Ever since my book, What It Means To Be a Mom, came out in April I’ve been feeling all the feels: excited, nervous, hopeful, proud, you know, the emotions a new mom normally experiences after welcoming her baby into the world. But I haven’t sat down to fully process those feelings until now because who has time to sit? Moms certainly don’t! (See below)

My first official book came out and a week later I turned 40!

FORTY!

What in the actual WHAT?

I must’ve pinched myself a million times between the book and my birthday. At least the excitement over the book took the sting out of turning the big 4-0.

Two momentous occasions came together to make this a truly unforgettable year for me. It’s been thrilling to share my book with my family, especially my girls, and to revel in the attention for doing something other than the dishes and the laundry. I’m proud and grateful to have had the opportunity to put my words into print and be a part of this series of adorable books, but along with that comes the pressure of hoping readers will embrace it which explains why I’ve distracted myself with momming instead of writing, blogging, and promoting my book baby.

Following the book release I was busy getting the word out on social media through the help of friends and fellow writers. I’m forever indebted to them for their support. In addition to those platforms, I hosted a virtual event through a local bookstore, something I was absolutely terrified to do, but mommed up and got it done. There was a nerve-wracking radio interview in there too but I must’ve blown it because I never heard if it aired or not. Which is probably part of the reason why I checked out after checking those things off my to-do list. I told myself I deserved a break and I took one…for six months.

I let life get busy with playdates, activities, camping trips, and now school and sports schedules and I moved the book to the back burner. I expected things to slow down enough for me to find time to devote to the book but time had other ideas and now it’s almost the holiday season. Ugh with a capital U. That makes me want to go into hibernation for another six months. But I won’t hide because that’s all part of the “chaos” of motherhood that I lovingly include in my book and will one day look back on and miss.

So, if you’re looking for a gift for a special mom you know will appreciate a dose of humor and heart at one of the most stressful times of the year then look no further and order my book here. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer size, not to mention, she’ll love reading it in her new robe while the kids litter the living room floor with wrapping paper and boxes.