Introducing the DMB’s of Emilie

{Down with Detroit}

I moved to the Detroit Metro area in May 2015. Yep, you read that right, I am the new girl in town. I moved for my husband’s career and while it is hard to pause my dreams to support his career, it is a decision we made together. I couldn’t be happier with his new placement.

We have always lived in the Midwest, but have been in a rural city for the past two years. When I found out that we were moving to the Detroit area, I went right to the internet to learn as much as I could. On Instagram I started following restaurants, bakeries, public personalities and accounts devoted entirely to showing off Southeast Michigan. My three month old, husband and I now call Downriver home, and let me tell you, Detroit does not disappoint! I love the diversity, arts, culture and most of all cuisine. As the new girl in town, I was impressed by the kindness shown by random strangers, and an amazing energy every time I travel into the city.

{My Life}

In the three years since graduating from college, my life has undergone a lot of changes. Initially, I expected to be a high school English teacher in my home state of Wisconsin. {My passion is people, first and foremost, and second, the written word} But, soon after our wedding, my husband began professional school and our adventure began to move in a different direction. We moved from Wisconsin to rural Missouri. There, I got a dog, then a job in a new field, and finally we had a little girl, Linnea, in March of 2015. I am planning on being a stay at home mom, but a little worried about life away from adults.

I was determined (terrified) not to ‘lose myself’ when I became a wife, and again when I became a mother. I don’t know what the future holds as far as a career, but I am determined to make life better for others one way or another. For now I am focusing on being a full-time mom to a smiley girl who is so full of potential. I’m looking forward to experiencing the world through her eyes as she grows. Meanwhile I will continue to work at becoming a mom who she will be proud of. Wow, I never imagined this job would be so hard!

It is hard to explain who I am as a mom because I am so new at it. In a lot of ways, I am still figuring out what I want out of this crazy life, but there are a few things that I am sure of. I aim to be a lifelong learner, and my greatest passions are reading and anything related to food (cooking, growing, eating, etc.) and I love to laugh! I also enjoy travel, anything French (my beloved grandmother was Parisian), and attending arts or cultural events. I believe that anything shared with others is instantly better, and I can’t wait to share my discoveries on Detroit Mom’s Blog!

{Baby and Beyond}

I had a textbook pregnancy– every symptom in the book, one right after the other, and often overlapping. I did not enjoy much about being pregnant, but I did love feeling every single kick from my baby. While I was working alone in a quiet office (a difficult job for an extrovert like me), it was so special to know that there was someone right there with me each day. I worked right up to my daughter’s birth. I benefited from the expertise of a doula during my in-hospital birth, though I did not use any pain killers because, this is going to sound crazy, “I just thought I’d see how it went”. I am going to be honest, I am not sure if I will do it that way again! Overall it was an amazing experience, with my husband (a medical student) catching our baby and placing her on my chest.

My philosophy for childbirth continues as my philosophy for motherhood, I will give anything a try. By keeping an open mind and a loving heart, it is a lot easier to roll with the unexpected turns. I use cloth diapers (most of the time) and breastfeed (all of the time). None of it is easy, and I am eternally in awe of every other mother because the right answer is rarely clear. As a brand new mom and the new girl in town, I need the support and wisdom of other moms. I am grateful to be a part of the conversation.