Well, I'm a 30-something wife, mom, and nurse (though currently not working as one),
I'm Christian-turned-Pagan, and a Sci-fi/fantasy geek. I can talk Doctor Who for hours. It's a thing. I try not to, though. Unless you're also a Whovian, and then we will be immediately friends.
I am a reader, a knitter, a lover of caffeine, a California girl who lives in Minnesota, a runner, and an abuser of commas.
I am a Peer Lactation Counselor for a local WIC program. I get to help moms and babies get off to a great start with their breastfeeding relationship. It's a subject I'm very passionate about. Passionate, not militant. No judgement here.
I'm also a student doula with StillBirthDay, studying to be a birth and bereavement doula.
This blog is where I attempt to fearlessly (right, fearlessly) tackle the subject of motherhood. From life, to loss, to gentle discipline and attachment parenting, to taking care of kids with special needs, and even how Pagans practice our faith, I talk about it all. I do my best to share, encourage, and sometimes make you laugh. Because laughing is what gets us through it. And what is funnier than parenthood?
So, wanna meet the rest of our wild cast of characters?
Dominic: An amazing father, and generous husband. We do everything together. Well, except knitting. He's not a fan of knitting, though he is a fan of having me knit things. He's a gamer who has a history of devoting hours and hours to Magic the Gathering, World of Warcraft, and other such things. But he's also a Dodgers fan from East L.A., so, he's just a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Or something wittier than that.
Karina: Dominic's 24 year old daughter. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in English. She's a paid writer, in fact. Unlike me who does it for no money, no glory, and not very well.
But when she graduated, I was like "Woo Hoo, I have my very own editor!" and I was so excited! Now ask me how many times she's edited for me. Well, if you read the blog, you probably already know: never.
Still, even though she's not my biological daughter and doesn't help me with my admittedly poor writing, I love her to pieces, and could not be more proud of her.
She's a little intense with her passions, but around here that's, well, normal. She wants to change the world, and I can't wait to see her try.
Bridget loves animals. And since we wont let her have a real menagerie, she makes up for it by owning, I think, a billion Littlest Pet Shop toys.
Ciaran: (Pronounced like Kieran) is our 11 year old son. He is growing up so fast! Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ciaran has surprised us all with how much he can (and will!) do.
His capacity for learning and growth is astounding. He is both a challenge and a wonder to us. Which, in fairness, is kind of true for all of them.
His current passions are Thomas the Train, Peppa Pig, and Oobi.
When he grows up, he wants to be a baseball player. And then maybe a fireman, and then maybe a police officer, and then maybe a doctor.
He's smart, quick, and an excellent finder. If something is lost, we make Quinn look. He's also very opinionated and not afraid to let us know what he thinks. I'm gonna say he gets that from his dad. Not me. Nope.
Brennan: Our 7 year old son. He's really coming into his own personality, now. He's so ready to go to school with his brothers and sisters. I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to keep him occupied for the whole year.
He loves his little brother and is willing to teach him and show him everything. He's got a kind heart, and is really nurturing.
Brennan is also our family comedian, and will repeat things over and over if it will get a laugh. This is the one I'd put money on doing stand up.
Liam: Our 5 year old son. Diagnosed with an occipital encephalocele, he arrived on 6/14/11, seven weeks before he was due. He underwent brain surgery at 2 days old to remove the defect, which was softball sized, on the back of his head. Then he had a shunt placed to treat his hydrocephalus. He is thriving, and enjoying his big family and all his siblings who adore him.
I won't say that he doesn't face any challenges. He does. But if you look up encephalocele and it's statistics, you can see that Liam has beaten the odds, and I think he's going to continue to do so.
See the link at the top of the page to read his whole story.