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Kristen Cervantes

Kristen (Krissy) is a writer, editor, mommy to her daughter and dogs, wife, bargain wine enthusiast and shopaholic. She resides in sunny Southern California. Krissy splits her time between work, spending time with her family and raising a confident and strong-willed girl who is growing up way too fast. She has been published in newspapers and magazines, but her passion is writing pieces that resonate with other moms. Feel free to reach her at kcervantes625@gmail.com.

Having A Preemie Scared Me Off Having Another Child

It's been almost 2,500 days since my daughter was born and I can still distinctly hear the slow soft beep coming from her incubator in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I would say it haunts me, but it let me know my daughter was alive. I can…
By Kristen Cervantes

I Got A Student Loan When I Had A Baby & Wish I Hadn't

My parents didn't foot the bill for my college education — I did. And to top it off, I found out I was having a baby while I was finishing school. I am in a shameful amount of student loan debt, over $50,000 to be exact. I know that is an outrageous…
By Kristen Cervantes

We Have An Only Child & Yes, We Ditch Her on Valentine's Day

After spending hours ripping apart paper thin valentines, putting together glitter tattoos and candy and then painstakingly watching my 6-year-old daughter write her name on every single one of the Valentines, what I want to do most is to ditch my…
By Kristen Cervantes

I Quit Social Media & Realized I Don't Know What Else To Do

I hate to admit it, but I can spend hours throughout the day on my phone checking out my social media pages. I probably spend on average about 3 to 4 hours a day looking at Facebook and Instagram together — the likes on pictures of my kid are nice!…
By Kristen Cervantes

It Took Me Six Years To Make Friends After Having A Baby

For some women, being pregnant means being put on a pedestal with endless friends and family checking in on you and assisting you with every little need. But once that baby arrives, you are smacked in the face with reality. You have a precious life…
By Kristen Cervantes

My Epidural Felt Amazing, & I Would Do It Again

I recently watched a viral video of a childbirth educator using a pink balloon and ping pong ball to demonstrate how a woman's cervix thins and dilates during labor. The woman blew up the balloon with the ping pong ball in it and then proceeded to…
By Kristen Cervantes

When My Daughter Was In The NICU, I Imagined She Was Home

I heard a distant cry from the other room and rushed to my daughter's bedroom. She wasn't in her crib. Her pink animal bedding was still perfectly arranged. The banner with her name on it was hanging above. Diapers were still neatly packed next to…
By Kristen Cervantes

Here's What A Californian Family Living On $70,000 Spent On School Shopping

Raising a child supposedly costs you a quarter of a million dollars, but it can honestly be more daunting to face the idea of spending $80 on bottle nipples in a single month. Expense Report gives us a look into the spending, scrimping, and wishing…
By Kristen Cervantes

My Kid Watches A *Ton* of TV & She Is Just Fine, Thanks

As a work-at-home mom (WAHM) my "me time" and patience is limited. My days consist of sitting in a thinly cushioned office chair with an achy back and bored 6-year-old slumped on the couch, giving me a death stare. What is a WAHM to do? TV and the…
By Kristen Cervantes

Here's How Much I Spent on My Daughter's Birthday Party As A Mom On $70,000

Raising a child supposedly costs you a quarter of a million dollars, but it can honestly be more daunting to face the idea of spending $80 on bottle nipples in a single month. Expense Report gives us a look into the spending, scrimping, and wishing…
By Kristen Cervantes

I Announced My Pregnancy At 6 Weeks, & No It Wasn't "Too Early"

I remember hitting the send button with butterflies in my stomach. I was excited, yet unsure of how people would react. I mean, my husband and I just got married three months prior and this was most certainly not planned. I remember calling my mom…
By Kristen Cervantes

We're A Family Of 3 On $70,000, & Here's What We Spent On A Week's Groceries

Raising a child supposedly costs you a quarter of a million dollars, but it can honestly be more daunting to face the idea of spending $80 on bottle nipples in a single month. Expense Report gives us a look into the spending, scrimping, and wishing…
By Kristen Cervantes

The Book That Means Everything To Parents Of Preemies

Reading a book 200 times is a surefire way to find out whether you love it or want to throw its rhyming llama couplets into the diaper pail. Children's books especially do a tricky dance for an audience of squinty-eyed parents and wide-eyed tots:…
By Kristen Cervantes

How Other Moms Feel When You Brag About Milestones

My daughter didn't walk until she was about 15 to 16 months old. I remember constantly hearing from friends and family, "Oh, she isn't walking yet?" Like it was some type of race for her to grow up. "No, she is standing and holding things, but she…
By Kristen Cervantes

I Didn’t Realize My Toddler Had Nursemaid's Elbow, & It Was Scary AF

My daughter is turning 6 this year and I can still remember the pure terror I felt that random day back when she was 2 that started just like any other. My daughter was sitting in her tiny chair that fit perfectly with our coffee table. My husband…
By Kristen Cervantes

My Daughter's Fears Make Me Feel Helpless Because I Can't "Fix" Them For Her

It is over 90 degrees out, the kind of heat that warps your skin. I splash my face and feel a moment of cool, but my daughter is shivering in her bathing suit. Toeing the edge of the pool while the rest of the swim class splashes and screams happily…
By Kristen Cervantes

I Got My First Tattoo After Becoming A Mom, & That Might Actually Be The Best Time

The main objection to tattoos you hear is, "But you're going to be stuck with that for life!" Which is a pretty hilarious thing to tell a mom, because, you know, we have made people inside us. We're pretty OK with life changes. Still, getting a…
By Kristen Cervantes

Dear NICU Mom: Miracles Happen Here

Dear mom with a baby in the NICU, I know the panic is setting in. The beeping sounds of machines and the chatter of the nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are filling your ears. All you see are the tiniest of helpless babies, one of…
By Kristen Cervantes

What I'm Thinking When You Ask Me, "Is She Yours?"

My daughter has the most beautiful tan skin. She gets it from my husband, who is Hispanic and Native American. She has long, wavy dark brown hair that has a hint of auburn in the sunlight. Her big brown eyes are always filled with excitement. I am…
By Kristen Cervantes

To The Mom With Low Supply: I See You

Dear moms with low supply, When I was pregnant with my first and only child, I was excited to breastfeed. From what I had read and heard, breastfeeding was the most beneficial option. I thought, “Of course I want my child to be healthy, immune to…
By Kristen Cervantes