Researcher Brené Brown posted on her social media recently: “Hit me with some situations that left you feeling bittersweet.”
The days leading up to Autumn’s birthday are always bittersweet for me.
Continue readingBittersweet Moments
Reflections and Memories
Time With My Rainbow Baby
All of my children started day care by the time they were a year old. I kept them home with nannies for those earliest months, but by the time they hit that “walking” age it became tricky to keep them away from me during the day while I worked – even with a nanny around.
Continue readingThe Second Pandemic Birthday
When my kids were young, I used to plan elaborate themed birthday parties. They really couldn’t appreciate the work that I put in, but they always enjoyed having friends over and lots of food. As they got older, they opted to substitute a party for a trip to a hotel with an indoor waterpark. And that was the case last year – in March of 2020 – when Quentin was turning 8 years old.
A mere few days before his birthday, everything shut down due to the pandemic.
Continue readingThis Isn’t How I Thought I Would Spend My Afternoons
I never had any aspirations to be a stay-at-home parent. I liked my job, and when I became pregnant with my oldest son, more than 10 years ago, it became a question of balancing time with him, against work, my marriage, and time to myself.
Continue readingTo Myself, 6 Weeks Ago
Today marks 6 weeks since our confinement at home started. Quentin refers to it as the “coronavirus conundrum.” I think he simply likes the combination of words, but the days feel like a constant pull of being grateful that we are safe and healthy, and increasingly going crazy by the relentless monotony of the days, with no break and little variation. Continue reading
Musings Out Loud 