Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
EP 129: Moments to Look Forward to in Motherhood
2k Plays1 month ago
It’s easy to get stuck in the hard of the now — the exhaustion, the chaos, the “will this phase ever end?” feelings. It’s also easy to already feel nostalgic for stages that are flying by. But in this episode, we wanted to gently shift the perspective and remind ourselves (and you) that every new stage brings its own kind of magic.
We’re sharing a few of the moments from right now that we’re genuinely loving — the things that have surprised us, softened us, and made us realize how sweet these later stages can be.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Making real mom friendships with school moms who are in the same phase of life
- Watching our kids make friends and start building their own little social worlds
- Those small-but-big moments of independence, when your child can suddenly do things on their own
This conversation is for the moms who feel caught between missing the past and surviving the present — and need a reminder that there’s still so much goodness ahead.
Wherever you are in motherhood, we hope this episode helps you take a deep breath and look forward with a little more excitement 🤍
Keep up with the Moms and join the conversation on our socials:
📸 Instagram: @momgroupchat
🎵 TikTok: @momgroupchat
Questions/comments/need to vent? Email us at momgroupchat@gmail.com
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:07
Speaker
There's no right way to do it. Oh, we're gonna get into it. What up, moms? My name is Candice, and I'm here with my best friend, Whitney, and this is the Mom Group Chat Podcast. Hi, Candy. Hi.
00:00:24
Speaker
Man, we were yapping. We were yapping.
Celebrity Encounters in Nashville
00:00:28
Speaker
God, I it. I love getting on with you and just yapping. We just let it rip. It is so fun. The tea that smells.
00:00:38
Speaker
I was going to say, like, it's titillating to get on here and, like, know that I have things to say, you know? Which I feel like this is such a tease for... I know. I'm sorry. You know, to get on here and be like, we were just spilling tea. but um It's just, you know, it's like that's the beauty of being best friends and like being with your best friend is just getting on FaceTime or a phone call and letting it rip.
00:01:07
Speaker
Pedal to the metal. Part two. fact that The fact that we like know so many of the same people, it's just like there's so much to talk about. and And like celebs and stuff. Like I was telling Candice this morning, cause I've been going to F45 and um she made the comment that, what is that Nashville has like a ecosystem of celebrities? Yeah, but they're niche. Like they're not some, I don't know. they're It's like its own, like it's not Hollywood, you know? It's like, it's it's Hollywood adjacent, but it's not like, I feel like there's a huge ecosystem of influencers, musicians,
00:01:46
Speaker
just celebs in Nashville that like Like I'm not seeing any celebrities here in Tampa, Florida. Okay. But like in Nashville you are. Yeah. And it's so casual, but I was saying like, I'm pseudo running into celebrity siblings siblings celebrity siblings, which is like, so kind of crazy that I know who they are because I don't listen to country music whatsoever. It's just the fact that like, I follow some of them on Instagram to stay up in the pop culture. and so like the sibling siblings have been working out with me And I'm like, this is so crazy. I'm like,
00:02:19
Speaker
almost touching a celebrity a I would like gently brush a ah brush against them. i Didn't you say that you had Eric Decker in a class one time?
00:02:33
Speaker
I did. Him and Jesse came to Orange Theory like one time a long time ago. And remember he gave me the ick because he got on like the strider instead of running. And I was like...
00:02:45
Speaker
I just didn't like that. my God. Maybe he has a knee injury. 100%. That's why he was there. Like, he was probably injured. And he's like, what can I do that's, like, a lower impact but, like, still cardio workout? And I just was like, this badass football player is on the strider?
00:03:01
Speaker
I was like, I don't know. i don't know. Oh, my God. That is funny. um But that man is drool worthy. I have never seen him in person, obviously. But he was someone that was, like,
00:03:14
Speaker
he He's on my list. I mean, it's so funny you say that because i like was telling Chris this morning, like who I ran into because it was a pseudo connection to Jesse James Decker. And I was like, um Chris goes, I wouldn't even know what she looks like or even Eric Decker. And I go, oh, I would.
00:03:32
Speaker
And he was like, what the hell? I'm like, I mean, he is very attractive. That is an attractive He is. That's my type. That's my type. Yeah, I'm just like, how do you not know what he looks like?
Making Mom Friends and Aging Challenges
00:03:44
Speaker
Jessie. Like, Jessie's very gorgeous, so. Yeah, so cute. and Wow. That's cool.
00:03:52
Speaker
Yeah, I I don't have anything like that here. Well, you know, pseudo attachment. I'll have to come to Nashville and take a class with you so I can have some celeb adjacent ah stories to tell.
00:04:06
Speaker
It does feel kind of cool that I'm like, oh, is this is like a good enough workout for for them. Like, I'm yeah about to get ripped. i would 100% be thinking that. I would be like, okay, well, if they're here, like,
00:04:20
Speaker
it's good enough for me, you know? Yeah. Right. Yeah. So 100%. Too funny. Yeah. Um, I did my second burn bootcamp class yesterday.
00:04:31
Speaker
And I was telling Whitney this morning that I like lightly tweaked my knee. And I feel so old, honestly. um One of my favorite jokes is you know that you're getting old when you stop referring to your knees as left and right and instead good and bad.
00:04:50
Speaker
Like your good knee and your bad knee. My bad knee is my right knee. it's so So is mine. It's your dominant, you know? it's Yeah. dumb. Um, it's fine. Like it actually already feels better this morning, but I like was like, Oh, this is 35. I've tweaked my knee in a workout. That's my weakest spot on my body. And that's why, why I quit orange theory is like the running was wearing it down and it just hurts so bad. And I love running, but I can't do it. Like I was doing there.
00:05:21
Speaker
It was just hurting me. Yeah. Yesterday's class was cardio and it was like all jumping and like, you know, cardio stuff. So I, that's 100% what it is. It's like, I, this body hasn't jumped in a while, you know? I look like an old person jumping, Candice. Like I, Oh my God. I was thinking the same. Like I'm really having to like throw my arms up to do it.
00:05:46
Speaker
And I hate it. When I, I, oh my God, I'm going to start crying laughing right now because in class yesterday, i literally was thinking to myself, like I used to be so agile and like, like I was a gymnast. I used to jump and like could move my body. And now I feel like I can feel, obviously I can't see myself. There are no mirrors. Thank God for that. But yeah.
00:06:10
Speaker
As I was like doing these like jump over box knee up things, I was like, I know what I look like right now. And it's like, I look like my mom, mom, like a mom. Yeah.
00:06:21
Speaker
And it's like, I feel my boobs um flying. oh my God. Don't even get me started on the boobs. Don't even get me started. And I just know that they're like, well, bam. And it's awful.
00:06:33
Speaker
Oh my God. it was just like, wow. If I were to see a video of myself doing this, it would be humbling. And actually this, like this bird bootcamp place near my house is new. Like it's a new location. So they keep taking videos during class. And I just know my ass is on their Instagram. I know it. And I'm like,
Forming Lasting Friendships and Parenting Milestones
00:06:53
Speaker
please stop. I don't need to know. That's kind of my what I look like is none of my business. Yeah.
00:06:59
Speaker
I know it is kind of nice. Like Orange Theory had mirrors everywhere in this F45 doesn't at all. So I don't like catch myself like checking myself out anymore. It's it's nice, even though I'm like, sometimes I do feel like I look good. I'm like, what do I look like right now? I'm trying to like find my reflection in a window or a door. that can't find it. That is funny.
00:07:22
Speaker
But no, it's been really fun to go to these classes. I've been going with my friend Hannah, who is a friend from Alice's school.
00:07:32
Speaker
um They were in the same class. They're not in the same class this year, but like, you know, I still see her drop offs and whatever. And She has two girls. I have two girls. They're around the same age. And we've just become fast friends. I really am loving her. she is We're so similar. And it's just been fun to like go to a workout class like with friends. yeah And also, like I feel like she's the first person true like in-person mom friend that I'm like okay like I I see a future yeah you know that sounds so like dating but it is kind of like that right it's like okay like I see a future here I could see us hanging out I see our girls growing up together and it's to the point now we're like as we're talking about schools I'm like where are you going where what are you doing like yeah I want to be i want to be connected And I wanted to talk about it on today's episode because i feel as though, you know, Evie's about to be two in February.
00:08:38
Speaker
We're like exiting the baby phase a little bit, right? Like... we don't necessarily have babies anymore. And, you know, I've talked about it on this pod, like we're going a third, but not for a whole nother year. And there's a part of me that's like, Oh, I'm going to like miss having babies. And the the baby fever is there whenever I like see a a younger baby. Or when I noticed like Evie is looking like less baby every day, you know?
00:09:08
Speaker
But there's also like so much to look forward to as we move into like little kid phase and like kid having true kids. um And I think that the mom friends and the friends that you make when your kids are in school and going through school together is like one of the things you can look forward to.
00:09:30
Speaker
Yeah, I love the idea of like using this episode as like, okay, yes, a lot of our listeners have brand new babies, but maybe like us talking through like what you have to look forward to with each of these new stages, because obviously our oldest are yours is about to be four, mine is four. have a two-year-old, you almost have a two-year-old. So it's like, what can I be? looking forward to when sometimes you feel like you're in the trenches with a ah young baby, your you're washing bottles every day or you're breastfeeding and you're like, when will I get myself back? and And then like you get into the stage where your kids start talking, which I've talked about a million times is my favorite part. And they're so yeah funny and they get little personalities and you put them in school and they start to see like how their mind works. And there's just like so much to look forward to. As they get older. And I'd say like friends is a big part of it, especially like for them and for you.
00:10:30
Speaker
Yeah, that's what I was going to say. It's not even just about like the mom friends I'm starting to make like within in the parents of of Alice's class, but it's also like watching your kid have friends and watching them like grow these little friendships with their friends. And, um, and also like to have Alice, like, for example, you know, we had three weeks off of school, almost three weeks off of school and,
00:10:57
Speaker
When we were, you know, the weekend leading up to this first day back at school, Alice was like talking about who she couldn't wait to see, which was so like cute and interesting. She was like, I can't wait to see Vivian tomorrow or i can't wait to see Birdie or like even as we were opening Christmas presents, she was like opening things and being like, oh my gosh.
00:11:18
Speaker
Aubrey's going to love this. And I'm like, that's so cute that she's like thinking of her friends, yeah you know? um And I just think that is so, I don't know. I think about not to get all mushy gushy on us here, but like,
00:11:34
Speaker
I think about how much my friendships like mean to me and um like just how important I think female friendships are for girls that it just makes me so excited to like foster that and to like show them what a good friend is like and to like, I don't know, guide them through like navigating friendships. That's like, I feel like for some people may feel daunting for me. It's like, I feel excited and like, yeah,
00:12:03
Speaker
I just feel excited to do that. When you were little, did your family have like those friends that you would hang out with their kids? Because like mine did. And it was always like Emory Hopson and all of them. It was people I didn't go to school with. But isn't it funny from such a young age, you already like know who your people are. Like you're already like drawn to certain people. You're interested in certain things. Like Graydon has had the same best friend for years.
00:12:32
Speaker
two and a half years. Jack is his very, very, very best friend. it has never changed. um There's people in the group he loves and like also we'll call his best friend, but like Jack is his number one guy. and like thank God we've made fast friends, like you said, with his parents because we love them. And they just so happened to be into Alabama football. So then we started watching football games together and then we started going on trips together. I'm like...
00:13:00
Speaker
Should our kids get married? No, it's so funny to The, the like progression of friendships, like for example, like i you know, I'm getting close with Hannah and our girls really love each other. They like love playing together and our husbands have met, but like so briefly and her husband works for the buck. So now that their season sadly is over, they didn't make the playoffs. RIP.
00:13:28
Speaker
his schedule is like opening up and I was like literally thinking I'm like okay it's time for the next step of our relationship introductions like it's time for a couple's hangout it's time for like maybe even a kid free hangout that's what because I see Like I see a future here, you know, like I said, i see a future here. I'm thinking trips. I'm thinking, I'm thinking weekend hangouts. hi And like, I'm already, I'm thinking two steps ahead here. So it's just funny. That's like, it is like dating. I know I keep referencing that, but it is, it's like, okay, like I'm ready to take the next step. going to introduce them to my family. We literally like we'll use each other, which I hate to say that. It's like we genuine genuinely want to, but we'll use each other like either in the mornings on a Saturday or Sunday or the afternoons. We'll be like, does anyone have plans? Yes or no. If no, let's all just get together and like let the kids run around because it's so much more enjoyable like to hang out with adults and like be able to talk or like –
00:14:33
Speaker
have some drinks or watch football and cook out or whatever. And then let the kids just destroy the house. Like, I don't care as long as they're having fun and they like love their friends. Like um I don't care.
00:14:45
Speaker
Destroy it. Yeah, exactly. And that's the only way I get to have an enjoyable like adult hang is if like with obviously with my kids, like if we go to a person's house who doesn't have kids yet,
00:14:59
Speaker
To be honest, zero fun. Honestly, it's like they're they're seeking me for entertainment, for comfort. Whereas, like, if we go to like, friend's house that they have kids and they have toys and, like, or we're outside in the backyard, like i I don't see Alice for a while and God bless that, you know i know, like that's what I want. And then I get to have a beer and, and I keep so like talking about beer a lot. I don't even drink beer that often, but I feel like the past couple of episodes I've been talking about the same thing. I was like, Oh my God, I'll let, I keep bringing it up. Like I drink every day and I seriously don't. It just was like, I know. I think. Yeah.
00:15:41
Speaker
Like that episode that came out this week about my frontal lobe swimming and beer. I just want to make note that that was like, I'm talking about in 2016. And it was a joke. Like it was a joke. Yeah. Yeah. But I keep saying beer when like, I don't even drink that, that much, whatever. Anyways. um Yeah. I, so it's much more enjoyable to go to hang out with kids, like families that have kids the same age. And like, that's how it's enjoyable for everyone, you know? Yeah, I agree. I feel like it's always been that way. um
00:16:14
Speaker
Like having kids the same age, um especially like if you're joining a due date group, there's just something like so like simpatico with like going through something um and being able to relate on like that close of a level is so nice.
00:16:31
Speaker
Yeah. Maybe just like some examples of like things that you can look forward to, like say you just had a baby.
00:16:41
Speaker
um Like I remember them like crawling for the first time was such a big deal. Like the relief you felt when they could sit up on their own was like such a huge milestone. Them being able to walk like and then it just like fast forwards from there. Don't you feel like that? Oh, it really Yeah.
00:16:59
Speaker
Yeah. It's just like i once they're on the move, you're like, oh, my God, like my best friend Jane that lives in Rhode Island, who I'm still very close with. We visit each other every year. They have an almost two year old um and she just started walking. And I said, good fucking luck. Like you about to she's about to be into everything like what she knows and she's so down for. But I was just like, man, when they start walking and just grabbing shit, you're like, oh, my God.
00:17:27
Speaker
I know. But there's also like beauty in that too. Like I, I did something yesterday after my workout class that was just so nice. And again, this is like something so little and stupid, but it is genuinely something where I just had a moment there. I was like, Oh, this is so nice that I get to like, or that, that this was that easy. So Evie doesn't necessarily love the childcare at the gym. So I bribed my children. Sorry, but I did. And I told them that if Evie didn't cry, that after workout, we could go get a slushie. Okay. That was my bribe.
00:18:02
Speaker
And they did it out. Evie didn't cry. They were so good. And so after I was like, I'm, I got to hold my end of the bargain, but I was very clear with my kids. Like, listen, we're not doing this after every workout class. This was this, that this was a one time offer. Okay. Um,
00:18:18
Speaker
So we went to Wawa and got slushies. And it was the first time where, like, I got them both, like, a half cup of slushie. And I put the chops on and, like, made it for them. And I handed it to both of them. And we walked together to the...
00:18:36
Speaker
ah like to the checkout. I paid. i we walked out together to back to the car and I wasn't having to like carry someone and carry all of the drinks.
00:18:47
Speaker
Everyone was able to like carry their own beverage and walk themselves. And and even now, like my car, if I open the door, Evie and Alice can both climb in themselves and like get in their chairs. I still have to help buckle. But like, I just am starting to see these moments of, of independence that are making my like day to day little moments so much easier. Yeah.
00:19:15
Speaker
That this is something to look forward to. If you have babies and you feel like getting out of the house is like, like you, you get into your car and you're like, Oh my God, my cortisol is so high. Like there's hope on the, like so soon for you. As soon as like, like, like I said, Evie's not even two, but she's now able to like walk herself, carry her own stuff. And like,
00:19:38
Speaker
I don't know. It just was like a moment where I was like, wow, i that was so different. That was such a different experience. And like, I never would stop and get a slushie with both of them by myself.
00:19:49
Speaker
Like even two months ago, honestly. It's so funny you bring that up because like the um carrying one of the kids thing, because I felt like I had to do a quick stop with Graydon because Margo was the baby and i used to always carry him into daycare. And, you know, I had her when he was almost two, like he was about to be two and I was carrying him all the time. And so, like, I had to just like put him down and be like, yo, you have to walk. And it made him so sad. But Margo like voluntarily was like, stop holding me. I want to walk because she wanted to follow Graydon.
00:20:25
Speaker
And why did it make me sad? was like. Oh, yeah. I was like, oh, like, you're done with me. Like, it was such an an abrupt, like, so different from Graydon. And I was like, oh, she's just done being held. And she really barely wants to hold my hand. I'm like, we had such a cute, like, three months of you wanting to hold my hand. Like,
00:20:46
Speaker
Come on. Come back to me, baby. She's getting so independent. ah Yeah. That's like the such the like hardcore dichotomy of being a mom is like this like, oh, like missing what is like fleeting and like loving these sweet moments, but also being so grateful that like things are progressing and moving. And it's just such a whiplash, man.
00:21:17
Speaker
I will say, like I'm not like, you know me, I've never been like a huge like reflector. like I'm just like always in the moment. So that's just like my personality. So I don't really like sit and feel sometimes about those things. But like that one kind of hit hard. I was like, dang, she's like done being carried. But other than that, like I'm always... like Yay. New milestone. like Less things I have to do. like She can drink out of her own water cup without a lid. like Little tiny things like that that I don't have to worry about. like She's always been less of a messy eater than Graydon.
00:21:53
Speaker
He still gets shit everywhere. and i'm like, Graydon... Get it together. But like using the forks, like, i don't know. It's just like as they grow up, you're like, these are like little people and having full on conversations. And I'm telling you, though, like she is revving up that two year old.
00:22:11
Speaker
mentality but like thank god I know that it's also a fleeting moment and that's how they learn is like being independent and saying no to everything she wants to dress herself she we're at like on the verge of potty training like we're there because she can't honestly she's like so done with the diaper Yeah, I feel like we could probably do another in-depth potty training episode soon because Evie's already showing signs of, like, readiness,
Parenting Challenges: Potty Training and Discipline
00:22:39
Speaker
to be honest. Like, she's telling me when she has to poop even before she poops. Like, she's – I just see – and she already, like, at my mom's – we don't have a little potty here anymore, but at my mom's, she still has a little potty we use for Alice and –
00:22:56
Speaker
evie wants to sit on it so i'm like we're gonna yeah i feel like we could do another she so it at daycare as y'all may have heard if you're new here maybe not um like at the school that they go to they have like the next class margo moves to is a potty training class so like I really didn't have to do a lot of the heavy lifting, which I said in that episode, like it was the best gift to me as a mom to finally not have like that mental load of a milestone on me. Like it was finally the first time someone helped me with something. um And it was just like, I was so grateful to those teachers. So it's like, I've been waiting to do that until the next class because is the teacher now necessarily going to think, Oh, Margo needs to go the bathroom. Is Margo going to tell her like, they're It's like in the next class, they're so instinctively like know that they're training at that point. So I'm like, God, I have like two months. Do I wait or do I just like go for it?
00:23:57
Speaker
I don't know. yeah That's where I'm at right now. Yeah. Yeah. if I were you, I think I'd wait, honestly. I know, that's what I'm saying. I'm like, I might as well just wait and, like, shoot. That diaper change has become so hard. It is a fight. Oh, my God. is just a fight. Like, we're also in the phase of, like, learning discipline and time out, and it's just, like, her, like, what drives her is so different from Graydon. So trying to figure out, like, what's her motivation to, like,
00:24:31
Speaker
do the right thing or to listen like she's also ah a hitter grayden never touched us she's a little smacker oh interesting i know my dollop of daisy margo's getting an at so i can't see her being scrappy like i just scrappy she's got scrappy energy she does and oh my god she's just like a little swatter and you're like oh um I'm taken aback like that you just swatted
00:25:02
Speaker
So that's where we're at. But all that's saying like she is still like the sweetest angel and like she could do no wrong. I'm just like you hit me. Okay. We're moving on. i do catch myself like having much more patience for Evie than I do Alice And I sometimes have to check myself because I can see Alice like observing the difference in how I handle Evie and how I handle her. And part of that is warranted, right? Because it's like she is older. She should know better. but there's also, i don't know, there's also something to be said about her.
00:25:40
Speaker
i don't ever want I don't know. I don't ever want her to think like Evie's the favorite or like Evie gets to do this and I don't. So that's something i I just recently like kind of tried to start to monitor more, I guess. I don't know how else to say that. Like I just tried to be more aware of like how I'm handling Evie versus how I'm handling Allison to make sure I'm giving – Evie the same boundaries or, or, or if I'm not giving her the same boundaries, I'm explaining to Alice why I'm not. Um, cause Alice is smart enough. She is smart enough to understand that like Evie's littler than you. So Evie doesn't understand if I yeah blah, blah, blah, but
00:26:23
Speaker
I don't know. I guess whatever we did with Graydon was like working. Cause I think we used to put him in timeout, like trying to teach him right from wrong. And like, I don't know, like I said, something switched when he turned four, like he just, it's been so sweet, so helpful. um Yeah. They fight whatever their siblings, but like y'all have, y'all get to look forward to like your kids out of the blue, like,
00:26:49
Speaker
telling you that they love you and I love you, mommy, especially if they put your name in there, man, there's like nothing better in the world than that random I love you.
00:26:59
Speaker
and or like, you look cute today, mommy. And you're just like, man, I got a pep in my step after that compliment. Because you know they mean it.
Beauty, Self-Worth, and Emotional Moments
00:27:08
Speaker
Yeah, Alice has been really complimenting me a lot lately. If, like, if I pick her up from school or my mom drops her off and I open the door and I have, like, makeup and outfit on, she'll go, oh, mommy, you look so beautiful. and I'm like, oh, thank you so much. Which, like, I try also to tell her, like, listen, mommy looks beautiful even without makeup on, okay?
00:27:33
Speaker
But... You're like, tell me the the Yeah. I, well, it's not even that. Like, listen, I know I look prettier with makeup on, okay? But like, I just want her to know that like makeup doesn't equal like beauty, you You gotta keep Mine's more like when I wear real clothes, they're like, oh look at her dressed up because I'm normally in athletic gear or sweatshirt. And like, if I even wear jeans, are like, God, that lady's dressed up today. But I don't know. It's just so cute. And like Margo's doing this thing now where she'll like hold um my face in her hands and look at me and be like, you're so cute.
00:28:12
Speaker
And it is so funny. Like just the love bombing is. Yeah. Delish. That's definitely something to like, I, well, it's something to look forward to, but I also feel like it kind of happens at every stage. Like when they're a newborn or like early baby, like, you know, when you used to go wake them up in their crib but and they would open their eyes and smile so big, like that's like, that's the equivalent to like her grabbing your face now and being like, I love you so much.
00:28:41
Speaker
It's like it happens at every stage, but in like different font, you know, like same thing, different font. And I love that. I can't wait to see like what that looks like moving forward, like in every stage as they get older.
00:28:56
Speaker
um Dude, that's so true because Margo's still in her crib and um my God, I'm not going to have wake ups anymore because Graydon, you know, he comes downstairs and wakes us up, which is fine. Like love that he loves to like cuddle us in the bed. But like, my God, that's my favorite like thing as a parent is going to get them first thing in the morning and not having that.
00:29:18
Speaker
That stresses me out. I love that. yeah I love that. That's the cutest thing ever. I know. Wow. That's something I've never really acknowledged that I lost with Alice until right now. And it's making me like, a cry which we said we weren't going to do. We're like, we love the future.
00:29:38
Speaker
We do. But that's the thing. It's like, it's the whiplash. It really is. It's like the, it's that, that there's so much look forward to. And there's also so much that you like quote lose. I hate saying that, but it is, it's like, it's like, I'll never get to go in her. Oh my God, going to cry.
00:29:57
Speaker
Okay. Get it together, Candice. Wow. I feel misty all of a sudden. But yeah, I just never – I'll never get to go in there and like wake her up in her crib ever again, you know?
00:30:10
Speaker
yeah Okay. Have you seen – is kind of in the same – like this is kind of in the same vein as what we're talking about. Have you seen those videos of those like – or parents of older moms who are, wait, parents of older kids that go to their, like, you know, they, all the ones I've seen, they're like 10 or older and they like ask to hold them one last time. I know. That is like so sad because all the kids love it and the moms just, oh,
00:30:41
Speaker
Yeah. And they're huge. Oh, yeah, yeah, they're huge. The kids are dangling down like. yeah, yeah. But the mom's always like, can I hold you one last time? The kid's like, okay. And then it's just so yeah sweet. The kids love it.
00:30:58
Speaker
I know. I can't imagine Greg holding Graydon at 10. He's going to be massive, I'm sure. no He's going to be so long and lanky. He's going to be my height at that age. um Speaking of my niece, Addie, like this time last year, she was shorter than me and now she's already five seven. I'm like, no, I know that we've talked about her before on this podcast and that about how I went to her first birthday when we were in college and I see pictures of her now and I'm like, absolutely not.
00:31:29
Speaker
She's 13 this year. She's literally like a model, first of all. um She needs to move to New York and like become a professional actor, dancer, singer, get that girl a contract. like I'm not just saying that as being her aunt. like She's literally like so stunning and sweet. I'm just like, how do you exist?
00:31:53
Speaker
ah yeah seeing Seeing her in person, you'd be like, what the fuck? because hers Yeah, I need to see her first. Oh, my God. She's so beautiful. Wow. i just could be I'm just obsessed with her She's always been so cute.
00:32:08
Speaker
Okay. Keeping it on brand or on theme for this episode, like isn't it going to be crazy to see our kids as they get older and to just look at them being like beautiful, stunning teenagers and be like,
00:32:21
Speaker
teenagers and be like i literally made you from scratch and you're gorgeous. I mean, I still think that now looking at Alice and Evie, I'm like, you both are so beautiful and I made you with my body.
00:32:35
Speaker
We did that. We did that. And they picked And oh my God, it's just like so crazy.
Family Planning and Reflections on Motherhood
00:32:42
Speaker
I'm like, ah I'm starting to get in that phase now where I've like a lot of people told me over the break, like that they were expecting again. And which is so exciting, not naming names, but um I'm just like, wow, like some of them are having their second. Some of them are are moving to their third. And I'm like, wow, I'm like literally...
00:33:03
Speaker
done like it's kind of weird to think that other people are like moving forward in that way and I'm going like in a different direction even though like I've had to but it's just like wow like the way I'm so excited for like new energy i don't know something nice about like a baby and it's just so fun Yeah, no, it is.
00:33:27
Speaker
um I still definitely don't feel done. Like that's still in the future for me. But I think that I regardless of I definitely don't want more than three. OK, but I feel like there will always be a part. I feel like I might be one of those moms that like there's always a part of me that's like, oh, like what if we just have one more baby, you know?
00:33:50
Speaker
I know a lot of my friends have told me they're like, sometimes they're like, I'm jealous. You feel like you're done. Like it's because they don't feel that way or. Yeah. And I'm just like, i don't know. Maybe it was just like the decision between me and Chris. Like we were so like on the same page that it didn't feel like I could go either way. and that since we were like so heavily weighed on, like we're good, like it just felt right.
00:34:17
Speaker
um Yeah. Because even now, like when people tell me they're like ah having another baby, I don't feel a certain way other than like excited for that person. So I'm like, yeah that makes me feel like I made the right decision. Yeah, totally.
00:34:32
Speaker
Oh, yeah. It's crazy. The journey of motherhood is so crazy. and The best job ever. Isn't it weird yes looking back when we were first starting the pod just having our first kids? We had no idea what we were doing.
00:34:51
Speaker
I'm just like, old did did i get trusted with a baby? I know. And it's actually like one of those things where I look back now and I'm like, thank God they made it here. Honestly, like, thank God we got through it and we did. And it was fine.
00:35:08
Speaker
Like I made mistakes. Vinny made mistakes. Like it's like they're, like, no it feels so hard and it feels like a mistake is going to be the end of the world, but it ends up being fine.
00:35:22
Speaker
Yeah. You just reminded me how, um, like another thing to look forward to is like, um, going out to eat.
Dining Out with Kids: Chaos to Confidence
00:35:30
Speaker
Um, and the fact that like, when you just have that one kid and you can't even like fricking eat because they're,
00:35:39
Speaker
throwing shit on the floor they're yelling they're wanting to get down from the high chair they're running around the restaurant and you're just like oh my god i can't even freaking eat at this restaurant right now like this is so stressful and you care about what everyone else is thinking because this is your first time and like something like nice about being a second time parent where like kind of the all the fucks kind of go away and you're just like whatever this is just like how it is and you realize that that's just how it is with two kids but like we've kind of gotten to the point where like going out to eat isn't so bad anymore. And like, I remember some of our first episodes where we were like,
00:36:14
Speaker
will we ever go out to eat again? Like, I don't see that in the future at all. Like, it's just not an option. And like, here we are. We are truly 50, 50 on that still. Like there half of the time it's good. And I'm like, that was great. And it was fine. And blah, blah, blah. And then there half the time where I'm like, I cannot wait to get out of this restaurant. I hated that I hated every second. And we get, we get in the car and I'm like, we're never doing this again. And of course we do.
00:36:42
Speaker
Yeah, we do. So it's but again, it's getting less and less like it's getting more manageable and more manageable. um And there's so many circumstantial things that like it has to be that like, yeah, I like that. thing again or something I would say most of the time if we go to a place where the service is really slow Or like I can think of a meal we went to recently where we were waiting for a family member to get there. They were running late. And so we waited and waited and waited to order. and by the time we ordered, like the girls had hit their limit. Like we had been there 40 minutes already. And I was like, that can't happen. Like if we're like, I'd rather show up 40 minutes later to like, you know what i mean? Like it was just, so there's like circumstantial things that go into like it being good or bad.
00:37:32
Speaker
I would say on the whole, it's getting better. And I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Yeah. But yeah, it is, it is something to look forward to, to like go to a meal with your kids and be able to like have cool conversations and like, you know, order, talk about the food you're eating. And i don't know.
00:37:54
Speaker
And it's like what I look forward to with my mom. So yeah. And like the good stage that Graydon's in is like travel. um Like happy to take him on a flight. Like I would go with him by myself. Truly would go with Graydon by myself on an airplane. Margo, not so much with her right now. But like I know that I have that to look forward to with her. Like I realize it's not the end of the world right now because Margo would probably want to be walking up and down the aisle or this and that. Like she doesn't really watch an iPad. so it's like
00:38:27
Speaker
would she be interested in that for a certain amount of time so it's like it's nice to have like that threshold with the older kid like you just know that it's not forever so it's like a a good mental check I'd say maybe that's why I feel the way I do with Margo because I'm like I just know that this is how it is now that I'm a second time mom totally totally There is definitely like a confidence. Like if you are listening to this and you only you only have one and you're like, maybe you're thinking about a second, like something to look forward to is the confidence that comes with having your second, your third, just being a so like a more experienced mom. Like my newborn and baby experience with Evie was so different than with Alice. And I am looking forward to when we do have a third, like being even more confident and sure about the newborn stuff. And yeah, I don't know. I think that if you switch your perspective on anything, there's something to look forward to. Like you can flip anything on its head and like just find something to look forward to.
Future Podcast Plans and Community Engagement
00:39:38
Speaker
Yeah. And I know that Candice and I have talked about like bringing on guests that have like young kids, maybe kids that are like one and a half and younger, just so that like we can keep things like relevant with our audience because obviously we have older kids. So be on the lookout for people that are going to come on that have the younger perspective because, man, we've been out of it for two years now. So it's like- yeah What's all the cool new things? Like I literally saw that like Love Shack Fancy came out with like a car seat and I'm like damn bitch where was that when I had a little girl like I don't know that I would trust Love Shack Fancy to have a safe car seat. It's a Nuna collab. So it's just like pretty. That makes sense. So I'm just like whatever the fuck it is. I don't know. Maybe it's a Duna, Nuna, whatever. But it's just like Nuna, Luna, Duna. It would get dirty so fast but like
00:40:32
Speaker
Oh, that is so cute. Just so I like love looking at some of the baby stuff and I'm like, oh my God, that's so cute. Yeah. Yeah. but And we'll definitely have some like breastfeeding. Yeah.
00:40:46
Speaker
Which we've still never done. I know. It's actually crazy. And I have um some people in mind that I would love. And i don't know if I can say this on here, but I'm going to do it anyway. But we've been in talks with taking care of babies for her to come on. Oh, God. I forgot. yep Yeah. So that would be fun to talk about sleep and just have ah all of our sleep questions answered. favorite freaking topic as a psycho sleeper mom trainer Yeah. Would love, would love, love, love that. and And I would praise her till the depth yeah time to be like, thank you for everything you've ever done for me. i don't know you, but i love you.
00:41:27
Speaker
Yeah. The other thing I want to say is that if there is a topic that you want us to cover or talk more about, like, please send us a DM. We are in this phase of early 2026 where we are planning our year and planning out guests and just, you know, brainstorming all the things. So if there's something specific that you want to see or hear, let us know because we love, we love ultimately we're here to please you we're here for you to listen and we want to hear what you guys want to see yeah maybe we'll do a poll of like listeners like what age are their kids too just to yeah that's a good one just to gauge like what we should be talking about what we should be covering like we're obviously not covering like what's on people's registries because we don't have little kids but if that's like something you want to know like what are the actual things you need versus like, what is all the fluff that people put around? Like yeah we'll do that. So maybe we'll do a poll for that as well.
00:42:27
Speaker
Yeah. Amazing. Well, this has been so fun. i feel like i feel more warm and fuzzy after this episode. I didn't expect that. I was like, we're just going to come on here and talk about what to look forward to and making mom friends and all of that. And I'm leaving here like, Oh, I can't wait for my kids to get home. isn't that so funny? You're like, get out the door. And then 10 minutes later, you're like, okay, it's quiet. I'm missing.
00:42:53
Speaker
Yeah. Mom guilt, man. Love it. I know. right. Well, love you so much. Love you. Thank you so much for being a part of our mom group chat. New episodes drop every Tuesday. And don't forget the group chat is blowing up on our Instagram page. So make sure you're following along over there. All right. Got to go. My toddler just put something in her mouth.