Girl Mom Series Finale, The Highlights

It is crazy to think that a series I started back in February has came to an end for now. On February 26th I kicked off my 'Girl Mom' series when I shared my story.

The story of how these two precious ladies made me a full pledged girl mom. I can't imagine my life any other way. 
Week after week (for almost 30 weeks) you shared your stories. Stories that made us laugh and cry. Stories that everyone could relate to. Your stories were our stories and they were all woven together with the common pink thread of motherhood.

Today I am going to try and pick out 5 posts that spoke straight to my heart. I would like to say that I loved ALL of the posts and picking just 5 was so hard.

So here they are. 5 of my favorite 'Girl Mom Series' stories. 
Justine's Story

"I love all my children fiercely, and equally, but they all challenge me in different ways and have different lessons to teach me."
Sarah's Story

"In everything give thanks. So, instead of fear, I will praise."
Michelle's Story

"As women, we are so critical of ourselves with negative self-talk so I tried to put less emphasis on their outward appearances and more on the matters of their heart."
Katie's Story

"As a Girl Mom, my job is to teach my daughter that when it feels like the world doesn't like you, know that God loves you just the way you are. And that's all you need to know!"
Amanda's Story

"Maybe I cringe a little on the inside, but I also smile too. I know her personality is developing and it is important for me to choose my battles so that she can flourish and explore the person she is becoming so I let it go."
 
I could have listed them all.

To all who read and participated, THANK YOU!
This series would have been impossible with out you opening up and sharing.

Girl Mom Series: Jen, J Pabst Fitness

Hey there everyone! My name is Jen and I blog at J Pabst Fitness.

I blog about a little of everything, my life as a stay at home mom to 4, sharing my meals and workouts. I am the mom to 4 kids, Tyler (13), Karlie (10), Aiden (7) and Emma (18 months). While I love all 4 of them deeply, today I'm going to talk about being a mom to girls.

   

 Karlie will be 11 in January and she is one amazing little girl. She currently takes Ballet and Tumbling at a local dance studio and I'm constantly amazed at everything her body is capable of and pushes me to give a little bit more through each of my own workouts. She also excels at school and I know she is on her way to a fantastic future. Most kids have a countdown to summer vacation, on the last day of school, Karlie starts her countdown to when school starts again. She can see something on Pinterest or You Tube and next thing I know, she's making it happen. She loves crafts, doing her hair, dancing, shoes and all things glittery and girly. She is also the BEST big sister, as soon as she gets home from school, Emma goes running to her and suddenly I'm chopped liver. There is a 10 year difference between them, but I have high hopes they will be the best of friends as they grow up.

 

 

 Emma (18 months). Emma is our miracle baby, you can guess, based on the ages of our other children, that she was a surprise blessing to our family, but getting her was quite the adventure, starting right from the start. After an ultrasound at 7 weeks showing nothing but an empty yolk sac, it was determined that it was a non viable pregnancy, but I opted out of a D&C and chose to let my body do what it needed to do. A few weeks later, I was bleeding, cramping heavily and thought it was all over and had another ultrasound a few weeks after that to make sure the miscarriage was complete. It was at that appointment that my OB saw that not only did I not miscarry, but I was nearly 12 weeks pregnant. Her name means complete and whole, and that's exactly what she has done. Completed our family.

   

 The last 18 months have been adventurous, going almost 7 years between babies, it felt like I was a first timer all over again, and everything about her is SO different than my other 3. Just when I think I have things figured out, she changes and I realize I have no idea what I'm doing. She is such an easy going toddler though, loves reading books, playing with puzzles, ANYTHING that makes noise and her nickname is The Toucher because she has to to touch everything.

 

 Some things I have learned while being a girl mom:

1. They are much more sensitive than my boys. Sometimes the smallest thing can throw Karlie into a tailspin, her world is ending, nothing will ever be the same. A few minutes in her room alone and all is right with the world again.
2. They watch and learn by example. I do not want them to grow up with any body images. I work hard to teach them that a healthy body is a happy body and exercise isn't a punishment, it's keeping our bodies happy. I used to only workout when they were in bed, but I have realized they (well, all 4 of them) need to see me working out and that it's a good thing.
3. Everything is better sparkly.
4. Everything is better if it's pink.
5. If it's sparkly AND pink....#winning

Thank you so much Jen for sharing your girls with us today!

I couldn't possibly agree more about the sparkles and the pink and them making the perfect combination.

I never knew it was a neutral color until I became a girl mom. 

To learn more about Jen and her family head on over to J Pabst Fitness and take a look around.

You can also find J Pabst Fitness on these social media outlets

Instagram & Facebook

Girl Mom Series: Cara, Homespun Kitchen

Hi there readers!  I am thrilled to be doing a post for Beth's Girl Mom Series!

My name is Cara and I blog over at Homespun Kitchen.  I started my blog as a way to "scrapbook" our daily lives.  When I began blogging I was home doing daycare, my posts consisted of lots of recipes!  Now I work 4 days a week outside the home, so not too many new recipes happening.

My husband Brad and I have been married for 17 years and I am by far the luckiest woman!  We couldn't wait to start a family but we decided to wait a year after getting married to start trying.  I am SO glad we did that!  We were able to buy a house and feel a little more settled.  We started trying the summer of 1999 and I was so sad that after a couple months nothing happened.  In that amount of time 3 of my closest friends got pregnant.  I was so stressed so we decided to put baby making on hold for awhile.

The next summer we decided to start trying again and after 2 months we were pregnant with Rachel.  I was so excited and couldn't believe I was actually pregnant!  All my life I wanted girls, I don't know what it was (maybe my brother annoyed me enough to not want a boy, ha!) but I only imagined myself with girls.  Of course all we wanted was a healthy baby, boy or girl.  Through my entire pregnancy I convinced myself I was having a boy, even bought a few boy outfits.  So I was THRILLED when they said "girl"!

After having Rachel I really wanted her to have a sister, and along came Emma!  We were so happy with 2 girls and neither one of us had that desire or need to try for a boy.  We decided we were done.  In August of 2005 we bought some land from Brad's parents and decided to build a house.  We felt it was perfect timing, as the girls were 2 and 4 and I was so excited to begin planning our home.  About 2 weeks after we broke ground we were surprised with a positive pregnancy test!   I was terrified and thrilled to be having #3, we hadn't planned it, but I had always wanted three kids.

Having three girls is everything I thought it would be, fun, stressful, catty, exhausting and catty, haha!  The girls are now 14, 12 and 9.  I feel like everyday is a learning experience, whether it's them teaching me, or me giving advice.  I constantly worry that I have screwed them up, but seeing them now, I think we're doing ok!

If I could give other moms with young girls advice it would be this: 

1. Love yourself!  I make sure that I don't talk negatively about my body, ever!  They pick up on that stuff so quickly.  I also exercise regularly and eat healthy foods.  I love hearing the advice they give to their friends about eating healthy!

2. Take time for your marriage.  Right now Brad and I are at a crazy stage with girls activities/school functions and really don't have a lot of time alone.  We make sure that we carve out time for each other, whether it's getting up a half hour early to have coffee and chat before the girls get up, or sitting on the porch after they go to bed.  I love spending time with him!

Beth, thanks so much for having me!

 

Thank you so much Cara for sharing your girls with us today! I love Cara's advice to other moms. I know that I really struggled for many years to do both of those things. It's good advice mama's! Remember it, write it down, whatever you need to do. Just make it happen! Stop by Homespun Kitchen to learn more about Cara and her corner of the blogging world!
Happy Friday eve!

Girl Mom Series: Liz, Sundays With Sophie

Hi!  I'm Liz and I blog over at sundays with sophie.  I started this blog because I wanted to chronicle my pregnancy, but it became so much more in 2015 when I started talking about my life, marriage, and being a mom.

When I found out I was pregnant with Sophie, I knew I would have a boy, I mean it was in the genetics right?  Kyle's mother had three boys, and the eldest son had two boys, so it was clear I would have a boy.  The thing about genetics, you can't always predict it.  Even though everyone was convinced I was having a boy, I knew in my heart that I was actually having a girl.  And I had to come to grips with being a girl mom.  Something that I hadn't prepared for and wasn't ready to be.  Well here I am nearly 2 years later and loving being a girl mom.

Being a girl mom is something I never thought I would be good at, and some days, I still don't think I am.  But I love being a girl mom.  It's amazing and it's a blessing.  Motherhood has been a challenge for me, but rewarding at the same time.  I've hit struggles along the way, but each of them is just a learning lesson for me.  Motherhood is all about learning and going with the flow.  Here are some of the things I've learned about being a mother.

I use to say "that Sophie will never wear pink and glitter," but she rocks her crocs all the time.  Her feet pitter-pattering through the house giggling excited to wear her new shoes.  She loves taking her shoes on and off, she learned that about a month ago.

Accepting the fact that my child is 1000% obsessed with finding things to place random house items in it, whether it's a cup or a trashcan. Here she's stolen the trashcan and placed random house items she found throughout the house in it.   I've given up on anything being mine anymore.

Having a clean house isn't worth it.  Coming around and picking up after a child a million times is just exhausting.  I'll clean and she comes right back around throwing everything on the floor.  She is in love with pulling out the mail and ripping it open.

Sophie likes to do laundry, as in pull out all of the clean clothes to mix with the dirty clothes.  It's a really fun process.  We usually have to do the smell test to make sure which ones are clean and which ones are dirty.  Most days I feel like I'm doing the same thing over and over, day after day.

At the end of the day, being a girl mother, a mother, is something that I've learned to go with the flow, even if that means letting my daughter running around with a broomstick....

Being a mother is such a blessing, and such an incredible journey.  I can't fully explain how much my life changed after becoming a mother, nor do I think I'd ever try.  Any woman can give birth, but not every woman can be a mother.  I used to believe I couldn't be a mother, it just wasn't in me, I was selfish, and self-centered, but it changed when I became a mother.  It's something I wouldn't change for the world even if meant I "gave up" everything.

~~~

Thank you Beth for letting me join her wonderful series!

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Liz.

Motherhood is such an amazing and challenging journey. Sometimes we fight so hard to make it look a certain way and squeeze it into this perfect package that we expected it to be. But real motherhood is messy, unexpected and fun. I love seeing that you have learned to embrace it all. Sophie is one very lucky lady.

To learn more about Liz and her adventures check out Sundays With Sophie
You can also connect with Liz on these other social media platforms:
Instagram // Pinterest

Girl Mom Series: Cathy, Three Kids and a Fish

My little love comes bouncing across the floor singing and giggling at the same time at the top of her lungs while my blonde sweet girl comes twirling behind her. They are carrying purses, holding babies, and I detect a little eye shadow and lipstick sparkling up their faces. 

In the game they play they stop over to my coffee shop for some coffee and a bagel, meaning I have called them for breakfast. After their coffee shop break they are headed off for manicures, aka, Mom will paint their nails and after that they will go for a walk with their babies. 

I smile to myself because they are playing the game of life. They are watching and learning from me and my words and actions. 

I love to see them smile, and playing together, I love to see them happy. In a world of good princesses, bad princesses turned good, Monster High barbies, American Girl dolls, drama filled friend moments, trying to be the best at your sport or art, and more I am glad they find these sweet moments to just be five and seven. 

Sometimes five and seven seems older than it sounds especially when they encounter certain things at school, hanging with friends, on the sports field, or in the dance studio. 

I know that it starts now. Laying the foundation and capturing the teachable moments so that they are strong when the hard times come rolling in. I let my sweet girls know that I am here to walk life's journey with them. 

I tell then now so they will know for later. 

    {Happy Girls Printable}

There are 7 things that I actively do with my girls now to help build that firm foundation and guide them through life's journey:

Open Communication-Tell me about your day. What was your favorite moment today? 

I ask questions, open ended questions that require more than a one word answer. 

I want to hear about how they are, how school was, their practices, or that hang out with friends. 

Even if it's just a 3 minute conversation I want them to know I am here.

Listening, Just Listening-Girls can talk!!! Of course, I already knew this but having to listen to endless chick chatter takes work! :-) 

I have had to learn to really dial in and send my sweet girls the signals that I am really listening. Because whatever they have to say may seem small to me but to them it's as if the world is ending. 

I drop everything, look them in the eye, and listen to every word.

You a Princess, An Heir To The Throne-I tell them often that you are a child of God, the one true King. 

And that makes you a princess, a real princess. May you hold that truth in your heart and carry it all the days of your life.

Never let go or lose sight of the King. 

Hugs, Lots Of Hugs-We love to hug and snuggle. Those sweet moments I will cherish and I say to my sweet girls keep the hugs coming. 

It's these moments that tell my girls that I am here for you no matter what, and you are safe with me!

Special Moments-We have always taken dates together. Manicures, Panera for lunch, and shopping is their favorite way to spend an afternoon. 

These special dates allow for alone time, extra giggles, fun outside of their daily routine, and let's them know that they are special and worth spending time with.

You are Beautiful Inside & Out-Our culture is saturated with a distorted view of what true beauty is. I tell them every day you are beautiful on the inside and on the outside. 

In the words of Audrey Hepburn (love her), "Happy Girls are the Prettiest Girls".

You Are Loved- I can never tell them enough that they are loved. To let them know that they are valued and loved, so loved, will carry them through their days, weeks, and years as they grow. 

    

{Teaching Our Kids To Love One Another}

   {Ways We Show Our Kids Value}

Thank you so much Cathy for sharing what you have learned with us. I always see the most fruit when I actively pursue my children. So often I struggle to daily engage them in the chaos of life but they are so worth the effort and other areas of life pale in comparison.

You have encouraged and challenged this mama's heart today.

Make sure you stop by three kids and a fish to learn more about Cathy and her family. 

Girl Mom Series: Morna, Awesome Austerity

Don't worry, I know it's not Thursday ;). 

Typically I share my girl mom posts on Thursdays but tomorrow I have a pretty special announcement lined up. Morna was sweet enough to change dates and share her post today. I hope you love learning more about her life in Scotland and her girls.

Take it away Morna...

I applied to be part of the Girl Moms series several months ago when I was a new blogger. The series has been so popular that I've waited months to write this post. During this time I've read through lots of the other Girl Mom posts and I feel humbled. So many of the mothers in this series have overcome adversary of one type or another either to become a mother in the first place or in bringing up their kids. I feel so lucky to have what I have, and that it has come to me with relative ease.

My name is Morna and I live just outside Edinburgh, Scotland. I work full-time as a doctor and I am lucky to be a mother to my beautiful little girls Helen who is five and Sally who is four. I have been blogging over at Awesome Austerity for around six months now. It started out as a money-saving blog and somehow morphed into a parenting and lifestyle blog with the odd bit of money-saving thrown in!

 

I've wanted to be a doctor since I was around nine, but I've wanted to be a mother for my entire life, and I've always dreamed of having a little girl. When I found out I was pregnant we decided not to find out what we were having. We wanted to experience the surprise. Thinking back I don't know why I subjected myself to such trauma, perhaps it was so I could secretly keep hoping for a girl for a little longer. I spent my entire pregnancy convincing myself I was having a boy. By the time I went into labor I had given up on any idea of having a girl. I'd even bought some boy clothes in preparation for the arrival of 'Little William'. I still remember my first view of Helen, I thought the cord was a penis and it took me several seconds to realize that it was a little girl they had placed on my chest and not a little boy. I was over the moon.

 

 When I fell pregnant again I didn't even really dare to hope for another girl. I knew that all the dreams I'd had of having a little girl had been realized with Helen so I would be happy with whatever I got and I know if I'd had a boy I would have loved him just as much. I didn't have a boy though, another precious little girl was placed on my chest, I felt like the luckiest woman alive.

 

 What surprised me the most about the arrival of Sally into our lives was that despite her having the same chromosomal makeup as her sister she was completely different. Who knew two genetically similar little girls would be entirely opposite in almost every way? Where Helen is dreamy and thoughtful, living more in her own fantasy land than in the real world Sally is honest and stubborn, strong and athletic. Parenting Helen gave us no clues as to how to manage Sally!

 

 The first couple of years of parenthood are just about keeping your child alive really. It's exhausting often thankless work adjusting to the massive change in your circumstances and learning to put someone else's needs before your own every single time. Then you get to the stage we're at, the stage where your kids really start to develop as people and all of a sudden it's your job to make sure they turn into decent human beings.

 "Sisters do everything together"

I had an amazing childhood. My sister and I grew up on a small island off the West Coast of Scotland. We were part of a tight-knit community, living in a safe and nurturing environment. We played outside, swam in the sea and had our own ponies. We also had wonderful parents who we could talk to about everything and a mum who stayed at home to look after us until we were in secondary school. I knew I wanted to give my children as wonderful a childhood as I enjoyed but it's not as easy as I thought it would be. We moved to Colonsay from Edinburgh just before Sally was born but after a couple of years we moved back to the city.

 

 "Sally playing on the beach on Colonsay"

Although I loved living on Colonsay as a child I didn't enjoy it as an adult. I missed my career and my friends on the mainland and I could see that my children were missing out on certain things. Things like swimming lessons and ballet which have become important to them since we left Colonsay and which I longed to do as a child. Their social network on Colonsay was limited. Now they have so many school friends I can't keep up with all their names. I can see that they have a good life living where we do. I've had to learn to accept that there can be more than one perfect childhood. Just because something was ideal for my parents doesn't mean it is ideal for me. My children still spend a lot of time on Colonsay. Most of our holidays are spent there. They know so many people on the island and are definitely part of the community. But they are part of a separate community on the mainland too. 

 I try so hard to talk to my girls the way my parents spoke to me. As though they are sensible, sentient human beings whose opinions are worth seeking. I don't always find it easy though. My parents are so patient - me less so. I feel so cross with myself sometimes when I grump at my girls, I work full-time and my time with them is precious. It's not fair to spend that time being at cross with them because I'm tired or because the house isn't tidy enough. Because I work so much and because we have chosen to live on the mainland I sometimes feel that I should give in to every request and whim my children express. They should be having gymnastics and Highland dancing lessons along with the ballet and tap that they already have. They should be having piano and recorder and martial arts lessons, we should say yes to every play date and party invitation, to every request for new toys or sweets. Of course that's not practical. I also want my girls to know that resources are finite. That sometimes you have to work for things and that ultimately you can't have everything you want. 

 I'm so proud of my little girls. They are inquisitive, intelligent, kind and thoughtful. They both have amazing imaginations and they are learning to play together and forming a bond that I hope they will carry with them into adulthood. I'm growing to accept that there is no such thing as a perfect childhood, nor a perfect parent. All we can do is our best. If we treat our children with love and respect, set them clear boundaries and appreciate their concerns then hopefully they will turn into happy young woman who look back as fondly on their childhood as I do mine.

Thank you so much Morna for sharing your story with us today. It was so fun to read about your life so many hours away from us in Scotland and be able to identify with you as a mother.

Be sure to stop by Awesome Austerity to learn more about Morna and her family 

You can also find her on:

Facebook // Twitter & Pinterest