20 Questions: Sarah

1. Tell us a little about who makes your house a home.
Derek - My husband Derek is a Certification Engineer for Roush. He races cars in his spare time, which means he doesn't at the moment because we're too busy with a new house and kids.

Me - Derek is a great provider, allowing me to stay home full time. Occasionally I will do some freelance graphic design but it's not something I really like to do anymore. Homemaking is enough work for me.

Leighton Emery - Leighton is our beautiful, 15 month old, strawberry blonde babe. She's been a dream baby. She only fusses when she needs something and is pretty easily satisfied. She's always happy and flashing her dimpled smile.

Lincoln (middle name TBD) - Lincoln is -2 months old. Come early October, he'll be with us and I'm sure all of my answers to these questions will be different.

2. What's a typical day in your household like?
Derek leaves for work around 7:30 and I get up whenever Leighton summons me. Lately that's been around 10ish. She and I sit for a bit on the sofa before breakfast. After we eat, she plays with her toys and the dogs. She loves to taunt them with cheerios, making them chase her around the kitchen island. Depending on how I'm feeling (I am 31wks pregnant, after all) I either do things around the house or just chill in front of the tv or read. We're very unscheduled. We play, eat, veg, etc whenever we feel like. Sometimes we get dressed for the day and sometimes we stay in our jim-jams.

When Daddy comes home around 6, we eat dinner then Daddy and Leighton play so Mommy can have some relaxation and/or a nap. We moved into our first house a few months ago and did some renovations so I'm still trying to get it all put together.

3. How has your lifestyle changed since having children?
In a way, it has changed a lot and in some ways it hasn't. I've always been a homebody so I definitely don't feel like I'm trapped at home like a lot of new moms. We've been lucky enough to have great in laws on both sides and they watch her whenever we ask, allowing us to have time for friends or just us. The biggest difference is just having someone else to worry about and care for.

4. Have you ever felt the need to defend your decision to start a family in your 20's?
Not at all. We got married at 19 and 20 (which we definitely had to defend!) and didn't have Leighton until we had been married 8 years. We got more "it's about time!" than anything.

5. What's the most challenging thing about being a mom, and what's the most rewarding?
Not being able to do exactly what I want to do when I want to do it. I've always swung to the beat of my own drum and it's difficult to get into someone else's rhythm for sure. That and patience.

The most rewarding is just being with her. She's starting to talk and say "Mommy" and give hugs.

6. How are household chores divided up in your family?
Because I'm a homemaker, I pretty much do everything aside from trash and yard stuff. Derek gives Leighton her bath at night, which helps a lot.

7. How do you find a balance between your commitments and family time?
I have no commitments other than being a wife and mother so there's no problem with balance. However, when I first had her, I was still working part time doing graphic design and I was terrible at balancing. I am not a multitasker.

8. What's your most embarrassing mom moment??
I can't think of anything beside the time I spent nearly ten minutes trying to get my stroller to collapse correctly so it would fit in the trunk. It happened right in front of a restaurant with people sitting outside, watching me. Oh, and there was that time the stroller collapsed with Leighton in it but that wasn't so much embarrassing as terrifying.

9. Who (or what) has influenced your parenting style the most?
I'm sure we've gotten a lot from our own parents; mine especially, because we lived with them for Leighton's first 8 months. But I think we've created our own style, influenced by how we wished we were raised, our personal philosophies on life and through some research we've done.

10. Since becoming a mom how have your friendships changed? Have you made new friends, strengthened friendships, or lost friends?
Luckily, everyone had babies with me! Nearly all of my friends started having babies at the same time so I think we've gotten closer. I think it would be nice to make a few new friends who live closer but that's difficult as you get older.

11. How do you fit in time for your romantic relationship?
We just do. We've never been big romantics so things aren't that different, other than being more tired at night… if you catch my drift. : )

12. What's one piece of advice you have for future/new moms?
Don't let anyone tell you how to do something or how to feel when it comes to your child. Do your own research and make decisions according to what you and your spouse feel is right. That goes for doctor's too, not just other moms and friends. Their opinion doesn't matter so don't worry about what they think of your parenting.

13. What's your childcare set-up and why does it work for you?
It's me. It works great.

14. Do you ever get time to yourself?
Yes, usually every evening I can get an hour or so to read or get on the computer.

15. What was the toughest adjustment going from 1 to 2 or 2 to 3 kids? If you only have one child what was the biggest adjustment after baby was born?
I'll let you know in two months!

16. Has having children changed your relationship with food?
No but I would like it to. I want to learn more about healthy cooking but I pretty much hate all foods right now (thanks to pregnancy) but I'm hoping to work on it after. I'm picky and I don't want them to grow up being picky just because I am.

17. What are your plans for your children's education?
Unschooling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling) I was home schooled until high school and it was a great experience for me. The things I've retained and enjoyed learning the most are the things I've taught myself or chose to learn because I had a real interest. I want my kids to live their lives according to what they want, not what they're told they "should" want.

18. How is discipline handled in your family?
It's difficult to say right now because she's only one. If she throws a fit because we won't give her something she wants, we ignore her. I mean, we'll let her know we're there for her so she doesn't feel ignored but we don't give in just because she's crying.

19. If you could change one thing about your current set-up, what would it be?
Nothing.

20. Finish this sentence, Before having kids, I wish I would have known...
I can't think of anything.