Chapter 6: The Co-Pilot

Learning to fly with my co-pilot Yuki!

Yuki's 1st birthday coincided with the first day of the MN "lockdowns" and my "birthday" as a primary caregiver and entrepreneur from March until October.

Looking back at those 7 months, I cherished the time I spent with my Daughter.  She is confident, curious, and just the right amount of "spicy".  As many parents did and still are, juggling parenthood and a career simultaneously is very challenging.  

For me, I was trying to get Lovebird off the ground working on package design with an absolute wizard of design, working with my R&D partner on making the cleanest cereal possible actually taste good with no fake stuff or high potency sweeteners, evaluating ingredient suppliers, testing product within the AIP community, building a website, reaching out to launch partners, and countless fire drills in between.

Yuki was my co-pilot the entire time as she tasted early samples and made design edits in crayon.  I tried my best to keep my Yuki time separate but, at times, that wasn't possible.  It was a lesson in humility and grace.  I was able to spend all day with my daughter with her 3 hour nap time (I know, she is an angel napper) and nights as my work-time.    

As we parents do, we find a way.  Personally, my daughter was daily motivation to do the right thing all the time when it came to building Lovebird.   There were no corners cut or compromises, I did it my way...the right way.

I am grateful that I was able to spend that much time with her.  Time is already flying by and my baby is now a toddler, walking and squawking around. 

It is a reminder to live in the moment with Yuki no matter how distracted I may be.  As time races by, each moment is fleeting and then gone forever.

I love you little Lovebird.