Introducing Allyson Dunn: A Livonia Mom

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March 9, 2017

Introducing Allyson!

:: Down with Detroit ::

I grew up in Livonia…and currently live there! Most my family lives in the area still. Except for my siblings, who are in NYC and Australia. When growing up, we loved spending days with my grandparents who would take us on adventures in downtown Detroit. One of our favorites was when grandma would take all the cousins to the “Peanut Butter Players” theater. I cannot tell you how much we loved going to the fancy theater, eating lunch and getting to meet the actors after! We probably saw twenty different variations of The Wizard of Oz. We loved visiting my grandma at work in the Ren Cen, walking around in awe at the tall buildings. We would explore Belle Isle, and drive around Indian Village.

When we were very young, my mom worked for Little Caesars. Red Wings ruled our house. Not to mentioned the undying support of the Detroit Lions. My favorite, then was heading to Tiger Stadium to watch the Tigers play! Even now, catching the bus from Nemo’s to head over the Comerica is one of my favorite things to do. It is something my son and I do as much as we can. Exploring Greektown with friends, is a close second. (Who can say no the restaurants there?!)

Beyond spending time at Comerica, we love exploring The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village, another one of my favorite places! We have memberships there and at the Detroit Zoo. Both get used frequent year long use! During the warmer weather, you can find us in downtown Northville at Rebecca’s Restaurant, the Next Chapter Bookstore, farmers market or Mill Race Village. Like most in the area, we love everything downtown Plymouth as to offer, from the various 5K’s, festivals and Saturday farmers markets.

:: My Life ::

I attended Madonna University for my undergrad and now for my master’s degrees, both in education. I am so close to finishing my Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership. In the past, I taught middle school social studies. I am so passionate about social studies! I never thought I would teach middle school, but love it. Currently, I am lucky to teach kindergarten through eighth grade, as technology teacher in Detroit. Teaching multiple grade levels can be a challenge, but I love that I get to interact with all the students at the school.

One way I am a bit different than most the mama’s here is that I am a single mom. And . . . whoa the challenges that brings. It can be struggle to be the sole parent. I must depend on others, while trying my best to do it all myself. It has taken a long time to understand my worth, build confidence and trust others again.

:: Babies and Beyond ::

I was the first of my friends to have a baby. I am still the only mom in the group. Trying to balance my friend’s social priorities along with my mom priorities can be a difficult balance. They are dating and planning weddings, while I am shuffling schedules and lesson plans. Thankfully for the most part they are understanding about the struggle!

Outside of work and school I spend most of my time taking care of my son, Mason. He is a very active eight-year-old! He has a heart of pure gold and is smart beyond belief. Within the last year he was diagnosed with ADD. He does take medication for this, which was a great internal debate of mine. For right now, for him, it was the right choice. We are still working everyday to support him, helping him to be the best student and friend he can be.

He loves going up north, swimming, soccer, karate and baseball. We love to plan getaways to Sleeping Bear Dunes, Mackinaw Island, and Great Wolf Lodge. During the summer we spend most of our time hanging out by the pool!

One of my biggest priorities outside of “momming” is fitness. My son and I love our membership at Lifetime Fitness. He loves his swim classes and the child center. (He literally knows everyone there . . . my social butterfly!) I love the group fitness classes. From weight intervals to yoga, and my favorite kickboxing. In addition to group fitness, I run online accountability groups for programs such as Core De Force, Body Beast, and 21 Day Fix. I love being able to share what works for me with others. Helping others find their passion for fitness is a love of mine!

If any spare time is left after fitness and mommy duties, I love to fashion, podcast, current events and reading. I blog about all those things, and more over at: http://www.allymama.com

Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter: @allysonp85

Introducing Stacie Cooper: A Warren Mom

By

staciecooper

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March 9, 2017

Introducing Stacie!

:: Down with Detroit ::

I grew up in a small farming community in the thumb area, with less than one hundred in my graduating class. It is a far cry from my current residence of Warren, the third largest city in Michigan. I am constantly in awe of the diversity and culture I am surrounded by because that was not something I grew up with.

My husband Bill and I love being in such close proximity to a variety of activities and events for our daughters. We have a family membership to the Warren Community Center which has an amazing pool for the kids, gym, and library. Our family can usually be found at the Detroit Zoo once a week, even through the winter! We usually head downtown once or twice a month to go to Belle Isle and the Outdoor Adventure Center. It is great having such kid-friendly, affordable options so close to home.

Before we had children we attended a lot of sporting events as well, and hope to get back to that once the girls are a little older.

:: My Life ::

The summer after graduating high school I met Bill online. We exchanged emails daily and after a few months I made the long nine hour drive up to the western Upper Peninsula to meet him. Was it the smartest decision I have ever made? Probably not, but it turned out to be the best. I spent two years at Oakland University before transferring to Northern Michigan University in Marquette to live with Bill. I graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Photography from NMU in 2009. Before graduating I had already decided on a new path, so I stayed in Marquette and took more classes before being accepted to the Sinai-Grace Hospital School of Radiologic Technology. Talk about culture shock. After living in Marquette, on the shore of Lake Superior, for almost four years, we packed everything up and moved to Livonia. We went from a laid back, artsy college town to a fast paced, diverse city.

In January 2011 Bill proposed to me along the Riverwalk in downtown Detroit. We were married in August 2012 in Munising, MI. The plan was for the ceremony to be at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, but a torrential downpour pushed us under a gazebo at the city park. It was small, family only. Bill’s aunt became ordained to perform our ceremony. It was us, and it was perfect.

After graduating from Sinai-Grace in 2012, I accepted a position at the hospital and have worked myself up to a Lead Technologist position. I feel like my job allows me to see a side of Detroit that a lot of people will never experience. Working in Northwest Detroit has opened my eyes to things I never imagined. Anyone who works in healthcare knows that we often see people at their lowest points. Working in Radiology, many times we are the first to confirm injuries, and to what extent they have damaged the body. We see fractures daily, caused by falls, motor vehicle accidents and gun shot wounds. I’ve seen Detroiter’s at their weakest, most vulnerable moments. I hear their agonizing cries down the hallway when the doctor breaks the news that our best efforts were not good enough – we could not bring their loved one back. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t take its toll. Unfortunately you actually become a little callous to it all, yet day in and day out we give it our all every time.

:: Babies and Beyond ::

After getting married we had an amazing honeymoon in Hawaii. I knew before we came home that I was pregnant. Our beautiful Brianna arrived in June of 2013, on my grandfather’s birthday. She was every first parents dream. She slept through the night at 8 weeks old, was never fussy with teething, and loves her fruits and veggies. Just a month shy of Brianna turning 2.5, we completed our family by welcoming Brooklyn in November 2015. She barely waited for the doctor to arrive before making her entrance, and she has made her presence known every moment since then. She is basically the opposite of her big sister in most aspects, but I cannot imagine life any other way at this point. I feel so blessed to be their mommy.

Perhaps my favorite thing ever about Detroit is that both of my daughters were born in Mid-town, and I could not be more thankful for that.

As our daughters grow, we are trying our best to give them experiences that we didn’t have. We have family in the Upper Peninsula and Chicago, so we try to visit as often as possible. We try to get outside and enjoy nature whenever we can. When we are stuck inside (LONG Michigan winters…) we do a lot of crafts, read a lot of books and love to watch Disney movies.

My Anti-Sharing Policy

By

Danielle S

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March 8, 2017

I’m sure you have all experienced it. Child one is playing with a toy. Child two wants to play with the toy. Child one is told to “share”, and is expected to give child two the toy. Tears and chaos is usually the outcome. Have you ever stopped to think how child one may feel about this?

Let’s use a slightly different scenario.

You (as an adult) are using your phone. Maybe you’re checking an e-mail, perhaps scrolling through Facebook. I come over and say I want to use your phone. Another adult comes over and tells you “you need share, it’s Danielle’s turn now” then takes your phone, and gives it to me. Pretty sure you would have a look like this on your face:

And rightly so. Why on earth would you give me your phone that you are using? It’s cray-cray, right?? Yet, we expect children to do this All. The. Time.

We have to think, is it really appropriate for us to force children? Before getting my degree in early childhood education, I wouldn’t have thought twice about sharing. I didn’t see an issue with it. After some studying, however, I realized just how hard sharing is for young children. To really understand sharing a child has to have an understanding of empathy, which usually doesn’t surface until close to age six. Young children are egocentric (I’m sure I didn’t have tell you that), and they really don’t take into account another person’s feelings. It’s not because they are mean, or uncaring individuals, it’s just not where they are developmentally (which is also why it is hard for them to apologize).

So, what’s a mom (or teacher) to do when a toy is being fought over? I can tell you what I did when teaching three year old preschool, and it worked well. If Jimmy was playing with a toy and Jane wanted to play with it I didn’t tell Jimmy he needed to share. Instead I told Jimmy “Jane would like to play with the toy you have. When you are done with it, would you please give it her”? And you know what? Nine times out of ten (ok, maybe closer to eight times) Jimmy would give the toy to Jane within five minutes. Not only does Jimmy get to finish playing (super important in early childhood) but Jane learns how to wait, a super important skill.

Now I’m not saying this results in sunshine and rainbows. My youngest (15 months) pretty much wants to play with all of her sister’s (4 years old) toys and vice-versa. There are many tears when I don’t enforce “sharing”. But, it’s a lesson I think is important, so I stick with it.

Luckily my “anti-sharing” philosophy is one that is shared (pun intended) by many of my mom friends. We do cross into murky waters when we go to play dates at places like the library, where there are lots of kids, and lots of different ideas of how kids should play. I try to stand back and let my daughters do their thing. Sometimes my daughter wants to play with a toy that another child it using. I simply remind her that she can ask so play with it when they are done. You know what, sometimes the child plays with the toy most of the time, and my daughter doesn’t get a chance. It’s tough, but if my daughter was having fun with a toy, I wouldn’t want her time interrupted.

So where do you fall on the sharing spectrum?

Introducing Bridget Black: A Royal Oak Mom

By

bridgetblack

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March 7, 2017

Introducing Bridget!

:: Down with Detroit ::

I was born and raised in Colorado. I really had no plans of leaving since that’s where all my people reside (except for my soul sister in CA). I have to tell you, when I got the news that we were moving to Detroit, I was a little freaked out. When I told people where I was moving, other people freaked out. “You’re moving to where? Oh, my!” I’m not gonna lie to you, I was bracing myself for a neglected and dangerous city. A year later, I can’t believe that was even a concern. Granted, I live in my suburb of Detroit bubble, but man, this place is bumpin’ – everywhere I go, I’m amazed.

Downtown Detroit is so cool – like the Paris of The Midwest (I have that shirt!). But seriously, the architecture, history, restaurants and THE COMEBACK are no joke. I live on the north end of Royal Oak, and love exploring our close by neighborhoods, and the parks – GUYS, there are parks EVERYWHERE! If you would have asked me a year ago if I was going to be happy here, I’m not sure it would have been 100% yes, but this place feels like home. I adore the beauty (except the grey days), the kind people I meet, the new restaurants I find, the gorgeous buildings downtown I’m in awe of, and the beautiful lush foliage. I’m so thankful that we landed here.

:: My Life ::

I met my husband, Jason in college back in Boulder, Colorado (Go Buffs!). We’ve been together for over 14 years, and married for almost eight. We’ve traveled around the world (literally) and love finding new places to explore. Some of our favorite places include Colombia, Nicaragua, Bali, and don’t forget Iceland and Italy with a 9 month old in tow. Jason is honestly my rock – he probably knows me better than I know myself. I couldn’t live without him, or at least I don’t want to. He’s a great dad and an amazing husband. He’s there to pick me up when I fall smack on my face [enter our move to Michigan here].

Celebrating our anniversary in our favorite place!

We moved to Michigan last winter for my husband’s job opportunity. I’d like to consider myself a pretty savvy planner, and I really thought I had this move in the bag. I was prepared, positive and upbeat, but boy did it knock me on my butt. I was totally lost. Aside from my family of four, I left everything in Colorado – my parents, my sister, my mother in law, my crew of best friends, and lifeline of mom friends. Oh, and the sun. I’ve done a ton of soul searching over the last year, and I’ve learned a lot about myself in a short amount of time. I realized that I really needed to start taking care of myself and changing the bad tapes I play in my head everyday. Above all, I realized moving away from your tribe and rebuilding is hard, exhausting and heartbreaking. Even the best planners can’t plan to cover that field.

Anyways, a year later, I feel like a new version of myself – someone I hadn’t seen since before my pregnancy with my youngest. I’m still a work in progress, but I’m in rebuilding mode. I really love it here in Michigan, and I’m excited to continue to build my community here.

Outside of being a mom, I like working out, good food, and I’m never one to shy away from a glass of champagne or wine (obviously why I work out). I like being outside, soaking in the sun, and love to travel. I really love helping people – whether that be a friend, another mom, or my family. I’ve always believed deep in my heart I was placed on this earth to help others. I love a good dose of sarcasm. I consider myself to be the behind the scenes calming and encouraging force in events or circumstances (excluding my own personal life – go figure!).

:: Babies and Beyond ::

I have two really cool kids – Maddie (4) and Bodie (1 ½), who I stay home with full time. Maddie is like the cool version of who I wish I were at her age. She loves crafting, she’s got a beautiful voice, a heart made out of pure gold, and insight beyond her years. She adores her little brother and is always there next to me helping out. Bodie has been cool, calm and collected since the moment he was born. He is pretty easy going, loves dogs, his big sister, and his “Da Da.” He will throw any object resembling a ball, and there’s no counter too high to climb. You can find our family a few nights a week having a full on dance party in the kitchen.

I’m thrilled to be joining DMB as a contributor, and to connect with more mamas in Detroit. I’d love to help other families with their own move, provide a little humor on the days and throws of motherhood, and mostly just support all moms on this journey. It’s hard and the more we talk about the hard parts, the easier they seem and the less alone we feel. Most of all, by sharing the hardships, we then can enjoy the good moments, because as we all know, the good moments far outnumber the bad!

Reading Month Quick Tip: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

By

aubreymoon

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March 7, 2017

Holden with some of the Imagination Library books he’s received since we signed him up two years ago.

Reading is an imperative skill for children to master, and it seems like kids are learning to read earlier than ever, mostly because parents (like you moms!), teachers and community leaders are invested in the well-being of little ones everywhere. While not all children are provided equal resources such as technology-based learning, free after-school programs or conducive learning environments, there are programs that can positively impact the future of our children. One such initiative available in select Michigan counties is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The program dedicated to “fostering a love of reading among children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month, regardless of their family’s income.” Since 1995, Dolly’s program has provided age-appropriate books to nearly 1 million children across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia.

How it Works:

Each month, registered children are mailed high quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes, free of charge. Parents never pay a dime. They are given surveys that help the book committee better understand the likes, dislikes, wants and needs of their children. Any child from birth to five years old qualify for this program.

Where it’s Available:

To see if the Imagination Library is available in your county, click here. If you notice that the program is not currently available in your area, you can register for updates so that when a program beings, you will be notified. There are also resources online for those interested in starting a program locally!

Genesee County: Flint Public Library Community
Lapeer County: United Way of Lapeer County
St. Clair County: St. Clair County RESA/Great Start
Washtenaw County: Washtenaw Success By 6 Great Start Collaborative Community
Wayne County: United Way of Southeast Michigan

In the United States alone, 32 million adults cannot read. That’s 14 percent of the country’s population. We cannot let our children become a statistic. Take advantage of programs like this that will help our children be more educated than our generation and continue to work hard so that success is their only option.

Introducing Sherene Buffa: A Sterling Heights Mom

By

sherenebuffa

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March 7, 2017

Introducing Sherene!

:: Down With Detroit ::

Hi there! My name is Sherene. I’m a Michigander, born and raised. I grew up in Warren and attended Oakland University and graduated with a degree in Communications in 2007. You could say 2007 was a big year for me. I started working downtown for the federal government in Human Resources and even got married to the love of my life (insert cheesy music). Our ceremony was at St. Lucy’s Catholic Church and the reception at Barrister Gardens, both located in St. Clair Shores.

I am a best described as a bit witty, sarcastic and pretty down-to-earth, and I love all things chocolate. I like to keep things simple and real, and need balance in my life to feel, well, balanced. I guess that comes with being a Libra.

:: My Life ::

My husband, Paolo, and I have always been somewhat of movie buffs, he is more than me, and nowadays we really don’t have much free time to watch movies. We also enjoy watching old TV shows. Believe it or not but we are now in the process of watching Dawson’s Creek for the first time. Eek! A very slow process. How interesting the style was in the late 90s.

BK (before kids) we always spent our weekend grabbing dinner and going to the movie theater, usually the AMC in Sterling Heights. My husband was a featured movie extra in the Lifetime movie, Prayers for Bobby – filmed in Royal Oak, and I was a paid movie extra in several films made in Detroit, including Gifted Hands, Kill the Irishman, Up in the Air, and Whip It. I would’ve liked to do more, but in 2011 we became pregnant with our first daughter.

:: Babies and Beyond ::

2011 was another big year for us, I self-published a romantic suspense novel and we had our daughter, Shayla, in December. Motherhood was a life-changing event for me. I have never been the same person since becoming a mother, I feel like I am so much more whole as a person. It truly has inspired me to be more, and to do more. In 2015, we were blessed with another beautiful baby girl, Charlotte, and we now consider our family complete.

I am excited to be part of the Detroit Moms Blog to learn from other mothers and also to share a piece of the motherhood pie. There is a plethora of information available to mothers online, and the DMB is a great resource for moms in the Metro Detroit area.

Since the summers are short here in Michigan, my family and I try to make the most of them. We really enjoy taking the girls to local festivals. Our favorites include Sterling Fest located in Sterling Heights in July, Stars and Stripes festival also in Sterling Heights, and the Romeo Peach Festival in Romeo, Labor Day weekend. There are others we attend, but those are the ones we look forward to each year.

Our vacation destination has been the western side of the state since it’s only a few hours drive, and with little ones, anything more than 3-hours can be somewhat daunting. We adore Oval Beach in Saugatuck and really like staying in Holland since it’s the closest nearby city and has Dutch Village.

And our summers are never complete without many trips to the Detroit Zoo. We always get a yearly membership because it just makes sense for us. Every year they have many great events for the kids, and with it being located in Royal Oak, it isn’t a far drive for us at all. And their soft pretzels are ah-mazing!

Our favorite park is Dodge Park in Sterling Heights and the best local pool is at the Troy Aquatic Center in Troy. They have a beach style pool, splash pad, and even slides. My daughters absolutely love it there.

We enjoy living in Sterling Heights. It has been named one of the safest largest cities in Michigan and there are always family activities throughout the year. It’s also a central location to many cities and we have several malls within twenty minutes from us. Every year, we see Santa at Lakeside Mall and Somerset Mall is fun because it has Build-a-Bear workshop for the kids, oh and the Disney store – which my oldest is mad about. She loves all the Disney princesses, but Elsa holds a special place in her heart. And speaking of my oldest, her favorite restaurant is Lakeside Grill at Oakland Mall – because it overlooks the mall, and they give kids a free cookie with their meal. Win, win!

Since I work downtown, I do enjoy walking or jogging the River Walk on my lunch hour (when it’s warm) with co-workers because it is a great way to break up the monotony of the day. I should probably mention that I also have a personal blog called Mama’s Doody. I started the blog in 2015 while on maternity leave with Charlotte. Blogging is a liberating yet vulnerable experience. I find it therapeutic to share some of my stories and also hope it makes other moms feel they aren’t alone in this crazy journey we call motherhood.

I’m My Child’s Best Advocate

By

Lacey Salerno

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March 5, 2017

From the moment I found out I was pregnant with my first child I knew that I would be fiercely over-protective and make sure that he had every advantage that I was able to give him. I think this is a very common feeling. I don’t think I have ever heard a mother say, “I just want my child to do OKAY in life.” We also make the very basic assumption as parents that our children will arrive in this world as beautiful little bundles of perfection and this is where the struggle begins. It is hard as parents to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that there is anything potentially wrong with our child. Family members and friends may casually mention things. We may later mention our concerns to the pediatrician, but they only see your child for a handful of minutes at a time, so they assure you that everything is fine. Then time goes on and you realize that everything is NOT fine and it is up to you to be their advocate.
With my oldest it began around his first birthday when we noticed that he wasn’t talking (at all). My brain skipped back to when my son was only a couple months old and I got a letter from the local health department indicting that my son hadn’t passed his hearing screening. I immediately contacted my pediatrician to schedule a follow up screening, and was told that they had the form in the file that said he had passed. They faxed it over and I never gave it another thought, until now.
At my son’s one year check up I raised my concern with my pediatrician, who reassured me that all kids begin speaking at a different rates and that they would reevaluate him at his 18 month check up. By my son’s 18 month check up I was beginning to unravel at my son’s lack of verbal communication and the fears were building as to what could possibly be the problem. My pediatrician still seemed rather unconcerned, but I was no longer interested in outside opinions. I left his office and immediately scheduled an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist. In my mind my child, who never cried, wasn’t speaking because he couldn’t hear. The ENT confirmed what we suspected, and despite never having had an ear infection, both ears were completely blocked with fluid. I was angry! I was angry first at my pediatrician for not picking up on this, but I was mostly angry with myself for not having pushed harder when I suspected that something was not right. I had failed my child by not advocating harder for what I believed he needed.
This began the journey of specialists, getting tubes put in, and working with Macomb ISD to get Aldo into speech therapy as soon as possible. It’s amazing how much a child misses when he can’t hear for the first 2.5 years of his life (his age when he got tubes). He began speech therapy shortly after turning 2, but didn’t really make much progress until after his hearing problem was corrected. He began preschool at age 3, and was still not speaking much, but if you met him now (and he talks your ear off about God-knows-what) you would never know that he could not hear or speak until he was almost 3.
Aldo is now 5. He is finishing up his pre-K year of school and has made tremendous progress, but the effects of his delay are still apparent to me. I have great regrets that I didn’t push harder to get the process started earlier because it would have made his little life easier. It is my job as his mother to make sure that he gets what he needs. I will never again hesitate telling his doctors, teachers, or anyone else exactly what I think that is, and I will make sure he gets it. I will always put advocating for my children’s needs above my personal feelings, or those of others I may offend because it is my job and no one else can do it for them.

Introducing Jennifer McGruther: A Livonia Mama

By

jennifermcgruther

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March 4, 2017

Introducing Jennifer!

:: Down With Detroit ::

Born and raised in Detroit, I was the youngest of three and the only girl. My parents, married 47 years, met as teenagers in their neighborhood in Northwest Detroit. Their love story is certainly one for the books. My amazing Dad was a Detroit Firefighter who retired as Captain. My Mom always has, and continues to be, the strength of our family.

Adam, my husband of nearly 18 years, is also an original Detroiter. He too was one of three, sandwiched between a sister and a brother. His wonderful parents will be married 50 years in June, and spent a significant amount of their child-raising years in North Rosedale Park, a great family neighborhood within the city. Although retired now, my Father-In-Law worked hard defusing bombs as a Sergeant for the Detroit Police Department, while my Mother-In-Law continues her career as a nurse in Dearborn today.

Detroit is definitely where our roots are, but there’s plenty more to our story.

:: My Life ::

Adam and I met at 19. We began as a bit of a cliché—he a cook and I a waitress. We worked for a restaurant in Livonia, The Family Buggy. It really was a gem. We made lifelong friends there, and weren’t the only employee wedding.

We spent our twenties working and going to school. After about five years of dating, we married in 1999, and moved into our first apartment in Westland. We spent another five years being a couple; having date nights, hanging out with friends and taking weekend trips. We were living it up! Somewhere in the midst, we both earned our Bachelor’s Degrees from University of Michigan (Go Blue!)–mine in Communications and Adam’s in Biochemistry. I then worked in Marketing, and Adam worked as an ER Tech in Detroit at Henry Ford Hospital.

Life really was good, but something was missing. People asked ALL THE TIME, “Aren’t you guys trying?” This question is still cringeworthy. Adam’s famous response was simply, “We’re practicing.” What could they say?? Finally, one day we decided to “practice” with a purpose. Thankfully for us, in 2004 and less than a year later, our first son Jackson was born.

It became clear we needed more space. We found a three-bedroom bungalow in Redford, and to us, it was perfect (even though every window in the house had to be replaced!). We moved in two weeks before Jackson was born, and had no idea we’d eventually bring home two more beautiful baby boys–Alex & James.

I never went back to my Marketing job after we moved in. I was nine months pregnant and had a VERY long list of things to do! I contemplated our plan during my maternity leave, but ultimately we decided together I would become a SAHM. Adam began an online Nursing program, and passed his boards two weeks after Alex was born.

I will not say those days were easy, as when I quit my job we struggled financially and it was definitely our marriage low-point. But, I will say I have zero regrets. This was and still is, the obvious and best choice for us. Somehow, with God’s grace and family support, we’ve made it work. And honestly, the longer we’re married, the better it gets.

:: Babies and Beyond ::

The baby days are now behind us! Jackson is approaching 13 (eek!), Alex a sporty 10 & James is 7 with a heart of gold. Adam is very settled in his career as an ER Charge Nurse (still at Henry Ford), working the afternoon shift. We completed our family over two years ago when we rescued our feisty, yet lovable cat, that the boys named Bowser. Yes, another boy!

After almost 13 years and countless memories, this past November we moved our family to Livonia, the city where we met. We have more space inside and out, and we love the community and schools. Family time is everything to us. We love going to the boy’s games & band concerts, summer camping, and when Michigan weather allows, getting ice cream at the local Dairy Barn.

As for me, this family is my purpose. I spend my days navigating life as a BoyMom, carting kids around, and keeping our lives afloat.

A few years ago, I went running and it changed my life. Never an athlete and a Mom in her 40s, running has opened my eyes to what I am physically capable of. With my family cheering me on, I’ve participated in a 5K, 10K, and twice the Detroit Free Press Marathon—both the Five Person Relay-Marathon & the International Half-Marathon.

When it’s warm you may find me running on Six Mile Road, but it’s hard for me to brave the elements on cold winter days! So, most mornings I’m happily running the track at the Livonia Community Recreation Center. My goal is to train for another half-marathon this year.

I really am a normal (most days!) mom, with good days and bad, walking cautiously towards mid-life (did I really say that?). I love all these guys in my life, my family & friends, books, coffee & wine, and a good binge-watch! But, at some point it is okay to acknowledge you’re craving a little more–and that’s me. Thankfully, in came DMB! I am excited to join this amazing tribe, to begin this next chapter and evolve my story. Will you join me?

Introducing Jamie Freeman: A New Baltimore Mom

By

Jamie Freeman

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March 4, 2017

::Down With Detroit::

Born and raised in Dearborn Heights, I am a mitten kitten through and through. My love for Detroit runs deep as you can tell by looking through our family photo albums. You can find shots of my cousin and I at the Fox Theatre attending Sesame Street LIVE in 1983, many shots of me in various 90’s homecoming and prom dresses at Belle Isle, and my wedding photos that are scattered all over the best city in the world! There’s also some late night St. Andrews Hall and BLEU photos from my early twenties that are, well, reminiscent of a wilder time!

These days I love heading downtown with my family for the many Detroit festivals! My husband and I also love finding random date nights downtown like The Detroit Drunken Historical Society’s meetups, the After Dark events at the Michigan Science Center, or Detroit Santarchy.

::My Life::

The typical Gen X “Work Hard Play Hard” mentality is the best way to describe my twenties. I had a full-time job, went to school at Eastern Michigan University, acted on stage in tons of community theatre productions, and DJ’d on the weekends and the occasional weeknight to pay for my travel addiction. I didn’t settle down and marry the love of my life until a few months before my thirtieth birthday. Mark and I were married at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament on Woodward on October 24th, 2009. Our gorgeous wedding was followed by a few years of realizing we had no idea what it meant to be husband and wife. Through infertility, a job that was requiring me to travel two thirds of the year, and getting to the day of our final divorce preceding before realizing our marriage was worth the work, we came out on the other side stronger than ever. Shortly thereafter we were finally blessed with the news that we were expecting our first child and had no idea just how much that child was going to alter the course of our life, but I’ll get to that in a moment.

Outside of a job designing and creating virtual training rooms and curriculum for a tech company, I am addicted to stories. Give me books, movies, great tv shows, or Broadway and I am instantly happy!

::Babies & Beyond::

Benjamin James Freeman was born on August 5, 2013. He was 6lbs, 1oz, and came with an extra 21st chromosome filled with awesomeness. We had a pretty good idea Benny would be born with Down syndrome at 16 weeks pregnant, but it wasn’t confirmed until he came into our world. Having the honor of being Benny’s mama has changed my world, and me, drastically. Instead of DJing and doing theatre as a hobby, I am now an advocate for individuals with disabilities. I have a blog titled Ben Through It All where I detail the life of raising a child with Down syndrome. I also have a 501(c)3 non-profit titled The Down Syndrome Diary. I organize physical journals that are sent around the world from family to family. Each family has a child with Down syndrome, and they write their story in the diary before sending it on to the next. The purpose is to bring these families together through the written word providing support and community. My first diary that I sent out has been to twenty three different families and is now in the U.K. My diaries are currently reaching families in seventeen different countries and are being written in five different languages around the world. I plan to publish these stories when they come back to me with the hopes that they can bring light and hope to families that are just finding out their child has Down syndrome.

Today, I am a lucky mama to two babies. Benjamin is now 3.5 and thriving, and our daughter Ellie has just had her first birthday. I am honored to be a part of The Detroit Moms Blog and cannot wait to be a voice for all the other Mamas out there who have children with special needs. Being a mama can be lonely, and being a mama to a baby with special needs can be even more isolating. I want to be a voice for those mamas in Detroit and beyond to make sure they know that I see them, I am with them, and they are never, ever alone.

Frugal Friday :: DMB’s Favorite Kids Resale Shops

By

Lauren Cadorin

-

March 2, 2017

As moms, we’re always looking for ways to cut back on our {ever-growing} expenses. One of the biggest money-suckers is kids gear. Clothes, toys, baby gear… It’s all so expensive! Why should you spend a fortune on kids items when you can buy them for a fraction of the price at resale shops?

We polled our DMB contributors, and here are our top 20 favorite resale shops for kids goods in the Detroit area:

Baby Baby Plus More – Northville
Once Upon a Child – Ann Arbor, Canton, Monroe, Novi, Southfield, Troy
Restyle Child – Birmingham
Lollipop Kids – Shelby Township
Second Hand Rose – Mt Clemens
Sweet Peas Baby Boutique – Dearborn
9 Month Bump – Wyandotte
Another Child – St. Clair Shores
Children’s Orchard – Sterling Heights
Goodwill – Ypsilanti, Dearborn, Livonia, Woodhaven, Commerce Township, Canton
Grow with Me – Ann Arbor
The Funky Frog – Rochester
Kids Go Round – Sterling Heights
Mommies Must Haves – Farmington
Second Glance – Grosse PointeWoods, Eastpointe, Saint Clair Shores
Slightly Pregnant Maternity – Royal Oak
Rugrat Resale and Consignment – Walled Lake
Noni’s Kids Cupboard – Riverview
Green Kids – Keego Harbor
Salvation Army – Dearborn Heights, Garden City, Romulus, Taylor, Livonia, Lincoln Park, Detroit, Redford, Southgate, Canton, Royal Oak, Southfield, Trenton, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Clinton Township, Utica, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Orchard Lake, Shelby Township, Pontiac, Walled Lake, Chesterfield, White Lake, Frenchtown Township, Washington Township

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Frugal Friday :: DMB’s Favorite Kids Resale Shops

Is your favorite listed? If not, list it below!

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