This summer will go down in history as the summer that Mary looked her fear in the eye, balled it up, and stomped on it. She became confident on her bike, is a completely independent swimmer, and went to summer camp all by herself. These are huge accomplishments for a little girl. Mary and I
One afternoon I was sitting on the dock while David played in the sandy area on the bank of the lake. Thomas was draping himself over my legs, doing that three-year old thing where he readjusts every two seconds or so, trying to get just a little closer to mama. David and Caleb were both
This past week Mary started summer camp — her first time ever doing something like this. (The first time any of my kids have done any sort of camp.) A few weeks before it started, she asked me, “Mommy, how long is camp?” I answered, “It’s just for a few weeks.” Mary looked down at her hands
On the first day of summer break we shared a big bowl of watermelon on the porch, then kids made a mud pit in the back yard while Anna and I sat on a blanket at a safe distance. When we got too hot and dirty, we all jumped in the pool. Before nap time,
Anna is six months old, and she is all chub and drool and baby smiles. She is delightful, cuddly, ticklish, and almost always happy. People stop me all the time to tell me she looks like the Gerber baby, a Cabbage Patch doll (I actually agree with that one), or to comment on her rolls
Mary Virginia doesn’t approve of my day-to-day look. T-shirt, ponytail, no makeup, usually un-showered. She’s kind about it, but she wouldn’t mind seeing me put a little more effort in my appearance. Maybe a clean shirt from time to time, a swipe of lip gloss wouldn’t kill me. It’s fine, I don’t pick anything that
Last month we took Mary Virginia to kindergarten registration. Everyone told me that the second kid would be easier, but it was exactly like last year with David. I was just as emotional, just as uneasy, just as feeling like I was holding my baby over a cliff (dangling her above the outstretched arms of
I told myself I’d never straighten her hair, but today she needed some Mama time. I did her hair and listened as she talked about Pound Puppies, and I told her about my girlfriends in college who used to straighten and curl my hair. When I lifted her onto the counter, I didn’t notice that my compact
I’m still pretty new to motherhood — I’ve only been doing this for six and a half years — so most of what I know involves pregnancy, babies, and little kids. So far, my current phase (four kids including one infant and one kindergartener) has been the most demanding. If my life was a sporting
David has a habit of picking dandelions for me. He finds them everywhere, on the walk home from the bus stop, in our yard, poking through cracks in sidewalks. He’s done it for years, at least since he was three, right around the time I told him yellow was my favorite color. I never keep
David is learning about solids and liquids at school, so on a recent snow day I decided to mix up some cornstarch and water. I remember loving this as a kid, and as I mixed it up for my kids, it was equally fascinating. Is it a solid? Is it a liquid? IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO
In Anna’s 4-month update I compared a baby sleep regression to spring weather. Since I am living through both barbaric phases right now, I keep revisiting the comparison. February was mild, warm, and felt like spring. In February I ordered my girls Easter outfits — both sleeveless and light. But March has been windy, cold,
Even though I still feel like Anna was born yesterday, or maybe even five minutes ago, this month she has transformed. She is no longer my sweet, cuddly newborn, but a babbling baby that chews on her fingers and trills when she smiles. So many of the parts of the newborn stage that were so,
After Anna was born, Tom took about two weeks off to help me at home. On his very first full day back to work, my first day alone with four kids, he had a meeting in Raleigh, which meant he had an unusually long day. I also had a long day. It was my first
I’m slowly coming out of the general malaise of pregnancy and newborn exhaustion. With that, I’m doing everything I can to run a tighter ship at home, and reverse some bad (lazy) habits we’ve fallen into. No, my kids are not wearing matching clothes. Yes, the pumpkins I put on the porch back in October
Last week my mom came for a long visit. She planned to help get David to and from the bus stop, cook lots of delicious food, and spend a lot, lot of time holding her grandbaby. It also happened to be her birthday, so we hung decorations, made cards, and baked her a very mediocre
It started at my very first prenatal appointment. “Do you have any questions?” my doctor asked. “I don’t think so?” I replied. “I guess after your fourth baby you kind of know the drill!” she replied. When you have your fourth baby, everyone assumes the whole shebang is business as usual. You’re on a path
Since Anna was born my exercise routine has been simple: round-the-clock breastfeeding, and hauling Thomas off high structures. Four pregnancies in six years has changed my schedule, my priorities, and my body. Right now I don’t have room in my life for much more than taking care of my kids and keeping track of who’s
Before Anna was born, I planned our Christmas card — a combo birth announcement/Christmas card with four kids in matching pajamas. Tom’s going to read that, wrinkle his forehead, and say, “You said you don’t have the brainpower to make a grocery list. But you’ve been strategizing our Christmas card for two months?” Yes, Tom,
If you’ve never heard of cord blood banking, click HERE for more information. When you’re expecting a new baby, it is remarkable how many decisions there are to make before the baby is even born. There are things like how to decorate the nursery, narrowing down a name, and figuring out if you’re the
This is part three of Baby Anna’s birth story. If you missed parts one and two, you can find them here: Part One Part Two – – – When I gave birth to David, my water had broken a few hours earlier, and we walked into L&D full of nervous energy and an occasional contraction.
I sat down to write this, fully planning to end at the part where I’m screaming and Tom is asking if he can just go wait outside. But then I started writing and accidentally kept writing and now this is going to be a three-part story. But I promise I won’t drag this out until
First, I need to warn you that this is very long. I’m sorry. Turns out I’m the emotional, creative type that processes with long-winded blog posts. Second, I need to warn you that at the end of this post does not end with a baby. It’s because I could not possibly fit any more words
I am tired and thankful. And I think I brushed my teeth this morning. Today is Thanksgiving, and since our entire world was up-ended last week (in the best possible way), we’re staying home. Instead of making preparations for a Thanksgiving meal, I’m inside with Anna, watching the Macy’s Day Parade while Tom is outside
She’s here! She’s here! We are so pleased to announce the arrival of our baby girl, Anna Leigh Krieger. 8 pounds, 5 ounces, 20 inches. Born Sunday, November 12 at 8:44 p.m., four days before her due date, during a family celebration for Tom’s birthday (In the hospital! We made it to the hospital!) Anna
Thomas has this funny habit of insisting we only call him Thomas. Do you have any idea how many other things you call your kids? If we say, “You’re such a big boy!” Or if I gather him in my lap and say, “Are you Mama’s sweet boy?” He corrects me — “No, I not.
Last night Tom was putting some things away in the kitchen and noticed we had tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta, hummus, and pita. He said, “We should have a Greek night for dinner this week.” I looked up from my book and said, “If you would like to participate in family meal planning, you’re welcome to
I once read a birth story by a woman who had seven home births. The first six were by the book, but then there were complications during the seventh. Even though everything — mom and baby — was ultimately fine, she was so shaken by the experience that she elected to have her eighth child
I’ve never given advice on potty training on this blog for the same reason I’ve never given sleep training advice or hair tutorials. Because those things are not in my skill set. I’ve potty trained two children and that sample size is big enough that I can confidently say that each kid is different, and
Last week my younger two started preschool. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Isn’t that the same shirt David wore on his first day of preschool!?” Yes, you are right, discerning reader. To say that Mary Virginia has grown and matured is an understatement. She’s so excited for preschool, so ready to be the
This morning at the bus stop, one of the kids looked at me and said, “WHAT is in your belly?” Me and my belly have been at the bus stop every morning and afternoon for two weeks, but for some reason he JUST NOW realized that I’m a dead ringer for Humpty Dumpty. My first
If you ask David if he likes school, find something to hold onto before he answers — YES! YES! YES! YES! — his excitement might knock you over. He comes home smiling and amiable, talking about his new friends. He hasn’t been hungry, moody, or overly tired — something I worried about in the weeks
At kindergarten orientation last week, David’s teacher gave us a sheet of questions to answer about David; something to help her get to know him. The first question was, “What three words would you use to describe your child?” I thought for a while. He’s kind, a good friend. Really silly and funny. He loves
This post part of a partnership with JOHNSON’S® Last week Tom and I went to a special event and guess what I learned? I learned that it takes longer for me to straighten my hair and find my mascara than it does for me to pack lunch, locate six shoes, three water bottles, back-up sunscreen,
At my most recent prenatal check-up, my doctor was asking me how I’d been feeling, and I told her what I tell everyone — mostly fine but super duper, all-the-time exhausted. We talked about my iron levels and a few other things and then she asked, “Are you getting enough sleep?” Yes. I’m mostly sleeping
Nearly a year ago, after our vacation to Lake Anna, I mentioned that our trip started with a 9-1-1 call, and that I’d tell the story later. My plan was that I’d make a few appointments with specialists, and after a few weeks I’d have the space and information I needed to feel comfortable telling
I love summer. It is, by far, my favorite season. I love the long days, bare feet, pool parties. I love Popsicles on the porch and burgers on the grill. I love not having to keep track of my kids’ coats. This summer started out with a giant WHOMP WHOMP otherwise known as orthopedic surgery coupled with
Today I’m twenty-one weeks, two days pregnant, meaning (even if the baby is born after my due date) I’m past the pregnancy halfway point. Except that this is my fourth pregnancy and I know that the second twenty weeks packs a very serious wallop. Thirty weeks should be considered the halfway point. At least. Except
Since she was 15 months old, every time we go to the doctor for a well-check everyone comments on how verbal she is. It’s true, she is, and I take no credit. She could speak in complete, articulate paragraphs by 24 months and by three we were actively trying to discourage her language development. Just kidding. Kind
Last week we celebrated the kids’ last day of school and David’s preschool graduation. Look at those excited faces! Those faces say WE CAN’T WAIT FOR SUMMER! We can’t wait to explore and go to the park and swim all day! And I’m like, AHA! JK KIDS! Mom only has one working arm so we
It’s Mother’s Day, and I’m going to talk about appreciation. Now that I’m a mom I’ve learned that appreciation something I really crave. My kids are small and we’re still working the word “thank you” into their vocabularies, so it’s an ongoing struggle. But kids have their own way of saying it, right? The way the
I never planned to nurse Thomas as long as I did. Actually, I take that back. I never really planned any sort of timeline. David self-weaned abruptly at 12 months. I was eight weeks pregnant and in the throes of first trimester exhaustion when I weaned Mary Virginia at 16 months. Neither of those things happened
I became a stay-at-home mom almost six years ago, and one thing (among many) I’ve struggled with for that entire six years is taking time for myself. It’s one aspect of parenting that doesn’t change. Kids go through all kinds of stages and phases, so my days and routines have changed drastically throughout the past
When our kids were babies, we always sang the song “Sanctuary” before bedtime. Now that they’re older we’ve switched gears a bit to a version of, “IF YOU ASK FOR ONE MORE THING…” Nap times have always been a little different, especially Mary Virginia’s nap. For her nap I tell a story, then sing a
Two weekends ago Tom took David to Washington, D.C. for a father-son adventure. They rode the train, and the subway. They visited the zoo, the Museum of Natural History, and the National Air and Space Museum. A post shared by Tom Krieger (@thomas_c_krieger) on Feb 26, 2017 at 1:04pm PST If you ask David about the
Mary Virginia likes to play house, and whenever she does, she assigns everyone a character. For example, last weekend she was playing house at the beach. She was the mommy, David was the daddy, Tom was the grandpa, and I was the mermaid statue. One morning before playing house we were ironing out the details: Mary
If you know Mary Virginia at all you know that she is very, very aware of her wardrobe. She prefers dresses. Skirts are ok. Pants are intolerable. She also loves anytime I wear a dress or a skirt, which actually isn’t very often. The first time she saw me in my bathrobe she exclaimed, “OH MOMMY! I
This morning, before 8 o’clock, my kids dismantled the playroom. When I say “dismantled” I don’t mean they made a typically giant toddler mess, disproportionate to their small size. What I mean is they took apart their toy bins and moved around furniture. Thomas spent the morning wondering how we fit all of Disney World into our
It was nearly 80 degrees yesterday in Richmond. 80 degrees. 80 degrees and still people were wearing Uggs and beanies because in fall people lose their minds, and the ability to feel the actual temperature is muted by their excitement for the season. I get it. Ok, I actually don’t get it. Because I’m already ready
It’s true. Since I had kids, certain things have fallen to the wayside. Things like trips to the doctor and dentist and shopping for a pair of warm boots for the fall. Of course I’m talking about appointments for me. Don’t worry, my kids are set in the appropriate-shoe department. I’m the cookie-cutter, stereotypical mom you see