From the perfect plaid flannel to bold cardigan dusters that turn any T-shirt and jeans into an unforgettable look, getting dressed doesn't have to be complicated.
Sometimes slowing down and lowering my expectations—both of myself
and my son—makes all the difference. Sometimes simply acknowledging that
we both need a little extra validation and a lot of extra grace is huge.
When my oldest son would fall asleep in my arms, I wouldn't grab my phone for a
picture. Instead, I would start Googling. How long should newborns sleep? Should you wake
a sleeping baby? Can you spoil an infant? From the moment he shut his eyes, I would
worry about what I was doing wrong.
Your hands, worn in infant size by her. Your toes. The color of her
hair—identical to yours as a child. The shape of her chin and the curve of her upper lip.
Your placid expression was mirrored by hers as she gazed out at the world in those first
months.
I can handle some hair loss because, in a way, it gave me my children. I can handle some hair loss because it will grow back. I can handle some hair loss because, in the grand scheme of things, it is a very small issue.
I am with you—in the heaviness and the lightness. I just
want you to know that. You're not alone, and I know I'm not either. And sometimes, that's what we
need to know most of all.
"How does a 30-year old mom of two with no previous history of mental illness get admitted to the psych ward? This is where my memory fails me, but the diagnosis: Postpartum Psychosis."
