Category: Life Lately

My period showed up this week on what would have been day 43. I was talking to Nick about her late arrival and started laughing, because honestly, what else can you do? When you’re younger, a period is a rite of passage — you run toward it, through it, around it. It’s just part of…

We try before we cry. It’s something I started saying to Evelyn to help her regulate. Toddlers go straight to crying before they’ve even attempted the thing — the jacket zipper, the puzzle piece, the cup that’s too full. But once they calm down and actually try, they do it. Every time. Without even realizing…

We have been in the birthday run since May. With this many kids there is bound to be a stretch where it’s birthday after birthday — ours goes May 20, June 6, June 16, July 12, and July 25. We get a break until December. When you have four biological children, two bonus kids, and…

I have a hard time with acceptance. Logic, routine, and consistency are my love language — I genuinely believe that if you do the right things in the right order, you get the right outcome. And then I had a toddler later in life. It is 12:55pm. Lights out since noon. My almost-four-year-old has told…

I have been fighting the nastiest sinus infection for a while now, but the actual fight didn’t start until Friday when I finally caved and went to the doctor. Augmentin for seven days. My uvula swelled so badly I almost literally lost my voice — which feels like the universe’s idea of a joke considering…

Nobody puts “high conflict coparenting with a narcissist” on their vision board. And yet. Here we are. I didn’t fall in love with a situation. I fell in love with a man. The situation came standard, like a car you buy used and then spend the next decade finding out what the previous owner broke.…

Marisa is the first subject in the Still Me in Here Portrait Series, black and white photographs of women 40+ paired with the stories that shaped them. You can find her work at @marisasmusequilts on Instagram. Go look. It’s worth every minute. If something in this piece makes something light up in your own chest,…

I’ve started this week’s post three different times now. I had a grand idea for a Mother’s Day post. Sweet, chaotic, a bit funny. Then I had a post ready about hormones and perimenopause. I had the Reel all made. But the truth is writing it the week before my period is probably not the…

Nick took Emily on their adventure this weekend-solo, just the two of them, exactly what they both needed. While they were gone Evelyn and I held down the fort. We went for walks. We played Legos. We napped. We ate Chinese takeout. I got a solo ass kicking at the Y. Lower body day, two…

Last week was heavy. You showed up anyway — 3,157 of you on Friday alone — and I am still not over it. Thank you feels insufficient but it’s what I have so: thank you. From the bottom of everything. This blog started as a place to put things down and it has become something…