Mighty Mama: Sammi Verhey and her take on the Adventures of Parenting

Your social media is so funny, how do you maintain a good sense of humor when parenting?

“Sense of humor is so important for my sanity! Every day brings moments of incredible joy, but also a new set of challenges. The thing about parenting is as soon as you have one thing figured out, three others completely turn on their head and you're clueless once again. I find it incredibly important to cherish both ends of the spectrum, the good and the bad, and the way that I do that is by keeping a sense of humor through it all. So much of parenting is beyond your immediate control that laughing through the low points when you're covered in spit up, or deliriously tired, or stretched too thin ... it reminds you that even the tough moments are fleeting, and after all is said and done, you've got this little monster who is full of giggles and love (and poop and tantrums.) It's all about balance!”

What has surprised you about parenting that you could share with other moms?

“This is a no-brainer! Bonding with your baby can be hard! In the hospital, I was overwhelmed, tired, and totally freaked out. I knew I loved her more than anything, but still, she was a stranger. Then, the first couple of weeks at home I felt like I was babysitting. I kept wanting to bond, but it was a slow progression until we got to know each other. And once we did, it was incredible and so meaningful. Looking back, I'm not ashamed that was my experience because it's completely normal. But no one tells you that when you're pregnant or a new parent. Bonding can happen instantaneously, or it can take a little bit of time as you adjust to this massive new role, and to each other — and either way is totally okay!”

How do you encourage your daughter to be herself, even at this age?

“Anyone that meets Winnie is immediately enamored with her personality. She has been very outgoing and independent from a young age, and has this contagious energy that exudes happiness and a just a touch of crazy :) We want to foster that as much as possible, so we give her a lot of independent (but supervised!) play time so that she can let her brain run wild, but the second she pulls us in to play with her or reaches up those tiny hands to pick her up, we immediately join in. I want her to know that curiosity is the magic behind childhood, but we are always right there to guide her — and join in on the magic of her imagination!”

Sammi Verhey
Winnie’s mom