We have a deal. Tuesday afternoons, when my husband walks in the door at around 4:30, I have the option of walking out the door and not coming back until whenever the heck I feel like. It is my "night off." I don't always choose to take it, but I [...]
The countdown has begun: In just 33 days, my baby turns 1 year old. Whaaat?! I'm pretty sure I just found out last week that I was pregnant, so there's no way I'm about to have a one year-old. Alas, it's true, and the party-planning has begun. Once upon a [...]
We've all had that one doctor, whether its our regular MD or someone we saw for a rush appointment while our own doc was in the Bahamas. Y'know, that doctor that seems to know everything about everything, except they seem to have forgotten all knowledge of beside manner and dismissed any [...]
After every relationship milestone, there always seems to be a well-meaning albeit nosy question. If you've been dating more than a year: "When's the Wedding?" After the wedding (in my case, during my reception), the fervor increases: "So when are you having a baby?!" Almost immediately after baby #1 pops out, [...]
"Raise your hand if your parents took out a second mortgage to pay for this!" Preschool. The word alone makes many folks shudder. Remember when preschool was just a fun, easy-going prep thing kids were sent to the year before kindergarten, as a sort of bridge to help [...]
Even after having a baby, I struggle with my body as it is now perhaps more than I ever have, even when I was 100 pounds heavier than I currently am.
The littlest Ansley *loves* dining out. I have always loved dining out and finding the new, undiscovered food gems in our area. When I got pregnant, I never really seriously considered that having a baby would get in the way of my food adventures. Of course I expected [...]
It's a breeze and fun for everyone! Does your baby have a fever? How about obvious teething pain, or a nasty cough? What if I told you it could all be easily relieved with just a couple of milliliters of candy-flavored liquid? Sounds too good to be true, [...]
"Mammal (n): any vertebrate of the class Mammalia, having the body more or less covered with hair, nourishing the young with milk from the mammary glands, and, with the exception of the egg-laying monotremes, giving birth to live young." For some reason, something that is as natural and essential as can [...]
We got off to a rough start. I don't know why I expected it to be easy after everything we'd already been through. I had waited for him for 7 1/2 years; after multiple failed rounds of infertility treatments, a drastic lifestyle and health change to bring me to my [...]
There’s an old African proverb that states “It takes a village to raise a child”, and these days that proverb has never been more true. Whether we’re related by blood or by intention, families come in all forms, and are only defined by the bonds of love.
Crissi Langwell is the voice of the Village, which she started in 2012. Crissi is a the mother of three kids, ages 18-24, and tells stories of her blended family and other stories related to families and parenting. She is also a Petaluma author of 11 books. You can find out more about her novels at crissilangwell.com.
The Village is also home to other voices, as well, including Stephanie Ansley (a new mom facing the joys of first-time parenthood), as well as Paul Gullixson (a parent and coach of a team of 12-year-olds) and Meg McConahey (a mom with enough experience to have some good laughs about the whole thing).
We welcome all kinds of voices, and you may see some additional viewpoints from other Press Democrat writers and local contributors. Because it truly does take a village.
