Becoming  a mom has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. From the moment my little human, Sunday,  forced her way out of my body and into my life, I knew that my new full time job was to protect and provide for her in ways that I hadn’t known before. I became obsessed with what she ate, which products we used on her body and what type of screen time she absorbed. To resolve any concerns, I spent my time making and preparing all of her food and body products. I monitored her screen time and spent a lot of time entertaining her with personalized songs and creating learning tools. I was swamped. My every waking thought was my daughter. I had little time for myself.  With her birth, my name had changed from Erika to Mommy and it seems that everyone in my household, including myself, had forgotten who Erika was. Although I loved my new role, I also craved the Erika that was seemingly lost in the piles of dirty baby laundry, muted by the noise of a fussy baby and buried by the weight of  the self-imposed expectations. I missed me.  So, I decided to let go (a little J).

I had to find balance. I reserved my time away from her to focus on me. I shopped online, I made those oh so cathartic Target runs, I watched TV that didn’t include puppets, muppets or any character singing about bath-time in a high pitched voice.  Those moments of alone time, allowed me to transcend to a time where I was the focus. Yes, I know these steps aren’t major moves. But there are baby steps (no pun intended) t0 get back to where I used to be.