Albuquerque Moms Blog :: Introducing Lenny Kucenski

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Hi, other moms! My name is Lenny and I’m a new mama of twins, a wife, a sleep trainer and my post-baby identity is yet to be determined. Oh, I guess I can also call myself a blogger!

Photo Credit: Blooming Images

Albuquerque

I moved to Albuquerque in order to have a fresh start. I’d been living in Georgia, just ended my first marriage, wasn’t happy with my job, and I knew I needed to hit reset. As a child, we would visit Albuquerque because we had relatives here and my mom was from Clovis. I remember loving the time spent here as a child; I loved the mountains and the feel of the cool, dry air in the mornings. My cousins worked at what was then called, Uncle Cliff’s, and they would bring me treats from work when we stayed at their house. Everything about Albuquerque was fun and new and very different from my life growing up in Texas. I told myself that when I grew up, I wanted to live in Albuquerque.

Well, I did grow up, and this is where I came for that fresh start. Having been here for over 10 years now, I consider myself a New Mexican. I knew it was home when I started craving chile when I traveled away from the state for work. This was further confirmed when I met my husband and gave birth to my children here.

Aside from putting down roots and the feeling of stability that comes from finding your home, I love this state for many reasons.

I love the great outdoors and everything it has to offer. New Mexico has some of the most beautiful places of anywhere I’ve lived or visited. Our hiking trails and camping sites and national parks are second to none. I challenge any one of you to find sunsets anywhere in this world that hold a candle to ours. The culture and the vibe of our city is eclectic and quirky and steeped in a rich history. Our cuisine is, bar none, some of the best in the world; our city is comprised of people from all nationalities; we are artsy and dignified and Breaking Bad, all in one. What’s not to love and explore in our city?

Chaco Canyon

Mom 

I actually spent most of my life not really knowing if I wanted to have children. When I met my current husband, that changed and I knew that I wanted to have a family with him. I suspect, like most women, I anticipated conceiving a child would be fairly easy. Well, it wasn’t for us. This is a blog post for another day, but my husband and I did conceive through the miracle of IVF and now we have these two amazing babies who are worth all of the struggles we experienced. I spent my pregnancy basking in the glory of what being a mom was surely going to look like for me, and I imagined it to be picturesque and perfect. I thought that surely putting my career on hold to raise my children would be a decision I would never question.

Needless to say, nothing about being a mom has turned out how I planned, imagined, or hoped.

No birth plan or book or advice could have prepared me for being a mom, raising twins, or becoming a stay-at-home mom. Nobody told me how hard the postpartum depression would hit, or how all of my relationships would shift or how I wouldn’t have the courage to leave my house with both babies for many months. Moreover, nobody could have ever explained to me how every day I would watch in wonderment as my children grow and develop and do new things. There’s no way anyone could have prepared me for how much love I would have for them, for how fiercely I would protect them and how my heart feels like it will burst each time they say, “Mama.” I adore these little humans to no end.

 

A & E with me in Colorado
Our First Family Photo (Photo Credit: Blooming Images)

Blog

I first started blogging when I was going through the IVF process. It was a way for me to process everything that was happening. Since becoming a mom and trying to figure out my new identity, I’ve found that writing is a great way to explore my thoughts and feelings on motherhood and everything it entails. I’m looking forward to doing more of this and I hope to hear and learn from all of you.