Momstrology Horoscope - September 1-7, 2014

Momstrology: Your Weekly Horoscope For Sept 1-7, 2014

Written by

The AstroTwins

1:17 pm

09/02/14

What’s better than a spot-on weekly horoscope? One that speaks just to you, mamas! That’s right, we’ve tapped the beloved AstroTwins to take on all twelve signs of the zodiac and give us their Momstrology forecast, starting every Monday, here on out. Excited beyond belief? Us, too. Now get to reading by clicking your sign below.

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: Lace up your sneakers, Aries mama. Charismatic Venus marches into Virgo, your sixth house of wellness, on Friday, staying until September 29. Get ready for a heart-pumping month! Outdoor sports are great for inhaling some (hopefully) cooler air and offsetting your sweat. Make time for your workout. Do it before heading into the office or after you drop the kids at daycare or school. Some working moms we know even run during their lunch breaks—and while it’s not ideal to change out of workout clothes and back into work clothes, if it’s important to you, you’ll find creative ways to make it work like this mom. But if that feels insurmountable, don't despair. Some moms with young children or relentless work hours give up on exercise, but there’s strong evidence that moving improves your mood. Incorporate your kids into your workout—a game of chase in the yard can be enough to increase your heart rate. Maybe a “playground workout” is right for you, though you’re sure to draw some inquisitive stares (we’ve never actually seen anyone DO a playground workout, but, um, it's an idea). Recruit another mom friend if you think you’ll feel like a spectacle, though most Aries moms don’t tend to be shy! Your sign is typically outgoing and also great at group building—why not START a playground workout group? You could make it a playdate with the kids or go while they’re in school and the playgrounds aren’t as crowded. Of course, exercise is just one part of your wellness picture. While soothing Venus is in your sixth house, it’s a good time to focus on your digestive system. That may sound weird, but just as exercise improves mood, so does food. Emotion can be tied up in what we put into our bodies. If you don’t have a handle on your diet, you can seek the help of a nutritionist for a fresh start. You could try a support group or go so far as to attend a retreat if you feel like your challenges go beyond the typical nutrition advice you see in magazines and online. For women who are expecting, indulging is almost synonymous with pregnancy. Women can find themselves on both ends of the spectrum—bingeing or getting extra controlling. Here’s a great post from a mom who found comfort in healthy foods while pregnant. Be sure to get all doctor’s appointments on your calendar, too—and a prenatal massage or two if you're expecting. The sixth house also rules organization. Before the school papers and projects start piling up, you might want to come up with some savvy systems, like the ones suggested in Joshua Becker's book Clutterfree with Kids.

: Make date night last all month long, Taurus. Love planet Venus sashays into Virgo on September 5, your fifth house of romance, and stays until September 29. It’s prime time to focus on your relationship with your partner—or getting back out onto the dating scene if you’re single. With the kids back to school, routines fall back into place. If date night slipped off your calendar this summer, get it back on—stat! Date night allows you to connect in a way that simply can’t be done with the kids around. They are attention suckers (we mean that in the nicest way) and very demanding, too! What’s left at the end of each of your days may not be enough for each other. Not convinced? Check out this marriage counselor’s post on why it’s important. If funds are low, a date night after the kids are in bed can be successful if it’s arranged. Put it on the calendar just as you would a dinner reservation. Open a bottle of wine and resolve not to talk about family stuff for an hour. Truly relax with your partner like you did before the demands of kids took away these opportunities. Under the influence of Venus, you could even feel like you’re back in your honeymoon phase, especially if you take things to the bedroom. If you’re a single mom, you have unique challenges for dating, but don’t let them deter you from enjoying the pleasures of romance. You’re a mom but you’re also a woman! And you’re not alone—here are eight things a single mom says she wasn’t expecting when she started dating. If you’re pregnant with your first child, use this time with your partner to do all the things you want to do before baby arrives. Splurge on some five-star restaurants you may not be able to get to as easily with a little one. Go on some out-of-the-way adventures before you have to travel with a car seat. The simple pleasures of your life now may be harder to access later. If you’re longing to expand your family, this is a great time to try, as the fifth house also rules fertility. Venus also encourages us to glam up a bit, and feeling pretty again can be a challenge. You might even feel supported by Molly Ringwald's book Getting the Pretty Back. Maybe some new sexy duds for your date night are in order, too. How about this feminine dress, appropriately named “date night”?

: Stainless steel is SO over. Who knew? Maybe you did, Gemini. Aesthetic Venus moves into Virgo from September 5-29, your fourth house of home and family, bringing out your inner Martha Stewart. You could find yourself obsessively reading home design blogs (like this one, which is making the case that stainless steel appliances are out). Channel-surf the home and garden shows, fuel your Pinterest addiction, or binge-watch HGTV Online. Wander through the home section of any store you’re in (not just Target) and look at your spaces with a fresh eye. For example, here are some cool ideas for how to “reset a room.” Maybe this is too ambitious for you, especially if you have a newborn to care for. A small project could be enough to satisfy you. Find a way to store the growing collection of toys, frame school projects for instant wall art, or print and display a family picture taken over the summer. Beautifying Venus also helps you make your living space more personal, perhaps with a fresh coat of paint. During this month, you’ll feel like lounging at home, so make it comfortable for everyone. How about some bean bags or big floor pillows (like the Yogibo), especially for older kids—it may encourage them to hang with you in the family room versus holing away in their rooms with their devices for screen time. It’s a good time to visit relatives, too, or invite them to your home, since the peacekeeping touch of Venus should make for pleasant exchanges. Brush off any judgments relatives pass—on your new decorating projects or anything else. The fourth house helps us show our true feelings, so be careful not to snap back, “But you have shag carpeting, what do you know?” Just let it go. If you work outside the home, be careful not to fall into the “office mom’” trap while you’re in the nurturer-zone. Your coworkers can wash their own coffee mugs and the staff meeting does not need to be outfitted with cookies made by you. (Here’s a great post from U.S. News & World Report that touches on this plus other traps we may fall into with younger co-workers). You may feel a need for validation at work, and you're entitled to that. Let your skills do your PR. Expecting women will feel a special connection with their moms or mom figures in their lives right now. Ask lots of questions. Interview doctors, doulas, and midwives, too. Make sure Team Gemini is stocked with a cadre of empowering and loving ladies—you deserve it!

: Tomato, tomahto! Do you sometimes feel like you’re speaking a language different from your partner? Well, this week you're back in sync. Harmonious Venus enters Virgo on September 5, your third house of communication. It stays until September 29, so for most of this month you’ll have a chance to uncross the streams. It’ll take some effort on your part, sure, but the rewards are high. The biggest one: peace in your relationship. Okay, so how do you get there? It’s not like you’ll wake up one day and suddenly discover you're an expert communicator, or know how to get unstuck from any issue you have with your partner. You could try couples therapy, a workshop, or reading up on communication techniques and try them out—but really, slowing down and just listening to each other helps the most. One caution is to sift through the "noise" of all the self-help experts and well-meaning friends to find your own truth. This Psychology Today blog post explains why you can’t trust a lot of so-called advice that’s out there. Other factors may improve your ability to communicate—like spending less time on your smartphone playing games or checking Facebook. Avoid the temptation to over-plan your days, too—and your kids' days if they're of the sports team age. Think before you speak—or listen first, talk second, as this blogger explains. How you communicate with your children is also highlighted now. A lot of moms will complain they’re tired of yelling. Well, why do you have to yell? Kids can hear you. Maybe they’re shutting you out? You can get back in by not yelling, as this resource suggests. Communication that’s likely to follow may help you better understand your kids and what’s going on with them. Take time with them for extra bonding, maybe establish a family game night, or take a day trip somewhere they want to go. Pregnant women who are expanding their families would do well to prepare kids for their soon-to-be brother or sister. You could create a big sibling kit to help ease the transition. Maybe you’ll like how yours comes out and decide to sell them on the side to earn some extra cash!

: How solid is your foundation, Leo? On September 5, affable Venus moves into Virgo, your second house of money. Until September 29, financial matters will be tinged with some wonderful ease. If your mind has shut down at the thought of facing them head on, you’ll find a new openness. Where you may have felt overwhelm or despair, you’ll see opportunity and hope. Motherhood stabilizes us in a lot of ways. You may have spent with abandon in the years before kids—the kind of spending you now view as reckless (and maybe a little fun, let’s be honest!). But now you see the benefit of financial stability and you want to get there—or you’re ready to carve a plan for getting there. This is the perfect time to do that! It may mean living below your means for a bit, as this mom-and-pop blog suggests. We know one family who stretched themselves so thin with a big house (five bedrooms for three people) they decided to downsize to save money—or rather to HAVE money for the other things in life they wanted. We don’t get many messages in our culture telling us to hold back. We need everything! We need it right now! But do we? If you had to trim, could you? Examine your expenses with your partner: wants versus needs. Then see if you can go through with a few nips and tucks. A lot of people who do this discover they don’t really miss what they cut out after a while. If you’re making ends meet and you have nothing to cut, you can still look for new ways to save. One mom we know brags that she’s never purchased any of her children’s clothes—they are ALL hand-me-downs from family and neighbors. Join local Facebook groups that do swaps. Freecycle is an awesome resource for finding things you need. We know some moms who’ve outfitted entire nurseries for next to nothing using thrift shops. We are amazed! The Frugal Baby blog has a post about outfitting a nursery for just $119. The second house also rules values, too, and with the influence of Venus, you may extend your feelings of stability to your relationships. You might even suddenly become super sensitive to mom etiquette—and if so, how about some bold thank you notes like these? Teaching your kids manners is also on the agenda with charming Venus in this old-school zone. (Learn about the manner workbook this SAHM created.) Go beyond the please-and-thank-you's and you'll help them to build a life of stability and values, too!

: It’s all about you, Virgo. You heard us right! On September 5, love and beauty planet Venus moves into your sign, dazzling you with social graces, wit, and charm until September 29. The caveat: You have to put yourself first, and as the sign of service, it's tricky for you to switch from giver to receiver. It’s not like you’re not going to stop caring for your family…but have you been putting their needs ahead of yours? Stop that! Seriously, stop that. If you need convincing, check out this post on The Happy Gal blog for five reasons why you should. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, you can focus on thinking about what it means to put yourself first. And what you want to do. It’s quite possible putting yourself last enabled you to make excuses for not doing things you like to do. Yoga? Your pre-child hobbies? A career goal? Or taking a trip? Identify your heartfelt desires, then work toward how you can achieve them. It could be as simple as carving out “me time” and getting your nails done, your hair blown out, or a little decadent snack. If you don’t make it an appointment (and a priority)—it won’t happen. Apparently, moms average only 17 minutes of personal time a day, which is obviously way too little. So, communicate and plan with your partner if you need to coordinate it. Do you go hungry because you’re busy making meals for everyone else? How can you make sure that doesn’t happen? Have you put off going to the doctor because you’ve been shuttling everyone to their appointments? Get your dates on the calendar. Has your yoga membership expired? Re-up and keep track of when you go so you stay motivated to keep going. You are important. We’re betting that your partner and children would agree, so you can get on board, too. The first house also rules your appearance, so let Venus add a little sparkle to yours. And in line with putting yourself first, pay mind to your self-care. Are you wearing clothes with holes in them because you think you’re too busy to shop? Are you sporting a mom ponytail because getting to the hairdresser seems impossible? Hop to it! Venus gives you license to pamper yourself. You can also boost your confidence by taking care of your nutrition right now. Reducing your caffeine intake is a good place to start. We’d never say quit (blasphemy!), but maybe try a cup instead of a pot. If we want to live to see our great grandchildren, maybe we can all glean something from this list of 100 things to do to live to 100!

: Let’s get mystical, Libra. From September 5-29, Venus, the planet of love and beauty, is in Virgo, your twelfth house of spirituality. Your pace is about to decelerate—and if you allow yourself to, you can embrace the calm that the universe is sending your way. This isn’t to say you won’t feel moments of chaos—you’re a mom or a mom-to-be and you have many responsibilities and concerns. But try to pause when you can to get in touch with your feelings, especially the deep ones. If you are able to steal away for any amount of time, it can restore your soul. Sleep is especially important right now, as the twelfth house also rules rest. Don’t be surprised if, during your moments of silence, your mind wanders to far-off places. A trauma, a heartbreak, a loss—these things may come up strongly for you, and could possibly even surprise and overwhelm you. With gentle Venus in your corner, though, this is a safe time to work through it, on your own or with the help of a therapist, a healer, or a caring friend. You could even look into a transformational retreat like those offered by The Hoffman Institute Foundation. Lovely Venus also lends a touch of beauty to your rituals. How about exploring stones, pendulums, and healing crystals to keep yourself serene? Here’s a great primer for women who are at any stage of motherhood. Scout out a crystal shop in your town or online. Most of them are funky little places packed with amazing treasures and helpful healers to guide you on what you need. This is a good time also to book a massage, and expecting moms will be particularly receptive to the benefits right now. Swimming is a perfect exercise for pregnant women now, too, and with Venus in this watery zone, you'll feel divine while floating—even weightless for the first time in forever if you're far along in your pregnancy. Perhaps you can combine it with a babymoon to a beach! If you can swing a spa day, its rejuvenating effects can make a huge difference. We know a day away is hard to take, but it’s a small investment in your self-care when you could really use it. Neglecting yourself right now could cause your mommy martyr feelings to erupt—and nobody needs to see that kind of meltdown, Libra. Nobody ever won an award for sacrificing her happiness, so steal away when you can to rejuvenate and release.

: The role of diplomat is yours, Scorpio. On September 5, harmonious Venus moves into Virgo, your eleventh house of groups and friends, staying until September 29. During this time, you may find yourself playing role of peacemaker in your relationships—with your partner, your kids, family members, coworkers, and even other moms. Whew, sounds a little exhausting! But lighthearted Venus in your eleventh house brings out your social side and helps you to deflect any heavy emotions from other people, rather than absorbing them. So, you may not even realize you’re playing the role of go-between. Unless someone pulls you into a full-blown dramatic production—THAT may be exhausting. But wearing your diplomat hat, you can keep your head above water if you don’t allow yourself to absorb the emotion of the principal players. Gravitate to groups where you feel most comfortable. If you’re expecting, find other pregnant women to talk to, trade advice, and bond. If you’re a mom with small children, you may feel like taking on hosting duties for a playgroup orpulling a new one together. It takes just the first invitation to get a group going. Make it a regular thing, like every Friday morning, and rotate hosting. Instant friends for you and your children as they grow! You could even make your playgroup educational by planning a lesson or a theme. We’re not suggesting you go overboard, but some of the best playdates we’ve been to featured a craft or an activity, even baking. Having an activity keeps the kids busy and engaged so the parents can get to the business of relaxing (a little!) over coffee. Here’s a great resource for ideas. At work, if you manage a team, morale-boosting will be in your wheelhouse right now, so try to coordinate some activities (here are some easy-to-implement suggestions). The eleventh house also highlights humanitarian causes. With influence of peacekeeper Venus, you may feel called to action on a cause close to you. We think we can collectively agree that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has probably run its course. There are so many other causes that could use that kind of attention. Maybe you’ll spark the next trend in fundraising for an issue that means something to you!

: Take the long view, Sagittarius, and feel good about where you’re headed. From September 5-29, charismatic Venus visits Virgo, your tenth house of long-term goals. You may gain some Zen about where you are. The sacrifices you’re making now are a step along the way to where you want to be. Summer ending can help you with this perspective. It’s as if a new chapter of the year is beginning, and you’re eager to get busy. Projects you may have had in a holding pattern rev back up because you’re ready to put them back into play. You’ll also feel motivated to start new ones. Without the distractions of summer playtime and managing kids, you can get back to focusing on the big picture. Ah, right where you like to be—in control. Where you can, put routines in place to ensure you have your attention where you want it. That may mean choosing a new daycare that gives you better flexibility or finding an after-school program. Expecting moms will want to declutter their lives to make room for baby. Tackling the clothing pile alone is a massive chore, but a necessary evil if you are having another child, as this family can attest. You’ll also want to look ahead to where you want to deliver if you're expecting. Visit day cares or interview nannies if you’ll be returning to work after your maternity. Moms who aren’t pregnant could decide now if they want to expand their families, and begin making plans for that. Everyone gives unsolicited advice on this, unfortunately—and often, they don’t know factors that may be weighing on your decision, like fertility treatments. It seems as soon as you have your first, people will ask when you’ll have your second. We know a mom who had a third and a lot of people said, “Okay, you’re done now, right?” SO not their business! (And in fact, that mom does want a fourth.) Gracious Venus helps you deflect these questions about the future tactfully. This is a good time to remind ourselves that we play a role in this, too, and shouldn’t nag our friends who don’t have kids! The tenth house also puts a focus on family history, and your kids might love getting to know more about their relatives. Here’s a way they can “interview” them and create lifelong memories!

: Give yourself more credit, Capricorn. No mom has all the answers, even the ones who purport to know it all. But you’re doing better than you probably let on. On September 5, gracious Venus moves into Virgo, your ninth house of wisdom and perspective, until September 29. Now is the time to adopt a positive outlook, and to make peace with yourself that you're doing the best job you can. Your worth as a mother is not measured by other people’s standards, and gracious Venus in this free-spirited house puts a little sass in your step. We think the Scary Mommy blog summed it up pretty well with this post: “How to Raise Kids the RIGHT Way.” Capricorn, we have so many more choices as moms than our mothers did, but instead of celebrating that fact, the mommy wars erupt over ANY topic. And exactly why is one person’s way the right way? Or why are we shamed for doing it our way? Do your part to quiet the mommy wars by not engaging, and by being confident that your are doing what is best for you and your children. Remember, no one truly knows what they’re doing—it’s all on-the-job learning. This writer calls it “The Mommyhood Club.” New moms who are shell-shocked may not realize they’re not alone. This post on “confidence boosters” may help you feel better. One mom we know was adamant about breastfeeding. She scoffed at mothers who used formula. When her baby was born, she was unable to breastfeed, despite help from a parade of lactation consultants. But she continued to try, believing she’d be less of a mother if she didn’t. Her baby wasn’t gaining any weight. Finally she realized how ridiculous it was that she was holding herself to an impossible standard. The most important thing was to feed her baby and she wasn’t doing that! You might be thinking “duh"—but when you’re in the thick of a moment, you don’t realize how warped your thinking can get (this is sort of the theme of motherhood!). Another mom we know suffered depression because she delivered by emergency C-section. She’d spent her entire pregnancy preparing and dreaming about a home birth. When things didn’t go her way, she unraveled. She said she felt robbed. But one day she realized she had delivered a healthy baby boy—did it matter how? While soothing Venus is in Virgo, how can you find ways to forgive yourself and to gain confidence—to accept that you’re doing the best job you can and be proud of it? Making peace with yourself will make you wise, indeed! (For more on this subject, see the Momstrology post “5 Ways Moms Can’t Do It All—And Should Be Proud They Can’t”!)

: Privacy please. On September 5, affable Venus visits Virgo, your eighth house of intimacy and bonding, staying until September 29. During this transit you may want to dial back the personal and family public relations (fewer pictures on Facebook and Instagram?) and keep things closer to the vest. Subjects on which you waxed in the past no longer seem appropriate. This switch-flip inward will give you time to examine your relationships. You may have thoughts about how you can add depth and meaning to your closest ties, and the best way may not be blabbing about them! Even if you weren’t having one-on-one conversations with your partner on Facebook (that’s kind of annoying!), you may want to power down the devices when you’re together and enjoy the moments, just for you. Do you need to Instagram your date night…in more than one picture? In our very noisy and transparent world, how much is too much to share? That idea is one worth exploring right now. (A study suggests it could be linked to loneliness.) This extends beyond social media, too, but in social interactions IRL. Are you getting out enough? Privacy does not mean you have to be a hermit. Pregnant women may find themselves turning inward and filtering out the opinions of others. Your tolerance for unsolicited advice will be low. This inward focus may have a surprising upside: a deeper connection with your growing baby. Here are seven ways to “bond with your bump.” (This post suggests eight things dad can do, too!) The eighth house also highlights intimacy—here’s where you can take privacy literally! Alluring Venus in this sizzling zone can make pregnant Aquarians feel super-sexy. You may find yourself on a mission to keep your sex life alive and interesting right now. Moms can find their mojo again—you could sign up for a Mommy Mojo Makover. Even some sexy undergarments like the new Dita Von Teese line could give you a boost—a great replacement for the granny-panties you may be wearing right now!

: Chase that handshake with the flash of a peace sign, Pisces. On September 5, harmonizer Venus moves into Virgo, your seventh house of partnerships, until September 29. During the next few diplomatic weeks, you will find that this influence brings synergy to your dealings in all relationships. Anything that was seemingly stuck or tense gives way to compromise. We tend to do that as moms and moms-to-be—think our way can be the ONLY way. Maybe it’s because we take on too much, thinking we have to do it all. Can we chill out a little? Can we accept help? Can we meet others in the middle? Take a fresh look at how you approach interactions with friends, family, coworkers, the moms at school, the librarian—everyone. Do you feel you’re constantly going into battle? Try a different tact. Not everyone is out to get you…and if you think they are, avoid them. Some people truly are toxic and don’t have your best interests in mind. Let them go. We don’t have to like everyone (this post is a nice reminder of that). But let’s treat each other with respect! If you give it, you’ll get it back. With your partner, you can work on your bond, too—and sweet Venus will help bring you closer. This blogger reminds you to let your partner love you. The demands of motherhood often cause our mates to fall last on our lists, even after self-care (and not all of us are very good about that)! On date night, be sure to talk about both of your needs and how to keep each other fulfilled. More than ever, it’s appropriate to divide and conquer. Resentment can build if you feel you’re carrying more than your share. But have you communicated that? Put yourself in your partner’s shoes, too—part of meeting in the middle requires understanding another person’s POV. If things aren’t getting done, you can always “blame Hazel” like this couple. We briefly mentioned self-care—it’s a good time to be sure you are taking care of yourself. Be careful not to allow yourself to get too hungry or feel deprived. With sweet-toothed Venus in the mix, you may even have more acute sugar cravings. If you want to get a handle on things, you could seek the help of a nutritionist. You may even want to explore working with a life coach to find your inner peace. Check out how this mom plans her peace—not a bad idea!