It was my daughter’s sixth birthday. My husband and I woke up early to make sure that her birthday wish of pancakes for breakfast could be granted. I hung our felt-lettered birthday banner over the kitchen table. We got carried away, and I let her open all of her presents before school. I told her … More Did My Divorce Ruin My Daughter’s Childhood?
Eloisa, my first baby, just turned six years old! It’s honestly hard to believe. I know every parent says this, but it really does feel like yesterday that I was bringing her home from the hospital. Having a baby during a global pandemic came with certain challenges, but I think one of the best things to … More A Birthday Interview with My Six-Year-Old
Soon after I committed to exclusively pumping for my twins, I got on Amazon and ordered a pack of golden candles numbered 0 through 9. I set a goal to pump for the girls’ entire first year of life, and I knew that it was going to be hard work, so I decided to celebrate … More You Can Celebrate Survival, Too
There is nothing quite like being sent home from the hospital with two newborns while you, yourself, are still in diapers. Even if you’ve had nine months to wrap your head around it, even if you’ve known you’d have twins since you were eight years old, even if your best friend’s neighbor’s cousin had twins … More Foolproof Ways to Prepare for Newborn Twins
When I was pregnant with my first, I prepared for motherhood as best I could. I read What to Expect the First Year. I researched all of the milestones I had to look forward to before my baby’s first birthday. I was prepared to track her development carefully, making sure to report any concerns to … More Learning to Parent Big Kids
It is so hard to believe that this upcoming Monday, we will be at the six month mark with our twin girls… six months! An entire half a year! I know that I have said this before, but I swear it is going by so fast this time around, much faster than it did with … More Half a Year with Our Twin Girls
My husband and I welcomed our twin girls into our family on February 23rd, 2026. And then, we were officially a family of seven… I think. See, it’s a little more complicated when you’re a blended family. I’ve written numerous times about how tricky it can be to be a stepmom (read here, here, here, … More And Then There Were Seven…
School is out (for the kids, not for me — law school is eternal), the sun is shining, and summer is here. With the arrival of the Devil’s armpit to North Carolina comes the seemingly endless invites to barbecues, park play dates, pool parties, and birthday bashes. And I have declined almost all of them. I … More Why I Can’t “Just Bring the Twins!”
Several months ago, I had an idea: What if my husband and I took all five kids and the dog camping? My husband and I took just our puppy camping last summer. I had found out that I was pregnant only one day beforehand, and we spent the whole weekend excitedly planning and daydreaming our … More Our First Campout with Five Kids
By all accounts, today marks the end of our last week of the summer. Although my daughter’s first day of school was on Monday, we pulled her out of school on Friday and snuck away for a quick family adventure. But that was our final hoorah of the season, and the rest of our kids … More Sunday #28: “I Keep Losing Jesus!”
Step by Step Parenting 