Moments of Musing

5 on Friday: Fall 2017

Filed Under: 5 on Friday //

1. I’m obsessed with the ruffled and bell sleeve trends going on right now. When I saw this sweatshirt I had to have it. It seems my husband, brother and little cousin don’t agree. When I saw each of them (separately), the first thing they asked was, “What are you wearing?”


2. Did I ever tell you all that it took me about a year to reach (or go slightly under) my pre-baby weight? I will admit I felt great for most of the year, which is probably why I didn’t kick my butt into high gear until this past summer. 

3. Our weekends have been jam packed. I recently alluded to this on my Instagram. We’ve been running around like crazy, for an exciting reason! I’ll divulge more on that soon… but it may or may not have to do with an upcoming move. 😉

4. We leave for Michigan next week and I’m so excited. I think the foliage will be so pretty and seeing family is always a treat.

5. We had to reschedule our family photo shoot last weekend to this weekend due to rain. The forecast this weekend looks promising so I’m excited. 

Have a great weekend!


Going Green

Filed Under: Uncategorized //

This post is sponsored by Grab Green. All opinions are my own.

These days there are so many harmful chemicals in much of what we would normally use. In an effort to be more health- and eco-conscious, I have tried using more green products.

One of the companies on my list is: Grab Green. Grab Green was founded by an eco-conscious & concerned mom of two (moms know best, right?!) who was tired of the toxic chemicals in conventional products and the ineffectiveness of “natural”products.

Grab Green offers affordable cleaning and laundry alternatives that are effective, eco-responsible,
healthier, fragrant, and innovative. Here are the products we are more than happy to have in our home:

All purpose cleaner: One of my biggest concerns in the household cleaning product department is all purpose cleaners. Their smell usually reaks of chemicals and I find myself wondering if I should be inhaling said chemicals. My husband and I don’t even spray conventional cleaners while our baby is in the vicinity because we don’t want him to inhale the chemicals. I’m happy to say we don’t have that concern with this cleaner, which will be our go-to from now on.

Room & fabric freshener: I love that it is not like your typical air freshener in that this can be used both for freshening a room but also for freshening fabric. We have fabric sofas so this is super handy in our household.

Laundry pods: These convenient and mess-free pods are laundry-changing (see what I did there?). They are more than 92% comprised of naturally-derived plant & mineral based ingredients, non-toxic formula, free of phosphates, chlorine and dyes, and the amazing smell is made of essential oil cinnamon. This matters to me, especially as a mom, because I have been hesitant to use conventional detergents and pods to wash my baby’s clothes for fear of the chemicals in them. These are an awesome alternative.

Hand soap: Another great-smelling product that is made with essential oils. This leaves your hands clean, feeling smooth, and smelling great.

Dish soap: Since this is phosphate-free, as well as free from chlorine, masking agents and dyes, we have used this for all of our dishes, including baby bottles and sippy cups and have had no concerns about using it… which is a big relief!


Feeling such confidence in the household items we are using is great… because our baby’s health and our health is important. Thanks to Grab Green, we no longer have to wonder whether our household items are bad for us. You wouldn’t either if you use Grab Green.

 If you’re interested in making a purchase, Grab Green products are available in select stores, and online at grabgreenhome.com (ships to continental US) and Amazon. To save $5 off, use this link and also get 25% off your first purchase with code FIRST25. 

Gone will be the stresses of wondering whether you should be cleaning and doing laundry with the items you’re using!



Date Night Out as Parents

Filed Under: date night out, parenthood //



Step 1. Decide you want to spend time alone together.
My husband and I are guilty of not going on many dates after our little one arrived. But he recently reminded me that “we should never get too busy for each other.” (Yep, he’s a keeper.) So, we decided to go on a date last weekend.

Step 2. Find a sitter.
Luckily, my family is close by and more than happy to watch our boy.

Step 3. Get yourselves and your child(ren) ready while trying to get out of the house in a timely manner. 
This is not the easiest thing to do in the world … and one parent might not be able to find his shoes so running sneakers will have to do! Thankfully, for me, Pink Blush never disappoints and this pink turtleneck was the perfectly warm and laid back top (wearable as regular, as seen on me in Small, or maternity) for our night out at the movies. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a pretty blush color 🙂

top c/o

Step 4. Sneak out after dropping your child(ren) off so there are no tantrums.
Who enjoys leaving their kid(s) while they’re hysterically crying? 🙁

Step 5. Arrive at your date night location and wonder how your baby is.
You made it the whole drive without asking how it’s going but now that you’ve arrived it’s got you thinking…

Step 6. Check up on how baby sitting is going.
Is he crying? Hungry? Happy or sad? Boy, oh boy do we miss him!

Step 7. Enjoy your time together.
You’re on a date, after all, because you and your partner needed/wanted this time together…. remember?

Step 8. Repeat Step 6 approximately 3-5 times.
If you receive good news and a smiley photo, be content with your decision to finally go on a date. If not, there’s a good chance you’ll leave early to pick him up.

Ah parent life.

And now I remember why a movie night in actually sounds so great. 😉

Long Weekend Recap

Filed Under: long weekend, weekend //

This post is sponsored by DockATot and Lorena Canals. All opinions are my own. 


This weekend, particularly yesterday, was full of lots of this^ We all took a nap because it was a rainy day, which also made for a lazy day. Fortunately, our Lorena Canals rug is machine-washable! Our little guys loves eating –and throwing– snacks on it too so washing it is a must. All Lorena Canals rugs and cushions are all machine-washable and fit into a standard washer and dyer 


Our son loves the rug! He literally rolled around in it when it first arrived…he’s so silly. It’s a good thing that the rug is made with all natural dyes, handmade, eco and contains no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like most carpeting and rugs. Proceeds support the Sakula project, and provide schooling for children in India.   



Speaking of this weekend, I had an extra day off due to Columbus Day. I don’t know why but long weekends always leave me feeling exhausted. Like I neeed an extra extra day off or something. Lately, though, I have to say our weekends have been so incredibly busy. My husband and I have been trying to get as much done as we can in as little time as the weekend affords us. Eventually, I will get into details about our busyness and why that’s so but for now–I’ll just say it’s for an exciting reason!



Luckily, our son seemed to be getting all the sleep he needs this weekend thanks to his DockATot. It allows for successful car seat transfers so that’s a huge plus. And eventually, we’re hopeful it will help us with his transition to a toddler bed.

DockATot is a multi-functional lounger, co-sleeper and playtime lounger. It comes in two sizes (Deluxe for babies newborn-8 months and Grand for babies 9-36 months). It is all natural, 100% cotton and an ideal micro-climate for babies and tots.

One Year Later: My Return-to-Work Reflections

Filed Under: first year of motherhood, motherhood, working mom //

t-shirt c/o | cardigan c/o


It’s been a full year back at work after maternity leave. It’s both hard to believe and easy to see how a year has gone by. Last year leading up to my return to work, I had a few bouts with anxiety. I’d never really experienced it in my adult life so it felt weird and unwelcome, for sure. 


Honestly, I thought my world was crashing and I did not want to return to work. I was scared S would forget about me and would love me less. That he would favor his dad. And that I was making a mistake. I brainstormed ways to work from home (mama still needs her money!) but ultimately, I made a plan, got dressed and went back. 

Aside from a few first day tears, it went rather seamlessly. And I’ve grown more confident in our family decision since. 

Here are some reflections I have one year later:

  1. It’s still hard to part in the mornings. 
Some mornings are easy breezy while others are more difficult. The less emotional S is when we part, the better our “see you laters” go. If I leave to work while my husband is still home or if they both leave for my parents’ house and I stay back, it’s no problem. 

If I leave for work from my parents’ house, he wants to come with. So, my mom bundles him up and we all wait for the bus, which he loves, together. Basically, we’ve found our ways to minimize the morning tantrums and it makes me feel 10x better. 

I still miss him every second we’re apart but I’ve come to terms with it and reconcile it with the fact that I simply love him very much. Heck, I sometimes even miss him when he’s asleep next to me. 

  1. I truly believe the time apart works in our favor. 
Time to myself and adult interaction is key to my self care. Fortunately, I enjoy my job and like my co-workers, so I don’t dread my time at work. I actually look forward to returning after long stretches away from my office. 

I also think S benefits from spending time with others. I believe it makes him more social and less anxious to be apart from us (I dealt with this whenever I had to be apart from my SAHM.) And the hellos after a day at work are so special–he usually runs up to me and says “Hi Mama!” with a big smile and hug. It makes me realize he loves me just the same. 

  1. I am happy to be able to do what I love and help provide for my family so we can live the life we do. 
While I miss moments with S while I’m at work, I know our family is able to experience things we wouldn’t otherwise be able to if I stayed home. That’s just the nature of life, the cost of living in NYC and the cost of travel, as well as the life we want to give ourselves and our kids. 

My husband and I are often discussing what city or continent we want to visit next, home ownership, and other things that require –at least at the moment– two salaries. We do discuss the prospect of me staying home sometime in the future but I don’t think I ever would full-time. 

The truth is I’m a nerd–I yearn for challenges, new opportunities and ongoing learning… So, I believe I will always work in some capacity. 

  1. It wouldn’t be possible without the support of my mom, who watches S, which eases my nerves tenfold. 
Leaving S home with my mom is a blessing. I am able to leave with no worries about his care and know he is in good hands. It helps me to know she’s supportive of my career goals. I give her so many kudos for spending all day chasing a toddler in her “retiree” years. But I know she and S enjoy their time together very much. And I know they’ll be closer than I ever was or have been to any of my grandparents due to the time they spend together. 

——-

Not so ironically, I wrote this on my way to work. I left S with his daddy and as they both sad “bye!” I felt not one tinge of guilt for walking out the door. It feels liberating to be free of the immense working mom guilt I once carried around. 

I hope any new working moms who feel guilty will also be free of that guilt, sooner rather than later. Our babies are resilient–and proud of us. Plus, they love us to no end regardless of our time at work. 
We are mama. Whether together or apart. For always and always.