ChambanaMoms.com » Mom To Mom

Mom to Mom: Scoring Big With Weight Loss

From The Editors — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:01:41 +0000

By Jane Sprandel

This past week I had the great opportunity to go to Indianapolis with my husband to take part in some of the pre-Super Bowl activities. We spent time at the Super Bowl Village, toured Lucas Oil Stadium, took part in the NFL Experience, and visited the Dan Patrick Show and other sports shows that were taping live. We also did a lot of walking and seeing the sites and went to an art exhibit, which was very neat.

As I experience great things in life like this, I can’t help to think how my weight loss has made such experiences so much more enjoyable, and I am so thankful for that!

Jane Sprandel's visit to Indianapolis has shown her a great many things to be thankful for. Credit: Jane Sprandel

Physically, life is so different these days, and when on trips like this I really can appreciate it. We walked all over Indy, especially downtown. I would hate to guess how many miles we walked! The weather was so nice, and because it was just the two of us, it was nice to spend sometime together exploring the city. Physically our bodies were worn out, but I could have never been that active 100 pounds ago. I have energy now, I am physically more fit to do these activities and I am thankful for that!

Another area that I was able to take a moment and pause and be thankful about was how I finally am somewhat a typical American, size-wise. I am able to look at shirts and other clothing items and not have to buy one that would fit a lineman. I own two Steelers jerseys that I wore proudly and got a lot of attention for wearing while in Indy. The one I got last year looks a little too big on me, but I still wear it and feel so accomplished in it. My newer one looks better, and I hope that by next year it looks too big, too!

Before we left I stopped in a local store to see if anything caught my eye, and very little of the clothes in there would fit me because they were too big. Wow, what a great feeling, and I am thankful for that.

Today I am less controlled by my weight. While touring the stadium we got to sit in some of the seats. If you are a larger person you know how most of the time the seats are not built for you. I can say I do not have that problem any longer. I have spent a lot of my life watching games, concerts, movies, etc., in seats that felt too restrictive. Not anymore, and I am thankful for that!

Also, I now rarely exceed that weight to do certain activities. As you may be aware, they had zip lining available to do in Super Bowl Village for the low price of $10 per person. I knew my husband was interested in doing it, and I had not told him but I had made up my mind that I was really considering trying it. NEVER in my life have I been able or willing to consider doing such a thing. I thought since I was 50 pounds plus below the limit I may just do it. (Once we got there I pretty much chickened out. After watching it, I decided it was to high and moved to fast.) The tickets were sold out, so Tony did not even get to go, but this is not to say I won’t in the future. I am thankful that I am able to now have the choice if I want to try something new!

I believe in being thankful for even the small victories. We have to set small goals and be thankful for those moments.

One way I celebrate my victories is to share them. I know it seems odd to some to fit in a stadium seat or be able to buy a shirt off the rack, but to others they know how this has been or hopefully is an attainable moment for them, too! Celebrate your little victories as proudly as the big ones, and be thankful for them!

Jane Sprandel lives in Thomasboro with her husband Tony and their children Seth, McKenna and Raegyn. One day she decided that she was sick of being morbidly obese and was determined to do something about it. Join in on the journey as a mom regains her life for not only herself but also her family — follow her blog at http://www.bandincu.blogspot.com.

Mom-to-Mom: A Book Review (and Giveaway!)

From The Editors — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:43:58 +0000

by Jennifer Newell

Editor’s Note: Marianne Malone will appear at a book signing Friday, Jan. 27 from 3 to 6 p.m at Bella Bambini. See below for giveaway info!

Stealing Magic takes off right where Marianne Malone left her reader in The Sixty Eight Rooms- a magical adventure! Ruthie and Jack, sixth graders in Chicago, have just found missing artwork from Edmund Bell, local artist/legend. The people of Chicago just surmise these children to be lucky and crafty, while Ruthie and Jack know the real secret. These two curious youngsters have a magical key that allows them to shrink into miniature versions of themselves and travel through the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute.

From the Art Institute’s website: “The 68 Thorne Miniature Rooms enable one to glimpse elements of European interiors from the late 13th century to the 1930s and American furnishings from the 17th century to the 1930s. Painstakingly constructed on a scale of one inch to one foot, these fascinating models were conceived by Mrs. James Ward Thorne of Chicago and constructed between 1932 and 1940 by master craftsmen according to her specifications.”

During the first novel, Ruthie and Jack learned the in’s and out’s of this magical secret, where in the second novel Malone shares with us historical facts that readers might be able to relate to. One main theme throughout the book is how to effectively deal with what life brings in terms of circumstances beyond our control. Throughout Ruthie and Jack’s adventures they meet several different characters with real life dilemmas. One character is a Jewish girl living in France during the Holocaust. Another is a slave girl living in the South pre-Civil War. In both situations, Ruthie and Jack want to help these characters and as readers we are intrigued by what the possibilities might be.

I think for the target reader- 8 to 12 years old- this book could open a dialogue between children and their teachers, parents and peers. Reading the book and discussing the historical facts help us all to never forget and learn from the past.

Overall, once again- I’m honored that I had the opportunity to read Stealing Magic before it hit shelves this week! Marianne is a wonderful author and inspiring woman. I was left wanting more at the end of this book and can’t wait for the next in the series.

Want to get your hands on these wonderful books by a local author?

One lucky Chambanamoms.com reader will receive copies of both Stealing Magic and The Sixty Eight Rooms. To be eligible, leave us a comment and tell us: What book from your childhood do you enjoy — or do you look forward to sharing – with your kids (or any other kids too)?

No purchase necessary. Only one entry per person. Contest will be wrapped up by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb 1. Winner will be picked at random by random.org. Winner must respond to email notification by noon on Monday, Feb. 6, or another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. residents 18 and older.

Mom To Mom: It’s Time To …

From The Editors — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:27:48 +0000

By Jane Sprandel

It’s a new year, and some of you may have made new year’s resolutions. I cannot say that I made any official resolutions, but I did tell myself it is time to do the following:

Give a gift to yourself this new year with more time and less resolutions.

I want to make ME a priority again. I want to remind myself that it is OK to go workout, it is OK to have my kids do some of the chores, it is OK to to not do every activity that people ask me to volunteer for, and it is OK to take a nap or go to bed early. As the saying goes, “if momma isn’t happy, nobody is happy” Well, if the body is not happy — physically, emotionally and spiritually — then you are not going to be your best. I want to be my best!
I want to date in 2012. OK no, you did not miss anything! I am still happily married to Tony, but I want to fall in love all over again. We have not fallen out of love, but I do not want to ever fall away from what made us a family: two people saying I do.
I want to grow closer with God. What a typical resolution. I feel like the Sprandel home is a Christian home, but I feel that we need to share our love with the Lord with others, and it is time we find that church family we have been looking for.
I want to inspire others to find change also. I want to help others change one or many things in their lives. I want to be there for my friends, family and acquaintances. If I can help you make any change or improve an area of your life, I want to be that person you reach out to and feel comfortable to share your highs lows and everything in between
I want to get back to trying to make good health decisions. Sort of got into not eating as well as I was. I want to remind myself that I should not deprive myself of my wants but moderation is always the key.
I want to get back to spending quality time at the gym. I am a happier person when I spend time working out. I cannot let my “busy” life interfere with that!
I want to become less addicted to screen time. I am going to try to spend more time reading and doing physical things this winter, especially.
I want to continue to show my family my everlasting love and dedication to them, my country and their school
I want to remind myself that jobs will come and go, but family is forever and I have to put my family first.
I want to lastly remind myself that it has taken me almost 36 years to get to this point in my life, each day is a new one, and we can not change things overnight.

I have shared what I want in 2012. What are your goals? Your dreams? Your aspirations? Can I help you with any of them? I pray that 2012 brings you good health, love and security. I am here for you, but I ask one thing: you continue to help inspire me on my journey of life! God bless you!

Mom-to-Mom: New Year’s Resolutions

From The Editors — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:24:23 +0000

By Jennifer Newell

It’s that time of year again- time to start thinking about New Year’s resolutions. I usually don’t make these goals, but this year, I’m taking this opportunity to make a short list and tell everyone in Chambana so I will be held accountable. Here’s my list and here’s to 2012!

This mom hopes to unplug more in 2012. What are your New Year's resolutions?

Be less connected. There are so many wonderful gadgets and networking sites available, but if I’m honest, I’m too connected with my devices when I’m home. I want to put my phone on the kitchen counter when I come home and stay away from it between dinner and bedtime. I don’t think that these things are bad, I just know that my kids and husband aren’t getting all of me and I don’t want to miss out on our evening activities.
Be healthier (and not stare into the mirror). I’m not going to set any lofty weight loss goals or tell you that you will see me at the gym 5 times a week. I know it doesn’t work that way and it’s not the goal I’m trying to set for myself. I want continue to establish a healthier lifestyle. This means that over time I incorporate more healthy behaviors in to my life. I plan to do this for myself but more importantly my children. I can show my children that my self esteem doesn’t rest in my physical appearance but rather in my behaviors around self control, faithful attention to what matters, which includes but is certainly not limited to…healthy lifestyle behaviors, exercise, and eating more naturally, fresh and balanced. Maggie is watching and listening. What I do and what I say matters.
Get my ‘sexy back’. Being a mom is a hard job and often leaves me tired and in flannel pajamas. My husband never complains, but I think that I can do better! We are setting a weekly date night, which will allow us to dress up (non-workout clothes) and go out without the kiddos. I think that focusing on our already strong marriage will continue to help our children feel secure and remind them how much we love them.
Be early. I know…but I heard recently, to be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late. Our family is working on embracing those words. This is a family owned accountability. So we made this one together. Simply put, being on time is a show of respect. We need to do better.

Lastly, I know that resolutions don’t always work. I also know that some people think consider them impulsive. The way I see it, every beginning is a chance to make a difference. Resolutions represent our efforts to make a difference and improve where it matters most- inside ourselves. Here’s to Yours!

Jennifer Newell. Photo by Sweet Pea Photography

A Savoy resident and mom of two, Jennifer Newell is the owner of chambanamoms.com partner Bella Bambini (1422 S. Neil St. in Champaign, just north of Kirby Ave.). Newell also blogs on the Bella Bambini website.

Giving The Best Teacher Gift–EVER!

RachaelMcMillan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:39:12 +0000

When I told my friend Kathy that I needed her input on an article about best/worst gifts to give a teacher, her knee-jerk response was to assume the persona of a high school cheerleader and belt out the following chant:

“GIFT CARD!!!*clapclapclap* GIFT CARD!!!*clapclapclap*”

So, there you have it.

But, on the other hand, there you don’t have it. There was, no doubt, a grain of truth in Kathy’s improvised cheer, but in reality she has been happy to receive a variety of teacher gifts throughout the years. And, not everyone is a happy gift card giver; many of you reading this may very well be the personal-touch kind of shopper. I can certainly appreciate that.

As a former classroom teacher myself, I can add that teachers are also relatively easy to please. Generally speaking, generic gifts work great. That mug from the drugstore filled with a packet of “gourmet” cocoa? Perfect. From the teacher’s perspective, it truly is the thought that counts. Truly.

Having said that, there are a few pitfalls to avoid when it comes to giving a teacher a gift. Number one: clearly phoning it in. This happened one year when Kathy was given a wallet. With receipts in it. From purchases the wallet’s previous owner had made.

Another is to give a gift that is undoubtedly going to be a repeat of something the teacher already has many, MANY of. “Try to get something off the beaten path, but still in the forest,” Kathy advises.

Think of those trinkets that read “#1 Teacher” and the like. Every teacher loves getting them–up to a point. As a new teacher, Kathy really enjoyed teacher-specific knick-knacks to either sit on her desk or hang on her Christmas tree. Ten years into the profession, “My desk is full, and my tree has very few free branches,” Kathy reports.

Some teachers love receiving ornaments from students. But others may have a full tree, so a consumable gift might be a better option. Credit: Randy Son of Robert on flickr

Keep in mind, though, that my teacher friend Marla LOVES getting ornaments as gifts. “Every year when I take them out I am reminded of the students who gave them to me,” she said. When it comes to ornaments, Marla especially appreciates the cute and quirky–all the easier to remember which student was the giver.

Again, the driving force behind this is the idea that it’s the thought that counts. “Gifts that come from the heart are always truly loved and appreciated,” Kathy adds.

One way to show a teacher some love is to think outside the classroom. Kids tend to forget (or just plain not realize) that teachers do in fact live in homes, eat in restaurants, shop at the mall, and so on. One of Kathy’s favorite gifts in recent years was a gift certificate to go to the movies, which she felt showed an appreciation for the fact that teachers need some R&R.

But above all, when shopping for the teacher, keep the end game in mind. It’s all about what happens when your little one beamingly presents her gift.

Kathy offers this perspective: “Receiving gifts is really not about me at all. It is truly about the giver and making her feel as if she’s given the best gift ever. And, I am happy to say that all of my students are the best gift givers…ever.”

Readers: What is your go-to holiday gift for teachers?

Mom to Mom: A Holiday Is More Than a Day

From The Editors — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:28:15 +0000

By Laura Tippit

I’m days away from Thanksgiving, and I’m knee deep in mild panic. Not just about Thanksgiving and that I’m hosting the dinner, but also about Christmas.

The panic is not about feeding 15 people or buying gifts for seven children. It is about how I am going to coordinate our non-traditional family.

The holidays are hard on everyone, but imagine having to deal with eight different families. Credit: Flickr, abbybatchelder

You see there is my ex-husband and his parents and stepparents, then there is my stepchildren’s mother and their maternal grandmother, plus there is us, which includes both my mother and my spouse’s parents.

Did you count? That is eight families to coordinate. Eight.

It’s difficult enough with trying to juggle around my ex-husband and Jeff’s ex-wife, but her mother insists on having a separate dinner which she lays heavy guilt on the kids to attend. Then throw in my mother’s work schedule and my spouse’s traditional parents, it becomes an impossible feat. Last year I was near tears at the entire fiasco.

Juggling holidays when you are a blended family is a given. Once the ink is dry on the divorce papers, you must come to the acceptance that you will rarely ever have a “traditional” holiday again. Of course, there are the custody papers which draw out which days each parent will have said children on which holiday. Except that the reality is that just because it’s on a piece of paper doesn’t mean that it is that easy to carry out.

For us at least we have grandparent issues. We have five sets of grandparents who are all stuck in their traditions and who all want their grandchildren to be a part of them.

The last two years have been particularly hard since as the kids are older, they are more aware of what event is going on and have the desire to attend them all. This is completely understandable, but also a little crazy. At one point I believe some of the kids ended up eating three Thanksgiving dinners in one day!

What I truly wish for is for the grandparents to set aside their old traditions and embrace new ones. I wish they could put aside the importance of having turkey on Thursday and instead embrace the idea of a stress-free holiday for their grandchildren.

Regardless of what day the calendar tells us Thanksgiving or Christmas is on, in the end, the day doesn’t matter. Being together is what matters. Thanksgiving in our home is whatever day of the week we can get all the kids together during Thanksgiving week, and sometimes Santa comes a few days late at our house because he was extra busy at other houses.

No, we may not have a typical traditional holiday, but we have created our own tradition. I hope our children walk away with lessons of love and togetherness and know the holiday season isn’t just about a day.

Laura Tippit is a mom to three and a stepmother to four children. She lives and is active in the Champaign-Urbana area. You can find her writing at www.laurainmotion.com, where she continues to write about family and stepparenting.

Mom to Mom: Happy ‘Bandiversary’

From The Editors — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:48:59 +0000

By Jane Sprandel

“Happy Bandiversary to me” is the song I sang just a few days ago. On Oct. 19, I celebrated the one-year anniversary since I had my Lap Band surgery, performed by Dr. Sidney Rohrscheib here in Champaign. The past year has brought so many firsts, joys, tears, and opportunities to share my story with others. If this is the first time that you have heard of my story go back to my earlier story and a more detailed journal of my journey can be found at my blog.

Jane Sprandel is celebrating one year since her lap band procedure — and the loss of 105 pounds. Credit: Jane Sprandel

When I started my journey to find a healthier me I started out at 324, and now I currently weigh 219. So, yes, I am down a total of 105 pounds. I am so thankful for everyone of those loss pounds, but I also am a little frustrated because I have pretty much come to a standstill. I just returned from a family vacation over the weekend and I have made a vow to myself that I am ready to “get back on track.” I have not regressed to my old health style but I feel like I have gotten a little off track and I want to get back on the track to a healthy life.

One of the things that was first for me this last year was joining the gym. I am currently a member at the Rantoul Fitness center, and I am headed back there this week. I was doing so well and confident that I wanted to keep this up I started a 5K training regimen and honestly I miss it, so I am going to start working out again this week. Exercise-wise, it is time, “to get back on track.”

I was so rigid about what I allowed myself to eat and rarely allowed myself to “cheat” up till a few months ago. Well, I started to realize that the milkshakes, ice cream and some chocolate were beginning to creep back into my diet, and it is time I kick them out and, “get back on track.”

Another area that allowed me to be so successful with my weight loss was I was learning to listen to my body and also take care of my mind not just my physical body. We as moms, especially, tend to put ourselves last. I find when I work out, try to de-stress, pamper myself like a woman should; weight seems to come off easier. So I am thinking if I mentally “get back on track” my weight loss will continue!

I share this theme with you because everyone of us gets a little off of track once in a while in all areas of our lives not just weight loss. While reading my Weight Watchers magazine this weekend a perfect quote jumped out at me and it was one I NEEDED to see. “A SETBACK IS ONLY A SETUP FOR A COMEBACK.” Wow, if that is not the truth. Well, Champaign-Urbana moms, Jane is on a path to continue a comeback of sorts. I want to comeback to showing myself that I deserve to be the most active and healthy mom and wife I can be to my family.

I encourage you too, to do all you can to make your on personal comeback. The biggest thing that I have learned this year is that the scale is only a guide not a true determiner of how healthy you are. Mentally and physically, I am in the best shape of my life. In the past year I have been taken off all of my medications, my labs are the best that they even have been and my next appointment is in 1 year. 1 year? Yes I had to ask my primary are you sure you did not mean three months? He said “no, welcome to being a normal patient, I will see you in 1 year unless you need me before then.” Wow I am normal? That has to be a first in my life. So ladies don’t dwell on that darn scale! Let it guide you to do something to help your overall health.

Feel free to contact me for more information about my weight loss journey especially if you have questions about Lap Band I love to share my story and encourage others to make great life changes!

Mom to Mom: Letting Go of ‘Gifted’

RachaelMcMillan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:14:33 +0000

Parent teacher conferences were Friday. It was a day for being reassured, for learning that what was unthinkable a year ago — namely, my kids thriving in all day school — is in fact happening.

It was also a day for coming to terms with my dreams of having “gifted” children.

I met with Jack’s teacher first, and she assured me that, organizational issues aside, he’s doing just fine. She describes him as being in “mythical first grade,” which means that he’s succeeding at the work teachers typically believe first graders are capable of. Some of his classmates may be achieving at a lower level, and almost certainly some are working at a higher one.

The little desks give this mom a view of her children's school life — one that she didn't expect to hear.

Jack’s right there in the middle. His drawing of a tree, which I was shown that day, is the stuff nightmares are made of, but no matter.

In my wildest dreams, I pictured my son smacking the first-grade curriculum out of the ballpark, being bored with the work, and needing more mental stimulation. Turns out, he’s plenty stimulated — but, heck, for Jack, I’ll take that. His road to first grade was anything but smooth.

Next up was my meeting with Kate’s teacher. Now Kate, I had higher hopes for. She, who is 20 months younger than Jack, can do much of the same work. And her artistic ability? Well, in this momma’s eyes, she’s nothing short of a prodigy.

My meeting with Jack’s teacher went long, and I arrived 10 minutes late to speak with Kate’s teacher.

“That’s alright,” she reassured me. “We don’t really have much to talk about. Kate’s doing great.”

Heh, I knew it, I thought. My little girl is on the fast track to Uni High.

For formality’s sake, we sat down at the table, and the teacher began flipping through a stack of pictures to find the one Kate had drawn. While she was flipping, she thought of some comments to make.

“I mean, she struggles sometimes when trying to sound out small words … ,” she began.

My stomach dropped a little. She struggles sounding out small words? Quickly, I came up with a statement to make in my daughter’s defense: “Oh, she does that for me, too,” I blurted. “I think it’s just a confidence thing — she asks for my help because she’s afraid she’ll be wrong.”

“Oh, yes,” her teacher agreed. “Kids definitely do that at this age.”

But, as her fingers kept leafing through the stack of pictures, I noticed something: a lot of the other kids draw in more detail than Kate does. Her pictures, though certainly precious to me, fall somewhere near the middle of the pack as far as skill goes.

Two kids, two pretty average teacher reports.

I don’t think I even admitted to myself that I was hoping my kids would turn out to be exceptional until I sat in those child-sized seats on Friday morning. But nonetheless that hope was there, unchecked, in the back of my mind.

And, granted, it’s waaaaay early in the game to know for sure whether my kids will wind up needing enrichment, or will continue to have their hands full with the standard curriculum. What I realized, though, as I sat through conferences that morning, is that hoping they’ll be anything other than “typical” learners isn’t exactly a good thing.

As a former gifted student who got by in class without a whole lot of effort — but never really shined academically, either — I know that hard work trumps natural ability any day.

On the other hand, as a teacher who has seen already bright students pushed to be “brilliant-er,” I’ve learned the futility of fighting for something that just isn’t in the cards.

I’m glad I was forced to face my big-time academic dreams for my kids, because now I can let go of them. Skill-wise, my children will land where they land, and we’ll push them only enough to develop their talents and instill in them a decent work ethic.

Bottom line: my kids like school, and they are happy. Heck, they’re doing just great.

Rachael McMillan just took part-time job number 5,482: teaching sixth- and seventh-grade history at Campus Middle School for girls. She also tutors at The Reading Group and serves as the education coordinator for Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade retailer in downtown Champaign. She is totally in love with her Chambana life, which she shares with husband Scott, kindergartner Kate, and first-grader Jack.

Mom to Mom: It Won’t Be the Last Time

From The Editors — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:31:44 +0000

By Jennifer Barnes Newell

I think there should be a required course before you become a parent. It should be called, “How to be as Prepared as Possible for Parenting” One of the course lectures should be titled “Responding Constructively When Your Children are Ridiculed.” I cannot teach this because I haven’t yet learned this technique. This was one problem that I hadn’t anticipated yet, so I wasn’t well prepared.

Maggie, my 4-and-a-half-year old, is in speech therapy, and she’s a bit shy. This past summer we enrolled her in speech and started weekly sessions. I am so pleased we did as it has definitely made a difference in her speech and increased her confidence. She loves going.

Making fun of other children isn't unexpected or new. Parents can use these instances as teaching moments for both sides. Credit: Flickr, studiostoer

A few weeks ago we were at a friend’s house and I was alone with Maggie and her friend. They were being super silly, as little ones often are. Suddenly I realized that Maggie was saying something and instead of her friend answering her, she was mimicking her back. This went on for a few minutes, and, luckily, Maggie did not understand what was happening. I changed the subject and redirected the girls to another activity.

Before I left I advised the other mom (who was quite gracious about it) know what happened because I felt like she may want to use it as a teaching moment for her daughter, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought that I, too, could learn something from it.

First, why was I so shocked that Maggie was getting made fun of? This isn’t something that kids just started doing. This is something that happens and will happen until the end of time. I had to deal with my own emotions of protection and realized that I won’t always be there to do so.

Second, I wondered if I should’ve talked to both girls at the same time about how everyone is different. Maggie’s speech is only mildly different, but it would have been a great opportunity to talk with both girls about how there are lots of different people in our classes, groups and neighborhoods. And even though we all have differences, we shouldn’t mock or mimic each other, friend or not.

Lastly, I recognized that next time Maggie may be the one making fun of another child. I need to be proactive in my parenting and help her know how to treat others. I can think of so many adages from the ages to use: the Golden Rule, “don’t say anything about someone you wouldn’t say to their face,” “take the high road,” “watch each others’ backs.” But mainly I want her to grow up to be sensitive to others, being aware of others’ feelings and thinking before she speaks. You know, that is a good lesson for me, too!

Parenting is hard, but through it I become a better person, too.

Mom to Mom: Reflections of a Working Mother

From The Editors — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:52:19 +0000

By Pam Hulten

I made a comment to my husband that once I start back to work after maternity leave that I am not sure how all of the daily chores I do every day are going to get finished in a timely fashion. Between loads of laundry, bottle washing, weekly meeting preparations for Rotary, a bit of United Way work and getting ready for the rest of the family to get home for dinner, I don’t always feel accomplished — rather just keeping up with the normal. Some might call it a bit scattered and flying by the seat of your pants. With all of this going on, I am really starting to panic about how all of this is going to get done.

I must say that the second time around being on maternity leave has been the most enjoyable experience thus far. With your first child, you spend most of your day worrying about whether you are doing things right and stressing over all the new challenges that a baby brings. This time I have been more flexible in getting a lot of other projects done, like cleaning out closets, helping with basement finishing tasks, having lunch dates with friends, and, most importantly, watching our beautiful daughter grow and develop right before our eyes. I don’t recall noticing a lot of this with our son the first time around. (He also presented us with many other medical challenges at 8-weeks-old that most parents don’t have to tackle, like having his first surgery and coming home with new medical-care needs that would scare anyone.)

Back in the day, Mom stayed home with the kids. Today, moms who work outside the home can count on a whole new set of challenges. Credit: Flickr, Violette79

Some might stereotype new mothers/stay-at-home mothers as the bon-bon eating, TV-surfing of horrible reality shows like ‘Real Housewives of…”, or even calling us out on not showering before noon. But I will be the first — and certainly not last — person to say that you won’t see that in our house! I may never be June Cleaver, but I will continue to strive toward the best for our family, even while holding down a job outside of the home.

A huge part of me is really going to miss the delight of seeing my daughter’s beautiful smiling face every time she wakes up from her naps during the day. She is just starting to acknowledge her surroundings with a wonderful smile that lets me know she is comforted by her mother’s presence. Whether you are a new mom or a mom of many, you will also relate when I say I am going to miss her smell, her noises and even her cries throughout the day. Sometimes I feel as if I am the only one who can help her through small bellyaches and any baby discomforts.

However, I know that as young as she is, she just needs some tender loving care, which she will receive while in daycare. It just warms my heart knowing the motherly bond will never be broken, and she will greet me with that wonderful smile when she hears my voice and the end of each workday!

The best part of every workday is the anticipation of my 4-year-old walking through the door, waiting to tell me all about his day at school. And soon I will also be ready to squeeze our daughter and give her a million kisses when she comes through that door as well.

I certainly will be seeking new ways to manage my time, and, believe it or not, I have actually started saying “no” to a few extracurricular activities. Who imagined that having your second baby while becoming the next Urbana Rotary President would drive most people beyond insanity? Multitasking is definitely one of my strengths, and I hope that I can continue to be that role model of a “Super Mom/Wife” for my family.

How do you manage life as a working mom? If you have more than one, did you find your maternity leave/return different?

Pam Hulten is the director of Resource Development at United Way of Champaign County and president of Urbana Rotary Club. She is a full-time working mother with two small children, and is married to the most amazing husband, Gordy Hulten.