over and over when I was pregnant, but now I hated that I couldn’t think of anything better to say.
Special Struggle: Disneyland Resort
My family absolutely loves Disney and going to the Disneyland Resort. I’ve had an annual pass since I was 14, and since then I’ve made countless memories there. When I became a mom, I couldn’t wait to share the magic with my own kids. We took H for the first time when he was four months old, and G when she was just two months.
As amazing as it has been to experience it with them, it also adds a whole new level of logistical difficulty to the process. So I’ve decided to put together my top five tips for visiting the Disneyland Resort with kids.
Today I’m Struggling With…Potty Training
Let me start by saying that potty training my son took approximately six months, and I ended up in therapy before it was all said and done. SOOOO if you’re here because you’re at your wits end and have never been so frustrated in your entire life, well you’re in the right place. I can’t promise I’ll fix your issues, but maybe you can find a new approach and feel comforted by my commiseration.
Me, during potty training, month 5.
Today I’m Struggling With…Neck Cheese
When I was pregnant with my first child, H, my mom made me and my husband an advent calendar for my final month of pregnancy. She asked our friends and relatives for parenting advice and wishes for us and the baby. One of my favorites came from a friend and co-worker who reminded us “Always clean the neck folds.” Her advice came from her own experience with two chunky babies and a memorable moment where she thought, in her words, “Why does my baby smell like ass?”
Quick Tip: Apple Watch Baby Monitor
You can use your iPhone and Apple Watch as a baby monitor. Set up your camera so it’s pointed at your baby with a stand, pillows, whatever you have around.