Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Being a Mom at 35
Yay! Congratulations on being either a first time mom or having another son/daughter. After the long nine months of carrying your little one around, this will get better. Right? It all depends on Mommy of course. As you may have heard, each pregnancy is different, which is true. With my first child, she was full termed and I experience no health issues whatsoever. This is when I was 30. But come to my surprise, this past spring, I was once again pregnant. I did break down in tears. Not for happiness, but for shock and disbelief. How could this happen? Well, of course I knew how it happened. But the timing was horrible. I was doing well at my job and was about to head back to school to finish up my pre reqs for pharmacy school. After everything was said and done, then it was time to make another sacrifice once again. Since I was hovering around being 35, there are more risks with this pregnancy than with the previous one. I thought it was bull, but it wasn’t. Thankfully I didn’t have morning sickness like others can have during pregnancy, instead the sense of taste was off. The foods I had enjoyed was no longer there. I had already swelling and shortness of breath (SOB). This continued through the pregnancy along with palpations, pelvic pain, and right towards the end, gestational diabetes.
By Elsie McMullin7 years ago in Families
An Open Letter to a Daughter Without a Mother
Every time I looked at her, it was like the first time. She had a smile like the sun. It radiated an exuberant warmth that enveloped and wrapped around you like the ocean; a smile that she loved to share. She was always yelling out of excitement, perhaps because she was always so happy to be around, to be alive. She told me, though, that way before we met, she wasn’t like that at all. She used to tell me about how, as a young woman, she felt empty. She used to say how alone and sad she always was. I always found it hard to imagine her being that way. I loved being around her. When we were together, it felt like nothing else even mattered. Everything she said sounded like music and even the silence was better when we were together. She was beautiful, she was my angel, and when she got pregnant, she was so much more.
By Cameron Dominguez7 years ago in Families
For Mother
I stepped out my back door, closing it gently behind me, wrapping my coat tighter around me. The moon was making the fresh snow sparkle. It was so quiet. Nothing stirred in the night. My breath escaped my lips in repeated bouts of warm smoke. I smiled and sighed with such contentment my heart fluttered. I loved winter. Everything about it seemed to bring me to life.
By Jessica Briggs7 years ago in Families
Wake Up Call
Have you ever watched the news and just asked yourself what it is that is wrong with this world? Or why people treat the planet and one another the way they do? Because I certainly have. It makes me feel down and depressed. Sort of hopeless, as if this world is doomed and there’s no point in trying to implement change. But if we all succumb to the sadness that tragic events bring and the frustration we feel when we witness the horrible situations that take place, nothing can ever get better. It’s our job to make a change. Though it may seem cliche, that’s not a motto to be taken lightly.
By Jenna Fanelli7 years ago in Families
The Difference Between My Therapists and My Father
First therapist. First session. I’m nervous. I sit in the waiting room across from my mother. She’s always been supportive and understanding. I’m glad she’s doing this for me, but part of me wishes I hadn’t asked for this. What do I have to be sad about?
By Cameron Dominguez7 years ago in Families
Adventures in Motherhood (Part 2)
Well, I had planned on writing once a week more or less but it's only been three days and I'm ready to write again! Okay, parents, let's talk crying babies... I know, I know, it isn't a very uncommon thing for a baby to cry but what about a baby who, up until about a week ago, has been a fairly happy baby and is now up multiple times in a night and crying all day? This is what is happening to me and I think it is because of a number of factors.
By Erin Davie7 years ago in Families
Thanksgiving
For years, Thanksgiving has been an afterthought in my family. Seemed like we always went from fun in September and October of Halloween directly into the festivities of Christmas in November and December. Aside from the Football games on Thanksgiving and the shopping afterwards, there wasn't much love for turkey day. We would go to an aunt's or uncle's house or my mom's cousin's house for the meal. No real traditions. No real celebrations. Just another day to get together with the family. My mom wasn’t big on cooking a Thanksgiving feast. I remember probably 2 or 3 times she hosted dinner for the day. The holiday never really had any significance for us. Just eat and watch football. Just like anything else in life, the day holiday took on a more significant meaning after the lose of my mom, which in turn helped to build my relationships with my family.
By James Roller7 years ago in Families
My Little Blessings
I don't know what it is about children or babies (whichever word helps you imagine a cute little being) that has us adults considering creating these little creatures. Don't get me wrong; I love babies! I mean I should, considering the fact that I have three of them! (Wide eyed emoji). But what is it about them that has us under this spell to keep populating the earth with them? If you really think about it, children are the death of us. Point blank period! We make them, only to be subjected to their every demanding need, 24 hours of the day. I mean that's a job in its self. One that should be paying top dollar! I'm talking about presidential lifestyle. YESSS HONEY!!! I should be living like a queen. Bigger than Queen Elizabeth because I got babies! Yeah that's right. I should be richer than Richie Rich. Why? Because I got babies. Now you see, having these babies is not cheap and man do they take my sanity and turn it into insanity by the end of the day. I'm talking about not being able to shower until 1 PM, because when I'm forcefully woken up at 7 AM in the morning by the two energetic toodlers, I gots to get up and GO GO GO GO. Honey, I'm talking about not being able to brush my teeth because these kids got me running around in the kitchen like I'm on the red team of Hell's Kitchen preparing a meal to just get thrown back in my face because, "it's too cold", "it's not enough" or because they don't want it anymore. And Lord forgive me for wanting my children to just sit down and SHUT UP when 2:00 PM rolls around, because you know that's when momma gotta watch her Maury and Steve Wilkos show. That is if the baby doesn't demand my attention during this time. I mean, like it's not bad enough that right now at this very moment as I am typing, I cannot correct every spelling mistake I have or polish my grammar because these kids are driving me nuts at this very second as I'm trying to put them to sleep. You know what, I am feeling very compelled to start praying right now; here goes...... Lord, I love you. Lord, I thank you for each and every day that I wake up and am able to walk and talk, and just enjoy life. But Lord, I just have one question to ask you...... why in the world didn't you stop the clock when you saw that I was engaging in non-marital relations when my momma told me no? Lord, these children have taken me from 0 to 100 real quick and have caused physical damage to me. Lord, they have taken my once before sexy petite body and turned it, into a size 14 stretch mark, back fat, granny panty, fat armed walking machine. Lord, I used to take pride in how I looked and now my husband's lucky if I even draw on my eyebrows in the morning. Lord, I have learned my lesson. SEX is BAD!!! And I promise to spread the word of the consequences of having children to all the teenagers who are out of their horny adolescent minds. Forgive me for my sins Lord, amen. You know what? I actually feel a lot better now. I love my kids y'all, but I would be lying if I said I wish I had waited a bit longer to have them. I wish I really sat back and thought about the alter life change I would have by not taking the proper precautions when having intercourse. I wish I had really LISTENED to my mother when she told me "your whole life will change, you will change." But here I am and here I stand. A 25-years-old who has three beautiful healthy children, but who had to postpone certain things because she was having kids, when she should have postponed having kids to focus on the important things. Like the old saying goes; "you live and you learn," and boy have I learned. Nevertheless, I am grateful for them, because they have given me a completely new purpose in life and drive that I have never had before I had them. So to all the childless readers out there; really evaluate your life before contemplating about having children, because having children is easy; it's raising them and being able to care for them physically, emotionally, and mentally that's the hard part.
By Shebona fortune-Williams7 years ago in Families
Best Diapers for Newborns
If you want to make your baby comfortable and avoid fits of unnecessary crying, you'd be wise to make sure their butts are taken care of. The easiest way to do this is with a reliably great diaper. What should you buy? Are they all the same? No, they aren't all the same, and I've compiled the best diapers for newborns into an easily digestible list.
By Amanda Stamper7 years ago in Families