Step2

Written by Ashley

I firmly believe my yellow lab Peak knew I was pregnant before anyone else. Before I even saw that plus sign, Peak had already edited his behavior. His typical jumping upon my arrival home from work came to a halt and he’d lay his head on my belly when we I slept. This lasted the entirety of my pregnancy (and to this day his puppy tendencies are finally gone!).

You might think we’re crazy, but my husband and I often refer to Peak as our first born. Knowing that not all dogs mesh well with babies, we feared how he would react when our new roommate arrived home. I asked my OBGYN multiple times how I could prepare the dog for the new baby. I also asked friends with pets and kids. The best advice I received was to have someone bring something of Chloe’s home to Peak before bringing Chloe home.

My best friend of 20 years took Chloe’s little newborn hat to our house the day she was born. When she walked in, she let Peak sniff it. You see, Peak has an addition to anything fabric – he is constantly stealing socks – so this was a brave move. Anyone who knows me has heard countless stories of where we’ve found socks in the house – post digested. So when Jackie showed him the small fabric hat, she assumed he would steal it and run off with it, only to be seen again a few hours later on the floor in the corner of our bedroom. Rather, she was stunned by his reaction. She told me that after she placed the hat on the kitchen floor, he gently walked over to it, sniffed it, and left it there.

This made me feel better about their upcoming meeting. To me, this said, “I smell Mom. That thing must finally be here. I guess I’ll give this big brother thing a shot.”

Chloe met Peak at 4 days old. I was first to enter the house. My husband is the alpha in the dog’s eyes, so he waited to come into the house after me as to show Peak that we are equals. I walked in and Peak immediately put his nose to my belly. He looked up at me with his tail wagging as to say, “Ok lady. Where is it?” I then brought Chloe in in her car seat carrier. I placed the carrier on the ground and let them “meet.” Of course I was scared that he would hurt her, but by letting him sniff and “get to know” her, it showed him that she is an extension of us.

We actually captured this meeting on video.

The first few nights she was home from the hospital, he would wake up with us when she cried for her nighttime feed. He would sit on the nursery floor as we tended to her. But just like any sibling, the crying got old to him and by the forth night home, when she cried he would lift his head up in the bed turn to my husband and me as to say “Again?!” and then lay his head back down.

Fast forward six months. He’s always giving her kisses and now that she is starting to grasp things, she “pets” him. Of course there have been some parent fails, like the time he dropped his toy on her forehead and left a little red mark above her eyebrows. I get it. He just wanted to share his toy with her.

We are so lucky to have a pet that is good with kids. I know not everyone is this lucky, but we had to make a conscious effort with the introduction so everyone could learn how to play nice. Their meeting was truly one introduction that made a lasting first impression on all of us.

About Ashley
Ashley is a self-proclaimed fashionista, social media maven, and proud new mama. Together with her husband, they welcomed their first child last August. They also have a fur-baby named Peak, an 80-lb. yellow lab whom they adopted during a ski trip in Denver. She is the Social Media Manager at Step2 and you may have recently communicated with her if you’ve chatted with Step2 on Facebook or Twitter.

Last March, we began a weekly feature on the Step2 blog called We’re Moms Too. Each Monday, 1 of 6 moms who work at Step2 gave you a look into their personal life as a mom and/or grandma. During the holidays, we took a short hiatus from We’re Moms Too, but we are now back with more fun (and funny) stories of parenthood.

Joining We’re Moms Too for the second year is Ashley, Sara, and Tena. Ashley, Social Media Manager, went from mom-to-be in 2012 to a new mom of a 6 month old baby girl Chloe. Sara, a Sr. Product Manager who is the mother of two young boys, has many more stories to share of their get dirty, wild and crazy play times this year.  Tena, Online Marketing Director, is enjoying the changes from having an infant to a now rambunctious toddler running around!

We are excited to welcome Meghan, Marketing Director, to We’re Moms Too in 2013. Meghan is a mom to three little girls, all under the age of 5, who are best friends and worst enemies at the same time. Meghan, married to her husband of 8 years, loves to travel, try new foods, and has recently become a big fan of Downtown Abby. It’s a real treat when she and husband get a babysitter and over-order at their favorite sushi restaurant.

Beginning next Monday, We’re Moms Too will be moving from a weekly feature to a monthly feature on the Step2 Blog. Follow these four moms the first Monday of each month as they navigate dirty diapers, battle the terrible twos, kiss boo boos, and boast about their love for being moms.

Written by Ashley

As a woman, a positive self-image has never been one of my strong points. I’ve never been fond of anyone talking about my weight. Even a “have you lost weight?” comment makes me squirm as I feel as though people are paying too much attention to my yo-yoing appearance. So when I became pregnant, I was caught completely off guard by the slew of comments that started heading my way.

Maybe it’s my build, maybe it’s how the baby is growing, but I started looking obviously pregnant at about 8 weeks along. By 17 weeks, the “that’s going to be a 10-pounder!” and “you’re only how far along?” became repetitive in conversations. Even strangers felt the need to comment on my size.

At 31 weeks, it hasn’t stopped and I doubt it will until a couple months post-birth. At my doctor’s appointment last week, my doctor even said to me, “Wow! You’re looking big. Are you sure there aren’t twins in there?” I said, “You tell me!”

I just don’t understand how it’s suddenly okay to comment on someone’s weight just because they are pregnant. It’s such a touchy subject for many and when a woman has as many hormones rushing through her body as she does during those 9 months, it’s not a good idea to approach her with those types of comments.

I recently found an article listing the top 10 comebacks to “stupid pregnancy comments” that made me chuckle.

My favorites are:

You look like you’re about to explode! Really? I had no idea. I was feeling quite svelte today. Thanks for the earth shattering observation.

Are you sure you don’t have twins in there? Yes, I’m pretty sure I would be aware if I were carrying two babies. But, thanks for checking.

You can’t possibly have X months left! Wow! You know so much about this! I should just quit going to my OB and come straight to you!

I doubt I would ever use any of these, unless someone flat out said “you’re fat.”

About Ashley

Ashley is expecting her first child in early September 2012 with her high-school sweetheart turned husband 3 years ago. Together they have a lab named Peak whom they adopted during a ski trip in Denver. She loves all things fashion and has already filled her baby girl’s closet with enough clothes and accessories to outfit her until she’s 2. She is the Social Media Manager at Step2 and you may have recently communicated with her if you’ve chatted with Step2 on Facebook or Twitter.

Written by Ashley

While I personally deem myself a mother already, even though my little peanut has not yet exited my womb, I didn’t expect others to acknowledge me as a mother until my baby girl arrives (yes, we recently found out it’s a girl and we are overjoyed!).

So I was brought to tears yesterday as my first “unofficial” Mother’s Day began. While in the back of my mind I had hoped my husband would recognize the “holiday,” I was not expecting the onslaught of Mother’s Day wishes that were headed my way.

Text messages from old friends, my cousins, my boss, coworkers, my husband’s guy friends (which I still cannot believe!), Facebook wall posts, and gifts from my husband and my mother. It felt like my birthday (if this is what Mother’s Day is like every year, I am pretty pumped!).

After having a rough night sleep on Saturday, between the baby having hiccups just about every 2 hours (I like to think it was her way of saying “Happy Mother’s Day Mom!”) and a few bouts of leg spasms, my husband greeted me in the morning with my first “Happy Mother’s Day.”

As the day went on, we celebrated with our families and my mom gave me a beautiful figurine that reminded me of her mother, my grandmother, that will reside in the baby’s nursery.

While the physical gifts are great and very much appreciated, I look forward to the day where my baby girl will look into my eyes and call me “mom.” That will be the greatest gift of all.

Just a few more months until I meet my little princess and, to me, that will be my first real “Mother’s Day.”

About Ashley

Ashley is expecting her first child in early September 2012 with her high-school sweetheart turned husband 3 years ago. Together they have a lab named Peak whom they adopted during a ski trip in Denver. She loves all things fashion and cannot wait to start shopping for her little one’s wardrobe. She is the Social Media Manager at Step2 and you may have recently communicated with her if you’ve chatted with Step2 on Facebook or Twitter.

Written by Ashley

It was a cold snowy night at the ski lodge in late February 2011. We were talking about our hopes, our dreams, and our future. At that point we had been married for a year and a half and had had the talk before. But this time it was different. This time there was that spark in our smiles – an unspoken agreement that we were ready.

Ten months later we received the best Christmas gift ever – news that I was pregnant. I couldn’t believe it. It was Christmas Eve morning and I just stood there in disbelief. I started shaking. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Wait; what?! I smiled. My husband was just as shocked as me. This is what we had been trying for and wanting for nearly a year.

After the news set in (after we announced it to our families on Christmas morning), I started feeling different. Not because my body was changing and the hormones were raging, but because I was no longer thinking about how my decisions affected me. I was now carrying and caring for another being inside of me. I had to be careful of the food nourishing both of our bodies, chemicals I could ingest from the environment, and even where I had to place my seat belt.

I haven’t had the easiest of pregnancies thus far. I’ve probably had every “you may feel” symptom in the pregnancy books. My morning sickness was horrendous and it landed me in the ER at 7 weeks (plus another visit 2 months later). But even then, as miserable as I was, I wouldn’t have traded the pain and discomfort for anything.

I am no longer making decisions for just me. Everything I do is now for the little peanut and our family. I truly believe the moment I found out I was pregnant was the moment I became a mom. Each day I struggle with pain and discomfort, I know that it is for this little one – and that makes it worth it. Isn’t that what motherhood is about anyway? Sacrifices so that our children have no pain, or heartache, or sadness. We will do anything so that they are protected. That is just what I’ve been doing for the past 18 weeks and will be doing for the rest of my life. And I cannot wait!

About Ashley

Ashley is expecting her first child in early September 2012 with her high-school sweetheart turned husband 3 years ago. Together they have a lab named Peak whom they adopted during a ski trip in Denver. She loves all things fashion and cannot wait to start shopping for her little one’s wardrobe. She is the Social Media Manager at Step2 and you may have recently communicated with her if you’ve chatted with Step2 on Facebook or Twitter.

Sure, we’re marketers, designers, sales women, but at the end of the day, we’re moms too. We tuck our children into bed, kiss the boo boos and hold them tight when they worry. We get excited for their first tooth, first step, first day of school, and first love. We’d drop everything at the blink of an eye to come be by their side.

Yes, we’re moms too.

Starting on April 2, Mondays are now Momdays. Every Monday, one Step2 mom will provide a glimpse into her life as a mother as a guest writer for the Step2 blog.

Meet the Moms

Meet Sara S. Sara is an on the go – down to earth Momma, married to a Marine and the mother of two get dirty wild and crazy, play in the mud boys.   She loves Michael Jackson, dancing and spending time with her family. She is honored to be able to teach her little guys about the world around them, about kindness love and the human spirit. For fun, she loves to make jewelry, shop, ski and spend time outdoors getting dirty with her boys. Sara is a Sr. Product Manager at Step2.

Meet Ashley. Ashley is expecting her first child in early September 2012 with her high-school sweetheart turned husband 3 years ago. Together they have a lab named Peak whom they adopted during a ski trip in Denver. She loves all things fashion and cannot wait to start shopping for her little one’s wardrobe. She is the Social Media Manager at Step2 and you may have recently communicated with her if you’ve chatted with Step2 on Facebook or Twitter.

Meet Sharon. Sharon became a first time grandma in February of 2011 and had the pleasure of celebrating her granddaughter’s first birthday in San Francisco where she lives with her oldest son and his wife.  Sharon welcomes the opportunity to spoil her granddaughter after having raised two boys.  Sharon is an avid lover of the arts and has dabbled with oil painting and enjoys interior decorating as a hobby.  She is the Customer Service Manager for Step2.

Meet Tena. Tena and her best friend (and hubby) had their first child in July, 2011.  Their little guy has a congenital heart defect and he is one tough little cookie; don’t ever think about calling him sick though – “his plumbing is just different.”  Tena is an animal loving vegetarian and is excited to teach her son about compassion and the importance of volunteer work.  She secretly hopes her son will be left handed like his momma. She is the Online Marketing Director for Step2.

Meet Tiffany. Tiffany is the mother of a curly haired six year old boy who wants to be Batman when he grows up! When she is not engaged in an intense light saber battle, watching Transformers (cartoons and movies), asking her child not to jump from the top step or being told, “you’re playing action figures the wrong way, mom” she contemplates how wonderful it would be if her child were a twin or triplet.  Tiffany is the Human Resources Manager for Step2.

Meet Sara R. Sara is a mother of four. She has two daughters – Jamie age 35 and Taylor age 16 – and two sons – Justin age 20 and Christopher age 14. She is also a grandmother of one – Andrew age 3. She lives in Mantua, Ohio with her husband Bill. She has worked at Step2 for the past 12 years (before that she was a stay at home mom for 9 years). Sara is the Operations Manager for Step2 Direct internet sales.