Hi! I’m Callie Counterman. I moved to Austin in 2007 to start college and I truly fell in love with this city, thanks to my Uncle. He taught me that the Longhorns have been and always will be THE team, that margaritas taste best if enjoyed in the shade of a giant oak tree and most of all, that Austin truly is my home. This city has given me wonderful memories, friendships that will last a lifetime, job opportunities I could never have imagined and the founding pieces of my adult life as I know it.
When I became a Mom for the first time I was 26 years old, and I was the first in my generation of family and friends to have a baby. I had NO CLUE what I was doing, and honestly, I still don’t. Although I was a nanny through college and had changed countless diapers, survived nap times and even cared for kids with special needs, nothing could have prepared me for my own journey into Motherhood. I’ve pretty much been white knuckling it for the last ten years, and choosing the road less traveled has definitely helped shape me into the resilient, determined (yet exhausted) Mother I am today.
Years ago, my late Husband and I decided we didn’t want to raise our children in the ‘burbs, so we sold our nice cars, saved every penny we could for a few years and exchanged our house in the city for a small farm in Elgin, Texas. Since then we’ve rescued dozens of animals and currently offer sanctuary to over 19 who we lovingly say are our friends, not our food. We’ve been on the farm for about 6 years, and while life has thrown us many curve balls since (including the death of my husband) I still cherish the quiet sunsets on the porch, collecting fresh eggs from the coop and most of all watching my boys grow up outside in the dirt and woods of the country just like their Mother did.
Today most of my days are filled with sports practice, school events, caring for our animals and working but I find beauty in the mundane. I’ve learned that sometimes the smallest things in life are really the biggest, like an uneventful day where everyone makes it home from school and work just in time to have dinner and knock out homework. Those quiet evenings at home are what I have come to cherish the most.
In the fall of 2023, I opened my own business Mooch Lactation Co. where my goal has been to become a resource to empower women and educate families in those tender first few days and weeks, when we need support the most. I also strive to challenge myself with new ventures in hopes to continue being a perpetual student in both life and the field of lactation. I am excited to contribute to Austin Moms Blog this year and I look forward to diving deep into hot topics on breastfeeding, pumping, motherhood and more, with all of you.
