Let's just say it: parenting sucks. Nobody tells you that going in, and if they do, you don't believe them until you're in it. This episode is me and Jess — childhood friends who found our way back to each other through the internet — sitting down and finally saying out loud what everyone's thinking but nobody posts about.

We talk about the stuff that doesn't make it into the baby books: postpartum depression, birth plans that go out the window the second labor starts, regretting the decision but never the kid, and why "it gets better" is kind of a lie. It doesn't get better. It gets different. Some days that's a relief. Some days parenting still just sucks.

We compare it to leveling up in a video game because honestly that's what it feels like — you clear one boss and there's just another one waiting. We talk about the darkest parts of postpartum, the shame that keeps parents quiet, and why it's fine to love your kid and hate your Tuesday. Parenting sucks on Tuesdays. It might be great on Wednesday. Both are true.

If you've ever felt like a piece-of-shit mom, questioned every choice you've made, or thought you were the only one who felt this way — you're not. Parenting sucks. It's also not going to break you. You're going to be okay.

In this episode:

• Why our generation is the first to say "I don't think I want kids" out loud
• Postpartum depression, regret, and the shame that keeps parents silent
• Birth stories and birth plans, and why neither one matters as much as you think going in
• Parenting as a video game — comparing struggles to leveling up
• The internet as both a lifeline and a battleground for parents
• Why parenting sucks one minute and feels like magic the next — and why both are allowed

I hope this resonates with you, and I wills ee you here next week for another amazing conversation! 

Love, Cherie Leigh

Recorded on her 39th birthday weekend, Cherie opens up unscripted about her "famous by 40" mantra — and what she's decided that actually means to her. Rather than overthinking the message, she leans into talking it out in real time, reflecting on the growth of the last 20 months: a job loss that initially rocked her but ultimately confirmed she was exactly where she needed to be, and the slow work of stripping away who she was taught to be to rediscover who she actually is.

Cherie is not an astrology expert — but she has theories, and she's sharing them anyway. In this episode she gets into the Lion's Gate Portal, why she thinks astrology might literally be simulation code, and how digging into her chart helped her start figuring out who she actually is. It's woo-woo, it's personal, and she's winging it. Come along.

My dear friend Jimmy came into the bubble — and this one goes places.

His family traded the American dream for a life on foot in Wellington, New Zealand. Fifty-three places and 550-ish daily vlogs later, we're digging into that journey.

We talk about why "I could live here" is worth taking seriously, treating travel as a blueprint instead of an escape, the supper club they're building community around, and why you don't have to wait for a vacation to put joy in an ordinary Tuesday.

Plus the Babble Breakdown Five: a samosa stand in Nepal, the perfect cup of coffee (it's a magic, and he'll die on that hill), and whether aliens are real.

You're welcome in the bubble anytime, Jimmy.

how i got here, why the bubble exists, all the messy in-between. no highlight reel. its time to go all in on whatever it is my soul is calling me to. and I think, it might be all of you!

patreon.com/lovechereieigh

the world just watched the biggest World Cup in history close out on home soil — 48 teams, three host countries, and the tournament's first-ever halftime show — and your girl needed someone who actually knows a corner kick from a header to break it all down. enter Nicole, football fan, forever babble buddy, and this week's very patient guide through the offside rule.

we're recapping the whole beautiful mess: Spain outlasting Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife, Ferran Torres coming off the bench to bury the winner in the 106th minute, and what might've been Messi's last World Cup bow. Nicole tries to explain why a 1-0 game is somehow thrilling, i ask the questions you're too embarrassed to google, and we get into the part that actually gets me every time — a whole planet holding its breath together for one bouncing ball.

whether you screamed at a screen for a month straight or you're just here for the vibes and the snacks, pull up a chair. this one's for the die-hards and the "wait, which team are we cheering for" crowd alike.

Today we are digging a little into some vulnerable, yet important topics with my Mom. I am helping to understand my perspective when it comes to religion and Relationships. 

Please join me and Riley on a journey of finding ourselves authentically against a lot of odds, really. <3 

Come with us as we discuss a disagreement and work though it together. there are just. couple of curse words... Let me know if you identify with our dynamic at all. 

The second half of the beginning of a conversation with my mother. Today we dig into her childhood a little and how that may have affected her parenting and future life. It's a bit ADHD, but so are we. Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy!