I’m so, so excited for today’s guest post. Janine Manley of Little Rabbit Wears is the first person I thought to ask when I decided to post some essays on motherhood in honor of Mother’s Day this week. Not only do I love her vintage-inspired girls shop and think she’s pretty fabulous, but I love how open and honest she is about motherhood…

I can’t say I’m one of those moms who instantly felt connected with my children in utero. While pregnant, I flopped around and ate carbs and wore my bathrobe like it was on trend. With my first born (son), I worried I wouldn’t know what to do with a little boy and that I would be left out of Daddy and boy fun. I freaked out about having to take care of a “winkie.” Or willy. Whatever. I kind of wished I was having a girl when I shopped for him at Baby Gap and looked at my friends’ Facebook photos of mommy and me tea parties and American Girl store visits.

But, when Jackson arrived on 2/3/11, it certainly didn’t matter one bit that he was a boy. He was simply the most beautiful little thing I had ever seen. I had been proud at times and I had been happy. But, never have I had a moment as sublime as the feeling of having a warm, soft baby burying his head in the crook of my neck while placing my finger in his hand to hold just like I had seen on TV—not caring that he was squishy, or wet, or that he had just come right out of my lady bits. And so began motherhood.

My husband and I met in 2001 in my first college class. By “met” I mean, he walked in late in an over-sized hockey jersey—blue eyes sparkling and sarcasm flying. I was already seated, quietly, with a fresh notebook open and pen ready for note taking. It should have been obvious from that very first second that we couldn’t be more different, but he looked like trouble and I immediately decided it was the kind of trouble I was looking for.

At first, I meant it in a broad sense. I had a boyfriend at the time, but my friend and I agreed that Tim was the perfect crush to serve as a distraction from tedious lectures and awkward professors. We knighted him with a nickname and the seeds of obsession were planted.

It’s pretty safe to say that neither of us would have guessed that within five years we’d be raising a newborn in a basement apartment in the Bronx. Life is kind of interesting that way.

Thrirteen years later (um, that just made me feel old) we went back—this time with our two daughters in tow. It was kind of like entering the Twilight Zone.

It’s time for another installment in February’s Love Letters miniseries. Every Monday this month I’m featuring posts about love from some fabulous guest bloggers—and not all of them are the typical boy meets girl, cue fireworks kind of love story. Lady Goo Goo Gaga is here today to bring the funny…

Hey Cuddles and Chaos friends!! So happy to be included in this love fest!! I am a part-time working mom of two boys and wife to Mr. Gaga. I spend my days observing how insane modern day motherhood has become and I report about it on my weekly blog Lady Goo Goo Gaga. I think I am hilarious. Mr. Gaga keeps asking me if he should ask Chase if they accept “LOLs” or “LMFAOs” for our mortgage payment. This love story has humble beginnings….

Since it’s Valentine’s Day I decided to skip the regular Weekend Links and add my own Love Letter to this month’s series.

I’ve written about my love story ad nauseam, so I thought I’d spare you the details of retelling how we met, what we think of each other and how we manage to not kill each other. Instead, I stumbled upon my wedding vows and thought they were kind of perfect for a day like today.

Hello lovelies! It’s time for the second installment in February’s Love Letters miniseries. Every Monday this month I’m featuring posts about love from some fabulous guest bloggers—and not all of them are the typical boy meets girl, cue fireworks kind of love story. Check out today’s post from the ladies at Short & Sweet blog for proof…

“Today I had a thought. What if I … what if I had never met you?” Carrie Bradshaw

Continue reading