Motherhood changes us. Celebrate the ups and downs with these honest, insightful essays about becoming—and being—a mom.

"As moms raising fierce girls into the next generation of women leaders—leaders our world desperately needs—let’s celebrate the loudness and demands of our daughters that have so often been shunned."

Because doing so can foster their independence—and their creativity.

Every moment isn’t filled with laughter. Sometimes our tears hold the most weight. But it is all of these moments that make us mothers.

Thank you for seeing—really seeing—all the beauty in our day-to-day lives.

I took the classes. I read books. And even when everything is right, it is still hard—and demanding.

Happiness isn’t about the absence of sadness; happiness is about accepting that the human experience includes a wide range of emotions and all are valid.

These comments aren't meant to diminish the very real struggles of parenthood, but rather to recognize the joy in parenthood.

Because they have given me room to slow down, exhale and enjoy the journey.

"Mom guilt is the symptom of a disease plaguing motherhood. It is overwhelmingly an indictment of our society’s failures, not moms’ behavior."

Aunts are too-often the invisible but essential support system around families, and I can’t thank mine enough for the comfort they bring me.

Cancer comes in like a tornado and tears your life apart, and very few people understand that. They tell you to be strong or worse—to stay positive. Some friends show up in the most beautiful way and others stop showing up altogether. The losses hit hard.

I’ve come to realize that these hateful displays are not uncommon. They exist as prime examples of the intersection of breastfeeding shame and fatphobia.

As a mom to two boys, it is a great privilege and responsibility to raise sensitive boys, combat society’s tendency to spread toxic masculinity and teach them how to be emotionally aware humans.

Will we ever just let women be? Will we ever be able to move about the world in our uniquely amazing bodies without the judgments and criticisms and critiques?

I know this will mean having our work cut out for us, but with all of that comes lots more adventure, lots more laughter and lots more love.

Because these moments only happen once. And as quickly as they come, they are gone just as fast.

How an ex stripper taught me to stop being so hard on my body and myself.

Raising a "wild child" is not for the faint of heart.

While I live for adventure, my husband is more of a homebody. I’m used to traveling without him. I don’t feel bad about it, and neither does he, because we’re both doing what we want to do.

While I notably spend more time at home, the responsibility of the household does not solely fall on or depend on me.