Jenna
Jenna lives in Midtown with her husband and two kids (ages 6 and 4). She has an M.A. in English and too many overdue books at the library. She has been working with writers for over a decade, as a high school teacher, college instructor, and writing coach. She loves good coffee, serious conversation, and not-too-serious fiction.
Leaping into Wonder: Reflections for a Leap Year
The February calendar, always shorter than the other months, stands a little taller this year.
It is a leap year.
I confess I must visit Google to remember the exact purpose of leap years. (I...
Enjoy a Spa Party with Birdie’s Travel Spa
What mom doesn’t need to spend an evening at the spa? Better yet, what mom doesn’t need a spa that comes directly to their own home?
Birdie’s Travel Spa is a dream for moms and...
Meet Dr. Laurel Willig, Kidney Doctor and Toddler Mom
Dr. Laurel Willig is a Pediatric Nephrologist (kidney doctor) at Children’s Mercy Hospital. She earned an M.D. from the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa and also holds an M.S. in...
Happy Holiday Recovery
On this, my fourth time around the kids-and-holidays block, here’s what I'm finally learning: the first week of January should be dedicated to one task, and one task only – holiday recovery.
Even if your...
Meet Dr. Jean Pallotto, Neonatologist at Children’s Mercy
Dr. Jean Pallotto is a neonatologist who delivers and treats babies in a variety of high-risk situations. She is the Medical Director of the Children’s Mercy Intensive Care Nursery and also serves as a...
Postpartum Hair Loss and Other Things About Being a Baby Mom
We all know the first six weeks of having a baby are hard. Those early weeks are kind of like riding on a tilt-a-whirl at an amusement park, where the people around you are simultaneously...
I’m an Indecisive Mom
Hospital or home birth?
In-home nanny or daycare?
A firm “no” or redirection?
Superman or Monster pajamas?
Public or private or homeschool?
If you stop to consider all the big and small decisions we make for our children each...
Simple, At-Home Summer Activities for Toddlers and Babies
Pool passes, swim lessons, summer camps, and team baseball: these are the quintessential children’s activities of summer! Unfortunately, it can take a few years for kids to really grow into those activities. So how...
KC Moms That Inspire: Christa Dubill, 41 Action News Anchor
This year for Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating motherhood by featuring several local moms who play important roles both in their families and the Kansas City community. These moms have encouragement for all of us...
KC Moms That Inspire: Dr. Natasha Burgert, Pediatrician
This year for Mother’s Day, we're celebrating motherhood by featuring several local moms who play important roles both in their families and the Kansas City community. These moms have encouragement for all of us...
My Rules for Sleep Deprivation
Yet again, I find myself in the middle of a sleepless season (I have a history of this ... plenty of history, apparently). Just when I thought the newborn phase was behind us, I...
The Beauty in Surviving
Do you know what continues to surprise me—shock me at times, even—about motherhood?
How much of my time is spent just making it. Simply navigating life from one end of the day to another.
I have...
Am I Ready to Potty Train My Kid?
A few weeks ago at school pick-up, my son's teacher remarked that he was showing signs of potty training.
I should have been ecstatic.
Instead, I responded:
"Oh."
My toddler has turned the corner between 2.5 and 3,...
Delivering Again after Trauma: A Birth Story
The day I delivered my firstborn was, hands-down, one of the greatest days of my life.
It was also a little traumatic.
I don’t use that word lightly. In fact, I didn’t use the word “trauma”...
Deep Breaths: Holiday Travel with Littles
Christmas is right around the corner — which means I’m not only in the throes of last-minute shopping and nightly retrieving nativity pieces from their "journeys" around the house, but I'm also preparing to...
