After a 30-day waiting period required by Virginia statute, the city will be able to remove the statues of Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
Stories BY BRIANNA BELL
Jan 25, 2021 When I gave birth to my first child, nearly nine years ago, the attachment parenting philosophy was gaining traction. As a 22-year-old mom, I wasn’t ready to forge my own path into motherhood. I bought a Baby Bullet and attempted to make baby food, I breastfed on demand and I co-slept with my wriggly infant. When one friend recommended that I purchase a popular cotton wrap to carry my baby everywhere, I relented. I spent a precious $80 on this long piece of cloth, and watched a YouTube instruction video that seemed far too complicated. I tried, desperately, to wrap my tiny newborn up into the confusing cotton contraption, but we both ended up red-faced and crying in the end.
“So, are we going to have fish tacos for Christmas dinner?” I asked my partner this question somewhat in jest, somewhat seriously. We were just realizing that, once again, we would be celebrating a major holiday solely with members of our immediate household. Usually our family combines forces with my side (my partner’s family mostly live in a different country) and we split the tasks for a big turkey dinner so that everyone makes, at most, two dishes. Put it together, and it’s a feast for 25+ people without too much work for any one family. But without this potluck approach, I wasn’t sure I felt like making all the main course dishes and desserts, plus clean up. It never felt too much like a chore with family; in fact, there were always some wonderful conversations while doing dishes.