Can I just be real for a minute?
No one tells you how hard motherhood will hit you. Maybe some women go through their entire child’s lifetime thinking “wow, I really have this under control.”
I’m just a little over 13 months in to my sweet baby’s life and I do NOT have anything under control yet.
The truth is that I had very different ideas of what motherhood would be than what it has turned out to be (that’s gotta be normal, right?).
Don’t get me wrong. It’s amazing to watch this little human – this miracle… that you CREATED – learn things. Grow. Develop. And just be totally awesome in ways you never knew possible.
I am amazed every time I see him gain a new skill – even if it involves pulling every item from the bottom three shelves of the bookshelf and each item has to be moved up to the next shelf (just slightly) out of reach.
Or how he learned to turn pages – that’s freaking amazing to watch for the first time. Until he learned how to rip half the pages out of most of my cookbooks.
Or how much he LOVES toilet paper… I’ve got to give the kid props for his attention to detail to get those pieces so very very tiny.

Almost everything has been half amazing, half terrifying, and half stress-inducing. That’s too many halves. But you get what I mean.
My ideal life as a mother involved a sweet darling little boy who nursed himself to to a happy deep sleep, then slumbered away for hours in his crib while I snuck away to get some mama time.
But reality hit hard when my little boy came along. And he is not that “normal” stereotypical baby who sleeps anywhere, loves to go for rides in the car to mellow out, or just snuggle.
This kid was brought to this planet for amazing things. But as far as I can tell, for MY life – he is meant to teach me patience and flexibility.
Take for example sleep.
My son has NEVER wanted to sleep independently – from the moment he came into the world. For the first five months of his life, I tried (very determined and naively) to get him to sleep on his own. This kid wasn’t going to sleep in a crib, in a carseat, in a bouncer, in a swing.
Nope, he still – to this day, at 13 months, will only nap in my arms. I know. It sounds crazy even typing it. But it’s my reality. (Side note: he can sleep on his own for the first few hours of the night which actually allows me a tiny reprieve during my day).
He loves his mama. He loves to nurse. He loves to nurse and sleep at the same time. He most certainly does not love to sleep alone. Which is why we have been co-sleeping. Or n0-sleeping as I like to call it.
All the “snuggling” at night actually means I get shoved off to the side of the bed and barely sleep all night, while in a weird contorted position, so I (hopefully) don’t wake him while moving. It’s absurd – and yet, it works for our family right now.
This minimal “me time” and less-than-great sleep has forced me to get a LOT more organized for mornings. That means planning ahead on what I’ll be eating – and oftentimes, preparing breakfast ahead of time, so I can sneak in a few extra(alone) minutes of sleep when my hubby lets me.
One of the breakfasts I’ve been making a lot lately is overnight oats. These are so easy to put together – and I like to create a double batch (for two of us) so I can double my efforts and meals. Plus they’re awesome, because you can eat them hot (warm them in the microwave) or just plain cold – which is great in the summer.


Here’s a few tips on how I put my overnight oats together:
- Add the liquid last
- Pump it up with some protein and/or superfoods
- Use any nut butter or non-dairy milk that you like – there’s no right or wrong
- Get creative with fruit or veggie combos (pumpkin, applesauce, or pureed berries would be great too!)
- Use any container with a lid that you like – pint-sized mason jars are great for this
Read on: Are oats gluten-free?

Almond Banana Overnight Oats
Makes one serving (double or triple for multiple servings)
Ingredients
- 1/2 banana
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (I like Silk Almondmilk or So Delicious Coconut Milk)
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in jar or bowl.
- Mix together.
- Cover with lid.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Pull out of fridge and dig in – or warm through in the microwave before enjoying.


Get the FREE Gluten-free Dairy-free Shopping List
Get access to the most comprehensive - and healthy! - gluten-free dairy-free shopping list around!
Plus get 5 sample gluten-free dairy-free recipes!
Jill says
I rarely leave comments on anything, and I don’t have the right words (possibly from the lack of sleep) to thank you enough for your candor. Everything you wrote describes my life to a T, down to my almost 13 month old who still only naps in my arms. I’ve yet to find another mama who has the same struggles with and feelings about motherhood that I do, and reading this gave me the boost I needed today. Thank you so much for sharing! Much love!
Newmom says
Me too!! π it’s been a hard few days. Thanks for this article.
Rachael Roehmholdt says
Thanks Jill for stopping by and commenting. It really is nice to know I’m not alone in this… even though it isn’t easy at all! π
Bethany says
I promise it gets better…eventually he will sleep on his own and you will feel sane again. I remember the struggle though. On a lighter note, the recipe you shared looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it to have something in the wings for those unorganized mornings getting kids to school and trying to get off to work in time. Thanks for sharing!
Rachael Roehmholdt says
Thanks Bethany for your encouragement! <3
Kity says
These are such a great idea! Have you made them for a couple days at a time or are they only good for one night in the fridge? Thank you.
Rachael Roehmholdt says
Hey Kity, thanks for stopping by and commenting! I’ve made them up to 3 nights ahead and they’ve turned out for me. They just soak up more of the liquid, which is a good thing for overnight oats!
tiffany rose says
wow. i don’t think i’ve ever heard anyone else describe my EXACT situation before. seriously, this brought tears to my eyes to know this is not JUST my story. maybe i’m not a giant failure! maybe i’m not somehow ruining my son because if i weren’t he’d be a better sleeper and not totally dependent on me! thank you for sharing this and keeping it real. thank you, thank you, thank you! and thank you for the oats recipe. game-changer.
also, how friggin’ amazing is that page turning thing?! thank the heavens for those little magical moments.
Rachael Roehmholdt says
Hi Tiffany, I’m so glad you stopped by and left a comment. You are NOT a giant failure. If you are, then I am too! I’m grateful to know that I’m not alone too.
Maureen says
I also thank you for sharing a bit about being a mother as I have a little one who naps best in my arms. It is nice to know that I am not alone out there. I do have a question about the recipe. Do I have to use non-dairy milk? Can I just use the regular milk I have at my house?
Rachael Roehmholdt says
Hi Maureen, you absolutely can use regular milk in the recipe. I write my recipes to be gluten- and dairy-free since I have food intolerances, but if you can enjoy milk with no issue, then by all means – do! π I’d love to know how they turn out.
Julia says
This is also my life right now! My 13 month old won’t sleep unless I’m beside her and wakes up if I leave the room..it’s nice to know I’m not alone π
Rachael Roehmholdt says
You are SO not alone, Julia. Every day is a learning experience for me. Learning to let go my expectations of who/what my son will be has been such a challenge, but also so great for me. He’s the one thing in the world that I have the most pride in and least control over. It’s such a strange thing to be a mom, but so incredibly rewarding.
Sarah says
I have a daughter who just turned 14 months, and I am so glad to read this. It is normal for them to want to sleep on/with you! Especially since my little one is getting molars, she’s all about the closeness for comfort. My husband is upstairs “doing her nap” right now so I can try to work on my blog. Great recipe, love overnight oats or chia puddings to make mornings easier too. Keep it up, mama!
Rachael Roehmholdt says
Thanks Sarah for your encouraging words! π You know what’s been rough for me is that my son will only be consoled by me. He wants nothing to do with my husband for naps or nighttime. I know this is pretty standard for breastfed babies, but it’s not easy to get time in to take care of myself. I’m hanging on to these moments now so that when he’s 15 and wants nothing to do with me, I’ll have these memories.