Maple Alps

motherhood

Seven Things That Are Different for Me In Pregnancy Number Two

Pregnancy, MotherhoodAmanda Walter | Maple AlpsComment

I can’t believe I finally get to sit down and reflect on life and how unexpected and crazy it has been. Finding out I was pregnant, less than a year after having our first, was a shock, and now going through pregnancy a second time in a second consecutive year has been quite the experience. It has taken some time to wrap my head around the fact that we will be parents of two under one and a half in just a few weeks. Here are some things that have been different during pregnancy for me this time.



Things that are different for me during pregnancy #2. Sonogram photo, couple on bed

Less Anxiety About Giving Birth

This is a definite positive. Even though I know that every single pregnancy and birth can be drastically different, even for the same person, I have less anxiety surrounding all things labor and delivery. I welcome it because it will mean I’m not pregnant anymore. I think I’m ready never to be pregnant again, but I’ve been told: “never to say never.” 



I Forgot I Was Pregnant At Times

Especially in the beginning, days would go by before I remembered I was pregnant. Taking care of a baby takes up a lot of mental space, and since it’s something I’ve experienced before, I haven’t been obsessively checking apps and seeing what size the baby is now or what could be developing now. Now that I’m in my third trimester, constant kicking is a reminder that another life is growing inside of me - not to mention not being able to fit through tight spaces and the aches and pains.



I’m More Tired

Hauling a heavy baby up and down stairs for naps and diaper changes, plus all the other wrestling I’ve had to do with Baby #1, has more than likely contributed to my fatigue. I was napping more during naptime during the first trimester, but I’m just feeling down and tired - especially now that the third trimester is in full swing.



I Feel More Emotional

My emotions have been all over the place since the beginning. Hormones are strange, and I’ve felt much more emotional since this pregnancy started. They can range from happy to sad to angry, and it’s been a rollercoaster. My poor husband is a saint, truly. 




I’m Less Motivated to Exercise

I still walk most days and try to fit in Pilates or the treadmill when I can, but the motivation to exercise is low. Probably because I’m constantly hauling around a large weight that is our now toddler! The only thing that helps me stay semi-motivated is that I want to be ready for labor and delivery!



I Have Fewer Photos

J insisted on taking a weekly photo when I was pregnant the first time; however, I believe it was not until the third trimester that we took that first pregnancy photo of me. However, we did a maternity photoshoot again to remember the time by. Honestly, I wouldn’t have done anything with the weekly photos had we done them again. But there are hardly any photos of me where I’m visibly pregnant this second time. There are a few weeks left, so perhaps we will still get some in. 



I Have Moments of Excitement About Being a Family of Four

As crazy a thought as it is having two under two and being a family of four, I am looking forward to the amazing moments I know we will have. It will be a chaotic, exhausting, and messy season of life, I’m sure, but I am also certain that there will be happy times too! I’m curious to see what the transition from one to two will look like. 



How different were your subsequent pregnancies? Would love to hear about them below!

 

Postpartum Essentials for Recovery

Pregnancy, Mama BuysAmanda Walter | Maple AlpsComment

Postpartum. Even though I found many resources, I realized no one I knew personally ever talked about this time. Everyone focuses on the baby and its needs when first entering the world, but I had no clue what to expect for myself in that fourth trimester. When it finally came, some aspects surprised me, and some I had mentally prepared for based on the lists of things that one is recommended to have in stock. 

It’s easy to focus on the baby’s needs when first entering the world, but it is equally important to prepare for those first weeks after birth concerning your care. I’ve been thinking back on this time lately as I prepare to welcome our second baby very soon! Here are some things that can help you during your recovery.

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For down there




For the Girls




Extras for you



What kinds of things did you find useful in your postpartum recovery?

 

Five Things A Year of Motherhood Has Taught Me

Motherhood, ParenthoodAmanda Walter | Maple AlpsComment

I can’t believe that I have officially held the title of “Mother” for a year already. The past twelve months have flown by, and I can’t tell where the time has gone! Our little squishy-faced newborn has turned into a happy toddler with a big personality. Such a joy to watch her grow and learn and become a part of our family. Reflecting on this huge milestone, here are five things (there really are more!) I’ve learned in a year of parenthood.




Practice True Self-lessness and Serve with Joy

The reality of my life right now is that my needs do come second. They’re eventually met, but in a lot of cases, there are the needs of others that are more urgent. Not to say I never shower or eat, but it does happen, heh. 

Serving with joy, I suppose, goes along with self-lessness in some ways. It’s easy to grudgingly do things or take notice that I do carry a large burden of the day-to-day things that go on in the home. When I remember that it is a privilege to serve my family in the way I do, it brings me joy.




Take Time for Wonder

Watching my baby girl take in the world for the first time is inspiring. It was so fitting that my word of the year was “wonder” during this time. I’ve been able to slow down and appreciate how amazing things could be the first time it is experienced. From the first time having sand touch my toes, hearing the ocean, seeing all of the animals in the woods to tasting new flavors and experiencing new textures, all of these things can bring wonder. This wonder, of course, has pointed me to the Creator. His love is new and fresh every morning, and all of the wonderful blessings He bestows and continues to give are cause for wonder. 




Lean on the Everlasting Arms

I’m helpless without help from above. There have been countless times, okay, all of the time, where there is just no way I feel I can go on. Between sleepless nights and frustrating milestone days, motherhood can be completely exhausting. I find that on the days I spend time with my Creator in prayer and Bible study, things go smoother, or at least my heart is much more at peace. I need to intentionally lean on the arms of Jesus to get through with patience and love.





 

Enjoy the Current Season

People constantly comment, “Oh, just wait until [insert milestone here],” and I’m tired of it. While there are certain aspects of parenthood I do look forward to, I don’t want them to detract from the current season we are in. It happens all the time: we look back at a past season wistfully and wish we could have lived in it more fully. Well, I am choosing to live more fully in these moments. I won’t always get the cuddles and excited smiles. I’m sure I’ll miss having naptime one day too. Having one vs. two will also be something else. There is a time for everything. 




Taking Care of Myself is Important too

Getting enough sleep and getting healthy food is important, but so is taking care of my emotional needs. I have found that getting out of the house by myself at least an hour or two a week - not to run errands, but to just be alone - has been really necessary for staying sane. It could be as simple as taking a walk with an audiobook, or taking myself (or a friend, if one is available!) out on a Starbucks date. When I take the time to feel my best and recharge my introvert self, I can also give my best to my family.




Mother's Day - Best Advice from Moms!

RelationshipsAmanda Walter | Maple Alps9 Comments

I know that Mother's Day is coming up this weekend and it is always so touching to see Mother's Day posts from friends who pay tribute to their mothers every year. I debated putting together a post, and in the end, since I think all mothers should be celebrated all year long, I finally decided to put up this post to start off the festivities.

I know that Mother's Day is hard for some, so I wanted to keep it simple this year and just share ten pieces of advice a few of my friends sent to me! 

Best Mother's Day Advice

"When you are facing a fork in the road, can't make up your mind and both paths are good then just follow your heart. You are not going to pick the wrong one" Beth Mayberry

 

"Pray first and ask for God's help and guidance. Prayer should not be our last resort." Jacquelyn Van Sant

 

"Always wear a hat. Your baby face + skin will thank you when you're 40." Aubry Lybbert

 

"Be all you can be!" Hanha Hobson

 

"A couple weeks after my wedding I was going over the things I would’ve done differently or thought out more thoroughly. My mom stopped me, mid-sentence, and said “Would you change who you married? Cause that’s all that matters.” I lost my mom not two months later and that thought has stuck with me ever since." Caley Gonyea

 

"The best time to look for a job is when you have one." Candice

 

"One of my favorite pieces of advice from my mom (and there are many) is financial. When I first went out on my own, my mom told me to choose a dollar amount (e.g. $100, $250 or $500) and make that my "zero" in my checking account. That way, if I ever had an emergency, I would always have that buffer, that safety net." Jacquelyn Van Sant

 

"My mother was a woman of God that inspired and challenged me to pursue him as well. She leaves behind pages from her bibles with notes of biblically sound truths. Looking through her bibles, I often think she was one of the original "bible journalers" out there. I often reflect on her words of wisdom each week since she [passed away] in November 2017. I've learned many lessons from her one of which is to fully trust God instead of worrying. I'm a person that can sometimes be full of worry instead of basking in the fullness of God's peace and assurance. My mother pointed me to many scriptures to get me back on track when I would tell her all the things that troubled or stressed me. Stress does nothing for us and my mom reminded me of this all the time. She would sometimes say "Danielle, don't you know that God is up there?" I'm reminded of Romans 8:28 when I think of her encouragement, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." This Mother's Day I remember her for her strength to raise me and opening up our home to several foster children. She and my dad who is also no longer on earth had a big heart for children. God blessed me to have them as they adopted me at birth. While it's heartbreaking that they are gone, I'm thankful for the wisdom that I've gained from my mom for 30 years and my dad for 15 years. My mom's wisdom inspires me to continue to grow and teach other young women in the same way." Danielle Wallace

 

"A good [peice of advice she gave me] is wear your coat!" 5th grader

 

"The best advice my mom gave me is if somebody is fighting with you just walk away." 5th grader

 

What is the best advice your mother ever gave you?

 

Women of Intention Week Five: Motherhood

Women of IntentionAmanda Walter | Maple Alps4 Comments

Welcome to another week (week five) of the series, Women of Intention! Maple Alps is featuring a woman who will talk about intentionality in specific areas in her life over the next fifteen weeks. So glad you've decided to stop by! For more information, and a list of topics, visit our introduction post HERE. 

#WomenOfIntention16 Women of Intention Week Five: Motherhood and Intentionality
Gina Poirier

This week's Intentional Woman:

Today, we are going to hear from Gina of Holding the Distaff. 

I enjoyed getting to know Gina, and hearing all about her adventures in motherhood and the passion she has for homeschooling her children and teaching them important life values and lessons. I'm certain you will enjoy getting to know her too!

Once you're done reading, be sure to not only check out her blog, Holding the Distaff, but also share your thoughts (and if you want, the post too!).

Find Gina on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Tell us a bit about yourself: What are your passions, work and interests?

I'm a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom of three kids, ages 3, 5 and 6 ½. I wear many hats: managing our home, writing and editing, homeschooling and being involved in our church and community.

I'm most passionate about helping the people in my life find purpose and meaning—hence my blog's tagline, "inspiration in the everyday." There are a lot of practical ways I do this, including writing, volunteering, having people in our home, or just enjoying deep conversations over coffee.

 

How do you practice intentionality in your life as a mother?

It's funny you use the word "intentionality" because up until a few years ago I would have had no idea what that meant. But being a mother has forced me to think about the concept frequently. Am I just coasting along this parenting journey, hoping everything turns out okay (Okay, yes sometimes!)? Or do I plan our days thoughtfully and parent with purpose? I think we'd all like to practice the latter.

One challenging decision I wrestled with recently as a mother was whether we should homeschool. My husband was homeschooled from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and when I met him I didn't even know that was a thing. Frankly, it seemed weird. But over the years he convinced me to give it a shot. And now, two years into it, we love it. It helps me to be intentional because I have so many opportunities to spend quality time with my kids. We have great conversations, explore together and simply enjoy the act of learning. It's a natural extension of my parenting.

I'll add that being intentional as a parent doesn't mean you have to plan out every waking hour with meaningful life lessons. It does mean you have an end-goal in mind when you're living out your life day to day. I want my kids to love God, to be compassionate, to be responsible stewards, and to pursue their passions whole-heartedly. Homeschooling gives us a lot of opportunity to explore these things.

 

What is the hardest part of being a mother? The easiest? The most rewarding?

The hardest part (and probably every mom will tell you this) is that you never get time off. Even when I get that sacred hour or two away apart from them, I'm thinking about those rascals. Your body, mind and soul permanently belong to these other little beings.

The easiest part is loving up on them. I'm not a very physically affectionate person, but for the most part I could snuggle with my babies for hours (except when they're squirmy and it's 3 a.m.). 

The most rewarding part is watching in awe as these little people grow and blossom into big people. They are each so uniquely beautiful in multiple ways, and I marvel at them daily. 

 
 

How would you say intentionality as a mother has affected other areas of your life?

Intentionality in motherhood has helped me see that the little moments count. It might not seem like I'm doing much when I spend my days changing diapers and wiping noses, but then I blink and my babies are growing into incredible little people and thriving. I realize that all those seemingly insignificant moments are quite powerful when added together. The same applies to my marriage, my relationships and my work. If I can just keep working at the little things, I will eventually see big changes.

 

What would you say to encourage a mother who is struggling with intentionality in this area of her life?

Several things. First, take some time and think about what your end goals are with your parenting. What kinds of people do you want your children to be? A lot of Christians say they just want their kids to be faithful—but what does a faithful life look like? Think about this, pray about it and write it down.

Second, remember that we all have days when we feel like we are barely keeping our heads above water, especially when we have little babies. We can't find matching socks let alone try to have some sort of vision for our parenting. Don't worry, those days will pass. But if you're past the baby stage and you're still struggling, ask yourself if you have enough breathing room in your schedule. Do you have downtime with your kids, opportunities to have great conversations? Those are the times when the rubber hits the road in your parenting. Sometimes they're planned, but more often they're not. Make space to just be with your kids.

 
 

Lastly, just rely on God's word, the Bible, and pray for and with your kids daily. I think of Deuteronomy 6:4–9, which paints a picture of how a family that follows God is constantly saturated in his commandments. If you want to raise kids to be lifelong believers, you have to model what that looks like. Start with your own faith walk, and then share it with them. Are siblings arguing—or are you arguing? Talk about what Jesus said about serving one another in John 13:1–17. Have them pray for each other. Are they having bad attitudes about doing chores? Talk about what Jesus said about "going the extra mile" in Matthew 5:41. These truths in scripture are more powerful than any clever thoughts we can pull together on our own. The more we lean on God, the more natural it is to be intentional.

What about you? Are you a mother intentional about motherhood? Why don't you tell us about it in the comments, and connect with us on social media?

(Don't forget to use the hashtag #WomenOfIntention16 so no one misses it!)