Discover 8 different mom types. What kind of Mom you are? Am I?

by CasieBlog, Mom Approved, Mom ThingsPosted on No Comments
Image of multiple clip are mothers with their children doing various activities. With the words What kind of Mom are you?

Being a Mom is my greatest accomplishment in life.

There is nothing I wanted more, and nothing that will ever make me feel as full as being the mother of my daughter.

Being a Mom is an impossible task.

The expectation to be perfect, to have zero screen time, to feed our kids only organic foods—the list goes on and on. From never-ending to-do lists, to misinformation, to ever-evolving trends, the pressure to get it right and be “influencer cool” is real.

But most of us aren’t influencer cool. We cant follow every single trend—heck, I don’t even understand the meaning behind “Sigma” and I feel like the kids have been saying that for a while now! (I’m literally at the age where I don’t understand the cool hip lingo…when did I get so old?).

I feel like the most common “Mom types” I see are the Crunchy and Scrunchie moms. They dominate social media tags and are included in Instagram handles. Do I fall into one of these categories?

I suppose if I were to label myself, I’d consider myself as a Scrunchie mom.

My child is vaccinated and I wholeheartedly support vaccines. I can understand peoples fear, but the scientific information is out there, it’s available to the public for free. We have almost eradicated diseased due to the invention of vaccines.

If you’re on the fence, check out the link below from UNICEF featuring Dr. Mike. If you haven’t heard of him, Dr. Mike is an American physician who immigrated from Russia as a child—and yes, he’s also a social media personality. (He was even voted Sexiest Doctor Alive by People magazine in 2015! And 10 years later, I’ll say it’s still true.) He shares a lot of fun, informative content on YouTube and is a strong advocate for children and transparency in medicine and vaccines.

https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/doctor-mike-vaccines-lets-not-let-misinformation-win

I also use disposable diapers. I allow my child to watch some television (mostly music and nursery rhymes that we sing and dance to—but she also loves cat videos. That’s probably thanks to my inner millennial). We watch a lot of Bounce Patrol—they only fuel my dream of moving to Australia (a story for another day!).

We also do our best to get outside every day. I think it’s important to get the fresh air, enjoy nature, and learn about the world around us—including how we can protect and preserve it. We can learn about worms, birds and other various bugs. (I HATE bugs…) But we love to get dirty, play in the sprinkler, and blow bubbles into the wind.

My daughter is a year and a half old and we’re still breastfeeding. I count myself lucky to be able to breastfeed at all, and I 100% believe that fed is best. The stigma behind not breastfeeding, using formula, or breastfeeding “too long”….it’s all just noise. Honestly, breastfeeding was my biggest postpartum fear— but luckily, she latched and was ready to go as soon as she was born!

We also chose to do baby-led weaning. If you have food, you BETTER be sharing. Shes also more of a savory food kind of kid. She literally threw a piece of donut the other day in the back of the car—so I stopped and got her french fries. That’s right, donut and french fries. (But you know when the “We’ve been in the car too long and if I don’t get a snack I’m gonna scream” moment is coming…and we were moments from it!) But when we can afford it, I’ll get the organic fruit and veggies.

I had a medicated birth (kinda), but all the power to those who don’t! I had a very complicated birth, and the epidural didn’t work (the pain is REAL)! But ended up medicated in the end. (The last hour) (I’ll link my birth story once I finish writing it!)

I even co-sleep with my child. It started out as a necessity—the only way I was getting any rest was with a mattress butted up against her crib. But that turned into sharing a bed. And at a year and a half, we still do this every night. It works for us for now, and I love how close it has made her and I.*

This is just a snippet of my beliefs as a mom.

A reminder that, at the end of the day, we really aren’t all that different. That each and every one of us is doing the best we can with what we know—and that we are learning as we go. There is no manual for motherhood, we get to learn as we go and pick up the pieces as they fall.

At the end of the day, I feel like most of us fall into the Scrunchy mom category. We do the best that we can, with what we have, and the resources we have access to. We want our children to have better than we did when we were growing up.

It’s OKAY for us to have different opinions than other moms. Every child is unique. Every child Is different and needs different care. I stand by the choices I make as a parent. I love my daughter more than anything I’ve ever loved before, and I will always do anything in my power to make sure she has everything she needs, and knows she is loved beyond measure.

So, regardless of whatever Box the world tries to fit you into, regardless of how the world tries to stereotype us, scare us, or shame us—stand strong. We are mothers. We brought life into this world. We get to shape it. We get to enjoy watching our children learn and play, grow and thrive. Motherhood is a gift, don’t let anyone make you think otherwise.

Don’t let the naysayers get you down. Do your research on the world, but also follow your gut. You got this Mama, and I’m right here with you.

*Just a note that I’m not a doctor or a specialist in any way. None of this information is to be taken as advice, but is an insight as to how I go about my life and what I do with my family.

Dear Body, I see you: A love letter to my Postpartum Body.

by CasieBlog, Mom ThingsPosted on No Comments

Let’s be real, the pressure to “bounce back” after having a baby is REAL.

To lose the “baby weight”, to “exercise” to “eat right” or “diet”. I mean, celebrities bounce back to their pre-baby bodies, so why can’t I?

The number of these posts I see on social media is astounding- and honestly heartbreaking. Look at this article about how “incredible” these celeb “transformations” were. Or the article explaining how to get your body back.

Celebrities that Have Bounced Back after Having Children
5 Ways To Get Your Pre-Pregnancy Body Back

Let’s get real for a minute.

I know we all want to look and feel out best, but we grew an entire human AND an extra organ! And if you’re in the US like I am, you employer likely only allows you 6-8 weeks of maternity leave to “heal” your body. Never mind bonding with your child or get used to life as a new family.

I’m sure the majority of us don’t have a Nanny, or a Cook, or a Maid (and if you do, more power to ya – I’m jealous!). We don’t have a personal trainer or a plastic surgeon on call. We don’t have endless hours to spend at the gym, or the extra money to buy that trendy smoothie everyone is raving about.

From childhood, we’re immersed in images of the “perfect body”.

(Granted, things have come a long way since the early 2000’s when I was a kid.) It’s nice to see models out there with stretch marks, soft bellies, and even actual plus size representation. But still to this day, I don’t really see anyone who has my body shape. (Before and after giving birth). And honestly? That’s OKAY. It’s a bit frustrating, sure, but that doesn’t mean I have to look like those models to like how I look or to know I’ll look good in something I want to wear.

I used to be, 110 lbs in high school. Then my metabolism caught up with me. Right before my due date with my daughter, I hit 200 lbs. The midwives were great to measure in kilograms, but I know how to roughly estimate what that would be in lbs.

It was a scary number to me.

How could I have been so small, and now I’ve almost doubled that? I’m twice the amount of people I was. But I also remind myself, I graduated high school 15 years ago! (My reunion is coming up!) Of course my body isn’t going to be the same it was when I was 17. Just like my personality and my character and my soul, I’ve grown. I’ve changed. I’ve matured. And that’s not a bad thing!

I could spend all day stressing about what I’m going to wear, how I’m going to fit into the smaller sized jeans at the back of my closet, or count the calories I’ve eaten each day. (All things I’ve done in the past.) Or, I could realize that the size I am now (165lbs…ish? I don’t think we even own a scale) is an okay size to be.

Sure, I’d love to loose 10-15lbs. But it’s hardly even spring here in Maine. We’ve had a couple nice days, but it’s been raining just about every day here. It’s hard to drag a toddler out into the 55°F weather and expect her to enjoy her time outside.

Yeah, we could exercise inside. But I’d rather not have her using me as a jungle gym while I try to do yoga in the living room. (Having 2 dogs and 2 cats don’t help either.)

So instead, I’ll focus on what’s actually important.

Playing with my daughter.

Teaching her fun things.

Teaching her new words.

Letting her try new foods.

I’m really lucky that she wants to try everything we eat. She’s more of a savory kid then a sweet one. (Idk who she got that from, it wasn’t me or her father).

I also refuse to let her grow up mentally fighting with herself over her body. That battle is hard enough as it is with everything that’s thrown at us from outside sources.

Instead, I’ll teach her to enjoy all kinds of foods. To show her that it’s okay to have sweets, in moderation.

We’re going to have a garden this year and I want her to be involved, so she gets the satisfaction of growing her own food.

Instead of hating her body, I want her to love her body.

And for me to teach her to love her body, I am choosing to love mine.

To love the lumpy parts and the bumpy parts.

To love the stripes on my belly and the new shape of my breasts. (Breastfeeding really does a number on those puppies!).

I love my slightly crooked nose and that one eye that squints just a little more than the other. I love the way I laugh and the way I talk. I love that my body created another human! That it did the work it had to bring her into this world and in my arms.

Why should I speak so badly of the marvel I lived through?

(Even if I did loathe being pregnant, but that’s a story for another time.)

My body (for the most part) is healthy. It tells me when something is wrong or if I’m sick. It’s full of love and happiness and believes in the goodness in other people. My body is part of what makes me, me!

One of the biggest moments in my life that made me learn to love the body I have, is realizing that it’s the only one I get.

I had a friend who hated being in pictures because of how they looked. They hated their body, their smile, their laugh. One day, I saw a post on social media that said to Take the picture anyways, so future generations can remember you.

This still sticks with me.

Someday, we all leave this earth. Pictures are the only tangible proof that we were here.

If I were to be gone tomorrow, I wouldn’t want my biggest regret to be that my daughter wouldn’t remember my face.

My smile.

My crooked nose.

My slightly squinty eye.

I want her to be able to share photos someday with the people she loves. When I’m long gone from this earth and that’s all she has left. Photographs and memories. But if I waste my time, hating the body I’m in, I don’t get to be present with her. I’ll deny being in the pictures that could hold a strong moment of love. So I will choose to accept my body, as it was when I was younger, as it is today, and as it will change as I get older.

Dear Body,

Thank you for bringing me on this journey of life. For growing with me, both to adulthood and into motherhood.

Thank you for growing my child, my most precious treasure. For allowing me the privilege of bringing her into this world.

Thank you for adapting, for being ever changing. For allowing me to see, to think, to feel.

Even though our journey together hasn’t been the easiest, I thank you for toughing it out with me.

Thank you for weathering the hardest days, the heart break, and the breakdowns.

Thank you for holding me steady through growing, both physically and mentally.

Thank you for guiding me through this life, for fighting through health conditions and illness, in order for me to become who I am today, and for who I’ll be tomorrow.

I promise to honor you and appreciate you as we age. I will keep you healthy, (within my control) and do my best to take care of you through the rest of this life. I promise you accept you as you are now, and as we will be tomorrow. In time, I may want to change some things, but only to the betterment of both of us.

Love,

Casie

I hope that this speaks to you.

And that if you’re still struggling with your body, I hope you can take something from this and be a little kinder to yourself.

You deserve self love.

You deserve peace.

You deserve to be remembered in every way possible.

I promise you are worthy, no matter the season your body is in.

The Guilt of Wanting a Break from Motherhood

by CasieBlog, Mom Things, Prompts and MusingsPosted on No Comments

Is Break even the Right Word?

Because as soon as I say break, I feel the guilt rise, my heart drop, and a twinge of sadness creep in—for even wanting to be away from my baby. How could I possibly want time apart from the person I created? The one I longed for, dreamed of, and, at times, suffered to bring into this world.
How can I want to step away when she looks at me and smiles, or laughs, or yells out Mama?

I find myself feeling jealous of my husband.
He gets to wake up and shower—alone.
Get ready for work—alone.
Make breakfast—alone—without a toddler pulling at his pant leg or needing to balance a baby on his hip to stir eggs with one hand.
He drives an hour to work and an hour back—alone.

I remember those days—headed into the city, music on, or maybe a true crime podcast in the background. Alone in the car. Some days I hated the commute. But most days? I appreciated it. It was time to decompress—especially on the way home. I could get out my daily frustrations with music blasting or by diving into the twisted world of Ted Bundy.

These days, my commute is from my daughter’s room to the living room and kitchen.

It’s listening to Wheels on the Bus 1,000 times (in a row), while she asks me to switch to a different version 15 seconds in. It’s teaching her that crayons are for coloring books—not the floor.
It’s eating the rest of the mac & cheese she didn’t finish (or gave to the dogs). I still get some of my music, but only if her mood allows it. Will she want Post Malone today? (Honestly, most likely—she’s loved him since she was tiny.) Or will it be Bounce Patrol singing about the alphabet and animals? No true crime podcasts or TV unless it’s during nap time—and we’re down to one nap a day.

After the third or fourth meltdown—over something small, like not opening a cheese stick fast enough, or because I had the audacity to sit on the toilet without her in my lap—I feel myself needing a moment to myself. But those moments are rare. Even showers aren’t guaranteed “me” time. We don’t have a tub, so most nights I end up showering with her. Sink tubbie time? Exhausting. (She’d stay in there for hours if I let her.)

Lately, my husband has had to travel for work. I’m happy for him—these are great opportunities.
But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t daydream about being the one to go. A solo trip, even for a day. A hotel room. Takeout. Trashy TV. Maybe a sleeping pill and eight uninterrupted hours of sleep—something I haven’t had since pregnancy. (At no fault to my husband). But then comes the guilt.

How could I spend 24 hours away from my entire world? I’ve never even spent a night without her—not since the day she was born. But still…I need a break. Or… do I?
Is break even the right word?

Some space? Yes.
To not be needed for a little while? Absolutely.
To not have to think? Even better.

But Break feels harsh.

Merriam-Webster says a break is “to separate into parts with suddenness or violence.”
Yikes. Not exactly what I meant.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break

I haven’t touched a thesaurus in years, but I looked. I found “pause,” which already feels better.
Even “hesitate” pops up—and funny enough, that word fits too. Because every time I think about taking a break… I hesitate.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break#thesaurus-entry-1-5

I probably haven’t looked at a Thesaurus in years. Can you think of the last time you did? I appreciate how it gives a list of the ways you may use the word break. I felt like a pause, was already a better word than break. I also find it funny that the word hesitate comes up. Because every time I think about a “break”, I also find myself hesitating.

Still, none of the words seem to really fit.

Because let’s be real: as moms, we’re usually the default parent. We carry the mental load.
And if your household is anything like mine, sometimes the only “break” in your day is a solo shower—if you’re lucky. So when those rare, extended moments of silence come? They feel like a breath of fresh air. Maybe breath is the word I’m looking for.

Yesterday, I texted my husband and said that when he got home, I needed time alone.
I wasn’t in the right headspace—after a full week of solo parenting—to show up for him and our daughter. I told him I needed a little trip to the store. Alone.

He immediately responded: “When you get back, you can shower alone too.”

It wasn’t a spa day. It was still a chore. But just knowing I could wander the aisles aimlessly? That I wouldn’t have a toddler screaming from the cart or trying to bolt toward the bananas? That I could just exist, by myself, for a bit. That was everything.

What I really need is just a moment of peace. To clear out the clutter in my brain. To exist outside of motherhood, even if just for an hour or two. Because at the end of the day, I’m more than just a mom. I’m more than just a wife. We all are. We are our own, individual people. Maybe unwind is the right word. Or reset.

Break feels too negative. I don’t want to escape my family. I don’t want to be away from my daughter. Break just doesn’t fit the emotions I actually feel. I don’t want to escape my family. I don’t want to be away from my daughter.

I just need a rest.
A pause.
An exhale.

So I can ground myself—and come back better.
A better mom. A better wife. A better me.

Tattoo Number 9 – But what makes a good tattoo for a mom?

by CasieBlog, Mom Things, Prompts and MusingsPosted on No Comments

What tattoo do you want and where would you put it?

A stylized tattoo of a Queen Bee with a Crown
My Queen Bee 👑 🐝 For my Aunt who passed 💖

This is one of those questions to ask myself often. As someone who got their first tattoo on their 18th(I almost left this as 8th and not 18th, ha!) birthday, I have quite a few, and want a ton more. Tattoos are akin to that haircut you get when your boyfriend leaves you. You know you need to do SOMETHING, and it’s something that’s kinda big, but also meaningful or empowering to you.

I’m not saying every tattoo has to be for your Grandmother or for your mom’s birthday or whatever symbolic idea you have. Some tattoos can be fun, for the hell of it. I mean we only live once, right? (YOLO…or whatever the kids say these days…I’m literally always a generation behind on the slang….I’ve become one of those moms.)

But tattoos are such a fun way to decorate the body. They show who you are as a person in a way not much else can. They have a way of letting your soul shine on the outside of your body, instead of just the inside.

My Current Tattoos

Personally I’ve gotten most of my tattoos at large changes in my life, or for some significant meaning. (Not that I don’t have a “For fun” tattoo, I totally do) But those have been the times I’ve had to scratch the itch, and do something drastic to my body, to show the world (and myself) that something large enough has happened in my life that I need to permanently make note of it. On my body…in my skin.

I’ve gotten a tattoo for turning 18, one for when my first husband left me out of the blue (a story for another time) one for when my Aunt passed away and a matching tattoo with my brother and one with my cousin. I’ve gotten a tattoo with a friend from high school who I now only speak to on occasion. (She has since converted hers.) So many of my tattoos have a meaning, or at least had a meaning, at the time. But I don’t regret a single one, and someday when I have a little extra money, I can’t wait to get another.

What tattoo will come next?

And although I know what my tattoo will be for, (Yup, this one has meaning!) I can’t for the life of me decide what it’s going to be of. I know I want a tattoo for my daughter. For my incredible little Lorelai. I was thinking of a Bee at one point, as it’s symbolic of my Aunt who passed, and because bees always seem to pop up on places of importance in my life, even when there’s zero reason for a bee to be there.

The reason behind a name.

And yet, we named her Lorelai, from the German name for the Siren of the sea, who lures fishermen to their demise. This may sound a little sad or creepy, but as a Feminist (especially in 2025…IYKYK) it feels fitting.  I know my daughter is strong willed, sharp as a tack, and honestly funnier than most adults (and she can’t even talk yet!) I plan to teach her that no matter what life throws at her, to never let a “man” stand in her way.

Here is a link to the story of Loreley if anyone is interested!

https://visitworldheritage.com/en/eu/the-loreley-rock/7b9a0bb3-18b3-44da-907e-e9861d3f831b

So would a siren tattoo be more fitting? I’m starting to think so. Something beautiful, yet slightly scary. Maybe based on the original German legend perhaps? A Beautiful maiden upon a rocky cliff? Or maybe stick closer to the more simple mermaid legends? Time will tell, and we’ve got plenty of time. If I did a mermaid of some sort, I’d absolutely want it to have a “frame” and be on my calf. So at least I got the placement down.

Tattoo of the cartoon character Lisa Simpson, choking Bart Simpson
My brother and I have these matching tattoos (his is Bart choking Lisa 😂) It’s very fitting for us.
A tattoo of Pigsqueak and Snapdragons in an illustrative style.
These are some flowers I got because I found them beautiful, and I wanted them to go with my Queen Bee. They are “Pigsqueak” and Snapdragons. Both native to Maine and also both beautiful 😍

Shopping Spree! If I Had the cash, Here’s Where I’d Go!

by CasieBlog, Prompts and MusingsPosted on No Comments

Where would you go on a shopping spree?

Imagine of a woman with multiple shopping bags and the text "Shopping Spree Dreaming"

Outfits or Home Accents? Toddler Toys or Fancy Meals? If I Had the Cash for a Shopping Spree, Here’s Where I’d Go!

Let’s be real — as a SAHM with bills and only one income, a shopping spree isn’t exactly on the horizon. But hey, a girl can dream! If I had the chance, I’d be filling my bags with goodies for both me and my daughter, sprucing up the house with some fresh decor, and treating myself to an amazing lunch.

I’d definitely hit up some name-brand stores: Hollister for my favorite jeans, Boot Barn for yet another pair of cowboy boots (because honestly, you can never have too many). I’d grab new bras from Victoria’s Secret and stock up on toddler clothes at L.L. Bean. And for home decor? I’d wander through the fancy boutiques in Portland’s Old Port — you know, the ones where you browse politely, admire everything, and quietly gasp at the price tags.

Well, now that I’ve been lost in a day dream for a while, thinking of all the wonderful things I would buy…I suppose I should go get something productive done with the rest of my Sunday. I attached a list to my Benable that gives you links to all the things I’d wanna buy on my spree! Maybe it’ll give you some ideas as well!

https://benable.com/Motherhood_Overloaded/if-i-could-go-on-a-shopping-spree-me-in-my-dreams-13

Click Bait and Terrible “Advice”

by CasieBlog, Mom ThingsPosted on No Comments

Saving money on Groceries. (And how I actually save!)

I had these two articles suggested to me lately in my “News Feed”, and honestly I find them SO frustrating. They are absolutely click bait (shhhh, they baited me…I know). But I’m always curious to see if I’ll get that one little tidbit of advice that ACTUALLY works.

But let’s be real, the good stuff is few and far between. And almost always NOT where I expect to find it. I get the whole, play the algorithm, SEO, get clicks business. But to try to suggest some of these things as ways to save money is deceiving and can be down right dangerous if people take this as advice.

I find misleading information is much too prevalent and can be extremely damaging. Especially when that information spreads and people are misinformed. The article about a family of 7, surviving on one teacher income…come on now. Unless their mortgage was paid off and they had zero bills, this isn’t feasible.

They also have livestock, which not many people have, or can afford to just get and start taking care of. The two things that REALLY get me though, is that the dad had to get so many more jobs he hardly sleeps. This isn’t healthy, it’s also not sustainable as hes going to get burnt out, he may cause an accident going to or from work.

Then, to say they save money by EATING LESS? This isn’t something you put in an article about how you feed your family on a tight budget. Yeah, she said maybe it’s not the best idea, but she’s on a weight loss journey and that’s how she justifies it. Not getting fast food is a great idea, but follow it up with bringing snacks from home instead. She has a garden, bring fresh veggies, she could make jerky from the meat she gets from her livestock.

What about some ACTUAL ways to save money on groceries? Or on other things to help offset the rising cost. I mean, a dozen eggs is $7! I know we could all use a little help in that area. While I can’t save you on the price of eggs (Unless you wanna buy Chickens, but I’m no expert in that area. But I did see Tractor Supply has chicks in. You do you.) Maybe some of my ideas can help you.

This, this right here is the MOST IMPORTANT thing that I do to save us money on Groceries? I make a Meal Plan! This took us from over $200 every week-week and a half, down to $100-$120 for a week-week and a half. That includes me, my husband, and our 15 month old Toddler. Now look, I can’t guarantee your results. It does take a bit of planning, research and a bit of cooking know-how.

So if you’ve followed me this far, I’ll link my Meal Plan guide so you can see if it may help you!

How my Meal Planning saves on Groceries!