That Mom Gig

Not EVERYONE has to LOVE the beach!  Okay - there - I said it! I don't love the beach, and maybe you don't either. Maybe it's time for people to openly admit that the beach isn't EVERYONE'S happy place, not everyone's paradise... it's okay if you prefer the mall, your mother's front porch, or even your bed. I certainly prefer all three of those things, and feel like there is a giant stigma that in the summer, everyone has to love the beach. Let's all just stop pretending that humidity, sand and scary waves are everyone's dream vacation. It's okay to prefer to stay home, let your kids run around in the living room or on your front lawn with a hose. It's okay to feel nervous about going to large public places even if they are outdoors. And it's certainly okay to opt out of never ending sand and schlepping in a crew neck with sleeves and my head covered. It has taken me years to admit this. This summer, after a few weekend trips to t

I have found that there are two kinds of moms out there. Those who care about sleep schedules, and those who don't. We can break it down even further though, if we separate naps from nighttime. I have been a stickler for naps and bedtimes since day one with both of my children, and I have never benefitted from it more in their lives than I have during the COVID stretch. Of course, when I had one baby I could do errands around lunch time and know that she'd sleep in the car, in the stroller, wherever we went. But as she got more routinized out of infancy, those car naps were harder to sustain. Kids can sense when the car comes to a stop or when the engine shuts off. I enrolled my daughter in daycare at 10 months where they quickly trained her to take one nap a day. That blocked out time was sacred to us on the weekends - to keep her on schedule, and provide us with some much needed downtime - I mean, I was already pregnant with my second on the way and the sleep couldn't b

1652. That is the number of photos and videos that have been taken on my phone since March 13, 2020. That was the first day I spent at home as a full-time admissions director while ALSO being a  SAHM, cleaning lady, bed & breakfast coordinator, and overall paparazzi. It's just me, my kids, and my iPhone camera, all day/every day. I feel like my days are consumed by finding a way to work side-by-side by 1 and 2 year old children who are playing, eating, kvetching, and getting 2 inches from my face to show me something. One is learning how to walk while the other one has learned how to manipulatively talk. It's beautiful and chaotic and scary all at the same time. We are on our second week of watching Frozen - once per day - and I'm not going to lie, it's a breathtaking departure from Cocomelon and Sesame Street. I love Disney - this movie was created for experiences like this. I start my days by asking my daughter if she wants to build a snowman  and she is insta

Bath time with my two babies simultaneously. It's always been a struggle for me. #twoundertwo "Just throw them in the tub!" "Give them a bath to pass the time!" "Oh, just let them play in there, it's so much FUN!" These are frequent lines from people (people who aren't me) that have not actually witnessed my baby being body-slammed by my toddler in an innocent effort to show him her "baby shark" act. These are from people who feel badly for my long and exhausting days, who just want to offer a suggestion that in theory seems FUN, but in reality is HELL. I hate the shape of my kid's bathroom vanity and how it prevents me from being near both of them at all times. I hate that my 2 year old is a little more sturdy and aggressive during play, so she drowns out my 1 year old with a cup of water. I hate how my baby is learning to walk and when he stands up in the tub, all I can imagine is him slipping and hitting his head on the

I could be a millionaire by now if I had a dollar for every person who posted it’s their first time making a Seder this year, first time not traveling to a Pesach Program, or first time cleaning their home for chametz. Well let me just introduce myself and tell you that this is the first time I’m NOT hosting, I’m NOT cooking, and I’m NOT feeling guilty about it! Most of my life I was at the Seder table with my family. My mom would cook most of the food and I’d enjoy helping a bit. It was an opportunity for spring cleaning and freshening up. When I got married, I became the Pesach host for my husbands extended family, given that as observant Jews we could not go to anyone else’s house but we could host it ourselves. We took the tradition from our mothers and began hosting. This year would have marked our  3 year anniversary in our home (4 years hosting) - and our first time that we won’t be with all of the family. It’s surreal and strange.  Passover and my husbands birthday alwa

Unchartered territory. Staying at home full time for that mom gig wasn't what I imagined I’d be doing with two babies only 1 year apart in age. I mean, I do have a job that I love, and am still working from home. But not being a SAHM is why I pay for preschool. Nonetheless, here I am. Here WE are, guys. I literally flip-flop between two people. I am either the happiest mother on earth, or I am the most frustrated person you've ever met. The frustrated Amanda only lasts for about 10-30 minutes. It's when no one is listening to me, everyone is crying, and I look around and realize how messy my house is. Then the kids take a nap/go to bed, and I realize I can fix a lot of the messes.  The happy-as-a-mother person is real. It's 100% raw, real, true and happy love. I let my kids crawl all over me while I do my back stretches on the floor. I feed my baby peas from a can on a spoon even though he can feed himself. I’m kvelling every time he almost takes his first steps. I