Kristi Pahr

When I got pregnant for the third time, I was determined to have an unmedicated VBAC. I had big plans. This VBAC was going to be my birth experience salvation. It was going to be empowering and amazing and heal all my hangups. I was going to be a mama goddess and everything was going to be perfect. I was wrong.

Essential oils have become incredibly popular and can be found everywhere from your local farmer’s market and community festival to social media.

As a mother of boys, I find this trend disturbing. Yes, we need to build up our girls. We need to empower them and teach them that they are capable and viable and powerful — that they are smart and that they matter. But we cannot devalue our boys in the process.

2016 sucked. If we can’t agree on anything else, I think we can all agree on at least that much.

I found my first gray hair when I was 12 years old. Twelve. I had gray hair before I had a period.

I’ve been pregnant three times, and I have two beautiful, amazing, awe-inspiri

I feel like if I’d started earlier, had my first kid at 28 instead of 34, maybe I’d be a little less tired right now. Maybe I’d be a more fun mom if my knees didn’t sound like small arms fire every time I tried to run with my son. Maybe I’d be a better mom if I was younger. But I don’t think so. My kids? They’re awesome. And I’m the mom they have, so I must be doing something right, old or not.

I think we can all agree that there is some messed up stuff happening right now.

“Is she Black or white?” I asked another mom who was describing a little girl in her son’s class that she thought my family might know.

I’m frazzled, y’all; I’m a mess. I’m a basketcase of anxiety and stress and I need to chill.