ML Interest Tag: bathroom

The Inside Scoop on the New Crane Cove Park (& Why You’re Gonna Love It)

by Jennifer Snyder

Nestled along the San Francisco Bay in the Dogpatch neighborhood is the brand-new Crane Cove Park. This unique seven-acre bayfront park quietly opened at the end of last year and it offers a little something for everyone. From barbecues to a rocky beach, Crane Cove takes its historic surroundings and makes it into something families can enjoy for years to come. We checked it out and have the full scoop on what you need to know when you visit!

Port of SF

This public open space is the brainchild of the Port of San Francisco and it aims to preserve historic maritime resources while providing a major open public space full of opportunities for exploration. Crane Cove gets its name from the two cranes that remain preserved in this seven-acre park. Officially, they are Cranes 14 and 30, but unofficially they are named Nick and Nora after characters from the movie "Thin Man." Children will admire their stature, while adults can admire their history.

Jennifer Snyder

Probably the biggest draw of this park is the rocky beach where children can wade the slightly-warmer-than-Ocean Beach water while watching the paddle boards and boats sail by. Children may swim anywhere within the buoy limits but there is no lifeguard on duty. Pro tip: being water shoes and maybe even a wetsuit for the little ones. The rocks are tough on their sensitive feet, and the water can be quite chilly.

Kate Loweth

On the opposite side from the beach is a green space complete with picnic tables and a barbecue grill for public access. The convenient proximity to Third Street provides a wealth of coffee shops and restaurants for the parents in case you have a hungry child on your hands. Pro tip: Check out Neighbor Bakehouse for yummy treats and a little pick-me-up.

Jennifer Snyder

Just in case all of this isn't enough, there is lots of pavement for walking, biking, or scooting not only along the perimeter but also near a preserved railroad track that the kiddos will find exhilarating. The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It is located at 18th and Illinois, and parking can be found along Illinois street. Pro tip: bring quarters, most parking is metered until 6pm.

This summer there will even be a Stand-up Paddleboard Summer Camp for children ages 8-15 years old at Crane Cove Park.  If you have a little adventurer on your hands and you're in need of some "me time," this might be the perfect solution. The camp will be held Mon.-Friday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Note: Due to COVID, currently there are only Port-a-Potties available for any bathroom emergencies, or costume changes.

Crane Cove Park
18th and Illinois Streets
San Francisco, CA
Open daily 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Online: sfport.com/crane-cove-park

—Jennifer Snyder

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When They Only Want Mommy: A How-To Guide to Reclaiming Your Space

By Cara Maclean

As a new mom, it can be flattering when your children only want you. No matter if it’s a scratched knee, a bedtime story, or that special way you put on their socks, kids gravitate toward Mom. It can make you feel loved, needed, and (after a while) like you can’t be away for more than a moment. Actually, not even a moment. They find you fast.

Children don’t mean to insult your partner by refusing assistance, and they don’t consciously intend to monopolize all your time. (Even though they often do both.) They simply seek comfort. At all times. And they are used to you.

 

What’s the best way to share parenting responsibilities?

There may not be an official best way that applies to all situations. There may be places where you want to be the go-to parent, and others you want to share. Even though your partner might already want to share in the duties, you might find you need to be the one to initiate communication. Often dads aren’t even aware of a problem unless we communicate our needs.

If you’re like most moms, the bulk of child interaction defaults to you. Plus, we sometimes overlook our need for space and time to ourselves. If we do recognize the need, we either feel guilty or dread the logistical challenges involved. (If you think, “What would I do anyway?” It’s is a clear sign that you need time to connect with yourself.) Remember, you are a better parent when you have time to recharge your own battery. If you’re in a spot where you want your partner to share the love AND have your kids running to both of you, try these three steps.

 

Step One: Communicate Your Needs

The first step is shining light on the issue. There’s a chance your spouse doesn’t even realize that you’re not in maternal bliss with your kids hanging on you 24/7. After all, that’s what moms do, right? You might need to let him know that you want a more balanced distribution of hang time (so to speak). Approach this conversation by recognizing the benefit of both parents and different parenting styles (even though hopefully you’ve discussed and decided on your overall parenting approach already). When you frame the conversation in terms of a win-win for everyone, especially the kids, you might get even more buy-in. Even if the issue deals more with your child’s behavior, having a conversation with your partner is always the place to start.

 

Step Two: Create Bonding Moments

No matter how upset your children get when you’re away, encourage your partner to develop his own way of playing and dealing with tough situations. Hopefully, there are already games and things that your partner and kids do together. You want them to be comfortable with each other when there’s not a crisis. That’s the place to start. Then, practice with the ‘crisis’ moments. If your child bursts into tears when you leave the room, have your partner come up with a game, story, or distraction to lessen that reaction and develop a stronger relationship. If you are the eternal boo-boo fixer, then let your husband craft his signature way of dealing with scraps and bruises. (And this could mean giving him the first aid kit and saying you really need to go to the bathroom, like, right now. Whatever works.)  Creating time when your kids play with your partner (especially if it doesn’t happen automatically) helps them develop a stronger relationship that will continue to grow as everyone matures. Sometimes you might be able to be home for these shenanigans, and sometimes you may need to physically remove yourself from their space.

 

Step Three: Remove Thyself

If you are always available, then your children will always want you. It’s good for you and your children to have some time away from each other. This cannot be overstated: It is good for you AND your kids to have time away from each other. Set a regular ‘mom’s out of the house’ time where your partner takes over. It doesn’t matter what you do with this time, but make sure you honor it. Keep to the schedule to give them time to grow and work out their own system. It’s ok for it to be awkward, for the kids to cry, and for your husband to find his own way of parenting without texting you constantly. That’s necessary for everyone’s comfort level. Note: Be wary of controlling what happens when your partner takes over. The benefit of different parenting styles is accurate, and even though it won’t be like you do it – whatever “it” is – everyone will be happier and healthier. And if the house is destroyed when you come home (thus, feeling like more work for you), revisit Step One and continue the conversation.

These three simple steps have endless variations and may need to be revisited as your relationships develop, your children mature, and your needs evolve. Don’t be afraid to have awkward conversations, speak up for what you need, and persist through any uncomfortable behavior from your child, spouse, or yourself. Changing up the expected dynamic is bound to push buttons and bring up emotion. Rest assured that when you can be away without crisis, you’ll be happier and your family will thrive no matter who’s got the snacks.

 

Cara Maclean, Wellness Coach & Writer, works with moms to undo what keeps them exhausted. We cultivate the calm, joyful energy needed to handle any challenge with humor and grace. Author of Just the Way It Is: A Look at Gifted/2e Families, Spring 2022, GHF Press. Learn more at CaraMaclean.com

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Royal Baby News Alert! Zara & Mike Tindall Welcome Third Child

by Erica Loop

There’s a new royal! Even though it seems like everyone is still reeling from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s pregnancy pics and the announcement, this isn’t the only royal baby news. Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter Zara Tindall and husband Mike recently welcomed their third child—a baby boy!

Tindall gave birth to son Lucas Philip last Sunday, making the newborn the Queen’s tenth great-grandchild. Unlike the other recent royal births, the new mom didn’t deliver in a swanky U.K. hospital. Instead, Tindall had her son at home.

Not only did Tindall end up having a home birth, but according to her husband/new dad for the third time, Zara had her baby in the bathroom! Mike shared the birth story on his podcast, The Good, The Bad, & The Rugby, saying, “A little baby boy arrived at my house!”

Mike elaborated on the birth experience, telling listeners that his wife didn’t have time to get to the hospital, “So, it was run into the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, get a mat on the floor, towels down, ‘brace-brace-brace’.” Luckily, the couple’s midwife was able to get to their home in time to deliver little Lucas Philip.

Baby boy Lucas Philip Tindall joins big sisters Mia and Lena in this now-family of five!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

 

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The Darker Side of Motherhood

By Jaime Ramos

It’s no secret being a mom is hard. I think it once was a secret, but it isn’t any longer. Too many of us blabbing about it on the internet. I knew before kids it would be, but It’s a different kind of hard than I expected. Mothering is a paradoxical life event. An ability I was born with. A biological and worldly life calling I never doubted. It’s a weight though. A heavy life-altering load. It changes your identity, It consumes you in every way.

I have two kids. They are my everything. My oldest, Johnny, is five and on the autism spectrum. Something I wasn’t prepared for. I’m consistently trying to learn and grow, but it’s hard. There is no guide book given to the parent of any child, but especially a child with autism. We have a lot of ups and downs.

Everything in our life is off the beaten path. It’s hard to explain, but we have days, and sometimes weeks, where Johnny is more engaged and aware. He is still autistic and himself but it’s like he is with us more. He has more gains and wins. I’m not going to lie, it’s easier. It’s the time of hope and payoffs to all the hard work.

The other times that my husband and I usually compare with babies “Wonder Weeks”, he’s grumpier, temperamental, and sensitive. These weeks bad behaviors like spitting, screaming, meltdowns, rough nights, etc. become the norm. During these times I feel down, lost, and discouraged. The older he gets, the back and forth between these times get harder.

I should expect the roller coaster, but I always hope they will level out, and hopefully with us on top. On the hard days, I try to stay positive but doubt and worry swarm my mind. This week, it’s very hard. It’s hard not to internalize your child yelling at you, hurting you, and hurting himself. The worst is how I don’t know how to make it better for him. I don’t know why or what is causing it.

When you have a child you take on the responsibility for their life. It’s your job to raise, protect, and teach them. I’m trying my hardest to do those things but it wears on me. Right now it feels like I’m talking at the wall. Like teaching is off the table. It’s pure protection, planning, and defense. I need breaks from my child sometimes. Not in the cute hiding in the bathroom eating a candy bar way, but in the crying into my pillow wishing I had more endurance and patience way. A way that hurts my soul that makes me feel wrong.

I don’t know what I thought motherhood would be. I’ve taken on an enormous task I knew wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t quite understand the effects. I don’t feel like my child needs to change or fit, but more like I’m the one that doesn’t fit. I should be strong and endure. I should be able to do what needs to be done. I should be able to stay calm in the storm. I do those things 90% of the time, but it takes a toll. Some days it breaks me a little bit. It’s my darkness, but luckily I know it will go. I’ll go for a walk and I will recenter myself and get back to it because I’m the mom and I love my kid.

This post originally appeared on Johnny's Spirit.

Jaime Ramos, is a mom from Colorado. She's married to Isaac and has two kids, Amelie and Jesse. Jesse, her Johnny, is on the Autism Spectrum. She went to school to be a filmmaker, but now spends her days mainly as a stay at home mom.

 

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This Study Reveals Just How Much Americans Have Cleaned in the Past Year

by Erica Loop

Does it seem like you’re cleaning your home more than ever? OnePoll recently conducted a survey on behalf of Bounty of 2,000 American’s cleaning habits pre- and during-pandemic times.

Pre-pandemic, Americans spent an average of five hours and 37 minutes per week cleaning. Now that everyone is more aware of the germs around them, Americans have added a whopping three hours and 12 minutes per week to this number. This means 71 percent of adults are spending more time cleaning than ever.

photo courtesy of SWNS

The survey’s cleaning statistics show that the average American has spent nearly three weeks cleaning in the past year. This equals 458 hours or 19 days!

Increased cleaning time isn’t the only issue the survey revealed. According to the OnePoll stats, 79 percent of people were more aware of bacteria and cleanliness in general after the pandemic started. Seventy-eight percent of respondents reported they were more aware of their own cleanliness.

The survey also revealed the home spaces and places Americans believe are the dirtiest. These include handles and knobs in the kitchen (44 percent) and kitchen hand towels (18 percent). Jessica Rivera, infectious disease expert said, “Used dishcloths can provide a flourishing environment for bacteria. And what many do not realize is, when you wipe up a mess or dry your hands with a used, reusable cloth, you may be helping to spread bacteria.”

When it comes to other “dirtiest” areas of the home, the survey revealed that Americans also ranked kitchen sponges, bathroom faucet handles, kitchen faucet handles, coffee makers and bottled water dispensers at the top of the list.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo Karolina Grabowska via Pexels

 

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The Modern Rules of Sharing, Mom Style

By Heather Morris

My phone is no longer mine. Has this happened to anyone else? Perhaps this is how my own mother felt when she picked up the wall-mounted phone with the cord that could reach any room in the house, only to hear my voice chatting away with a friend. Remember those days? When we all shared one home phone? As a child, I would frequently visit a friend whose mother lived on her phone. I would wait and wait to make a call to my parents to ask for a ride home. These days, as a ten-year-old, I would probably have my own cell phone. I would text my mom and Uber home. Sadly, even though I am now a woman who is far closer to 40 than to 30, I am still waiting to use the phone.

This phenomenon of gradual takeover is not limited to my phone, and I am convinced that it is not limited to me. Quick poll – how many of you have lost one of the following to your child…or pet…or partner (comment on the post below):

  • Bathroom privacy
  • Hairbrush
  • Kitchen (now in near-fulltime use by one of your children intent on becoming a sous chef by age 10)
  • Bedroom privacy
  • Bed
  • Hidden candy stash (surely I am not the only one with this, right? Help a girl out here!)

But until recently, my phone was sacrosanct. My island in a sea of concessions. The home of my Instagram account, my text messages, and my contacts. My husband and I are Gen Xers floundering our way through a world filled with TikTok, Snapchat, and Twitter (we have accounts on none of these). We adore our screens and simultaneously despise them. They allow us to reach the world, but they also allow the world to reach us. We have tried to comb through as much of the latest parenting advice and pediatric research available on the use of screens by young children. After these sessions, we leave convinced that children both need their own phone and should never be allowed to use their own phone. Definitely not in their bedroom, not without filters, not after 10 pm, not unsupervised, not with anyone we do not know. And yet, having a phone builds independence, resilience, and technological savvy. Our heads spin.

Grasping at any kind of number, we settled on age 13 as a good age to bestow these technological wonders upon our progeny. I know – gasp! – how could they possibly wait that long?! What kind of parents ARE they? This post is not intended to be an essay on the benefits of “waiting till 8” (as in eighth grade) or any other program for managing children’s screen time. I tell you this number only to explain that none of our children have a phone because none of them are 13…yet. However, the age restriction has not stopped them from using my phone ALL. THE. TIME.

It began with daily SportsCenter checks, courtesy of our oldest. It followed with text messages and phone calls from the friends of our two oldest children. And then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The world changed, and so did my phone. While on lockdown, my phone acquired Zoom, Duo, Meet, Marco Polo, and countless other apps that allowed my children to connect with their friends. All of our family, my husband and I included, were longing for meaningful connections with friends. So, I arranged Zoom meetings for my kids, then my phone began to disappear for hours as they shared Marco Polo videos back and forth with their friends. Just last week, a FaceTime call came through on my phone. I was excited. Then I answered. “Hello, Mrs. Morris, we wanted to FaceTime [(our son)] while we all played Fortnite.” Sigh.

Even though my teeth grind and I am frequently exasperated because my phone has “walked off” again, my heart is ultimately full. My kids and I are sharing. We are learning to co-exist, to set boundaries, and to think of each other first. Because of my phone, I am involved in my kids’ lives. I know their friends and their habits, their favorite apps and which photos they have taken. Sharing my phone may be difficult, but it is rewarding; it builds another layer of connection between us.

Tomorrow, when my notifications pop up with yet another Polo from “sisters4ever,” my heart will smile as I hand my phone to my pre-teen daughter. I am sharing the phone with my family, 2020 st‌yle.

Scientist by training, lover of books and writing and learning by nature. Wife to a talented husband, mom of three children. Proud to call the Rocket City home (Huntsville, Alabama). Pursuing my love of creative writing by writing about everything from school buses to the latest in pandemic schooling.

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I Secretly Hate My Husband

By BA Eubank

Photo: Susbany via Pixabay

I don’t hate my husband as a person. He’s not a bad guy. He’s a good husband and a great dad. But I hate that he gets to be the dad. 

Let’s face it: dads have it easy. I’m sure every dad reading this instantly balks and is starting their own list of how they have it harder. 

Let me break it down for you. Moms grow this tiny human in her body for nine, long, excruciating months. We suffer morning sickness, sore boobs, and massive weight gain, which can take years to lose, if ever. 

We have to push this tiny human out of our bodies, which is the most pain one will ever feel in their lifetime. Not to mention burning agony every time we pee for days after. 

If one goes the c-section route, it’s not any better. For days it will hurt just to walk. And gosh forbid we stretch the stitches wrong. 

Then there’s the infant stage. Men somehow can sleep through every squawk and wail. So that leaves it up to us moms to change their diapers and either nurse them or make a bottle and try to get them back to sleep. 

How many diapers do dads change, especially when it’s a blowout? One excuse I’ve heard many times is moms are just better at that stuff. Can I tell you something? It’s not because we’re better at it. We’re just better at sucking it up and doing what needs to be done. 

Dads get to go to the bathroom alone. Not once does a kid barge in while they’re doing their business to tell them something mundane. Sure, moms could lock the door, but then we have tiny fists pounding on it as they scream to let them in. 

Moms are the keeper of the monitor. When the monsters you’ve created are finally asleep, moms are the ones who always have to keep an ear and eye on the monitor, ready to jump up and console the little ones before they fully wake and will take hours to get back asleep.

How many baths do dads give their kids? For example, I will use my family. We have four kids. Let’s average two baths a week. Bath twice a week for their first six years. 2×52 = 104 baths a year for one kid times 6 years= 624 x 4 kids = 2496. Guess how many my husband has given. Two. Two baths out of almost 2,500. 

Kids come to mom for almost everything. Anytime mom is in the shower, kids will want a snack or can’t find a toy, they barge in and ask mom even though dad is sitting on the couch, readily available. 

When it’s time to go somewhere, moms must get little ones ready. We fight to get shoes and coats on. The whole while, dad stands there, repeating that it’s time to go as shoes sail past his head. 

If the family is going away on vacation, dads pack their stuff up and are done. Moms need to pack up the children’s clothes, spare clothes, favorite stuffed animals, things to do in the car. If she is lucky, she won’t forget any of her stuff when it’s time to leave. 

Moms are the finder of all things. Kids are notoriously known to lose a vast array of items. Most likely because they never put things back where they belong. Kids and dads alike will spend an hour looking with no luck. Moms will come along and find whatever it is in a place right in front of their faces.

When dads get sick, they’re allowed to rest in bed all day. And I mean ALL damn day. While moms have to keep kids entertained, play referee, and make meals between puke fests to the bathroom. 

When kids are sick, who do they want? Mom, of course. We’re the ones up most of the night holding the puke bowl and monitoring temperatures. We’re the ones who get puked on because we fell asleep for ten minutes next to them while dad gets to sleep peacefully alone. 

After dealing with all the headaches we moms go through, I’ve decided in my next life, I want to be the dad. 

 

BA Eubank is a wife and mom of five kids. She's been through all the stages from colicky baby to one leaving the nest. She squeezes writing in between playing referee and asking the dog what's in his mouth. 

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The Honest Company’s New Launch Will Make You Enjoy Cleaning (Sorta)

by Jennifer Swartvagher

Parents looking for cleaning products with naturally derived ingredients may already be familiar with Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company. Now the company is offering a new and more sustainable way to clean. The Conscious Cleaning Collection features reusable bottles that can last up to a lifetime and lightweight, easy-to-use refill pods to help reduce single-use plastic & lower your carbon footprint.

Honest Company Conscious Cleaning Collection

The Clean Vibes Kit ($39.99) includes three reusable spray bottles, one Multi-Surface Concentrated Cleaner Refill (two pods per refill), one Glass Concentrated Cleaner Refill (two pods per refill), one Bathroom Concentrated Cleaner Refill (two pods per refill), one Palo Santo Stick and one Reusable Microfiber Cloth.

Honest Company Conscious Cleaning Collection

The collection is also available in Single Starter Kits ($16.99) and Refills ($9.99/pack of two pods).

Honest Company Conscious Cleaning Collection

The Honest Company Conscious Cleaning Collection is made without Parabens, Phthalates, Synthetic Fragrances, Bleach, Ammonia and Chlorine. 

The collection is available now on Honest.com and Amazon.com

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Honest Company

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The Case of the Missing Breast Pump

By Karissa Whitman

Photo: Karissa Whitman

I was four months postpartum. I was struggling with nursing my son, but we had a wedding we had already committed to going to. I was so nervous because I was worried I’d lose my breastmilk supply for not nursing for so long. I spent the entire day packing myself a little bag full of my supplies. My breast pump, bottles, an icepack inside an insulated cooler for my milk, my nipple cream, etc…I was packed and ready.

I needed to run to the bathroom real quick and figured “Hey, why not rely on my sweet reliable awesome husband to put my bags in the car?” You know, I trusted him so much I didn’t even think to check all the bags made it into the trunk. 

About 25 minutes into our drive, I told my husband I’d probably have to pump upon arriving and once again before the reception starts. His response, “Well, did you bring your pump?” I looked at him and said, “Well duh, you packed the bags in the car, right?” Nope. He only grabbed one bag. My purse. Which, thanks hunny, I did need that. But I really needed the pump more.

At this point, the panic started to set in. This was our first long outing without my son. It was about 50 miles away from home. And already late at night. Once I calmed down, I figured I could just run to a local Target or Walmart and pick up a little cheap hand pump. Well get this, we get to Target, run in, and they were sold out of hand pumps. The next best thing was a $100 electric pump.

At this rate, I was thinking I could just grab some bottles, a little cooler and manually express myself. We were now running about 15 minutes late to this wedding we had already driven so far to get to and decided that would be the plan. During the first “manual” pump, I sat in the car all by myself with my husband’s shirts hanging on the windows for some privacy. I was trying so hard to express anything but just kept getting a drop, drop, drop. I never even had a letdown, yet my breasts felt so full and engorged by this rate.

I sat in the car and shed a few tears, I mean come on, can ya blame a girl with breasts full of milk who is pumpless and it’s the first long outing away from her baby? Talk about the worst-case scenario. I tried going back inside and running some paper towels under warm water to try and warm compress, but that didn’t work either.

Looking back I think I was so stressed it definitely played into my ability to have a letdown. Also looking back, I will never let my husband pack my pump again, well I probably will, but that trust is hard to regain. I mean, lesson truly learned. By the time we got home that night (and yes, we ended up leaving early), I was able to nurse my son and relieve all the pain and pressure from the milk.

So new mama, my tip to you? Take a moment to double-check that you’ve packed your breast pump and that it’s also in the car. 

Karissa is a mom to two young boys and a blogger of Mom After Baby. Karissa believes ALL moms are capable of life beyond motherhood and is passionate about providing informative & educational content to new, expecting, and postpartum moms.

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What I Did Not Expect In & Out of the Hospital

By Carolyn Erickson

I’d like to start out by saying that giving birth was not what I expected. I expected a lot of screaming (by me) and a lot of nurses running around. What I got was the opposite. The staff was calm and surprisingly so was I and my fiance. I was in labor was six hours. The worst part? The contractions. Which I was also surprised by. I had invisioned pushing to be the worst part. Pushing was the easy part and actually was a relief! I did not notice the stitches that my doctor was doing or anything else for that matter once my baby was on my chest.

Boy was I exhausted but I was running on pure adrenaline. My body had just pushed out an actual human being! My fiance and I were in awe of the beauty of our little girl and the giving birth process. Once our little girl was here, the nurses asked if I wanted to breastfeed. I said yes and was shocked (still am) at how hard breastfeeding is! Everyone says it’s a natural process. In my only experience, ladies, I am sorry it is not. It is a lot of work! After the breastfeeding training, I was able to take a nap and enjoy my baby. Thankfully, we were able to leave the very next day and so excited.

We were home and totally excited! We were now a little family of three! What I didn’t know was that this was about to turn into the hardest month of my life. Once we got home, my body finally came to the reality of what it had done. I was exhausted, in pain, and wanting to feel like myself. I wanted to be a super mom! Instead, I felt weak and scared. The pain of using the bathroom was terrifying and intense. I cried every time. I would like to say I found relief but I never did. It took a whole month for my pain and blood to go away. My emotions were on a rollercoaster ride and I was exhausted at trying to understand myself and wanted a quick fix. Within a week, I realized that I was supermom and eventually I would return to being myself. I would be a stronger and better verion of myself.

During the first month after birth, you have to be patient with yourself. You are a superwoman who just did an amazing thing. For me, the hospital was easy, however, once we were outside the hospital, for a month was awful. Whether it is all awful or all awesome, it is so worth it! I cannot wait to do it all over again.

Hi! I'm Carolyn Erickson! I am from Wisconsin and mother of a beautiful baby girl. I'm a new stay at home mom and I am loving it. I also am beginning my career as a freelance writer and blogger!

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