Okay, mom

Hey there, fellow "just okayers" of motherhood, parenthood, and honestly life itself.  Welcome to this blog where we will talk about the chaos and mania of being a new parent, sorting through all of the information that, in my humble opinion, is way too available. Who knew there were so many ways to get it wrong? And don't be mistaken, I have dreams of being the perfect parent, and I strive for excellence as a nurse, but dreams are for sleep and we all make mistakes.

A Little About Me: I'm Christa, once described by a former roommate as a toxic optimist. I'm part of that generation where humor is the drink of choice when it comes to processing trauma. After spending years as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), you'd think I'd have some semblance of a clue as to what's going on. But it turns out your guess is as good as mine. Is it teething? A sleep regression? Are you sitting in your own shit for the fourth time today? Who knows. Now, my days are filled with puke, sleep deprivation, and a never-ending quest for sanity; who knew motherhood sounded so much like college?

From NICU to New Mom: Let's get one thing straight, I loved being a NICU nurse, it wasn't a messy break-up, amicable, I promise. But life has a way of life-ing and you end up moving to an island with one hospital that has 25 inpatient beds...total. That includes acute care, labor and delivery, and ICU (if you can call it that). I worked two summers in the outpatient clinics, but that is just not my scene. So this summer I decided, instead of working an average job I'm not passionate about, I'll start a few side hustles and dig into my passions I previously swiped left on.

Embracing the Earthy-Crunchy Lifestyle: Y'all, it's cliché, I get it, but I couldn't find a synonym for it. We have used cloth diapers since little dude was on the earth side of the womb, but if he had it his way, he'd be naked all the time. We have made all of our own baby food since 4 months old, and I'm sure there is a little bit of each meal still caked on to his highchair or the floor under it. Oddly enough, even with my background in medicine, ya girl has a whole ass stash of herbal remedies no one asked me about.  That being said, we keep the Ibuprofen on deck. I'm a firm believer in the power of nature and its ability to soothe both body and soul, big people and tiny people alike.

Humor: It's light, it's airy, it's dark and daunting. If we can't laugh about our failures and realize that it's the only way to improve, I don't recommend this blog.

Sharing the Ups, Downs, and Everything in Between: Through this blog, I want to share the raw, unfiltered truth of motherhood—the good, the bad, and the fucked up failures we can only laugh about after the fact. We'll talk secrets, share the triumphs, and maybe even shed a tear or two along the way. From discussing the challenges of breastfeeding to navigating the world of baby-led weaning, I'm here to provide a supportive space where we can all laugh, learn, and grow together.

Okay, mom, let's go.