Tori Hart
The Grief of Goodbye
There's raw grief in knowing it’s over.
A dim room and a flickering screen are familiar; these were the comforts three years ago that showed the tiniest and most beautiful flicker of a heartbeat on...
Toddler Adventure Day: A Momma’s Hopeful Solution
Is there anything quite as good for your self-esteem as being at the top of a toddler’s list?
They’re tiny but their opinion is mighty; when you’re the one they want, the one they ask...
Hello Flight Anxiety, My Old Friend
If you're anything like me, travel is a significant source of anxiety. Of course, many things in my life are anxiety-inducing. I seem to operate best with a high level of anxiety brimming just...
Someone Is In the Kitchen With Mommy
Last month, my family decided to have a slow morning. That in and of itself isn’t all that remarkable - none of us, even the toddler, are really morning people, and it takes at...
Trust Your Gut: Just Say “No”
If my twenty-month-old were my life coach, her motto would be simple: Say “No”
There are lots of ways of repeating this mantra, according to my coach. Sometimes it’s the quiet ‘no’ of a toddler...
From Pacifier to Pillow: A Journey in Toddler Comfort
When my daughter was born, she refused a pacifier.
This was shocking to me, as a clueless new mother, because I had assumed all babies needed pacifiers. I purchased a WubbaNubb with a cuddly elephant,...
Toddler Sized Laundry Lessons
Oh, laundry. My arch-nemesis. We meet again.
Okay, it isn’t the actual laundry that bothers me. If the clothes didn’t need to be folded and put away, I suspect laundry and I would get along...
Frozen: A Toddler Obsession
“Echo? Play Frozen.”
Perhaps the most common request in my household is the one to yet again bring the movie soundtrack echoing through our kitchen. And each time, no matter how recently we may have...
Hey Mama: It’s Me, Your Thyroid
Dear Mama,
Welcome to the newfound challenges of motherhood! You totally did it!
It’s a whole new world! I know it’s scary, but I’ve seen you handle all kinds of crazy stuff in the past. Remember...
Must Love Rocks
Eight years ago, my now-husband got down on one knee and offered me a gorgeous, beautiful rock on an engraved band and a promise of long-lasting, eternal love. Beside the Lions Fountain on Purdue’s...