Milan Maternity Spotlight

Everyone, I'd like you to meet Rebekah, who I am pretty sure is Super Woman with having 2 kids a year apart. She is the mother to 1 year old Katherine and 2 month old Daniel. She stays home with her two kids while her husband is a full time seminarian.

Here's what Rebekah had to say when I picked her brain.

The first time you were pregnant, was there anything about it that completely surprised you or that you wish you had known about being pregnant?

I wish I would have known that I could relax more and not try to be perfect. I gave myself a lot of stress the first time because I was always afraid of doing something "wrong." Though I strongly believe one should make healthy decisions, it is not worth it to stress over the trivial things.

Have you announced your pregnancies to your husband or family members in any fun and memorable ways?

Actually, the way I told my husband for all of my pregnancies was at the most inconvenient times possible. Just before bed (he was already in it and had to wake up super early) and just before leaving for class. It was memorable because it was the worst timing possible.

Have you found any tricks that work really well for you with morning sickness?

Mint candies. Lots of them. I was one of the lucky ones and felt good when I did eat. So I ate all of the time! When I felt sick but couldn't eat a meal, I would just have some mints.

What have you found to entertain and keep your kids busy when you've been too drained?

I got pregnant when my daughter, Katherine, was only three months old. She took a lot of naps throughout my pregnancy, so that was very helpful. There was not a lot that I could do to distract her as she was so young.

Did you always plan to use cloth diapers with your children? How did you decide to go that route?

I had been planning on using cloth diapers for a while. I know there is a debate on if they are actually better for the environment, BUT there is one thing for sure- they are better on my wallet! When I bring a freshly washed load into the nursery I feel like someone just stuffed ten bucks in my hand. It is a glorious feeling. I did a lot of reading about what diapers to choose. I initially bought a few pre-folds with various covers to try. In the end I bought about thirty microfiber stuffed diapers. They were the cheapest I could find on the internet. It has saved us so much money.

What is your go-to dinner when you don't know what else to make and you need something quick and tasty?

Goulash. My mother made it all of the time while I was growing up- so did my grandmother. It is my comfort food and is also super easy to make. I am sure there are a lot of fancy versions, but my simple stand by is easy: ground hamburger (boiled- no browning ahead of time!), chopped onion, canned diced tomatoes, a few cloves of garlic and elbows or some similar pasta. It couldn't be easier and it is delicious. I let it simmer for a long time to make it very flavorful.

I think every stay at home mom has one or two chores that they absolutely hate doing. What are those for you and have you found a way to do them that makes them a little more tolerable?

Vacuuming. I never liked it before but now Katherine is terrified of it. Once I tried helping her to see it as a fun thing and not something to be terrified of. I probably scarred her for life by showing her how it sucked things up the tube. So far my method has been to do it when she is in her room or when my husband is home to help keep her happy.

What are one or two of your favorite moments with your children that you will always remember?

There are so many it is hard to narrow down! Everyday has moments that I want to cling to forever. Recently it has been watching Daniel smile. He started doing it a couple of weeks ago. It is so amazing to see his face completely light up.

What do you like to do when you get the opportunity to have some "me" time?

I love to go thrifting! There are some awesome stores around us that can have amazing vintage clothing from time to time. I also spend a good amount of time blogging about recent projects. I also love reading fashion blogs. They have some great ideas.

Do you have any beauty secrets of what you do when you only have a few minutes to get ready?

I try to keep a lot of outfits mentally prepared. I remix items a lot, so it is pretty easy to throw something together on the fly if my usual combination is covered with baby spit or something. A belt can make make a plain outfit dressy- that is another super quick thing that I like to do.

When we are pregnant or have kids, it seems like we get all sorts of advice, wanted or not, from all sorts of people. What is one of the best pieces of advice you have gotten?

To trust myself. I am a doubter and worrier. Trusting myself is often hard to do. A lot of parenting is common sense or even instinctual. Being able to trust myself has been very helpful.

Have you ever had one of those moments where you felt like you just couldn't handle it, and what got you through that?

Oh yes, I have more of those moments than I would like to recollect. There are two things that I do. The first is to pray. I was raised in a Christian home where prayer was always highly valued. I try to maintain that in my own home- especially when things are falling apart- it really helps to hold me together. I also try to follow the advice of my spiritual father, the abbot of an Orthodox monastery, that is to just take a break (when possible). Just leave the situation and have a cup of tea or something. When you come back, you are much more able to handle it. I drink a lot of tea that way.

What are some of the things that you do as a family when you all spend time together?

Since the babies are so little it usually involves some sort of playing with toys. I can't wait until they are older and would appreciate long walks, camping trips and just being outside.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a mother?

To see my children blissfully happy. Sadly, I know that it won't last forever- the troubles of the world will get to them one day. But for now they are happy and innocent. When I see them get so joyful- just because I am holding them- is remarkable. It is so fulfilling to be unconditionally loved.