talk early

I went to Target today with Wallace. It was our first solo trip there, and it felt good to return to normal life a little bit. My purchases could not scream “I just had a baby” more: pads, chocolate, baby wipes, newborn pacifiers, wine.

This post is sponsored by Talk Early. I am honored to be an ambassador for them again this year!

Oh, how I’ve been looking forward to enjoying wine again. I poured some in a tumbler (because I can’t be trusted with stemmed glasses on this little sleep) while I helped Kendall through his homework tonight. I eased back into my old “normal” routine with the comfort of slipping on a broken-in pair of jeans (if jeans without elastic waists actually fit me at this point).

I’ve been thinking about how this familiar routine would come easily after having Wallace, and I did some more thinking about how I want to be more aware of it. I want it to feel less comfortable. I want to rely on it less. Pregnancy is a great detox in many ways. I broke myself of my glass of wine (or two, honestly) every night. And while I don’t think that was ever a problem for me in an addiction kind of way, I am always hyper-aware of it becoming that. I come from a long line of alcoholics. I try to be vigilant, to not let the familiar turn to dependence.

Knowing that my postpartum anxiety will most likely make a re-appearance at some point over the next few months, I’m also mindful not to let my wine routine turn to self-medicating. Ugh. Adulting. These are good thoughts and concerns to have, though, I know.

In 2016, I had the honor of being a part of the Talk Early team for Responsibility.org, and I’m excited to continue to work with them throughout 2017, too. Alcohol responsibility is an issue near and dear to me, one that’s been a large part of my life for as long as I can remember. My parents talked to me about alcoholism from a very early age, and I’m positive that played a huge role in how I approached alcohol as a teen and young adult, and how I still approach it.

As a part of the Talk Early team, I not only get access to tools and research to help facilitate conversations with my own children about alcohol, but I also get to share all of that with you. I think it’s a pretty awesome partnership, and I hope you do, too. I hope you find what I’ve already shared here and what I will share in 2017, on behalf of Talk Early, beneficial.

Oh! And a perk of this awesome gig was a trip to Washington DC back in October (right after we got back from Hawaii) where we did official Talk Early Team things and learned lots of stuff… and then we made this video. I even got to keep the Ugly New Years sweater! Check out my sweet, pregnant dance moves: