Ages & Stages

Keeping up with our kiddos during each stage of childhood.

Sometimes I have this delusion that my life ought to run like a well-oiled machine. Each family member knows what their responsibilities are and executes them perfectly. All the pieces of the family machine fall together without a hitch....
Undoubtedly, the teenage years are awkward and confusing for parents and adolescents. The obvious instigator is hormones, along with developing minds and bodies. Teens are trying to navigate a world at an in-between stage, not quite an adult but...
I have two older bonus daughters, currently sixteen and eighteen, whom I met when they were thirteen and fifteen. Given their age when we first connected, I've adopted a somewhat hands-off approach to parenting. I let them know that...
When I was pregnant, I was sure I was going to breastfeed. But when my son arrived, he didn't latch. I was determined to give him breast milk. So I started pumping early on. He is now almost three...
When my husband and I decided it was time to take the plunge into parenthood, we were focused solely on the excitement of our future offspring. How thrilling to have this adorable, miniature version of ourselves to nurture, love,...
Mr. Potato Head and Me Last Christmas, my husband and I did most of our shopping on Amazon. (Prime for the win!) One night while searching for toddler toys, Mr. Potato Head popped up on the computer screen. “Aw! I...
Incoming!!! Look Out!! Inappropriate gestures, curse words, and classmates wearing makeup at the playground. Parents can try to keep their children innocent as long as possible, but at times it seems impossible. A 4th grade boy asked my daughter if she...
My music education begins and ends with 6th grade orchestra. I vividly remember going into the orchestra room on the first day of middle school and sitting down in chairs arranged in a semicircle. I was excited to finally...
When my oldest child was two and a half, he had two great loves: Elmo and Jesus. It was the height of the Tickle Me Elmo craze. And my in-laws had hunted down the prized toy for my son. Grandparents for...
In the United States, 380,000 babies are born prematurely each year (before 37 weeks); that's one in 10 births. The needs of NICU parents and the parents of preemies are different in some ways to the needs of parents of...
I'm breastfeeding as I write this. Yes, I am breastfeeding my cranky 13 month old for two reasons. She settles down, and I have a moment to collect my thoughts. It's a win-win! March 20, 2016 is the first day I nursed...
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, my son was only 18 months old. I didn't expect the pandemic to continue as long as it has, so teaching him how to wear a mask was not even a priority...
My favorite part of a soccer game is definitely the anticipation. Will this be the cross to the forward that results in a goal? Will the keeper grab the ball before it smashes into the net? Can the mid-fielder...
We talk a lot about the comparison in motherhood. We’re constantly told not to compare ourselves to other moms. But what about comparing our kids to other kids? No two children develop at the same rate, but we still...

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Our Family’s Favorite Hike: Las Conchas Trail

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Last summer I created a reel on our family's favorite hike in the Albuquerque area, Las Conchas Trail. The reel instantly went viral, and...