My Toddler’s Playlist

- Alexis Leave a comment
A Bluetooth speaker made to look like an old fashioned radio

One of the great joys of being my son’s mama has been introducing him to new things and watching his face light up in response. He loves to dance, sing, and listen to music, and playing new songs for him is so fun. In addition to all the usual kid songs, we’ve developed a tried-and-true list of all-ages tracks on YouTube that can keep him happy in the car or thwart a nascent tantrum. Here are some of his current favorites:

Readers with young kids, which songs do they love?

Two Years Ago, I Brought a Human Into This World.

- Alexis 2 Comments
The author holding her infant for the first time just after he was born

Today is my son’s second birthday. Aside from a few notes in his baby book and my journal, I’ve never really written about his birth. I’m now 15 weeks pregnant with his little sister. As I prepare to do it all again, I’m reflecting on the day two years ago when I first met the tiny, wrinkly baby who has become my sweet, spirited, fearless, open, curious, affectionate child.

Read more

Being Adopted, Part IV: Family History Revealed

- Alexis Leave a comment
Photo of the author's paternal great-grandparents standing in front of a car
My paternal great-grandparents, Ollie and John

You can read the earlier posts in this series here:

In my last post in this series, I wrote about meeting my immediate biological family, my siblings and mother. But family roots, of course, go far deeper than one or two generations. I wanted to have a more complete picture of the ancestors whose genes I’d inherited.

Read more

Paper Planner Review and New Habits for 2020

- Alexis Leave a comment
Puffin Planner and two of its inserts, a "How to Use This Planner" sheet and a sheet of stickers

A belated Happy New Year! We’re now three weeks into 2020, and I’m happy to say that I’m on my way to establishing some healthy new habits. I mentioned in my last post that I had purchased matching planners for myself and a friend, and now that I’ve been using my planner for a few weeks, I’d like to sing it’s praises — it’s working really well for me. (This is not a sponsored post and it contains no affiliate links, just my honest opinions).

Read more

Celebrating 2019’s Wins and Planning for the New Year

- Alexis Leave a comment
Lush, flower-filled Irish countryside at dusk, with the coast in the distance

As I’ve written before, New Year’s Eve/Day is one of my favorite holidays because I love fresh starts and the optimism they bring. But before launching into listing all the ways we could do better in the coming year, I think it’s a good practice to remind ourselves of the things we did well this year. I tend to be rather hard on myself, and I often move on from my successes quickly while dwelling on my failures and shortcomings. The year’s end is a good time not only to think about how I might improve, but also to reflect on victories big and small.

Read more