KynsieRiedel

  Ho Ho Ho-no! What should I get my toddler for Christmas? I know that normally Santa fills the stockings, but our family is celebrating Christmas a little early this year, and I didn’t want to bug the big guy with more travel when he already has a full plate (of cookies, I assume).    And while stockings have always been my favorite part about the Christmas gift exchange, selecting stocking stuffers for my tot felt a little daunting.  Here’s why: • Novelty toys. While small, affordable items are ideal for stockings, I’ve found that novelty toys and trinkets lose their fun faster than any other toy on the planet. I could easily walk into ... read more

Today, Vertex announced that the new triple combo therapy was approved by the FDA! This is the newest treatment for Cystic Fibrosis, and will likely affect the trajectory of my life with this illness. In the drug trial, the medication has shown to significantly improve lung function and decrease exacerbation rates. What does all of this mean for me? It means that with a few pills a day, I'll be able to go longer between antibiotics, spend fewer nights in the hospital, and regain lung function that I have lost. It means more time with my family, and more holidays without being attached to IVs. It means that, Lord willing, I will be healthier a year from now than I am today. The timing of ... read more

Well. I blinked. One minute, I'm learning to swaddle my sweet girl for the first time, and the next I’m putting together Lively’s first birthday present. It’s not easy having a winter birthday baby! It seems like we were just trying to find places for her gifts from Christmas. This little Miss has no shortage on toys, so it was a a little tricky trying to decide what to get her. I tend to lean toward a Montessori approach for learning and play. I love letting her figure things out, learn from her experiences, and practice what she sees in the world around her. I love the emphasis on imagination, and solving real life problems. I wanted something she could grow into and have fun figuring ... read more

I deeply considered not writing a public birth story. When I was trying to get pregnant with Lively, facing doctors who were giving me the small statistics of success, birth stories were hard for me to read. I was afraid I would never have one. I was afraid I would never be able to experience pregnancy, delivery, or motherhood. And worse, I was so incredibly afraid that I would grow to resent women who could. Resentment was my biggest fear, and I actively battled that for nearly a year. I unfollowed and unplugged from people and media that sparked that in me. So I sort of made a deal with myself; if I ever experienced birth- I wouldn’t write a story. I didn’t want to alienate women who ... read more