For exactly three months, I will have two children under two. There’s still about three weeks left of that stage, at which point “two kids, two and under” begins. Perhaps it’s too early for a “review,” but I had some thoughts anyway. I knew it was going to be hard. I knew I was going… Continue reading An honest review of “two under two”
Category: Miscellaneous
A most redemptive birth story
David Kent was born three weeks early on February 11th, 2026: two days after the 70th birthday of his namesake, my late father David Caplin (this is the completely scientific reason I knew immediately we were having a boy: a February due date). Since I was induced (thanks to complications with gestational diabetes and cholestasis),… Continue reading A most redemptive birth story
I have minimal regrets as a “geriatric mom”
I read with interest – and a bit of sadness – the following article from The Free Press: “What I’ve Learned From Watching People Wait to Have Children” by maternal-fetal medicine physician Sarah Poggi (the article is behind a paywall, but you can read a condensed version on Instagram). As the title suggests, Poggi describes… Continue reading I have minimal regrets as a “geriatric mom”
Reproductive technology and the scandal of redemptive suffering
What this post is not: a value judgment of parents who grew their families with IVF. What this post is: a response to some of the ethical concerns raised by new developments in reproductive technology. This tweet featuring a screenshot from a New York Times article caught my attention recently. Genomics researcher Noor Siddiqui asked… Continue reading Reproductive technology and the scandal of redemptive suffering
The biggest surprise of motherhood so far
People sometimes ask me what I find most surprising about motherhood. My response isn’t quite what I expected: just how fun it is. “Fun” is really an understatement. It’s truly incredible to view the world through her eyes. Everything is new and fascinating: her feet, Josh’s mustache, my hair, different fabrics and surfaces. I can… Continue reading The biggest surprise of motherhood so far
Here comes the sun
There was a beautiful double rainbow the afternoon we first saw our baby’s flickering heartbeat. We found out we were expecting again the same week that Hope Elizabeth was supposed to be due. I started the second trimester on my birthday- could not have asked for a better gift. It’s strange to hold grief and… Continue reading Here comes the sun
A Jew-“ish” Christian goes to Poland
Last month my family went on a trip to Poland to celebrate my mom’s birthday. Why Poland, you ask? My mother’s side of the family is from there. This trip was a deep dive into our Jewish ancestry, as well as a quest to find the best pierogies in every city we stayed in. It’s… Continue reading A Jew-“ish” Christian goes to Poland
The battle for hair acceptance
I’ve written before about how my curly hair is an outward marker of my Jewish identity (ethnically speaking). I want to revisit that subject today, because it took me over 25 years to find the right haircut. 25+ years of having stylists consult other stylists in front of me because they had no idea how… Continue reading The battle for hair acceptance
Jewish hair, Christian faith
My one-time experience at a Jewish sleepaway camp (I know, I know, don’t get me started on the absurdity of the phrase “Jewish camp”) was full of, shall we say, unique experiences: from a production of The Sound of Music featuring nuns with popsicle-stick Stars of David instead of crosses to lively debates about who… Continue reading Jewish hair, Christian faith