I feel the most joy when Storie is happy-- particularly if I am the reason :) There is nothing better than seeing her smile when she hears my voice or sees my face!

• What is a challenge you are facing right now in motherhood? What are you doing to stay positive and/or find a solution during this challenge?

Being a first time mom is challenging for me because it is so slow. I stay home to take care of Storie all day, which I LOVE, but it's definitely a change from working & going to school full-time. I often feel antsy or anxious because I spend so much time sitting-- whether it's feeding her or rocking her. To combat these feelings, I do my best to remember that these slow days will never come again. I will never again have only one baby to give my full, undivided attention to. That helps me enjoy them a bit more & find joy in the simplicity of the slowness. 

• What is one thing you said you would NEVER do as a parent, and now you do all the time?

Haha! That's a good question. I always thought I would be bothered by all the bodily fluids that come out of Storie & often come onto me, but it doesn't phase me at all. Spit-up is no big deal ;)

• If you had to teach your kids just ONE thing that stuck with them forever, what would it be & why?

I really just want Storie to know how much I love her. I think that truly feeling loved is such a powerful thing. It can comfort you in your darkest times & encourage you at your best. My love for her is unconditional & inexplainable!

• You’re a first-time mom. What are some surprises (good or bad) that you didn’t expect to happen when you became a mother?

I didn't expect to fall in love with my husband all over again! He's so much hotter as a dad!! It is so much fun watching him care for & protect our daughter. It is the absolute BEST. 

• If you had to give one word of advice to someone pregnant with their first baby, what would it be?

Hmm... I think I would stress the importance of being positive. when you are pregnant for the first time, there are so many new things to experience! you have so many feelings & random pains and, if you're lucky like I was, you'll throw up every day until week 26 :) It can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Staying positive will help so much! You are growing a miracle for the first time in your life. You'll want to reflect on this time & know you enjoyed it as much as you could!

• A woman’s body changes a lot going in and out of pregnancies, breastfeeding and the daily demands of being a mom. You give so much of yourself to your little ones. How do you keep yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually healthy?

CROSSFIT!! Something that a lot of people don't know about me is that I'm obsessed with CrossFit. It challenges me both physically & mentally every day. I think it's so important to find some form of exercise that you absolutely love-- otherwise, working out becomes a chore & so hard to do. But if you find something you genuinely enjoy doing, whether it's hiking or yoga or swimming, it will be something that you look forward to. For me, it's CrossFit!

• At times in your life when you haven’t felt comfortable in your own skin, what did you do to gain more confidence in yourself?

I'm a big believer that thinking outside of yourself will always help you feel better about yourself. The best way I gain confidence in myself is by thinking of & helping others. 

• You run a business/blog AND are a full-time mom. How do you balance the two?

Storie answers half of my emails ;) just kidding. I think one of the most important things with balancing the demands of life that we all experience is to be patient with yourself. If I completely ignored my work all day & laid around with my baby, I would feel unproductive & unmotivated. If I didn't take care of Storie & trapped myself inside my office, I would feel like a bad mom. I can't do it all. I need to understand that. It's all about balance & tackling your to-do list day by day. Be patient with yourself: you're amazing & you're doing great!

Be sure to check out Sydney on Instagram! 

xoxo Kortni Jeane + Team