Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a blogger/writer living in the Midwest with my two dogs, husband and 8-month-old baby, Bee. I love cheese, limited edition prints and cocktail rings.

What does a typical day look like for you?
I could give you a brief rundown, but I shared a pretty specific schedule here recently, and it’s still fairly exact!

What is your favorite thing about motherhood?
I feel like becoming a mother forces you to transcend your current situation. I mean, you’re kind of thrown into this utterly uncomfortable situation of postpartum healing and leaking milk and dirty diapers and endless tears, and then you wake up and realize that your newborn is a baby (and then a toddler, and then a child, and then a teenager…!) and you’ve made it through some really hard times together – and that you’re a better person for it. You’re kind of forced to no longer think about yourself as a singular unit, because you’re now part of someone else’s story. (I think, too, there’s a deep urgency to make that story into something beautiful, which makes you rethink the role you’re currently playing, you know?)

What has been the hardest part about motherhood?
Oh man – there have been so many hard days. Sometimes I feel like I’m walking around with a blindfold, terrified that I’m leading my child into harm’s way without even realizing it. There’s a lot of learning I still feel I want/need to do, but at the end of the day, motherhood is one big exercise in having faith: faith in yourself as a parent, your family as a rock and your child as an individual.

What is your favorite part of the day with your little one?
The morning! Our mornings are mother/daughter time, as my husband is a night-owl and sleeps in while I take over. We eat breakfast together and then have playtime as we listen to Billy Joel and stack blocks and practice walking (much too soon! Eek!). The sun is bright, the house is quiet and my phone is silenced. I cherish these mornings so very much.

How do you “do it all”?
Oh dear, I certainly don’t! I wrote a post on balance recently here, but I simply try to prioritize what’s most important to me in that moment. I’ve sacrificed the things that are less important to me (cooking, entertaining, decorating) for the things that are most important to me right now (time with my husband, feeling fulfilled with my work, caring for my daughter). This is just a season where I’ve been focusing more on myself and my family, and I think we all go through seasons where priorities shift and change and sift until there’s room for more experiences. For now, we’re just staying afloat! I’ll also say that my husband is an enormous help, spending time with Bee while I sneak in some uninterrupted work time. It’s such a blessing to have that time to truly focus.

What are your top 3 products for babies/toddlers?
Hmm, I don’t know about toddlers, but the best things for us (so far!) have been Bee’s Snug chair, Aden+Anais swaddle blankets and Polarn O Pyret’s footie pajamas.

What are your top 3 products for you?
My French press wins for sure. Next two would be my friend Martha’s scarves and perhaps my Whitney English day designer.

If you had 1 hour of free time (kid free and the chores are done) how would you spend it?
Oh, gracious; that sounds lovely. I’d sneak away for a leisurely lunch with my husband. Or curl up with a great book and a hot bath. It’s a toss-up.

Show us a glimpse of your favorite spot inside your home.
I love our sunroom in the summertime – it’s perfectly breezy and calm: instagram.com/p/K8jrBdv1ya

Any advice for other moms?
Oh, I’m no good at giving advice, but what helped me most was when someone shared their official parenting mantra: “This too shall pass.” It rings true for both the good times and the bad, and I’ve always found some perspective in that simple phrase.

- Thanks Erin for sharing your thoughts on mommyhood! You can follow Erin at Design for Mankind, Design for Minikind, and twitter.

I’m kicking off a new series on the blog today – Moms I Adore. There are so many amazing moms out there who seem to do it all and I am constantly inspired by them. I thought it would be fun to talk to them and figure out how they get it all accomplished. First in the series is Danielle Hampton of Sometimes Sweet.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m a stay-at-home Mom living in Arizona with my little family. I have a 2-year old son with another little one on the way! I used to teach high school English, but left to be at home and I’m loving it.

What is your favorite part of the day with your little one?
Waking up for sure- there’s nothing like that first morning smile.

What is your favorite thing about motherhood?
The best thing would have to be the sunshine my son Henry brings to my world- everyday he does something to make my husband or me smile and it’s such a gift to have him in our life. He’s truly the best parts of us.

What has been the hardest part about motherhood?
I think the hardest part would have to be figuring it all out. I don’t pretend to know it all now, but I think after a couple of years it’s gotten a little easier. It’s scary in the beginning bringing home a newborn- no one can prepare you for what motherhood is really like!

What are your top 3 products for babies/toddlers?

We really love California Baby products, our Snuza when Henry was a baby, and for pretty things, Little Hip Squeaks on Etsy.

What are your top 3 products for you?

I love our BOB jogging stroller – even though this is technically a baby product it’s something I love most of all because it’s allowed me be out and about with Henry all the time. I also adore LUSH bath products and right now I’ve been loving Old Navy maternity leggings.

How do you “do it all”?
Oh man…I definitely don’t do it all, but I do make it work in our family’s own way. I utilize naptime to the fullest and do most of my blogging and writing then. Luckily Henry still takes 3-hour naps so I’m grateful for that big block of time!

If you had 1 hour of free time (kid free and the chores are done) how would you spend it?
Watching a cheesy television show like Pretty Little Liars.

Any advice for other moms?
Do what’s best for YOUR family. Don’t worry about how other people parent or get things done, just do what’s best for you. And embrace every single moment…it all goes by way too quickly!

- Thanks Danielle for sharing your thoughts on mommyhood and kicking off the Moms I Adore series! You can follow Danielle at Sometimes Sweet, instagram, and twitter.

I have to thank my friend Erin for introducing me to these gorgeous illustrations. They are by one of my favorite bloggers, Ez of Creature Comforts. I’ve been looking for a few pieces of art to finish up Isley’s nursery nook and when I saw these I knew they would be the perfect fit. I went with Fiona and Her Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cone and Danika Puts on a Show. I cannot wait for the prints to arrive and finally share Isley’s space on the blog.

Wonder Tents are made in Australia by partners in work and life, Ryan & Jo of Such Great Heights. Each tent is beautifully simple and  cleverly designed. They pack flat and are housed in their own custom waterproof canvas bag, with hardware pocket. This is one child’s product you won’t want to hide away in the playroom!

I recently purchased a set of three headbands from Little Hip Squeaks and we cannot take them off! I love the patterns, colors, cute factor without being overly girly and most importantly they are soft and comfortable.

Isley loving her new headband!

Little Hip Squeaks is an ultra modern brand for ultra-modern babies, tots and kiddos. The Brooklyn based company was started by a mom, Amy, who was freaking out about all of the cutesy clothing options available for babies. She took matters into her own hands and Little Hip Squeaks was born. All fabrics are designed by Amy and printed on USA grown 100% certified organic cotton using eco-friendly inks. No “little sluggers” or “sweeties” here! What you will find are gorgeous, modern designs that both you and your kids will love.

If you haven’t already, head over to Little Hip Squeaks. You’ll find blankets, leggings, headbands and more.

I instantly fell in love with the home of Brooklyn based Miranda Brooks and her architect husband, Bastien Halard. The bast part though are the children’s spaces.

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