I thought I had lost myself along the way with having a child and having changed my habits drastically in the last few years.
Somehow I found a new My (me š) when Tove was born; A stronger, more confident woman.
Traveling again and people watching has invigorated the old My. Not the bad habits or the mental issuesā¦ although letās be real the mental monsters never go away, you just find a better way to manage them. But I feel like myself again, FUCKING FINALLY. I would apologize for the swear words, but no, thatās exactly how I feel.
Iāve been so torn between being My and being a mother and you know what? You can have your cake and eat it too. I can be the true me and be a great mother to my daughter.
Iāve needed this break so badly and Iām so thankful that Iāve gained the clarity to continue working to achieve my dreams. I cannot wait to show Tove the world and not let go of my own desires along the way.
Everyone warns you about how much your life changes when you have children but nobody ever emphasizes how much better you become as a person. Being a mother has empowered me to feel strongly and stand my ground.
Tove has spent more time alive outside my womb than she did inside at this point and wow have I loved her journey so far.
16 pounds later, sheās somewhere in between nine month old clothing and one year old. Sheās tall like her pappa but sheās also a skinny one.
Tove is great at eating food. Weāve gone from breastfeeding four times a day to only feeding once in the morning. Sheās eaten everything weāve given her so farā¦ and sheās enjoyed it! Broccoli, corn, rice, chicken, salmon, pasta, bread, blueberries and bananas; to name a few of her favorites.
Sheās starting to babble a bit and sheās enjoying walking with the help of my poor back š .
This month we took our first flight together and Tove took her first swim in the ocean.
I am so grateful that Tove has changed my life in the way she has. Tove feels happiness with her entire body and she really shares her joy with the world around her.
Last night when Ben got off work we all got ready to head out for dinner. I had texted him social capitalā¦? when he was on his way home.
We ordered our usual chicken nachos, Ben also got a fajita chicken taco but the elotesā¦. WOW I could eat that all day every day.
I told him when we were sat on the patio enjoying our food that it reminded me of our dates we used to have when we first met.
The thing is though, last night was so much better than the early dates. We had Tove with us, Ben drank a Topo Chico since he was driving and I had one canned wine (which got me tipsy š¤Ŗ) and we were so much more content. I didnāt feel the NEED to drink more or stay out later because I had everything that matters to me.
Iām so proud of Ben as a father and thankful heās my partner in all of this. Weāve been through a lot together thatās tested our relationship but never once has he given me a reason to doubt his commitment to me and now us. I love you so much babe and Iām honored to give you the chance to create the most special daddy-daughter bond. I love my dad more than words can say and I just know in my heart that Tove is going to feel the same way about you. Thank you for making us feel loved and for rolling with the punchesā¦ quite literally when Tove gets at ya š
This one hits close to home, in more ways than one. Not only did we consider having Tove in Dallas, but we also have family/friends still in Texas. Unfortunately rumor has it that Oklahoma is pushing for similar laws to go into effect here as well. This also hits close to home because like this post I shared on Instagram, there are so many reasons behind why a woman would ever choose to have an abortion.
I got pregnant in 2020 around the time Covid hit. Ben and I were SO EXCITED! Especially since all Ben has ever wanted in life is to be a dad. Having never been pregnant before, we immediately told our family the second I had taken multiple pregnancy tests and they all came back āpregnantā. When I saw the results on the pregnancy tests I cried because I was so happy and emotionally unprepared for what that feeling was going to be. We werenāt trying for a baby but I hadnāt gotten my period and well.. maybe the stars had aligned? So I scheduled an appointment with an OB, little did I know that I was about to be āVanessaā.
I believe I was 6-8 weeks pregnant when I had my first appointment (this is the first time Iām writing about this and/or thinking about it since I pushed these memories into a āforgetā folder in my brain.). Ben was at work so I drove to Edmond on my own and met with the OB for my appointment. Everything was normal until they went to listen for the heartbeat. I laid there on my own as they kept trying to search for one without avail. Something didnāt feel quite right. They told me not to worry because it was still early on in my pregnancy, maybe we were too early in fact and it just hadnāt developed yet. So I was sent to get some blood work/labs done next door and come back for my second appointment in 2 weeks. I left feeling very uneasy, but also had to share the āno newsā with Ben that evening.
Was I worried? Hell yeah I was. But I had never been pregnant before and wanted to trust the doctors. However, a few days later I miscarried in the middle of the night in our apartment bathroom. It was a traumatic experience, but I am SO LUCKY that I didnāt need medical intervention. Or that I didnāt have to carry a ābabyā to term who never even developed a heartbeat because I was past that 6 week mark. I am still grieving the loss from our first pregnancy, so much so that it totally robbed us of any joy our first trimester with Tove. In fact when I took the pregnancy tests and they came back āpregnantā I cried when I told Ben because I was so damn worried we wouldnāt be able to carry to term again. Plus I was so sick following the miscarriage and it continued well into my pregnancy with Tove. I was barely able to eat, I was violently vomiting all the time and had terrible IBS symptoms.. it was a nightmare. I cried so much in the beginning because I was scared to feel any resemblance of joy in case I got robbed again. We waited until the second trimester to tell our parents this time around and my mom told me āwe are your family, you couldāve still told usā and it wasnāt that I didnāt want to share with everyone it was that I didnāt want to have to answer those calls or texts if I had another miscarriage. The aftermath was gut wrenching and emotionally draining and I didnāt want to have to share that with anyone again. Now imagine having to share with them that we had to have an abortion mid-pregnancy because our pregnancy was no longer viable. Thatās definitely not something you want to share with the world.
Luckily we now have a beautiful HEALTHY baby, whom I was able to carry to full term but Iād be lying if I said I hadnāt called planned parenthood out of fear because I didnāt think I could handle being so sick and losing another child. So to take away these rights from girls and women is so fucking ludicrous, and it hurts my heart for the ones who didnāt have as favorable of outcomes as we did. An abortion isnāt a quick fix or an easy decision, and I for one hope that my daughter will have the right to autonomy over her own body.
Some people are like fire, you know they can burn you; but you want them any way. Ending those toxic relationships can be difficult. I was like a moth drawn to a flame, but I eventually decided to put out the fire.
At first, it felt miserable. Like going cold turkey from an addiction. Without the light the moth is left in the darkness, lost with no sense of direction. The flame uses the moth to fuel the fire. Fully aware it has flickered into different shapes in order to trick the moth into the light over and over again. Drawn to the flame, the moth wants so desperately to believe it wonāt get burnt. I mean who knew the flame could change into so many different colors?
The flame tries its best to keep the moth around for the benefits. Itās a connection being maintained for a rainy day; when the fire is barely an ember and the moth can be used to give it life again. Like all situations when a moth is drawn to a flame, there are only two possible outcomes. Either the moth gets burnt to ashes in the fire or finds another source of light. Eventually this moth realized its own boundaries; it couldnāt keep flying full force into the flame absorbing and forgiving all the burns.
Sometimes the darkest times can bring us to the brightest place. I usually give people more chances than they deserve but once Iām done, Iām done. I have a limit and when you reach it I dismiss you from my life. Itās that simple.
Itās hard for me to have a blog and try to stay autonomous with my feelings. Those of you who read in the past know i was nothing of the sort. I wrote every emotion, every feeling, i wrote all of it, even if it would come back to bite me in the ass. Now i guess Iām āolderā or āmore matureāā¦pssh, bitch please.. I have bills to pay and need a job to do so, otherwise my mouth would be happily running again, and anyone who tells you differently is LYING.
I donāt know how to start this, or if i should start this. But, we all know iāve never been shy to speak my feelings. HA! He dumped me. Yep.. and this is what it feels like. I want to say Iām disappointed but the only person to be disappointed in is myself, how much doesnāt that suck? I want to be angry, and for the life of me, I AM. You canāt love someone and just walk awayā¦. it just doesnāt work that way.
I can be all of the negative words you ever heard. I can be a bad person. & i for sure can manipulate you for my own desire. But i never did anything of the sort with this man. I was myself, and i loved him thoroughly. Yes, i wasnāt perfect, hell i wasnāt even 5% perfect. I tried to make him love meā¦ it never seemed to work. Donāt look elsewhere for attention because you will lose a diamond chasing the glitter. I know, because i did.
Pinksaint 