My Transition from "Party Diva" to Stay at Home Mom of 7

Yes you read it correctly, and NO, that wasn't a typo, I said "seven" children, haha! If you're single and hoping to start a family soon or a new mom who's still quite getting the hang of a new life called "Motherhood", or....a Busy mom wishing to relate to my situation, this one is for you!

Yes, it's been 12 years since the last time I considered myself a happy-go-lucky "DIVA" who lived life to the fullest---dancing, drinking, keeping up with the latest fashion & trends, traveling & relaxing, dating, dining, hanging out at the Spa, keeping up with my fabulous friends, etc. I was basically out there enjoying my time and freedom being single. In other words, I had a fabulous time!!!  That pretty much explains the whole concept behind Diva2Mom... the last 12 years!

I remembered being a totally different person back then. I had a great-paying job in DC Metro and lived in a fancy and well-decorated studio apartment, overlooking the amazing views surrounding Georgetown, and other tall buildings downtown of Washington DC. At night, since I lived by myself, I always looked forward to coming home from work so I could enjoy the breathtaking view that was accessible from my own windows, with a glass of red wine of course, and the soothing sounds of Jazz.

I must say, my life was pretty easy back then. I'd go to work, which was only a walking distance from my apartment, and enjoyed working as a Clinical Research Analyst/Global Medical Research Investigator. I loved exactly what I did so much that I became a "workaholic", and a serious career-minded person.  I even went back to school to get my second Bachelor's Degree in Computer Networking as I became more ambitious. Don't even ask me if marriage ever came across my mind back then, haha, because I was in the zone to work hard and get my career goin'.

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As I said...life was quite luxurious and amazingly fabulous back then simply because "Day-In and Day-Out", it was ALL ABOUT whatever I could enjoy that was easy and fun. During the work week, working hard to be good at my job was exactly that, EASY and FUN. I loved socializing with my co-workers, and at nighttime, there were so many adventures to choose from: Bar-hopping, Fine-Dining, Casual Dining, Dancing to Trance at whatever "happening" club seemed to be IN at the time. I was also fond of simply chillin' at home by myself or with my fellow "Divas"!

My life calendar was pretty much predictable in a way, but not all the way, because sometimes I'd change my mind at the last minute and do something unexpected or unplanned. It was predictable in a way that I would work on weekdays, but when the weekend came, I was always ready to unwind, relax, and party to the max.

My weekends were fully reserved for my own personal enjoyment and entertainment, nothing else. Saturday morning was my most favorite day and time to go out and shop for a new outfit to be worn later at night. I was so into myself that I'd spend so much money at the Spa alone just to give me that beauty boost that I thought I needed. As a beauty-conscious person, I'd also splurge on make-ups, moisturizers, perfumes, and other top beauty products that would complement well with my outfits. These were important things to me back then.

"Monica Stewart T.G.I.F."- Amazon.com

As far as my diva outfit goes, I had my own personal Fashion assistant/consultant to assist me, my own Fashionista friend Jon. We both made sure that my complete wardrobe for each event( head-to-toe) including shoes, jewelries and handbags, etc. were all perfectly and beautifully chosen. And it's good thing I made a lot of extra money back then to support my "diva" style, because it surely WAS NOT CHEAP! As the old saying goes..."How I wish I knew then..." what I definitely know NOW... that these material things were just NOT necessary (as I thought) to make me truly happy as a person. If I could have saved all that money for my children to have now....UGH! :) We live and learn I suppose!


Oh well, I had a blast anyway and I must say, I should not regret it at all. It was also a big part of my "past" life and it was absolutely amazing and memorable! I'll never ever forget it! This "Livin' La Diva Loca" life experience has actually taught me a LOT and has given me the right, positive attitude to stay simple and humble now, and most importantly, to happily embrace all the changes in my life now as a hands-on mother of 7.

Yup, my old "fabulous" diva lifestyle has definitely helped me realize that my new life now as a stay-at-home mom may not be as easy and luxurious as it used to be. However, the life of being a mom of 7 definitely gives me more peace, happiness, love and satisfaction.

New mothers enter the world of parenting feeling much like Alice in Wonderland.

- Being a mother is one of the most rewarding jobs on earth and also one of the most challenging.
- Motherhood is a process. Learn to love the process.
- There is a tremendous amount of learning that takes place in the first year of your baby's life; the baby learns a lot, too.
- It is sometimes difficult to reconcile the fantasy of what you thought motherhood would be like, and what you thought you would be like as a mother, with reality.
- Take care of yourself. If Mommy isn't happy, no one else in the family is happy either.
- New mother generally need to lower their expectations.
- A good mother learns to love her child as he is and adjusts her mothering to suit her child."

-Debra Gilbert Rosenberg-

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"Motherhood is an amazing thing; it teaches me to love unconditionally.

It helps me get up right away when I fall down. Whenever I think of my children, I always find strength no matter what I go through.

I know that in order to be a good mother, I always have to be strong for them. In order to be strong, I have to bond with them like there's no tomorrow. I cherish every moment because everything we do together highlights the essence of my motherhood.

Motherhood keeps me busy, and the feeling of being needed by my children each day, in nurturing and raising them to prepare them for the future, is the great joy, pride and strength that keep me alive and goin.

I love it! I thank the good Lord each day for choosing me to be a mother of 7 children."

-Veronica

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Motherhood, as we all know, is a lifetime passion and commitment. It requires a lot of love and patience. A nurturing, caring mom will always put her children FIRST before herself.

What makes Motherhood so unique and beautiful is its way of connecting the hearts between the mother and child endlessly. The special love and bonding between the two is what Motherhood is all about. That's why Motherhood has become my new life, passion, devotion and HAPPINESS. Yes, my true happiness.

The difference between my life back then and now is clear and huge. Yes I had much easier life back then and lived incomparably luxurious ...but the question is: Was I really happy, or maybe I just loved being SO into myself?

The Answer is simple: Even with all that "glittery and glamorous-sounding" lifestyle of a "happy-go-lucky" diva that I used to have back then, I was actually still NOT content; something was still missing in my life.

As soon as I woke up in the morning from partying a night before, I would sit in my apartment and stare at the wall thinking, "now what?" There seemed to be an emptiness there. ..and I was not fulfilled as a person.

No matter what I did before, I was NEVER content. I thought I was happy...then I realized, after all, I was NOT.
I ONLY found out that I was actually miserable when I finally became a mother, because then I had a perfect opposite lifestyle to compare it with.

It's ONLY through MOTHERHOOD that I've experienced REAL CONTENTMENT and TRUE HAPPINESS. I feel much happier, more peaceful, more satisfied and fulfilled.

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When push comes to shove, a Mom has to do what a Mom has to do! Many of us have been out in the workplace, working back and forth from the office, only to come home and work even harder in the home with our children.

Today though, Moms have the opportunity to make money and save money by sharing their experiences and networking with other folks out there who now find themselves working out of their home.

Mothers have often been the first to realize that the home is not only where you hang your hat. With a good connection and knocking a little rust of the typing fingers, Mom-friendly sites like Squidoo have made easier than ever to earn a few dollars on the side in between diaper changes and meals and cleanings, and the few moments of rest that we so rarely get.

Are you a Stay at Home mom? Do you need to generate additional income from home? Or are you a mom looking for a new challenge or fun outlet in life while making money online? Join Squidoo.com!

As a Stay at Home mom of 7, I am very impressed by how MUCH Squidoo has to offer. The harder you work, the more rewarding it is. It has a lot of great potential to earn extra money by creating lenses online. You also get the perfect opportunity to showcase your talent and creativity as much as you wish. It even gets much better when you start making sales from the lenses that you've creatively put together from scratch.
And what's the best thing about it? I've made a lot of WONDERFUL friends on Squidoo, which makes it even more FUN and EXCITING for me. How fabulous is that?

I just joined Squidoo on July 7th, 2012 and this lens has captured a lot of attention already, making it to the top 100, and got Ranked#1 in Parenting and Kids Category, so I'm glad to say that this lens has already started earning some money, yay! :). So with all my heart, Thank you so much for all of your great support by visiting this lens!!! It has been a fun, rewarding journey for me so far :).

Squidoo is not only a place where you can learn how to make money online. It can also be a great, therapeutic outlet for anyone especially for Stay at Home moms like me, where you can sort of let the moment of stress or moment of inspiration, express itself into a lens here on Squidoo. So, enjoy yourself while you work, and the cool thing about Squidoo is...you're never late and the commute time is the best in the world!

God bless!

As a mother, it's important for me to teach our children the Golden Rule:

"Do unto others what you would have them do unto you." +

This way, every member in our family will learn how to treat each other with love, charity and respect. A loving reminder of this at just the right moment will plant the seeds for the future and I hope they will always hear "Mommy's voice" as a loving guide... that will shape their interaction with siblings, and the many others they will meet in their lifetimes.

We can start teaching our children how to LOVE at home. What I normally do is, as soon as I find out that I'm expecting, my wonderful husband and I happily gather all of our children and share the great news with them. It helps prepare them to welcome a new addition to the family, and understand what Mommy is going through and the small sacrifices that will need to be patiently endured from time to time. In this approach, they're better prepared to joyfully embrace the arrival of a new sibling, with unconditional love and support. I have found this process to be a great way to foster a healthy and therapeutic relationship amongst my children, something that they can count on through all the ups and downs of this life.

It's easy to teach how to love by showing them what love is all about. A motherly love is a perfect, natural love that contagiously spreads from one member of the family to another; and then from family to the outside world.

Love starts at home. The more our children are exposed to witnessing kindness and unconditional love in the family, the more they learn about love, and they learn to show it outside the home.

Love is contagious, and I believe that I can make a huge difference in my children's lives if I show them how to be charitable, forgiving, humble, honest and respectful, not just by words, but through my actions. My definition of Success is based on how my children will turn out as adults one day, after doing what I believe is the best for them each day. God bless every mother out there!

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+ St.Luke 6:31

Happy Marriage is another key ingredient in my (happy) motherhood. When husband and wife love each other so passionately, it creates a therapeutic, loving environment for the children, and the whole family.

I believe that it's healthy and important for our children to see that their parents love each other, and are happy with each other . They learn how to love as well, and we see a big difference in them.

The presence of love between a mother and a father highly inspires children to pass on that pure love, not only to their parents, but also to their siblings as well. So it's great to show love in marriage. I thank the good Lord for having a wonderful, loving husband!

Love in marriage may have a great influence in children's lives. I also highly respect and salute SINGLE MOMS or DADS out there who have to lovingly raise their children by themselves. I have great admiration for their strength, hard work and dedication. I've met a lot of wonderful single parents and it's amazing how they inspire me to be even stronger because they work so hard and pull it off as if they had a partner to help them by their side...and they do a great job in creating a healthy and loving atmosphere for their children, which is amazing!

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Separation from family has always been a struggle for me, and deployments put such a stress upon families that it's never really understood properly unless you've lived through it. May God have mercy on all of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines,... and countless Government Contracters/Civilians who must separate from their families who are left behind to live without them.

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"It's amazing how life can change just like that. The most exciting part of each of my pregnancies was when it was "time" to welcome a newborn by patiently waiting for the baby to finally arrive at the hospital. In this photo, I gathered my husband, children and my parents to happily welcome our 7th baby, Thea. It was so exciting for everyone! We loved every second of it! I thank the good Lord for the safety arrival of baby Thea, and for my speedy recovery. What an incredible, meaningful event for us indeed!"

-Veronica

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"This photo was taken only few days after just having my 7th child, Thea. My pregnancy was quite difficult. I was on bedrest for about 6 months due to weak uterine muscle, sciatica and swollen, painful legs. It was definitely a challenging pregnancy, but after seeing my daughter, I just forgot all what I had gone through. All I know and remember now is that, I fell in love with her right away the moment she came to my life, and it's beyond words that I can say because it was an indescribable feeling called "the greatest joy of motherhood".
Again, I thank the good Lord for blessing me another precious child Thea, my 7th child. Motherhood is amazing, isn't it?"

-Veronica

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Gabriel360 aka the Lord of the Rings Guru, LEGO Ninjago Online Game Expert as well as the NINJAGO Ultimate Quiz Developer.. just to name a few!

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One day, I was in the kitchen and my 6 year-old daughter Madeleine came to me and said, "momma thank you so much for this new baby sister; I love her so much!!!"

I paused, and thought I was going to drop the spoon in my hand, because it truly CAPTIVATED and TOUCHED my HEART in such a very unique and meaningful way.

What a blessing it truly is to bring a new addition to the family!

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One of my "secret" ingredients to staying happy in Motherhood is being so blessed to have a loving partner to team up with in raising our seven children, and back-to-back pregnancies!

Being a Military Spouse for many years, I have had to deal with my husband being gone a lot; physically with all the long nights, and often mentally absent sometimes too... after taking care of the grunts and their families, the higher ups and their never ending requests for information, and tracking down Uncle Sam's property that Soldiers seem to misplace all day long! I've survived about as much as I could take of the separation/deployment, etc., and I've learned to overcome and adapt to the busy lifestyle of full-time motherhood.

It's so important for me to be able to give my best to my dear children, especially when my husband is away. We learned to hang on to each other more, and bond even more closely.. and my eldest son has learned to be the man of the house years before his age should have permitted. As the saying goes, "I guess the Lord knows what he's doing after all!"

It's truly such an incredible feeling to have survived those long exhausting days of separation, only to know that Divine Providence was always there to save the day once again! Whenever my husband is back at home, I'm always reminded of what matters, as he's such a great father to my children. I believe that when husband and wife happily work together in raising children, the rewards are ENDLESS.

The children are much happier, properly secured, fully loved and nurtured. While I try to fill in for those days when my husband is not there, and I try to pray that much harder to make sure I've given them what they need, I know that in my case it takes two. So I thank my Lord and His Blessed Mother for granting my wishes and prayers so many times....always returning back to me a truly, loving and devoted husband.

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My attitude has definitely changed, like day and night. Motherhood has helped me become a much BETTER person. I've become quite SIMPLE now, my patience has definitely increased, and I've learned how to be more charitable and loving, even when I don't feel like it.  And lastly...what I'm about to mention has finally got most of the Diva out of me.... I've learned to be THRIFTY.


Motherhood is so amazing. It gives me such a never-ending REASON to live my life, and cherish every moment of it with my loving husband and precious little children. God bless all of us moms, out there.  You got it girl!

Friends will sometimes....

Go and Come Back!

Out of all the friends I used to pal around with at the clubs and parties back in my "Diva" life, only a fraction of them still remain, and while we may not keep up with each other often, when we DO catch up, it's a great experience for both of us, and a great reminder of where we came from...

The main thing is having the right priority in all your relationships. While I hated to lose contact with my girlfriends, after a while, I noticed that I needed to let go and focus on what was right in front of me, my husband and my children...who needed a lot of that friendship that others were getting from me.