Author Archives: Mallary Tenore Tarpley

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I worked from home as the director of a nonprofit. “That’s so nice!” people would say. “You won’t have to pay for childcare!” I remember being surprised by how many people assumed that I would work from home full-time andwatch my baby full-time. It was hard for me toContinue reading “Tips for moms who work from home”

Some fun news: I’m going to start writing for Austin Moms Blog. It’ll be a nice way to keep up with my writing (on the side, in addition to my job) and meet other local moms. I’m a fan of mom blogs because they connect women who are at similar stages in life. They canContinue reading “Becoming an Austin Moms Blog contributor”

Before I could even fit into a training bra, I’d feel my chest for lumps. I was always fearful that I’d find a lump and get the same disease that killed mom when she was 40. For years after Mom died of breast cancer, I worried and saw boobs as nothing more than a breedingContinue reading “How donating breast milk helped me heal and nourished babies in need”

Since the beginning of the year I’ve donated almost 1,300 ounces of breast milk to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Austin. The Austin milk bank, which is the largest one in the country, distributes donated milk to premature and ill babies around the greater Austin area and other cities throughout the country. Most of theContinue reading “Donating breast milk to babies in need”

It’s one of those weeks where I’m feeling the weight of being a working mom, between dealing with Tucker’s 4:30 a.m. wake-ups, Madelyn’s difficult and drawn-out tantrums, a busy work and conference schedule, and two hours of commuting each day. But then I look at photos like this one, and I’m reminded of how deepContinue reading “Trying to find work-life harmony”

Troy and I were supposed to go to a wedding in Fort Lauderdale this weekend — our first weekend getaway sans kids in over a year. But our childcare plans fell through, so I cancelled my flight to stay home with the kids. I encouraged Troy to still go, since the wedding is for oneContinue reading “Navigating the unpredictability of parenthood”

It’s hard to believe that Mom’s been gone for 21 years. The anniversary of her death is my least favorite day of the year, but it’s gotten a lot easier with time, and especially since becoming a mom. Being a mom makes me feel closer to my own mom, partly because I can now empathizeContinue reading “21 years later, still missing mom”

  I’ve loved watching Madelyn and Tucker get to know one another over these past few months. They’re both growing up in their own little ways. Tucker rolled over for the first time yesterday, and Madelyn — who turns 2 next week — has started talking more and is learning how to climb, run, jump,Continue reading “Celebrating small wins as a working mom”

Picking Madelyn and Tucker up from daycare is my favorite time of day. The hours that follow are often chaotic, as we rush to get them home, fed, and ready for bed while tending to tantrums and tears. But the actual end-of-day reunion is always a moment for the memory books. When I walk intoContinue reading “Making it work as a working parent”