Motherhood
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Our First Trip as Family of Four to Boulder, Colorado
The first time traveling with a newborn is always nerve-wracking, but traveling with 2 under 2 was even more overwhelming. We wholeheartedly believe that exposing children to things when they’re young pays off in the long run! So we decided to take a short weekend trip to Boulder, Colorado, just 2 hours from our home in Colorado Springs. A weekend of hiking, dining out, and exploring downtown was just what we needed after not traveling for months during my third trimester. Where to Stay for a Weekend in Boulder, Colorado I searched for somewhere close enough to downtown that we didn’t have to drive very far, but also close enough…
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Why Tent Camping With a Toddler Is Worth It
Camping with a baby or toddler isn’t my idea of a “relaxing” vacation, but it’s something that you’ll find is so worth it. It’s worth the long packing list, restless nights, and loads of laundry that inevitably follow. Our first real camping trip with our 12-month-old, Lillie Belle, was chock full of lessons and great memories. Looking back on our trip and talking about what went right and what we should improve on will help us in the future – and I’m here to share some of those insider tips for camping with a toddler. Why Tent Camping? Tent camping is one of our favorite ways to travel for a…
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Lillie Belle’s Birth Story | Germany, 2020
The nurse looked up at me with wide eyes and said, “Call your husband now. You’re dilated to 7 centimeters.” I couldn’t dial fast enough to tell him to get to the hospital RIGHT NOW. We were about to have a baby! While I waited for my husband, Stephen, to arrive, the nurses wheeled me into the delivery room. Everything moved way too fast and the next thing I knew, two men in white coats tried, in their broken English, to talk me through the process of an epidural. I glanced over my shoulder in hopes that Stephen would walk through at any minute, but he wasn’t going to make…
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What No One Tells You About Mental Health and Pregnancy
Pregnancy comes with a range of emotions — highs and lows. While it’s a beautiful thing bringing life into this world, the toll it can take on a first-time mother isn’t something commonly discussed. I want to tell you about my personal experience — my first and second trimester of pregnancy and the mental, emotional, and physical difficulties I’ve felt. At 6 weeks pregnant, I laid on the couch in agony. Not only was I experiencing severe morning sickness, but I was going through prescription withdrawals. But, let’s start from the beginning… In April 2019, I went to my primary care provider on the military base and told him we’d…
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The Greatest Adventure Yet: Becoming Parents May 2020
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or just don’t follow me on social media, you’ve probably already seen the news that we’re expecting our first baby GIRL!! What felt like months and months of waiting was so worth it when I finally saw those two lines. I’ve been pretty quiet here on the blog, and really all of my Outside This Small Town social media accounts for a while. There’s plenty of reasons for that. Ever since finding out I was pregnant, Stephen and I have both been so elated and ecstatic for this huge change in our lives. So many emotions have transpired over the last 5 months.…
