Motherhood In Progress (Ashley Embers)

Hey guys, welcome to week 12 of my pregnancy! This week I've really started to feel like myself again and gotten some motivation back. I've also been doing well mentally and sometimes feel excitement for adding a second babe. Enjoy!

Hey guys, welcome to week 13 of my pregnancy! This week I'm finally in the second trimester and feeling good! I definitely have more motivation to get things done around the house even though Im still struggling with fatigue. Im overall feeling good about life and the pregnancy and Im so thankful for that. I hope you enjoy!

Hey guys, welcome to week 14 of my pregnancy! This week has been pretty steady baby-wise. My symptoms have chilled out and the baby is just growing as per usual. Mentally I'm dealing with some external things that have been getting me down but I'm also trying to focus on all the things Im thankful for. I hope you enjoy!

Hey guys, welcome to week 15 of my pregnancy! This week was a full one between my second midwife appointment and a ski trip for the weekend. The biggest thing that happened was that I finally puked which was unexpected seeing that I'm in the second trimester. Either way, it was still a good week and I hope you enjoy this episode!

Hey guys, welcome to week 16 of my pregnancy! This week has been good besides my pregnancy hormones making me stressed out that I can't nest until the renovations are done. I also was dealing with crazy vivid dreams that are ruining my sleep. But overall I'm doing really well and am enjoying the peace of the second trimester. Enjoy! 

Hey guys, welcome to weeks 17 & 18 of my pregnancy. I combined these weeks because Rook and I were sick in week 17. We've since recovered and are back at it with updates on how the baby has grown, how my symptoms have changed, and how I'm doing mentally. I hope you enjoy!

Hey guys, welcome to week 19 of my pregnancy. This week was pretty good besides the rainy weather getting me down. I also puked again which wasn't great but was short-lived. I'm just surprised that I did puke in the first trimester but I'm puking in the second. I also had a date night with josh which was the first date we've had in months. It was super nice getting to prioritize our marriage. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

Hey guys! I combined the weeks 20 and 21 just because I completely forgot to record an episode last week but oh well. These weeks were fun because we got to see the baby move around on the ultrasound and it made it so real that we're going to be adding a little person to our family. I hope you enjoy this episode and stick around for more!

Hey guys, welcome to a whole MONTH of my pregnancy. I've been gone and as much as I feel bad about it, I couldn't help but take the break. Between potty training rook and the pregnancy exhaustion, I just haven't been able to keep up with the podcast. I am back though and the podcast isn't over! It just might be a bit more sporadic. I hope you enjoy this catch-up!

Hey guys, welcome to weeks 27-28 of my pregnancy! I didn't have too much going on over these weeks besides my glucose test and some blood work. I'm feeling really good about entering the third trimester and the baby coming in a few months! I hope you enjoy!

Hey guys, welcome to weeks 29-30 of my pregnancy, We had a lot of stress these past two weeks with some health complications that lead to an admission to the hospital. I hope you enjoy this episode and stick around!

Hey guys, welcome to weeks 31 to 36 of my pregnancy! I know I've been MIA for the past month but being in my third trimester with a toddler has knocked me on my butt. Today I update you on everything that has been going on including some prodromal labor and a complication with my fundal height. I hope you enjoy and stick around!

Hey guys, welcome back to another few weeks of my pregnancy. In this episode, I take you through weeks 37-39 and the updates I have on my fundal height measurement. The baby has potentially been diagnosed with fetal growth restriction but I'm hopeful they're doing well. I hope you enjoy and stick around!

Welcome to the last episode of my pregnancy journey! This is my birth story, as you can see, and boy was it ever a rollercoaster. This episode is really long because SO much went down before baby Finn arrived so settle in and enjoy!

Hey guys, I'm back and ready to share more with you about motherhood. Now that I've actually had my baby,  I want to share my thoughts and experiences as I continue to grow through motherhood. In this episode, I talk about how the transition to two kids has gone and my general struggles this past month.

Gen Z has been labeled as lazy workers who won't amount to anything because of their lack of workplace skills. This month I dive into why gen has these labels and if there's any validity to them. 

Today's kids have more toys than ever, but it's never enough. The average American child receives 70 toys a year between parents buying the next best toys or just trying to put a smile on their child's face. The marketing industry also plays a big role in this trying to squeeze out every last dollar from desperate parents looking to solve childhood boredom. This epidemic of toys doesn't just cost us financially though, it also is inhibiting creativity and ruining play for children. Enjoy!

It seems that todays preteens are completely skipping over the transitional stage from childhood to teen life. They don't have awkward phases anymore, they don't have preteen-specific media anymore, and they don't dress like preteens either. It's like they go straight from childhood to acting like adults. So who's to blame? Well of course social media has played a big role, but there are a lot of other factors as well. Enjoy this deep dive into how preteen life has changed and if it's for the better or worse!

We all have been hearing that the rates of marriage have been on the decline, but we aren't talking enough about what that means for us. There are actually a lot of aspects of our society that are reliant on the adaptation of marriage and so when it stops happening, there are some consequences. This conversation is more than just about the empowerment of people choosing a life outside of marriage, but of the real-life implications of doing so. Enjoy!

In a world where algorithms rule our screens and social media shapes our days, something feels off. The internet, once a vibrant hub of connection and creativity, now feels like a trap—an endless cycle of trends and sameness. With 63% of the global population plugged in, we’re left wondering: are we still in control, or have we surrendered to the algorithm? Today we discuss the unsettling reality of late-stage social media, where the promise of personalization has given way to cultural stagnation and a creeping loss of autonomy.

Welcome to 2030, where the idea of owning nothing and being happy feels less like a utopian dream and more like a dystopian reality. As subscription models dominate, consumers are losing control over what they buy, from printers requiring monthly fees to eBooks that can vanish overnight. For Gen Z, raised in a world prioritizing access over ownership, this shift means a future where personal property, creativity, and even control over basic utilities are slipping into corporate hands.

Hello and welcome to weeks 4 and 5 of my pregnancy! These weeks have been a whirlwind of trying to adjust to the idea of having a second baby. In this episode, I share how I'm doing with this new information, and let's just say it's been a lot of processing. 

Hey Guys! Welcome to week 6 of my pregnancy. This week all the first trimester symptoms hit me and it was a bit overwhelming. I also talk about getting in with my midwifery and how I'm mentally doing with the pregnancy. Enjoy!

Hey guys, welcome to week 7 of my pregnancy! This week I have been adjusting to all my symptoms and some new ones. I also started getting my bump in which is blowing my mind because last time it took so long! As well, my mindset is starting to shift away from fear with this baby but I know I still have a lot of time to get excited.

Welcome to week 8 of my pregnancy! This week was over the Christmas holiday and was it ever busy.  My fatigue really kicked in after Christmas was over but besides that, I'm doing okay. I also had my first midwife appointment which was exciting! Mentally I'm doing a bit better and I go into an encounter that is helping me cope. Enjoy!

Welcome to week 9 of my pregnancy! This week was another struggle trying to balance mom life, pregnancy life, and on top of that, a sick husband. I also had the crazy realization that this isn't just a pregnancy, but that I'm getting a baby out of it and that freaked me out haha. Plus there was the peeling tongue... Enjoy!

Hey guys! A lot has happened this week between personal life and pregnancy. Our family got sick so trying to navigate that was a struggle. I also had my first ultrasound which was amazing especially when Ive felt so distant from this baby. I hope you enjoy and stick around!

Hey guys, welcome to week 11 of my pregnancy. This week was my first in person midwife appointment which was really chill. Being the second pregnancy, most of the health concerns that rose up last pregnancy are already dealt with. I am starting to feel like I'm physically coming out of the first trimester as my symptoms are subsiding. Overall Im feeling a lot more positive this week. I hope you enjoy!