I’ve been meaning to blog all week. It’s 9:47 pm on a Thursday and I can’t stop reading my messages on Instagram. They keep distracting me away from my task at hand, genuinely blogging, for me and for you, to remind you that we’re in this together.
So here is what I wanted to say:
Last weekend, Nick and I celebrated our “10 year anniversary” in Portland, ME. We stayed at the cutest inn, The Pomegranate Inn. We had the most amazingly decorated suite and comfortable bed that I couldn’t wait to sleep in.
We dropped Tommy off with Nick’s mom so we could go out and sleep in! Our room was huge. I think they assumed Tommy would be with us but nope. 🙂
For dinner, we went to Fore Street which was really good but since I had been waiting 10 years to eat there, I was a little underwhelmed. Not because it wasn’t amazing, but it had been built up so much and it was so cold. Literally it was in the low 20’s.
I woke up at 6:45 am Saturday because of course I did. I’m programmed to wake up at 6:30, check the monitor to see if Tommy is breathing and then nod off and on until he wakes up which is usually 7 at the latest.
In the morning, we enjoyed the most adorable breakfast at the inn which was essentially breakfast tapas. It was a little frittata, a little french toast, a little fruit and totally delicious.
Our room for the night was comped as full disclosure.
We headed out to Circus Maine for a day at the Circus. It was organized by the team behind Lark Hotels when they originally invited us up to Portland.
It was a lot of fun jumping on the trampoline, walking the tightrope and playing with the aerial fabrics. I was shocked at how much I retained from my days of gymnastics, especially on the trampoline. Remember seat drops and swivel hips?
We first we given a couple moves to try at each station and the performers put on a show for us. Their strength was unbelievable. I had no idea Portland was such a hot spot to come for circus training! Many of the artists training are from all over the country and hoping for jobs in Cirque du Soleil or shows of similar arts.
After the Circus, we went back to go get Tommy. If you follow my Instagram stories, you know what happened and even though we were going to spend the night, we opted to head back to Boston and I’m so glad we did because I ended up getting really sick. By the time we got home, I had a fever of 101F, a really sore throat, chills, back pain and was in bed at 8 pm, asleep by 8:30 pm.
I woke up with the worst sore throat and headache so Nick let me sleep in. I honestly think I had strep throat but I hate going to the doctor! Someone on Instagram tonight said that I complain too much and honestly, I normally would be like, ya I do complain but I haven’t mentioned my inability to swallow all week and the fact that I can barely eat because it’s so painful. I’m wasn’t complaining because I know I should have gone to the doctor but as a parent, that shit is hard. Tommy, according to the nurse at our pediatrician, is too young to get strep throat, I don’t see other adults regularly and Nick is stupidly immune to everything so, I dealt with it and it’s just now starting to feel a little better.
So anyway, this is Sunday… Tommy’s got a new hair cut, I’m feeling miserable and I have a very busy week including an outdoor yoga session on Wednesday at 8 am (forecasted to be 37 F out!) for work.
I don’t know what it is but somehow as a mom, you just power through. You get shit done while pre-children you may have stayed in bed but now that’s not an option and you just do it.
What was up with the cranberry bog!?
One of my favorite companies to work with in Boston is Cercone Brown. I’ve worked with them for over 13 years!!! They do the Nantucket House and other fun experiential marketing houses. They were doing a campaign with OceanSpray featuring a cranberry bog on Boylston Plaza on Tuesday and Wednesday. They invited influencers and media to take a yoga class outdoors by the bog with Rebecca Pachecco, walk in the bog and taste some cran-tastic smoothies. These events can sometimes be hard to get people to say “Yes” to so I always like to say yes if I can when it’s a company and brand I like.
They also asked me if I would teach a HIIT Bootcamp around lunch time at the bog so of course I said yes since it would mean getting paid. During Yoga, I couldn’t feel my fingers but during my bootcamp I as able to strip off a few layers and actually was sweating. We did a 20 minute HIIT workout that you’ll be able to try soon if you follow my Instagram or Facebook!
And yes, I still felt like I had strep throat during all of this, of course keep my germs to myself with gloves, space and not touching anyone.
Tommy Update
My sweet boy is sleeping basically 7-7!!!!!!!! This is a first and I almost had to wait two years to day this. It probably won’t last long so I’m enjoying every minute past 6:30 am.
He is in a bit of a picky food stage. He only will eat cheese sticks for dinner but refuses them the next day at lunch. He will not eat vegetables and there is little he consistently will eat except for gummies, i.e. fruit snacks and gummy bears.
He still cries every time I drop him off at daycare and I guess he cries off and on sometimes at daycare which breaks my heart. Most days he seems to enjoy it and is sleeping really well! He naps for like 2 hours at daycare. He never naps for 2 hours at home.
He’s also in a screaming phase. But man this is a cute age. He is so funny and affectionate. He is a ham that knows how to make me laugh and is becoming quite the “show” artist. He puts on shows for people who come over our house or people across the restaurant. I can’t believe he is almost 2 years old!
Do I complain a lot?
Someone on Instagram tonight said that I complain a lot. I honestly looked at my previous posts and I’m confused because I don’t think I complain much on social media. If you ask Nick, he probably would say yes, but on social media, I try to share my parenting struggles. I know what it’s like to feel alone, and I share my pain so you know we are in this together. Often, I share my struggles for suggestions. You guys have the best advice.
I also wonder if this person doesn’t “get” my personality and how sometimes when I “complain” of Tommy screaming at 6 pm and not drinking wine, I’m being sarcastic. Similarly, I’m not really mad that Tommy didn’t eat his cheese stick at lunch, I just think he’s a funny dude who loves one thing one day and won’t touch it the next for no reason! Toddlers, lol!
So now, it’s almost 11 pm, an hour past my bed time, and I’ve done a lot of complaining in this blog post, hahahaha. I’m going to wake up super tired but I wanted to write a post this week that shared how I felt, what I was going through, the good and the bad. I am feeling so much better right now. My throat almost feels normal until I try to swallow. I promise to go to the doctor if I’m still in pain come Monday. 🙂
I’ve been following you well over 2 years, probably 3 at this point. My daughter is around the same age as your son so I totally get the mom struggle. I don’t think you complain. It’s a journey only a parent can understand. If you walked into a room with my mom friends and me someone would think we are all a bunch of complainers but really we are just sharing all the weird and crazy things our kids do we don’t understand, like eating cheese sticks for dinner but not the next day lol. Everyone feels entitled to their opinion but until they’ve walked in your shoes their opinion doesn’t matter. You do you momma!!
I have been following you since at least 2014. I do not think you complain. Right now you live with a toddler. Life right now is not easy. Any mother reading your blog watching your IG, hear your stories and think “I hear that”. It lets others know they are not alone in their daily struggles. So, keep on keepin it real girl. We have your back!
I have been following you for a few years now and the past few yours you have become one of my favorite bloggers/influencer because you keep it real. I say keep up the good work.
I don’t think you complain. I have been following your blog for almost two years. My 3rd daughter is about the same age as Tommy. I like your blog because it’s interesting to me and you keep it real. Life with little ones is amazing…and it can be super tough. I don’t read blogs or follow instagram stories about people who put forth a perfect polished life because: a. That makes me feel like crap when I’m having my own day to day struggles and b. It’s not reality.
The internet is a funny thing- people feel free to say things behind the screen they’d never say in real life. Why??? If people don’t like the tone of a blog stop reading. What the heck is wrong with saying kind things and keeping the other stuff to yourself?
I really don’t think that you’re complaining too much, not at all actually ! I love your blog ! ❤️
Thank you!!
Wait until he hits 2 (w/the eating) -- I feel like my tofu-loving, spinach eating tot basically stopped eating all together. It’s normal for them to tail off on foods between 1.5-2.5; picks up again later when they understand their own desires/likes/dislikes more. Keeping it real isn’t the same as complaining, and I’m honestly so sick of bloggers/social media pretending parenting is #blessed or something. It’s freaking hard. Hearing yours/others struggles who have a different work/life set-up than me helps me realize the playing field is essentially level; most parents all have to deal with the same struggles -- daycare issues, sick kids, challenging behavior, milestones etc. Your struggles normalize it for me, so thanks and keep sharing!
My son is 2, and I can barely get him to eat anything with any nutritional value. At day care he usually eats about half of whatever I send him with.. things that normally would be a hit, like blueberries, he wont touch. So I totally commiserate with you.. but oh well. Also my little guy has been going to day care a few times a week since he was 12 weeks old, and sometimes he still get upset when I leave. So I make drop off as quick as possible and get outta there asap- his teachers tell me he’s fine after I bounce.
I love that you are honest, I’m so bored of people presenting their lives as picture perfect, blessed and beautifully photographed! Sure sometimes you have a great day, but other days….ehhhh not so much. I think sharing struggles and good days makes you much more normal and trustworthy as a blogger 🙂
Sarah I don’t think you complain a lot at all but you need to get a strep test! If not treated it can linger and will come back and get worse!
Yes yes! Saw a doctor today 🙂
Yes yes already did! Thank you Hannah.
I totally appreciate your honesty on your blog and Instagram. Parenting is HARD and it isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. I have a 2.5 year old and yes, I know she is an absolute blessing and I love her more than anything in this world, but sometimes she can be extremely difficult. And I know this has to be true for all parents of toddlers (and children of all ages), but there are definitely those moms (and dads) that act like life is perfect. That’s annoying. So don’t take what that person said too seriously. I think it is 100% better to be honest and joke about these tough times. It makes you so much more relatable to people like me. So chin up Momma! 🙂
You need a new provider. Tommy is not “too young” to get strep throat. That makes no sense. He’s old enough to eat or drink or touch something (hands in mouth) and get it. We do foster care and we had a 15 month old bring it to all of us from the children’s shelter. So yeah, it’s possible. Strep is super serious. Almost shut down my daughter’s kidneys last year and that’s after she was treated immediately upon symptoms. 14 weeks of high dose steroids got her back to normal and she has 50% chance of relapsing at some point. I’m not one to rush to the doctor either but I do not play around with strep anymore!
Hi Anna, thank you for heads up. A bunch of people have called this to my attention since writing!
You def don’t complain too much — it is refreshing!
Random question which reminded me to ask this when you said you were sick — As a mom of an almost 2 year old myself, wondering how has daycare been with the germs? Have you found that your son is bringing home a ton of sickness? I desperately want to put my son into daycare so I can focus on work a couple of times a week, but everyone is telling me horror stories. All of my friends kids who go to school are sick CONSTANTLY, along w/ their parents. Is it worth it?
I have not noticed it a ton. His daycare has sent out three emails since he started with 2 hand foot mouth outbreaks and one conjunctivitis, he has had neither. He has a slight cold right now but we are not germaphobes and he has built up his immune system pretty good I think. He probably will bring home a bunch of germs this winter but it’s worth it for me to have the time for my business.