Catherine Hiles
Cat is a mama to two gorgeous kiddos: Rose (April 2015) and Liam (August 2018). She has lived in the Dayton area since 2007, when she moved from her home in the UK to be with her American husband. During the day, Cat works as the creative manager at Naked Lime Marketing in Kettering. Outside of work, she enjoys winding down by reading, writing, running, lifting weights, and cooking.
The Questions Kids Ask
Like most 5-year-olds, my daughter Rose is full of questions. Some of them are pretty easy to answer, while some I don't have a clue how to answer. Some of them I can't answer...
Hindsight is 2020: Reflections on a Stressful Year
The year 2020 started for me like many before it - with me sound asleep in bed at the stroke of midnight. I am a creature of habit and it's hard for me to...
And Dog Makes Five [Adding a Pup to Our Crew]
A few weeks before my birthday this year, my husband Ben asked what I would like as a gift. As usual, I couldn't think of anything because I'm at the stage in my life...
My COVID-19 Kid-Life Crisis
As I write this post, I am the parent of an almost-kindergartener and an almost-2-year-old. In fact, my son will turn 2 on the same day my daughter will start school, and all these...
What’s Getting You Through 2020?
In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a lot of heavy stuff going on in the world right now. Between the pandemic, civil rights violations, and trying to decide what my daughter’s first year of...
5 Socially-Distanced Ways to Keep Your Kids Cool This Summer
This summer is going to be an interesting one. Some pools aren’t opening, while others have strict capacity rules that will make it harder, if not outright impossible, to just drop by on a...
When Baby Becomes a Daredevil Toddler
As I have been working from home with my kiddos over the last couple of months, I have seen my sweet little baby boy turning into a daredevil toddler right before my eyes. This...
Working From Home… With Kids… During a Pandemic
In a normal week, I work from home every Monday. It’s my way of easing back into the work week after a busy, noise-filled weekend. I enjoy having a quiet day at home alone...
3 Things My Kids Have Taught Me About Being a Good Person
Since becoming a parent five years ago, I have learned a lot. First, there was the typical how-to-change-a-diaper-and-keep-a-baby-alive, but as my daughter has grown up and my son has joined our family, my learning...
4 Things I’ve Learned About Parenthood
Recently, I was listening to an episode of my favorite podcast, Judge John Hodgman (look it up if you’ve never heard it). They were hearing cases from couples who clearly didn’t have children and...
Baby Led Weaning: Is it Right for You?
When my daughter Rose was old enough to eat solid food, I did the usual. Started her on rice cereal, then oatmeal, and eventually pureed fruits and vegetables. She pretty much loved whatever we...
Breaking Up With the Bathroom Scale
Like many people, I have an interesting relationship with my bathroom scale. We’ve been through a lot together over the years. Sometimes we don’t talk for weeks or even months, but then I find...
The Best Dressed Preschooler
My 4-year-old daughter, Rose, is a very independent and strong-willed girl. Ever since she could talk, she has wanted to make her own decisions. As a parent, I know this will serve her well...
Survival Guide: Long-Haul Flights With Toddlers
Every other year, I make the trek back to my home country for a couple of weeks to see my family. This has been a pretty regular occurrence for me since moving to Dayton...