This Mother’s Day, we sat down with Caroline Weaver—artist, athlete, and mother—to talk about identity, strength, creativity, and the complexity of this season of life. Caroline has collaborated with Paradis Sport both in front of the camera and as an artist, recently creating original work inspired by Marie Paradis.
How do you currently introduce yourself when someone asks, “What do you do?”
I love that in Vermont this is rarely the first or even third question someone asks. It’s refreshing and speaks to the way our community values connection over transactionalism. That said, I’m an artist.
Which parts of your identity feel most central to you right now—and how has that shifted over time?
In this exact moment, “pregnant mother” is most central — more central than I’d like! My path to parenthood required IVF and I unfortunately experience hyperemesis during my pregnancies. Between hormone treatments and months of extreme nausea and vomiting, pregnancy feels like an alternate reality. I go from structured workouts and performance goals to hopefully walking a few days a week.
My current pregnancy is the product of a successful frozen embryo transfer and I had six months advance notice of the appointment date. It is both miraculous and odd to know the exact date and time you might become pregnant.
All summer I knew I was marching towards this appointment where, if things went well, would result in nine months of significantly reduced physical mobility and a lot of very sick days. I spent the summer and fall wrapping up work projects, cycling as much as possible, and prioritizing friendships.
As anticipated, life has slowed down dramatically, but I take comfort knowing that I have done this before and while it feels interminable, it is temporary.
When do you feel most like yourself?
When I’m outside in the early morning. When I’m creating something. When I’m bringing people together. When I’m pushing my body. When I’m reading somewhere peaceful.
You were an accomplished swimmer at Harvard University and an Olympic Trials qualifier—what did that chapter of your life teach you?
Swimming was so embedded in my life I don’t think I even registered how disciplined I was with the sport until now. I marvel at the sheer volume and frequency of workouts I used to churn out.
There were years in my mid 20’s when I wondered what the point of all that swimming was. Now I can see that my commitment to the sport created a lifelong habit of fitness and a constant need to push myself across multiple areas of life.
It also taught me that identities shift over time. I retired from swimming at 21! What a gift to learn so early that life is full of many phases.
How did being a high-level athlete shape your relationship with your body?
I have a great deal of gratitude for what my body has endured, and I have a lot of trust in its/our ability to do hard things.
This body has run marathons, Ironmans, ultra-adventure gravel rides, and grown, birthed and fed a child. I try to remember that every day and grant it compassion.
Do you still feel connected to that version of yourself today?
I currently identify as a high-level recreational athlete. I LOVE a suffer-fest where completion is the goal and no stopwatch is involved.
How has your definition of “strength” evolved?
I’m accepting that fitness is an ever evolving state of being and that strength is relative.
I don’t want to hold on to a past version of myself only to be disappointed. I want to adjust to where I’m at as I age and find ways to push myself that align with my interests and physical state.
How does your creative process reflect your personal experiences?
Every piece of art goes through what I call the ‘ugly phase'. You’re a few hours into a piece, you have a vision of where you want it to be and it is NOWHERE near that point. You hyper-fixate, overwork it and start moving backwards. You consider abandoning it altogether.
You get up, take a break, come back later and look at it with fresh eyes. Suddenly you start to see a path forward.
Eventually it starts to flow. You look forward to the next step, you can see the progress and it’s exhilarating. When I look at a finished piece, I always remember the ugly phase and feel even more proud to have persisted.
What does art allow you to express that other parts of your life don’t?
Life is so fast right now. Personally, culturally, it feels like we operate at warp speed and there is little opportunity to pause and reflect.
To sit down and create takes intention, time, and stillness. I find art to be an important form of meditation.
What have you gained in motherhood that you didn’t expect?
Innumerable gains! But I have a new sense of agency and an unapologetic ability to say no. Time is so limited now, I simply don’t have time to be the yes woman I once was.
I would rather do fewer things at a high level than overcommit and execute poorly.
Do you consider yourself stronger now after becoming a mother?
Absolutely. I had a very long and challenging path to becoming a mom.
By the time I arrived at motherhood, I was fed up with unnecessary suffering and this drives my parenting philosophy:
I want to work, not suffer — sacrifice, not martyr.
Have you ever felt pressure to “do it all”? How do you define success now?
Every. Day.
I’m trying to embrace the slower pace of productivity while I keep tabs on the different areas of my life that are important: family, fitness, work, relationships.
Work may be downshifted right now, but relationships have become more critical than ever. That feels like a success.
What does it look like to honor both your ambitions and your family life?
It looks like a very elaborate Google Calendar and weekly planning sessions with my husband.
We work hard to say yes to each other’s goals without keeping score. These early parenting years demand flexibility, and I acknowledge that some bigger ambitions are downshifted for now.
What does Mother’s Day mean to you personally?
Last year for Mother’s Day I went on a long bike ride with a group of other mom friends. We lingered in the parking lot and most of us went on to a favorite bakery after.
The timeline felt luxurious compared to typical rush-to-fit-it-in rides. I want that energy every day of the year.
What’s something about motherhood that you wish was talked about more openly?
Motherhood feels like a perpetual contradiction.
I am precisely the same and entirely different all at once. I can’t spend another minute with my child, I look at photos of them the moment they are out of sight.
I want to retreat into family life and never bother with personal goals ever again, I want to break free and focus on me, me, ME! It is the largest and most meaningful job I will ever have, I feel very unfulfilled by the mundanity of it all.
I’m working harder than I ever have, I’m not being paid. All these things can be true at once.
Today I got my son to daycare, rallied for a lift in my basement, knocked off two loads of laundry, made an actual dinner with real vegetables, went to a doctor's appointment, picked up my son, threw rocks in the lake, offered dinner (it was thrown on the floor), finished bedtime, cleaned the kitchen, then got some work done on the couch.
This is a moment of life where every day feels like a marathon — I’m proud when I make it through each one.
