Posts tagged as:

family

Feeding My Family, Nourishing My Life

by Corinne on January 19, 2012

Who knew that meal planning and cooking regular meals for my family would bring joy and organization to the rest of my life? Here's why.

1. No Facebook, email, phone calls, or work while making dinner. It's just cooking and hanging out with Audrey in the kitchen time. No screens. Just cookbooks, fresh food, and my little girl.

2. Easy lunches. Most of the time, there's enough leftover dinner for our lunches the next day (saved time and money!).

3. More confidence in the kitchen. I've never fancied myself to be much of a cook. But now that I've been making a new dish almost every night for the past month, I'm proud of my culinary skills. It just feels good to make a meal that you and your family enjoys (and you know is healthy). That happiness seeps into the rest of my life.

4. Take-out detox. We've only ordered take-out once or twice in the past month. More cash saved, plus I know what ingredients are going into my meals.

5. More time for the good stuff. Cooking and cleaning takes time, but so does 3-4 trips a week to the grocery store and restaurants due to last-minute dinners. Steve used to go alone to the grocery store with a short list. Now we go together once a week and Audrey rides in the cart while we shop. On weeknights, once Steve is home from work, we stay in (in the warmer months, I imagine we'll take neighborhood walks). We can savor the time we have together.

After a month of cooking, I know I'll never turn back to last minute, zero effort meals. Cooking is creative, joyful, and fulfilling. The house smells amazing every night and when we do order take-out or go to a restaurant it's a special occasion.

The only bad part? Dishes. But, they're worth it.

I've posted a bunch of food pictures at Pinterest in case you're curious.

Tagged as: cooking, family, home

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Six Months Later

by Corinne on December 13, 2011

It’s been over six months since Audrey was born and I can finally wrap my mind around family, home, and work again (although probably not at the same time). I also found my way back to my novel. Hooray!

By organizing my home life to support my creative life, I’m propelling my passions forward. Being a mom rocks, but to be the best mom possible, I had to revive certain parts of myself that had gotten buried under diapers, teething toys, and burp cloths.

These simple acts helped me find the time to do that:

1. Happy House = Happy Brain. I don’t feel relaxed or focused unless my house is in pretty good shape. It doesn’t have to be perfectly clean and organized, but a general sense of order puts me at ease. Since I work from home, this is a must. Getting clear with my hubs on who does what around the house has been super helpful. No more gray area means that I nag him a lot less and get my own “chores” done without dragging my feet. Also, trashing or donating clutter means less fuss and more physical/mental space. I’ve said this before, but time and time again I learn its enormous value.

2. Meal Planning = $ & Time Saved. I never thought I’d be a meal planner, but I started to despise the “what are we having for dinner?” question every evening. Once a week, I search for vegan recipes online, print them out, make a shopping list, and head to Whole Foods with the fam. We stock up for the entire week and I make something new almost every night. All of the meals take less than 1 hour to prepare and provide leftovers for lunch. We (aka my hubs) used to go to the store 3-4 times/week. Time, food, and money were all wasted. No more!

3. Erika Lyremark. Participating in Erika‘s Morning Whip program has revitalized my determination to achieve and live one of my ultimate goals–seeing my books on shelves. Erika called me out the first time we talked. Over the past 6 months, my novel had been tucked away in a file on my computer. I was hesitant, scared even, to return to it. Through the Morning Whip I’ve connected with 40 phenomenal, like-minded women, found inspiration to seize the day on work that is closest to my heart, and stopped making excuses. PS- #1 and #2 on the list happened because of Erika.

A couple other things I’ve done to help with time management include hiring a babysitter for a couple afternoons a week and finding a sleep schedule for Audrey that works for both of us (two naps a day = happy, rested baby & two hours of daytime work windows for me!). I also stopped eating dessert every day. Cutting down on sugar does wonders for my mood and energy.

All of these habits, efforts, and steps add up to a noticeable lifestyle makeover. It feels really good to be taking care of my home, my family, my work, and myself. I don’t do any of these things perfectly, but that’s okay. I’m doing my best each day and I’m learning that my best is a whole lot better than I thought.

Happy Holidays!

From Corinne & Audrey

Tagged as: baby, family, home, novel, Steve, vegan, Writing & Editing

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Parenthood, Four Year Anniversary, Happiness

by Corinne on August 16, 2011

Audrey in her Dad’s Fedora & her “Red Beans & Rice” New Orleans PJs

Happiness is…

1. Watching Steve care for our daughter. From day one, Steve was a natural with Audrey. In the hospital, he walked around the tiny room holding and rocking her so that I could finally sleep. He did everything he could to take care of me, Audrey and the house when we arrived home. Of course we have our tense moments, but sharing the responsibility of Audrey’s care comes with ease. I’m so thankful for this.

Last weekend, I went to a bachelorette party in DC. I kissed Audrey and Steve goodbye and hoped that they would have a calm and happy night together. Like most babies, Audrey is a wild card. Sometimes she’s a bundle of smiles and other times she is cranky and fussy (occasionally inconsolable). This was Steve’s first experience being alone with Audrey for an extended period of time and I really wanted it to go well. Although he’s just as capable of soothing Audrey as I am, I have the upper hand since feeding her almost always calms her down.

I resisted texting or calling Steve during the car ride to DC, but he and Audrey were still in the back of my mind as I sat at the bar. Thankfully, my husband knows me well and soon I received this photo via text:

Needless to say, they had a wonderful evening together. One-on-one time is a really important bonding experience for both parents. I didn’t think it was possible, but Steve and Audrey are closer since hanging out together sans mom. I guess this means I’ll be sneaking off for some alone time on weekends more often:) I came back from the evening feeling refreshed and thankful for my family. Everyone wins.

2. Our four-year wedding anniversary. We celebrated our fourth year of marriage as Audrey sat in her swing and we sat on the living room floor enjoying a delicious takeout dinner from Meet 27 (lots of vegan and gluten-free options!). I’ll probably look back at this anniversary as one of our most memorable because it was our first as parents. I’ve been with Steve for more than half my life, so you’d think that we would know almost everything there is to know about each other. Except, now we’re parents and we get to see each other in a new light. Steve the Dad. Corinne the Mom. It’s a new partnership and I love it.

3. Daily joys. I’ve felt more present than ever during the past three months. Audrey is growing more each day and I know her baby-hood is just a blink in time. As I rocked her to sleep yesterday afternoon, I tried to take in the moment as much as possible. I wanted to really see her and appreciate what we have as a family. It’s easy to let my mind wander to the “productive” things I could be doing in these moments, but I tried not to rush to put her in her cradle. In twenty years, am I going to remember doing the dishes or looking at her tiny sleeping face? If we have another child, I won’t have the same focus because it’ll be split in two. I realize now how special and unique it is to be a new parent with your first born. The walks we take around our neighborhood as a family, seeing Audrey’s smile when we wake up the morning, listening to her as she finds her voice and wondering what we will talk about one day. Happiness.

Tagged as: anniversary, baby, family, home, Steve, vegan

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Six Weeks Later: What I’ve Learned

by Corinne on July 7, 2011

Six weeks ago, I was in labor. It feels like six months ago–perhaps because I’m awake a lot more or maybe because I’ve learned so much from my little teacher in such a short amount of time. Here are some of the things I’ve noticed during my first weeks of mamahood…

1) I was blessed with a speedy recovery in mind, body & spirit. I almost feel like my pre-pregnancy self again (except for a few extra pounds and non-existent abdominal muscles!). During those first couple weeks after childbirth, I wondered if I’d ever feel “good” again. I was so happy to have Audrey in my life, but my time was divided between recuperating and taking care of her. Now that I’m feeling top notch again, I have more mental space, which is mostly taken up with adoring her and marveling at her growth and development.

2) I regained my passion for things outside motherhood. Writing and reading are two of my greatest loves (after my family and friends of course). At first, I didn’t want to pick up a book or open my computer. Now that my head has cleared, I’m tearing through novels and working on freelance writing and novel revisions every chance I get (especially now that Audrey is taking naps in her Bjorn carrier)!

3) My baby is a seasoned traveler. At three weeks, we drove with her across three states to visit family. At six weeks, we flew with her for the first time. Except for some minor melt downs, it was a breeze! I was stressed out about the trips beforehand, but the worry was well worth it! Sharing Audrey with our family and friends is one of my greatest joys. I love seeing Audrey sleep in her Grandma’s arms while they tour my in-laws backyard garden and having the chance to introduce Audrey to her first buddy, my childhood friend’s 4 week old daughter. If I had been afraid to leave home and travel with Audrey, we would have missed out on these treasured memories.

4) The days fly by! I wondered during pregnancy if I’d be bored as a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom. It’s the opposite. There are not enough hours in the day to pack in everything I want to do with Audrey plus my own writing and reading endeavors. Luckily, it gets easier each day as I learn how to manage my time and let the small stuff go. It also helps to have a supportive hubby and a family who can’t get enough of this little star.

I also started offering free consults for my copywriting services. Hop over here to learn more! I’m so excited to start working with new clients!

Tagged as: baby, books, family, motherhood, novel, Steve, traveling, Writing & Editing

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Goodbye, Twenty-Eight

by Corinne on June 23, 2011

My twenty-eighth year brought huge changes, countless gifts, and some sadness. Not only did I learn about myself during this time, I also learned about the people around me. Pregnancy, birth, and motherhood open your heart and mind to a network of kind and wise souls, if you’re ready to receive their help and knowledge. Now that Audrey is here, I continue to learn from these people. I also have the opportunity to see the joy that springs up every time she is placed in the arms of someone we love. I’m curious and humbled as I watch their relationships with Audrey grow. I knew that my friends and family were a special bunch before, but wow do they shine now.

I’m sitting in my living room right now, still in my pajamas (because who has time to change their clothes when they’re alone with a 4 week old?), and I’m amazed at how much love, growth, and pain can be packed into one month. The last month of my twenty-eighth year felt as long as the eleven before it. Not only did I welcome our little girl into our family, but I also had to let go of someone very special to me. And I’m sorry that these two people never met.

I wish that Audrey was going to taste my grandma’s apple pie, learn to crochet and play gin rummy with her, and listen to her tell stories about growing up with six brothers and sisters in a big old house out in the country. But rather than dwell in what will not be (I’ve already done my share of that), I’ll look forward to the day that I can share these things with Audrey and tell her all about her great-grandmother. I’ll also tell her how much comfort and happiness her presence brought me and the rest of our family during this bittersweet time.

Hello, twenty-nine.

xo,
Corinne

Tagged as: baby, family, loss, motherhood

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Two Weeks: Welcome, Audrey!

by Corinne on June 9, 2011

Note to readers: This is a birth story.

Here we are, two weeks later. Our family has grown by one beautiful soul and our hearts are infinitely larger. I think Steve’s face says it best in the photo above (taken by my doula). This is minutes after Audrey joined the world. She was 10 days “overdue” and born almost exactly 24 hours after my water broke at 4AM Monday morning. We thought it was a false alarm and that we’d be sent back home when we arrived at the hospital a few hours later. Good thing we packed our bags.

Long story short, I wasn’t having contractions, so my midwife started me on Pitocin around 11AM. I was nervous about induction, worried that it would squash my goal of natural birth, but I quickly readjusted to the new plan and let go of what I had envisioned. A friend of mine had been induced with Pitocin and managed her labor without pain medication, so I channeled her success. Was I bummed out about being hooked up to an IV and monitors for the entire labor? YES. It was a nuisance. But wallowing wasn’t going to help. I just had to let go of my “plans” to move freely around the room and use the shower and/or tub to cope with the pain. Frankly, the IV was one of the worst parts of labor for me. It probably took my mind off some of the contractions! I was such a baby about the needle that Steve wondered how I would be able to get through labor without pain medication if I couldn’t handle an IV (he told me this much later). Luckily, I cope with pain a lot better than needles.

The midwife or nurse came in to check on us periodically throughout the day. They started me on the lowest possible dosage of Pitocin and slowly increased it. Luckily, I responded well to Pitocin and my labor progressed steadily. Except for these short visits, Steve and I were left alone. It was peaceful, dimly lit and private in the room, which was exactly what I wanted. As a distraction, we watched TV during the day and when the time felt right that evening, we switched to the music mix that Steve had packed with our favorite songs. At 11PM, my midwife, doula, and nurse joined us. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I was 8 cm dilated. Between contractions we talked, laughed, and got to know each other. Everyone was pretty relaxed and the midwife and nurse kept saying that they wished more births could be like ours. I feel blessed to have been surrounded with a group of down to earth, positive people who supported us 100%. Verbal encouragement means so much during labor!

Around 2AM, I started pushing. The contractions had been completely manageable up to that point. The pushing is where I started to feel confused and up against the biggest challenge of my life. I just didn’t know if I was doing it “right” even though everyone was telling me that I was doing a great job. For some reason, I had thought that pushing would be the easier part. I thought that if I could just get through the contractions, I’d be home free during the pushing because I’d be on the home stretch. People had even told me that pushing “felt good”. Um, not for me it didn’t. The next two hours were a blur. I definitely had moments of wanting to give up, but that’s just not an option during labor. I had to summon every ounce of courage that I possessed to face each push. Finally, at 3:50AM, Ms. Audrey Leslie Bowen was born! The midwife placed her on my chest for a couple minutes before she was brought outside the room for a quick checkup. Soon, we were together again and we spent an hour together before she was taken to the nursery for a full exam while I got ready to move into our recovery room.

For the next 48 hours, I couldn’t think about the birth for very long. I was deliriously tired and pretty shaken by the whole experience. Not to mention, Steve and I were taking care of our baby girl for the first time. Today, I can look back with perspective and feel grateful that I was able to have a positive labor and delivery experience despite the bumps in the road. I contribute a lot of this to my willingness to surrender and stay positive, my spectacular support team (Steve, doula, midwife, and nurse), staying healthy and strong during pregnancy, lots of education, and pure luck. The staff at University of Maryland was amazing. We were deeply impressed by the care and support we received during our stay.

Over the past two weeks I’ve had to be kinder to myself than ever before. I’ve had to cheer myself on and tell myself that I’ll make it through the healing, fatigue, and challenges of being a first-time mom. Being nice to yourself goes a long way. Having a supportive, super dad for a husband helps too. Today, I am practically back to my old self (mentally and physically), except, now I have a tiny baby to love and care for.

She’s already turning out to be one of my greatest teachers.