Each time I go downstairs to our playroom I see it, the cradle my father made for me when my first child was born 18 years ago. Soon after my husband and I announced we were expecting a baby, my dad started planning to build it for his first grandchild. Joe and I were thrilled. But our happiness was short lived when at 10 weeks we saw our baby, but no heartbeat. I was … [Read more...]
The Motherhood Survival Kit
Much is made of the bag a mother-to-be should pack for the hospital in anticipation of the birth and homecoming of the new baby. But really, the thing new moms should be told to prepare is their Motherhood Survival Kit. Remember ladies, you will need this kit to get you through at least 18 years, (in reality, much, much, longer) of raising a child from a helpless infant, … [Read more...]
True Love Ways
It seems as if it was just yesterday that I was anxiously awaiting Valentine’s Day because I had a strong feeling that my boyfriend was going to propose. That was 24 years ago. Now that boyfriend is my husband of almost 23 years and the father of my three children. I was thinking of how far we had come from that young couple who was planning our life together, when I … [Read more...]
My Recipe for a Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is days away. Everyone I know is putting the finishing touches on their menus for the big holiday feast. Recipes for the perfect turkey, gravy, and pumpkin pie can be found on numerous TV talk shows, magazines, and blogs. Nowhere have I seen a recipe for preparing the most crucial element of a great holiday meal: Your kids. After celebrating 16 years of … [Read more...]
Remembering “When We Became Three” with Jill Caryl Weiner
As I yelled at my teenager to stop torturing his younger brother for the hundredth time this morning, I struggled to remember when my statements to him weren’t, “Will you please stop _________________." When Tom was born almost 16 years ago, I vowed to never forget one precious moment of our early days together. I wanted to burn into my memory every single giggle and … [Read more...]
