By Megan Bean danced all weekend in her very first dance recital, times two — my first-born, tall and proud young bone and muscle beside me but still so fluffy-tiny against the backdrop of the cavernous high school stage. I watched her performances breath-held-chest-puffed, my heart beating out cartoon flowers and stars, my eyes filled…
Category Archives: 5 Minutes For Parenting
Pregnancy Journal: The 10th Month
From 5 Minutes for Parentin By Kelly This is my last Pregnancy Journal post, friends, because (cue the angels and confetti) I am no longer pregnant. Baby Kieran joined our family on May 7 (birth story is here), and we’ve been head over heels ever since. I am grateful the editorial staff here at 5…
$600 for Binoculars? YAKM!!
By Michael My Sunday magazine supplement had a great article over the weekend about the best gift ideas for “dads and grads.” Notice how dads rank so high that we don’t even get our own gift list. Even worse, note how graduating females are assumed to want the same gifts as both 18-year-old high school…
Got My Rubber Sandals, Got My Straw Hat
By Megan Summer’s here, and as anyone who lives in the Midwest (or Northeast, or anywhere winters are frigid and unrelenting and LONG) would be, I am 100% for that. I love the time I get to spend outside with my family these long, beautiful days, and I love the freedom and flexibility in our…
Let go.
(alternately titled – “Spring Cleaning”) Since it is still (technically) spring, let’s devote today’s entry to cleaning out “stuff” – tangible things you hold on to, or negative habits or thoughts you might have. I mentioned last week that I love a clean home, and it really is true. If we haven’t used an object…
Muffins
By Beck The Baby (and whenever I call her that, I feel the need to add that she is five now and NOT ANYTHING LIKE A BABY) just made some muffins, which are baking away in the oven as I write. And because The Baby has food issues, they’re gluten-free and so the chances of…
So Why Should I Thank You?
By Michael Ours was the solitary flag flying on my block yesterday, and I only counted two others as we headed out the various side streets to the main road. Yesterday was Memorial Day. I guess everyone else forgot. In my neighborhood, like 80% of the country, we tend to think of ourselves as Middle…
Mommy A.D.D.
“Hello, My name is Jenna, and I have Mommy A.D.D. Hi, Jenna. It’s been 5 minutes since my last distraction. *clapping* Ooh, something shiny! Dang it!” Anyone else feel this way? I had 30 minutes to myself the other day – 30 blissful, uninterrupted minutes of doing whatever it was my heart desired. But I…
I Need a Fix
By Michael Every so often, I want to rent a baby. Or a toddler. Or a kindergartner. Just for a day, maybe four hours, but enough time to revisit the pure joy of an unexamined life. I suspect there’s not a real business like this, baby rentals, although I guess I could hire myself out…
An Other Day
By Megan There are days, my friends, when all of my reflection and appreciation and joy and love aren’t enough to keep me from being frustrated and irritated and DONE with motherhood. A five year old girl has enough sassiness and attitude and drama than this Mama knows how to handle sometimes, and Peabody? Oh,…