Birmingham Moms Blog :: Introducing Amy

Birmingham

I moved to the Birmingham area in 2002, after completing graduate school at Auburn, and have lived in Chelsea for 10 years. I love the variety of activities in and around Birmingham. Whether it’s an afternoon at Oak Mountain State Park, the Birmingham Museum of Art, the McWane Science Center, or some other event, there is always something going on.

Recently, we spent a Saturday building Batman legos at Toys-R-Us, and then explored the Lego Americana Roadshow at the Galleria.  The boys had a blast without an expensive outing or a long trip in the car.

Moms         

I am Mom to sons Austin and Lucas, 8 & 6, and step-daughter Abigail, 19.                       

What I Love

I love my relationship with my boys, and witnessing their relationship with my husband. I also love watching their individual personalities, as well as their relationships with each other and their sister develop. Having children has increased the closeness between my husband and me. We are in full agreement that family comes first and that we are a parenting team, at times even joking that it’s us versus the kids.

My Struggles 

Losing my mom just before the birth of my first son, I struggled with grief and uncertainty. I missed my mom and I felt like I had no clue how to care for a newborn. I had grown up thinking my mom would be a huge part of my children’s lives, and in reality she never got to meet her grandbabies, and I didn’t have her to lean on in my new journey as a mom.

Additionally, the constant neediness of the boys when they were “littles” was a major source of struggle for me. I worried about the attention they took away from my step-daughter when she was with us, and the adjustment to less sleep was a major struggle. Even though they have been sleeping a full night for years now, I still get significantly less sleep than in my pre-kid life. With no family close by, it has been difficult to get alone time, whether it be to take a nap, or to spend with my husband.

Blog

I am super excited to be a contributor for Birmingham Moms Blog!!! I hope to help build a sense of community and support for moms in our area. Personally, I am a mom without her mom, and a mom without family nearby. I am a food allergy mom, a home-school mom, and a mom dealing with health issues of my own. I am a mom who has learned that struggle is not because of weakness, but because this life thing can be really hard; and recognizing that you need support is a sign of strength.

I believe when moms share honestly, about BOTH the good and bad times, we can help each other. Whether it is encouraging a fellow mom to ask her family or friends for help, or to seek out a support group for the struggle she faces, or to have an honest conversation with her physician about her anxiety, depression, or overwhelm; I believe we all need to feel we are not alone in our struggles.