Welcome back to the Meet a Mama Monday series! On periodic Mondays we’ll introduce you to a mama from our village. This week we’re featuring another one of our teacher mamas, Kelly Virgin.
Meet Kelly! Kelly is mama to Harper and expecting her second baby girl this summer. She’s held the title of mom for two and a half years, has been a regular Strider with us at FIT4MOM Downingtown since July 2018 and is a high school English teacher.
Kelly is originally from Yardley, PA in Bucks County. Attending college at West Chester University brought her out this way, she loved it so much that she never went back!
Kelly had a really hard time getting back into a gym routine after Harper was born - the mom guilt over working all day and then leaving her for another hour to workout was strong. When summer rolled around she saw a group of women working out at the park with their strollers and practically ran home to Google it. The next week she joined in for her free introductory class and has been coming back every week since!
Make sure to say hi to Kelly next time you see her in class!
What’s your favorite thing about being a mom?
Getting to see this little person change and grow and develop everyday. Since I've been home with Harper for the past month, I feel like I've noticed all these nuances to her personality that I might have missed out on if I were still so busy going into work everyday. I love watching her learn and discover new things. She is constantly reminding me how important it is to slow down and enjoy experiencing the little moments.
What's the hardest thing for you about being a mom?
The self-doubt. Always wondering if you're doing enough, doing too much, doing it the right way.
What advice do you have for new moms?
Make friends with other new moms. They are the only people who will truly get what you are experiencing. They can lend you an empathetic ear, give you advice when you need it, commiserate and celebrate with you. They are the only ones who will take a genuine interest in looking at and discussing your pictures of baby poop. They are the only ones who will respond to your middle of the night messages when you're up cluster feeding. They are the only people who will be able to quiet that nagging voice of self-doubt and they will need you just as much for all the same reasons.
What do you wish you would have known before your first child came to be?
How fast it all really does go by. Everyone says it, but you don't actually get it until it's passing you by. While I love my toddler, there are times I just wish I could hold her as an infant again or watch her learn to crawl or start to wobble around on chubby legs. I miss the baby she used to be and I wish I had savored it just a little more while it was happening.
What’s your best mom hack?
When Harper was younger we could only get her to nap by taking her for a car ride. So, instead of driving her around in circles everyday, I would strap her into her infant car seat in her room and play wind noises to get her to sleep.
Fun facts about you?
We own a camper and in the summer we spend almost every weekend away enjoying the outdoors at different campgrounds.