the summer of slow

I woke up with this revolutionary idea. that instead of summer being about hurry and activity filled days, we just let summer fill our own days. I’ve got a toddler on the verge of some terrible two’s with big feelings and not enough words to express what she wants. we are tantrum-ing. we are filling tubs of water on the balcony for outdoor play. we are watching tv when necessary. and then there’s me over here growing her baby brother and sometimes all my body wants is to take a rest in air conditioning.

So, I’m over here moodboarding. Pinterest perusing and making mock-ups of little baby nurseries. Transitioning from one baby room to the next and dreaming of blurred family photos, holistic postpartum health and newborn snuggles on crinkled linen. Perusing vinted, ebay, facebook marketplace, etsy you name it. I have this urge to find second homes for little treasures and fill our home with pre-loved things rather than newer, off the shelf items.

My main goal for this baby which I think I spent zero time preparing for with Charlotte is to prepare better for postpartum. Partly because we won’t be welcoming baby in the nest of immediate family within minutes of driving. But also, so I can get the healing I need rather than cooping myself up in a dark room nursing a baby alongside postpartum woes.

With a trip to the US looming over us post tour de france, I’ve got a deadline of ordering US specific items and filling a suitcase with English kids books. The list seems to keep growing but I’m here for it.

a mixture of pinterest and the depths of my camera roll

loving lately

pregnancy clothes shopping is not the most fun…enter adrenal cocktails, accessories and mirth caftans

• cranberry lime mocktail with mint and coconut water

• adrenal cocktails

• embroidery + america’s sweethearts

• sitting down to flip through coffee table books

• iced matchas + vintage shopping

• vintage silver dishes for jewelry, catchalls, remotes

• type “murano glass vintage bowl” into etsy and thank me later. or thank courtney grow. it’s giving helle mardahl for less

for toddler

• just discovered ostheimer wooden animals, and apparently feel the need to buy a noah’s ark amount of animals

• found a doll-size woven moses basket that we’re saving for baby brother to bring to Charlotte. It matches our baby bassinet and I’m dying over the preciousness

• looking at this dollhouse for a certain someone’s second birthday

• jelly sandals for my gal and her non stop growing feet

• just bought a bluey jeep on amazon and really wishing my pre-charlotte beige sad mom vibe could see me now

eyeing for baby

• this liewood teddy bear

• a doudou blanket

• this newborn set

• this woolen onesie

lately, when I get a substack notification I feel a little ping of guilt. I used to write a newsletter every week and now it’s my weekly reminder from others that I haven’t followed through on that. but just like so many things that come in waves and seasons, we’re in a season of slowing down.

as my wise mother would say “completion is better than perfection”.

So instead of feeling the weight of things undone, I’m taking my own advice and lifting the pressure off my shoulders to just embrace the magic of summer. Of long days filled with fresh fruit, slightly sunburned legs, salty hair, late night ice cream runs and a growing baby.

hope you’ll slow down too. xxf