Something no one ever told me about motherhood...

You’re reading Modern Motherhood Musings, a weekly newsletter written from one mom to another. Each week I share an honest reflection on motherhood, and a collection of things bringing me joy. I’m passionate about community, and I hope that by sharing our stories, we all feel a little less alone. Disclosure: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

📝 This week’s musing…

Something that people fail to tell you when you’re pregnant and being inundated with advice from well-meaning friends and family is how hard it is to be sick when you’re a mom.

It takes more than just the sniffles or a sore throat for us to commit to taking a day off. Even then, we’re not just resting, we're orchestrating from our bedrooms, ensuring the school forms are signed, arranging additional help, and reminding everyone of the schedules for the week.

My boys started school a few weeks ago, and I had it all planned out; I took the day off work to make homemade breakfast, bought matching monogrammed shirts for the family pictures we’d take, and was eager to meet their new teachers. As fate would have it, I ended up at the emergency room the night before and made it home just in time to wave them goodbye.

I miss the days when I was young and could lay in bed all day when I was feeling under the weather. My mom would bring me soup in bed and place wet washcloths on my head when I had a fever. I could take an endless number of naps and not have to worry about anyone else’s well-being or the state of my home.

I’m so thankful for a husband who goes above and beyond and pulls double duty when I’m sick and parents who step in to help however they can. They attended school orientation for us this year and made sure Will felt celebrated on his birthday, but it’s still hard to fully unplug from the role of caretaker ourselves.

This recent bout with pneumonia made me realize how little I’ve been doing to take care of myself lately and how run down and worn out I had become. 

I’m using this fall season as a fresh start and kicking off some new habits that’ll hopefully make me stronger - like walking daily and staying hydrated. I've found that these simple changes can make a big difference in my overall well-being.

Are you in the same boat? What are some habits you can start to improve your wellbeing? We can’t continue to be the caretakers for those around us unless we do all we can to care for ourselves, too!

✨ Friday favorites…

🕯️ This Vanilla Pumpkin scented candle is the perfect way to welcome fall, and it’s only $4! We’ve been burning it non-stop in our house.

💧 When I was recovering from pneumonia I realized how important staying hydrated is. I’ve started drinking these hydration packets every afternoon and have been loving them. They’re less salty and more refreshing than others I’ve tried, and they also have probiotics and prebiotics.

🌎 Will’s been wanting us to read this kids atlas every night before bed and it’s been such a fun activity to do together! He’s able to name all the continents now!

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you all have a great weekend!