• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Rollin with my homies😜 we had a blast trying ou Rollin with my homies😜 we had a blast trying out the @cadillac XT6 for the week, it’s the perfect midsize suv with room for the whole family - giving you a closer look over in stories! Thank you to Cadillac for gifting us this experience!!
Mental health check in, how’s everyone doing?? I Mental health check in, how’s everyone doing?? I shared how I’m doing in stories today, we made it through the holidays but it was a lot harder than I thought. I’m sruggling in a few ways. Struggling on social media with the comparison game, struggling in general as a stay at home mom of two, struggling with a fussy two month old that doesn’t sleep, struggling that I’m unable to do things for me right now (like even go to the bathroom or shower alone), struggling with the omnipresent grief and anxiety, struggling with guilt — guilt over not giving my oldest enough attention, over wanting him to start back at school again, over not being happy and grateful 24/7.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If I learned anything last year it was to accept my feelings as they come and not label any as “bad,” so that’s what I’m working on, that’s my daily reminder. As my friend said to me today, this is hard, it’s the trenches!! Be gentle. It’s hard and wonderful all at once.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Check in below👇⁣⁣⠀
❤️ - I’m feeling great⁣⁣⠀
🧡 - I’m feeling ok⁣⁣⠀
💛 - I’m surviving⁣⁣⠀
💚 - I’m struggling⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Let’s show up and support each other and remind each other we’re not alone in these hard days🖤
Took this week to unplug and reflect. Wild year. M Took this week to unplug and reflect. Wild year. Mixed feelings about a new year is not foreign to me, this is how I felt last year going into 2020. 2019 was Liam’s year, it was the worst but it gave me a perspective I’ll never lose and one I carried into 2020.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Through hardship you grow.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2020 saw more focus on me, on my mental wellness + on my family. Less worrying about what people think of me, less apologizing, more doing what makes me happy (or gets me through the day). More of that in this space also. I’m not going to be everyone’s cup of tea so might as well be me, ALL of me💯✌️⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I’m not a resolution or goal setter when it comes to a new year, I try to focus on reflecting, releasing what doesn’t serve me any longer + manifesting/using affirmations to bring the good. Still working on what those are exactly for 2021!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
In the meantime I wanted to share some of my big 2020 memories and wish you all love, light, peace and healing in the new year✨⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1-2. Our new family unit🧡⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3-4. The birth of our daughter, Elora, the best thing to come out of 2020. She is the brightest light.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
5. Luca’s love for his sister + once again navigating a “new normal” in our family.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
6. Pregnancy after loss. Amidst a global pandemic. While wrangling a toddler. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done, it was pure survival mode (+ still is postpartum).⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
7. Growing the most beautiful dahlias and diving more into gardening than ever before, mostly as a form of therapy, AND sharing it all with you guys — connecting through our gardens was one of my favorite parts of the year + growing this community has brought me so much joy!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
8. Finding my groove and launching my oils business — never thought I would make more than my blogging income + be able to pay off debt😭⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
9. Luca turning 2 and weaning + potty training at the same time — his decisions, not mine!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
10. Liam’s due date in April. I remember wishing more than anything for the chance to deliver him healthy and full term, pandemic and all. We miss our boy + are moving forward WITH him, we’ll love him forever from afar❤️
Chaotic and beautiful and hard and exhausting and Chaotic and beautiful and hard and exhausting and awesome❤️ exactly how I want to remember this day. We’re sending you big love this Christmas, complete with our best “ewie smiles” (Luca’s term for silly faces🤣). I love how Doobie snuck his nose in there too!! Swipe for some special moments/things of the day❤️❤️
⋒ 8 weeks of Elora Leigh ⋒⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⠀ ⋒ 8 weeks of Elora Leigh ⋒⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
You have been here in our arms for almost two whole months and my heart still skips a beat when I wake up and see you next to me. You are truly here. I still can’t believe you’re real and you’re ours.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
At 8 weeks you’re not such a tiny babe anymore, you’ve doubled your birth weight and grew four inches — a testament to how much you love to eat😅🍼 (pic four is day 3 for reference!). Your chubby cheeks are also a testament to your love of milk😍😍 The super sleepy newborn days are over😭 You’re waking up more and more, crying more too (see pic three🤪), but still giving us good stretches of sleep (4-5 hours) at night. You don’t love cuddling with me as much as your brother did, I’m still in denial over that! And you’ve broken out of the swaddle, sleep sackin it up already! Luca loves you more than anything and is always wanting to hold you and help me clean your “spiggups,” he calls you “mista baby” and it killssss your dad and I every time🤣⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I feel like you just arrived but also like I’ve known you forever. Happy 8 weeks of life Elora, you are so loved💗⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
#8weeks #eloraleigh #watcheloragrow
Unpopular or popular opinion? Gratitude is hard wh Unpopular or popular opinion? Gratitude is hard when you’re struggling.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Gratitude, when forced, feels like shame. As the wise @sitwithwhit said the other day, it’s  the new toxic positivity — if we’re going to feel sad, then we better be grateful too.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
The pressure on the bereaved to feel and express gratitude in their grief is REAL.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
So here is my reminder — It’s ok to *not* balance out your pain with gratitude. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
To me, when gratitude is forced I feel inauthentic and ashamed. When everyone is talking about gratitude journals and how to “focus on the good,” I feel left out.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Let’s normalize expressing pain and grief without following it up with “BUT... gratitude.” It’s like saying that makes our pain seem more bearable from the outside. I get it. Grief is uncomfortable. Pain is ugly. It’s easier to look away. It’s easier to engage if the griever ends their thought on a positive, that’s the pressure. But what if I don’t feel positives in my pain?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If gratitude helps you to process your grief, that is really great. Everyone grieves differently. I spoke about this in stories today and 100s of you wrote in saying you felt heard. I’m happy it resonated, I’m always nervous to express these opinions but there are ALWAYS people out there who relate and need to hear it. You are my people❤️⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
So here are your reminders if you’re grieving or struggling this holiday season, or just reflecting on a hard year:⁣⁣⠀
❤️Be gentle with yourself, your feelings are valid.⁣⁣⠀
❤️You don’t owe anything to anyone, especially in your grief.⁣⁣⠀
❤️It’s ok to feel shitty, period. No ifs, ands, buts or justifications necessary.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Love you guys🤟🤟🤟⁣⁣⠀
📷: @mymotherhoodstory
This photo shoot took years off my life😅🤪 Do This photo shoot took years off my life😅🤪 Don’t let the cute faces fool you, it’s HARD to get a toddler to stay still and a newborn to not cry🤣 But we snapped a couple gems, these two quite literally light up my life💖 http://liketk.it/34ldF
Just love this little Christmas corner with all of Just love this little Christmas corner with all of our stockings🌲🥰 Anyone else getting snow tonight!? I’m excited! I love the snow and I love seeing the magic in Luca’s eyes, he just lights up over the littlest things and it makes this season so much brighter for us✨
.
I linked everything I could in the @liketoknow.it app or head to the link in my bio for my blog and holiday home decor post with all my winter home inspo❄️ http://liketk.it/345gU
Third postpartum, second c-section, a little more Third postpartum, second c-section, a little more prepared for recovery this time and it’s going a lot smoother. I shared some of my postpartum favorites/must haves in stories today as well as on the blog (link in my bio)! ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Also shared some tips I wish I knew the first time around like to not feel ashamed to ask for help or guilty for taking care of myself. That’s my biggest tip —⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Take care of yourself.⁣⁣⠀
Take care of yourself.⁣⁣⠀
Take care of yourself.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I can’t stress this enough. It’s the norm in our society to focus more on the baby than the mom but during the fourth trimester she needs care and attention now more than ever. You can’t take care of your baby without taking care of yourself first❤️⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Some other postpartum tips:⁣⁣⠀
🌿take all the pictures and take pictures with you in them, they will be absolute treasures to look back on, especially the ones where you look like crap (I promise you don’t actually look like crap, it’s real life though, which are the best to look back on)⁣⁣⠀
🌿you may not know what you’re doing but listen to your instincts, the mama instinct is strong and it’s REAL⁣⁣⠀
🌿take home all the things from the hospital (pads, disposable undies, abdominal binder, all of it)🙌⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If you are postpartum after loss you’re still postpartum but it’s even harder without your baby. Cabbage leaves, peppermint essential oil and a tight sports bra to help get rid of your milk supply. Find a grief counselor and a support group, validation and acknowledgement is everything. I’ve been there and it’s the literal worst, be gentle with yourself. You are still a mother❤️
📷 @jessicamicciophoto
  • About
  • Mom & Baby
    • Baby Loss
  • Beauty & Style
  • Garden
  • Home
  • Lifestyle
  • Wellness
    • Grab Your Oils Bundle
    • Oils Kit Intro
    • Ditch & Switch Guide
    • Favorite Young Living Products
    • About Essential Rewards
    • Why I Use Oils
  • Shop
    • Grab Your Oils Bundle
    • Shop My Amazon Storefront
    • Shop My Instagram
    • Shop Clean Skincare
    • Shop Instagram Stories
  • Nav Widget Area

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Christine Covino

- The Blog -

How To Plan An Organic Cut Flower Garden

March 26, 2019 / Gardening

Looking to grow an organic cut flower garden? Here is a nine easy-to-follow steps for beginners on how to plan an organic cut flower garden in any climate.

Congratulations! You’ve decided to start an organic cut flower garden (or any garden)! Gardening is truly one of the most fulfilling and therapeutic hobbies I have ever had and I hope to one day turn it into a full-time business. My dreams are big but I started small, just a few little plots in my yard filled with colorful blooms I can use throughout the season. It sounds more daunting that it is, I promise you. It all starts with the right plan, some elbow grease and the willingness to learn from your mistakes and keep going!

For a small garden like mine, it usually takes me a few afternoons to set the plan. Although there is much to consider, I try to be as thorough as possible when designing and planning. The more time spent up front, the better the results! Ideally, I do this in the dead of winter (December/January) so I have ample time to get my seeds ordered and work out any kinks. However, life usually happens (especially when you have kids!) and it’s totally ok to make your plan in the early Spring as well!

Starting a vegetable garden? These tips can also be fully applied to growing veggies!

Here are my nine easy-to-follow steps to planning an organic cut flower garden for beginners!

1. Set Your Goals & Assess Your Space

There are a few factors I like to consider and questions I ask myself when first sitting down to set my plan.

  • What are your goals for the garden? Is this strictly for your own pleasure? Are you wanting to give flowers to friends and neighbors? Are you a farmer trying to sell market bouquets? These are the very first questions to consider when coming up with your plan because your answers will determine other cascading factors.
  • How much space is available/how big would you like your garden to be? This is also key in figuring out your plan, it will determine how many plants you can (or want to) physically fit.

2. Choose Your Location Wisely

Growing cut flowers (and vegetables) requires ample sunlight; the bare minimum is 6 hours of hot, direct sun, but 8-10 is best. Ideally, your garden will also be away from standing water and any large root systems as these can hinder the growth of your flowers.

Also, consider proximity to a water source – make sure your garden is easily reached by a hose so you can water your plants!

Looking to grow an organic cut flower garden? Here is a nine easy-to-follow steps for beginners on how to plan an organic cut flower garden in any climate.

3. Get Your Soil Tested* for your organic cut flower garden

*Skip this step if you are doing raised beds.

If you haven’t already, get a soil test done once you’ve picked your exact location. It sounds daunting but the information you can gather from knowing exactly what you’re starting with is golden. You will have a much better idea of what is going on underneath the surface and what (if any) problems need fixing.

Depending on the lab you send it to, this test usually costs around $50 and will provide a comprehensive analysis of your garden’s soil. This includes trace minerals your soil might be lacking and, the best part is they give you recommendations on what types of amendments you can add to remedy any problems!

To collect the sample use a large spade to dig down roughly one foot below the surface. Remove a few tablespoons from the bottom of the whole and place them into a quart-size ball jar. Repeat the process in several other locations around your entire plot so you get samples from multiple different locations, until your jar is full. Label the jar clearly (or according to the specific lab’s requirements) and if you have multiple beds make sure to note to yourself as exact as you can where each jar was sampled.

Keep in mind getting a soil test done takes about two weeks. I send mine to the Cornell University Cooperative Extension but your state might have a more local lab. UMASS Soil and Plant Tissue Testing Lab is a great one that takes samples from all over the country.

4. Decide Your Design & Plant Spacing

First, I like to grab some graph paper and draw out my design. I am not artistically inclined (at all haha) so a simple birdseye view drawing suffices. I just want to start visualizing, seeing which plants I want to put where and what will make the most sense. You can be as detailed as you’d like with measurements and plant varieties – have fun with it!

Tip: Use a pencil, if you’re anything like me you’ll change your mind 29803 times before you’re done!

As far as plant spacing I am a big supporter of maximizing small spaces. That means I cut in half whatever the seed packet or plant ticket suggests. Most flowers grow wonderfully in half the space! I usually use 6″x6″ or 9″x9″ for my flowers. I learned this technique from my flower-farming mentor, Erin, of Floret Flower Farm out in Skagit Valley, WA. If you haven’t already you have to grab her book, Cut Flower Garden, it is my BIBLE when it comes to flower gardening and has hundreds of pages of invaluable information.

You can snag it RIGHT HERE, from Amazon! I also highly recommend signing up for her newsletter and following her blog!

5. Define Your Site

Next, physically lay out your site. This is exciting because the garden is starting to come to life!

Mark it out with stakes and flags if you are planting directly in the ground, or, if you’re making raised beds, check out my post HERE for a quick and affordable tutorial!

 

how to plan an organic cut flower garden

6. Order Seeds

This step is a hard one to place in an exact order, so do what works for you! Ideally, you want to order seeds during the winter but it’s important to have your plan set before you start spending money on seeds. Each year I get sucked down the rabbit hole and tempted by every new variety on the market, the beautiful photos of blooms get me every time! But having a plan in place first will definitely help reel you back in.

You can definitely wait until the last frost date to purchase seedlings/small plants but starting your garden from seed will save a bunch of money. It’s also super rewarding to watch something grow from basically nothing (mamas, you know what I mean!).

My suggestions for easy first-time annuals from seed? Zinnias, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Basil, and gomphrena. These are by far the easiest I’ve found from my experience but the world is your oyster! Try whatever you’d like! Its a trial and error process for sure but there is so much information out there so just make sure you do your research. The book I referenced above, has a ton of great, user-friendly info on hundreds of flower varieties, including how to start them from seed!

My favorite places to buy seeds? You can start at your local garden center, I love being able to actually talk to a staff member and ask questions. But here are my favorite online sources:

  • Floret Flower – For Heirloom and rare but absolutely BEAUTIFUL flower seed varieties
  • Renee’s Garden – My favorite for organic and heirloom veggie seeds
  • Johnny’s – Reliable, tested varieties and great mixes for beginners. They offer both flower and veggie seeds as well as tools, supplies and tons of info!
  • Eden Brothers – For bulbs and tubers like Gladiolus and dahlias

How to plan an organic cut flower garden

7. Amend Your Soil & Prep Beds

Here are my tips/reminders for amending your soil to get it where it needs to be:

  • First, remember everything begins and ends with soil, you get what you give. Flowers and veggie plants vigorously suck the nutrients out of the soil so I can’t stress enough that your soil has to be healthy and nutrient dense from the start.
  • Utilize compost – can’t speak highly enough of this stuff! Compost is king! It improves soil structure, provides essential nutrients and enhances fertility. It makes sandy soil retain water better and it makes clay soil drain better, like magic! You can find compost at your local garden center, either by the bag or by the yard.
  • Lucky for you if you got your soil tested! You can follow their super helpful recommendations on exactly what to do to amend your soil.
  • I amend our soil just before we plant in the early spring by mixing in compost – about 4 bags per 4’x8′ bed. But this is also a task you could do the leg work for in Autumn. After cleaning out your beds in the fall get a head start for next year by adding that compost or simply the fallen leaves that are starting to rot.
  • Consider adding beneficial nematodes and earth worm castings. Both carry essential nutrients to keep your soil strong AND they deter harmful pests that could come to attack your plants later in the season!

8. Watering & Organic Weed Management Plan

Before actually planting you’re going to want to think about your plan for watering and weed management.

Irrigation or even soaker hoses are a great option for two reasons – less work for you (YES!) and more moisture delivered directly too the plants’ roots/less water on the foliage. They are sometimes a pain to set up and can get clogged easily, especially in clay soils but they are definitely worth considering!

Watering Tip: Water in the morning! Plants like to hydrate throughout the hot, sunny days (much like humans!). Watering at night can cause rot and invite harmful fungi and diseases!

Whether you are using irrigation, a hose, a sprinkler or watering can just make sure you have your plan set.

As for organic weed management, my recommendations depend on garden size. Because we grow organically we do not use harmful chemicals in our garden. Our garden is relatively small so I weed by hand or use my good old collinear hoe to physically remove them. Remember, you’ll probably have to weed weekly this way!

Mulching is another great organic method for weed suppression in any size bed. Types of mulch include traditional, rotted leaves, straw or dried grass. Note that old hay is not good for mulch because it may harbor weed seeds.

9. Planting Time!

Yay! Time to plant and watch your garden flourish! Here are my quick tips for planting:

  • A butter knife works great for digging in small seedlings or use a small hand trowel for digging in bigger plants.
  • After planting, water seedlings in deeply to avoid shock from the transplanting and sprinkle holes with some mycorrhizal fungi. It’s a beneficial combination of fungi that helps plants root and physically strengthens their root systems.
  • Apply a weekly application of liquid seaweed and fish emulsion for the first 4-6 weeks (until the plants look lush, green, bushy and healthy). Our favorite brand for seaweed fertilizer and fish emulsion is Neptune’s Harvest, just follow the instructions on the labels.
  • We also apply compost tea once a month, this stuff is a game changer.

My last reminder… think of you plants as living, breathing life. Similarly to humans and animals, the better the plants are cared for in the beginning the better they’ll be for life.

10 Easiest Cut Flowers for Beginners

These babies grow prolifically from seed/tuber without much effort so as a beginner I would definitely jump in and try your hand with these picks!

  • Sunflowers
  • Zinnias
  • Cosmos
  • Gomphrena
  • Marigolds
  • Celosia
  • Herbs like sage, lavender and basil!
  • Peonies
  • Dahlias
  • Gladiolus

Congratulations, you made it to the end of the post! Please comment or email with any questions and good luck with your organic cut flower garden or vegetable garden!

Stay tuned for more of my gardening posts, I would love to hear if YOU have specific questions on planning your garden or ideas for future garden-related posts! Some ideas I’ve had are Support Systems for Flowers, Post-Harvest Flower Care, and My Favorite Farmer-Florist Tools – the possibilities are endless so I’d love to know what YOU want to see!

Recommended Book: Cut Flower Garden, Erin Benzakein

Recommended Seed & Bulb Sources: Floret Farm, Eden Brothers, Renee’s Garden

Photo Credit: My Motherhood Story

Photo Shoot Location: Tiny Hearts Farm

Looking for more gardening posts? Check these out!

9 Tips for a Low Maintenance Veggie Garden

How to Map, Plan & Plant Your Veggie Garden

DIY Raised Garden Beds

Complete Guide to Growing and Harvesting Peonies

Seed Starting for  Beginners

Gardening Supplies Favorites

Quick Tips for Long-Lasting Lilacs

Mums Tips and Tricks

And more coming soon! Sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date on new gardening posts!

Looking to grow an organic cut flower garden? Here is a nine easy-to-follow steps for beginners on how to plan an organic cut flower garden in any climate.

signature

Subscribe to the Blog!


Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trackbacks

  1. Grow Like a Pro: Seed Starting for Beginners - Christine Covino says:
    April 26, 2019 at 5:33 pm

    […] Click HERE to check out my garden planning post – all the ins and outs of getting started! […]

    Reply
  2. QUICK, EASY & INEXPENSIVE DIY RAISED GARDEN BEDS - Christine Covino says:
    March 30, 2020 at 6:08 pm

    […] Garden Planning for Beginners […]

    Reply
  3. 9 Tips for a Low Maintenance Vegetable Garden - Christine Covino says:
    May 12, 2020 at 1:33 pm

    […] a garden plan is a crucial part of keeping your garden low maintenance for the season. It keeps you organized, […]

    Reply
  4. A Complete Guide to Growing and Harvesting Peonies - Christine Covino says:
    May 18, 2020 at 12:01 pm

    […] Garden Planning for Beginners […]

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Meet Christine!

Click here to learn more about me!

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Instagram

Rollin with my homies😜 we had a blast trying ou Rollin with my homies😜 we had a blast trying out the @cadillac XT6 for the week, it’s the perfect midsize suv with room for the whole family - giving you a closer look over in stories! Thank you to Cadillac for gifting us this experience!!
Mental health check in, how’s everyone doing?? I Mental health check in, how’s everyone doing?? I shared how I’m doing in stories today, we made it through the holidays but it was a lot harder than I thought. I’m sruggling in a few ways. Struggling on social media with the comparison game, struggling in general as a stay at home mom of two, struggling with a fussy two month old that doesn’t sleep, struggling that I’m unable to do things for me right now (like even go to the bathroom or shower alone), struggling with the omnipresent grief and anxiety, struggling with guilt — guilt over not giving my oldest enough attention, over wanting him to start back at school again, over not being happy and grateful 24/7.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If I learned anything last year it was to accept my feelings as they come and not label any as “bad,” so that’s what I’m working on, that’s my daily reminder. As my friend said to me today, this is hard, it’s the trenches!! Be gentle. It’s hard and wonderful all at once.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Check in below👇⁣⁣⠀
❤️ - I’m feeling great⁣⁣⠀
🧡 - I’m feeling ok⁣⁣⠀
💛 - I’m surviving⁣⁣⠀
💚 - I’m struggling⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Let’s show up and support each other and remind each other we’re not alone in these hard days🖤
Took this week to unplug and reflect. Wild year. M Took this week to unplug and reflect. Wild year. Mixed feelings about a new year is not foreign to me, this is how I felt last year going into 2020. 2019 was Liam’s year, it was the worst but it gave me a perspective I’ll never lose and one I carried into 2020.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Through hardship you grow.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2020 saw more focus on me, on my mental wellness + on my family. Less worrying about what people think of me, less apologizing, more doing what makes me happy (or gets me through the day). More of that in this space also. I’m not going to be everyone’s cup of tea so might as well be me, ALL of me💯✌️⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I’m not a resolution or goal setter when it comes to a new year, I try to focus on reflecting, releasing what doesn’t serve me any longer + manifesting/using affirmations to bring the good. Still working on what those are exactly for 2021!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
In the meantime I wanted to share some of my big 2020 memories and wish you all love, light, peace and healing in the new year✨⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1-2. Our new family unit🧡⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3-4. The birth of our daughter, Elora, the best thing to come out of 2020. She is the brightest light.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
5. Luca’s love for his sister + once again navigating a “new normal” in our family.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
6. Pregnancy after loss. Amidst a global pandemic. While wrangling a toddler. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done, it was pure survival mode (+ still is postpartum).⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
7. Growing the most beautiful dahlias and diving more into gardening than ever before, mostly as a form of therapy, AND sharing it all with you guys — connecting through our gardens was one of my favorite parts of the year + growing this community has brought me so much joy!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
8. Finding my groove and launching my oils business — never thought I would make more than my blogging income + be able to pay off debt😭⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
9. Luca turning 2 and weaning + potty training at the same time — his decisions, not mine!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
10. Liam’s due date in April. I remember wishing more than anything for the chance to deliver him healthy and full term, pandemic and all. We miss our boy + are moving forward WITH him, we’ll love him forever from afar❤️
Chaotic and beautiful and hard and exhausting and Chaotic and beautiful and hard and exhausting and awesome❤️ exactly how I want to remember this day. We’re sending you big love this Christmas, complete with our best “ewie smiles” (Luca’s term for silly faces🤣). I love how Doobie snuck his nose in there too!! Swipe for some special moments/things of the day❤️❤️
⋒ 8 weeks of Elora Leigh ⋒⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⠀ ⋒ 8 weeks of Elora Leigh ⋒⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
You have been here in our arms for almost two whole months and my heart still skips a beat when I wake up and see you next to me. You are truly here. I still can’t believe you’re real and you’re ours.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
At 8 weeks you’re not such a tiny babe anymore, you’ve doubled your birth weight and grew four inches — a testament to how much you love to eat😅🍼 (pic four is day 3 for reference!). Your chubby cheeks are also a testament to your love of milk😍😍 The super sleepy newborn days are over😭 You’re waking up more and more, crying more too (see pic three🤪), but still giving us good stretches of sleep (4-5 hours) at night. You don’t love cuddling with me as much as your brother did, I’m still in denial over that! And you’ve broken out of the swaddle, sleep sackin it up already! Luca loves you more than anything and is always wanting to hold you and help me clean your “spiggups,” he calls you “mista baby” and it killssss your dad and I every time🤣⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I feel like you just arrived but also like I’ve known you forever. Happy 8 weeks of life Elora, you are so loved💗⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
#8weeks #eloraleigh #watcheloragrow
Unpopular or popular opinion? Gratitude is hard wh Unpopular or popular opinion? Gratitude is hard when you’re struggling.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Gratitude, when forced, feels like shame. As the wise @sitwithwhit said the other day, it’s  the new toxic positivity — if we’re going to feel sad, then we better be grateful too.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
The pressure on the bereaved to feel and express gratitude in their grief is REAL.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
So here is my reminder — It’s ok to *not* balance out your pain with gratitude. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
To me, when gratitude is forced I feel inauthentic and ashamed. When everyone is talking about gratitude journals and how to “focus on the good,” I feel left out.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Let’s normalize expressing pain and grief without following it up with “BUT... gratitude.” It’s like saying that makes our pain seem more bearable from the outside. I get it. Grief is uncomfortable. Pain is ugly. It’s easier to look away. It’s easier to engage if the griever ends their thought on a positive, that’s the pressure. But what if I don’t feel positives in my pain?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If gratitude helps you to process your grief, that is really great. Everyone grieves differently. I spoke about this in stories today and 100s of you wrote in saying you felt heard. I’m happy it resonated, I’m always nervous to express these opinions but there are ALWAYS people out there who relate and need to hear it. You are my people❤️⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
So here are your reminders if you’re grieving or struggling this holiday season, or just reflecting on a hard year:⁣⁣⠀
❤️Be gentle with yourself, your feelings are valid.⁣⁣⠀
❤️You don’t owe anything to anyone, especially in your grief.⁣⁣⠀
❤️It’s ok to feel shitty, period. No ifs, ands, buts or justifications necessary.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Love you guys🤟🤟🤟⁣⁣⠀
📷: @mymotherhoodstory

JOIN THE TRIBE

______________________________

Thank You!


You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Recent Posts

Postpartum Mama Must Haves

One Month Postpartum Update

Categories

  • Baby Loss
  • Beauty & Style
  • Gardening
  • Gift Guides
  • Home
  • Lifestyle
  • Mom & Baby
  • Travel
  • Wellness

Trending Posts

Who loves a good sale? This year I am obsessed with the 2018 Nordstrom Sale that is happening now! Be sure to check my faovirtes so you can get yours!

Labor Day Sales

American Eagle Try-On | December

Thanksgiving Favorites

Container Garden Tips: How To Keep Your Flowers Blooming All Summer Long

Copyright © 2021 · Christine Covino · Site Credit · Branding by High Note Designs · Privacy Policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy