Steppin' Ain't Easy

Not evil, just human!At 25, Lauren Hamilton found herself trading late-night parties for early morning baseball games when she fell in love with a father of three young boys.In this refreshingly candid and humorous account, Lauren bares it all-from the bewildering moments of trying to be the perfect stepmom to navigating the minefield of emotions in a blended family. Forget the fairy tales; this is the real deal, where imperfections are not just accepted but embraced with a healthy dose of humor.Part memoir and part advice column, Steppin' Ain't Easy reads like a conversation with a friend-one who always keeps you laughing. It's a raw and heartfelt exploration of the chaotic, heartwarming, and downright hilarious moments that define the modern stepmom experience. Lauren's stories will have you chuckling, nodding in solidarity, and maybe shedding a tear or two.Buckle up for a rollercoaster ride through love, laughter, and the unexpected role of being a step-parent. Because, let's face it, life is messy, parenting is messy, and being a stepmom? Well, that's a whole new level of beautifully messy!*All aboard the Imperfect Stepmom Express!If you're a stepparent or part of a blended family, you'll find plenty to relate to in Steppin' Ain't Easy. Lauren's stories echo universal experiences, from bending over backwards to be the perfect parent, to worrying the kids will never love you, to understanding that you're an important and irreplaceable part of your family.Come along for the ride and learn from Lauren's mistakes as she: Deals with her husband's Instagram-perfect exHides in a washing machine to prove to the kids she's fun (it didn't work)Makes cupcakes that may as well have been hand grenades, for all the fun they inspiredTurns Easter into a profanity-filled pastel nightmareDraws the line on exactly how much laundry she will doGets overlooked on Mother's Day and Christmas and runs away with the dogAdds her own child to the chaos and prays it all goes wellLearns to set boundaries that protect her personal time (and sanity)Realizes she can trust the strength of her marriageFaces the monster that every stepparent must one day meet: fear of rejection!Learns to recognize love in unexpected places, and to embrace the irreplaceable gifts she brings to her family