Currently viewing the tag: "motherhood"
When Mica Angela Hendricks, from busymockingbird.com, posted about her wonderfully whimsical collaborations with her 4-year old daughter, I was so inspired. I couldn’t wait to team up with my daughter on an art project!
Earlier this week, it was my brother’s and my mother’s birthday — the perfect excuse for an art collabo with Tiana. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of magic we would come up with.
Team T&N did alright!
The evolution started the day two hearts beat inside me. Little did I know that July 27, 2010 would mark her birthday and mine.
The Birth of A Mother
An entrepreneur. A blogger. A writer. A dreamer. A healer.
How many women do you know who are absolutely in love with their body?
<Cue crickets and sarcastic cackles>
Now, how many women do you know who complain about their body? Hide behind clothes? Wish they could add or remove certain body parts? Maybe even hate their body?
The list is long, eh?
Having finally reached the point of loving my body, I can now see that my previous perspective led me towards unhealthy relationships, bad decisions, and an overall low quality of life.
It’s one thing to go through that yourself. But it’s a whole ‘nother level of pain when it comes to your daughter. So how do you raise a girl who celebrates her body?
What do you and I have in common? Other than beautiful babies and the determination to fulfill our human potential. (Talk about a wicked tribe!)
What else? They could be little things. Big things. Past, present, future things.
Amy Poehler. Tina Fey. And Bee Cooler.
Q: What do these three women have in common? (I’ll save you a Google search and tell you, it’s not celebrity status. Bee, one of my dearest friends, is not famous…although she ain’t no commoner either.)
A: All three ladies are smokin’ hot…goofballs!
Silly is their specialty. On the left are the female icons with their pumped up kicks in the Golden Globes promo. On the right, my friend’s graduation photo, which obviously stands out among my yearbook’s gallery of stiff necks and awkward, closed-mouth smiles.
I recall going through life with so much to say but holding it all in. And when I spoke, I would habitually say what I thought people wanted to hear, always choosing to bite my tongue to avoid stepping on toes.
Funny enough, I remember getting my toes trampled on and being the one to apologize. I was hit by a speeding car…at a pedestrian crossing… in a school zone…and I apologized.
I’m telling you, my vocal chords did their own thing.
Things finally turned around when my daughter was born. As her role model and spokesperson, I thought I’d help her find her voice. Instead, she helped me discover mine.
Knowing that your beloved sister is having an unassisted home birth in Costa Rica really tests your ability to let go and let be.
Little did I know, I didn’t have anything to worry about.
Angels surrounded her. Each one arriving right on time.
The kindest couple welcomed her into their home.
They made her tea. They fed her Costa Rican mangoes. They never left her side.
Mama-to-be danced to the beat of African drums and the sounds of a sitar.
The music perfectly matching the rhythm of the contractions.
Three darling children offered their “om’s” and drummed along.
Friends across the globe lit a candle. Said a prayer. Breathed for her.
Family tuned in live, through the internet. Costa Rica to Canada to China.
The Premier of British Columbia, Christy Clark, invited myself and a few other mom bloggers in BC to a round table discussion.
The topic: issues that affect mothers in this province.
Born a bully? Or raised a bully?
Team Nurture takes the win, in my opinion. I’m no expert, but I do know that kids learn a lot about relationships and social interactions by watching their parents navigate through life. I’m not suggesting that parents are intentionally raising bullies; but perhaps we’re not deliberate enough in our efforts to raise peaceful, compassionate kids.
So how exactly do we do that?
I don’t need to quote research to convince you that many women, if not most, don’t leave the house without make-up on.
As for me, I never really got into make-up. Magazines, T.V. and friends have tried to convince me to cover up my dark circles, define my eyes and paint my cheeks as my daily routine. But the fact remains, I feel a lot more comfortable with little to no make-up on.
Even on my wedding day, my bridesmaids had to beg me to apply mascara on my less-than-voluminous eyelashes.
Although I enjoy a little make-up on occasion, I am so grateful that I don’t have to rely on cosmetics to feel good about my appearance.
I’d like my daughter to share the same outlook on make-up.
Welcome!
I'm Nat Nanton, founder of Tutu Mama. Becoming a mother has made me commit to living my greatest life. If you can relate to that, you're in the right place.Connect with me
