Hellobee

Hello! I just finished writing a guest post series on Hellobee about our baby’s journey with a CHD medical diagnosis. It’s been immensely helpful and comforting for to me to hear other parenting perspectives, especially as it relates to medical issues. I hope to pay that forward by writing about our parenting experience. In that spirit, I decided to jump in and become a regular blogger!

I’ve been reading Hellobee since my daughter was born four years ago. I struggled so much in the beginning with my new identity as a SAHM to a very colicky baby, and I found it incredibly helpful to know what other mothers were experiencing. I’m currently a SAHM to my precocious 4 year- old daughter and my sweet 14 -month old son. My daughter loves making bead jewelry, so I’ll call her BeBe, and my son goes by Little Guy. So why Mrs. Smoothie? It’s one of my favorite drinks!

My life before kiddos looked a lot different. I worked in maternal and child health programs for non-profit organizations and finished my master’s degree. I am still passionate about public health and advocacy for children. I just had no idea how much advocacy I would being doing for my own child. However, I am glad that I am familiar with this role.

Here is the backstory on my husband and me. We have been together for almost 15 years, and married for 7 years. (Yikes! That seems like a long time now)! We met while I was in college and he was on leave from the Marine Corps. That was the summer of 2001. He was getting ready to deploy for what we thought would be a normal 6-month tour. He told me not to worry — what is the worst that can happen, the world blows up? The next month, the September 11^th attacks happened, and he was sent to Afghanistan. We weathered many combat deployments in the years following. My husband loved being a Marine, but after 10 years he transitioned to civilian life.

For about ten years, we lived in different parts of Southern California and loved to be out at the beach, bike riding, and hiking. When we decided to try and have a baby, I was diagnosed with PCOS. I had to work with my OB/GYN on fertility treatments to have our daughter. Fortunately, a little over a year later I became pregnant with our daughter. Almost two years after we had our baby girl, we made the decision to move to the Midwest to be near family. It’s been quite a change, but we love having family nearby.

At different points in my motherhood journey I have wondered, what in the world did I get myself into? I have thought, this is not what I signed-up for. It has truly been life changing. I plan to write more about our family’s experience having a baby with a serious medical issue (CHD), the medical appointments and therapies. However, I promise that we do have fun around here! My daughter and I love to do all things craft related, and kid friendly science experiments. My little guy is enjoying so many fun experiences now that he is a toddler. I’m excited to share this sometimes tough and unexpected parenting road we are on, as well as the everyday challenges and joys that come with parenting two crazy and cute kiddos.