Guest Post by Brooke Grunza After the death of my son I never expected to live again. I did not believe that the raw pain and emotion I felt learning my son would die would ever go away because a part of me died with him that day. But in time I did begin to live again. And that was so very hard. Each day that I cried less and smiled more was a … [Read more...]
The Mother Cord – Parenting Without Fear
May 8, 2013 by 5 Comments
She draws me rainbows and colourful swirls and announces to me "This what heaven looks like, Mummy. My big brother is there. He died. But he is in heaven now, so it is okay. He has special lights on his hands". River, my daughter, sees things that I cannot. She tells me stories about how she has been to heaven before she came to live with us … [Read more...]
Low Tide
May 2, 2013 by 1 Comment
She tottles along the beach with me, blonde curls at the nape of her neck. Chubby fingers with indents at the knuckles holding my hand. She utters things like “rock” or “what’s that” as we navigate the sharp rocks and shell fragments of low tide searching for sea glass. Across the silvery sand my husband helps my son throw rocks into … [Read more...]
She Knows – Mommy Judging and Loss
April 22, 2013 by 11 Comments
If you spend any amount of time on the internet these days, you will no doubt run into some kind of 'mommy judging'. One mom making passive aggressive comments to another mom about how she is letting her kid play, sit, stand, eat, be... The other day I had the privilege of someone extended their 'concern' over something they saw on my Instagram feed. … [Read more...]
Bittersweet
April 20, 2013 by 13 Comments
The night my son was born, I remember excitedly watching my husband fix a brand new car seat into our car before we left the house. I remember arriving at the hospital in labour and having one last look back. I remember whispering to my husband through tears of joy, "Can you believe there will be a little boy in that seat tomorrow?" I never got … [Read more...]
Parenting After Loss
April 8, 2013 by 2 Comments
Guest Post by Anja I lost my cool with my toddler this evening. She doesn't want to sleep. I do, it's nearly my bed time too! It's a properly normal toddler scenario. And after putting her back to bed half a dozen times, the seventh proved too much, and 'cross Mummy' came out to resolve the situation. Then, as she closed her eyes and nodded off … [Read more...]
5 Sanity Savers for Parenthood After a Loss
March 19, 2013 by 4 Comments
When I was pregnant with our rainbow baby, it was hard for me to purchase anything for him. I wanted to, but the death and stillbirth of our daughter loomed large in my mind and I was afraid to bring more baby items into our home that might go unused. But as his due date drew near, my nesting instinct kicked in and I began to collect items that … [Read more...]
Telling the siblings… is it more for them or for you?
March 14, 2013 by 15 Comments
When I was first asked to be a contributor to this magazine, I was thrilled. I felt like I had so much to share about my journey through grief. I imagined the eloquent, relatable, uplifting posts I’d write and how people who were struggling would read them and think “This woman can relate to my pain, yet she has found joy again. Maybe the same is … [Read more...]
Sometimes I See Double
March 5, 2013 by 5 Comments
Guest Post by Megan Sometimes I still see double. It’s been almost four years since I held my twin sons in my arms for the first and the very last time. Will was born, and still is perfectly healthy. MJ fought a battle with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) for 35 days before we were given the choice to let him die on an operating table or in … [Read more...]
Monster Mommy ~ Part 2
February 18, 2013 by 10 Comments
The secret is out . . . I have an alter ego called "Monster Mommy". Instead of being normal and mild mannered like Peter Parker with a cool super human 'Spidey' powers that help and serve humanity . . . I am more like 'Green Goblin'. I have this voice in my head that tries really hard to get out. She is cynical, bitchy, sarcastic, ironic on … [Read more...]
