What is one of your favorite things about motherhood thus far? Watching my babies learn how to express themselves. Whether it's facial recognition, expressions or listening to my toddler explain the world as he sees it.  

 How has the transition been from one to two? 

 Honestly easier than I expected. But my second little guy has the most lovely disposition and is so patient with me. My first was so demanding and still is to this day! Little man knows what he wants. 

What is something you wish you knew before becoming a mom? 

 How difficult postpartum life would be for me physically and emotionally. I had an emergency C-section after 40 hours of labor with my first. I didn't really consider how difficult that could be beforehand. I didn't really consider a C-section as a reality for me at all. Now that I've had two back to back in under two-years, I'm seriously humbled by the intensity of the surgery itself and the recovery. I had to accept that C-sections for me were life-saving and to be grateful that I live in a time where that medical intervention was available to me.  After you give birth things just compound in a way that's indescribable. You just met this beautiful baby that you've been dreaming about, you can't move from a massive abdominal surgery, you're in pain, you're up all night, you can't quite comfort your little one yet, they are massively uncomfortable (cause, hi I'm earth side), you're so sweaty - like way too sweaty all the time for weeks, you smell no matter what you do, your boobs are freaking out trying to figure out how to manage feeding a human, your emotions are a joke. Pregnancy is so hard for so many, for me it was postpartum life.  

 If you had one piece of advice to give to a first time mom’s what would it be?

 That if you reframe the way you look at daily victories, you will feel like a victor everyday. I'm a type A personality, and man was it hard to reframe my idea of what daily victories look like. Everything is a small victory when you have a newborn and you're trying to heal. As your baby grows, you grow with them and you will adapt to all the challenges you'll face together. Also...you don't really need 8 hours a night to function =)

What does self love look like to you? 

 Pre-baby: to allow myself to be satisfied and content with who I was and what I looked like. Post-baby: to allow myself to smell all the roses. Find enjoyment in living life at a slower pace and really find happiness in the beauty that is all around me.  

 What is something you love about yourself, physical or not?

 I'm resilient. Some of my greatest accomplishments have come to me after losing everything. Sometimes over and over. It's made me tough but it's also made me brave.  

 What is something special you do that’s just for you? 

 The ocean. Being able to surf without having anxiety about the need to get out of the water because of the kids or all the things I have to do is a luxury I no longer take for granted. Those rare sessions are so, so special.  Additionally, focusing on skincare for a few minutes each day makes me feel fresh no matter how little I'm running on. There's something about washing your face and putting on your products that helps you reset. I don't wear makeup but I love learning about skincare products and experimenting with them. Peep my girl Andrea (Owner of Dermaplus in SF) and her amazing hand-mixed skincare products if you want to feel spa-spoiled every morning and night! 

How has becoming a mom shaped the way you perceive self love? 

 I extra (extra) don't give a shit what people think of me. To me that is the greatest realization of self love. Ditching those insecure feelings that come around for one reason or another due to others. I'm so proud to be a Mom and the Mother of my boys. They are my superpower. They make me feel invincible.  

 What's something you do to combat moments of self-doubt or insecurity?

 Deep breaths and get to work. Don't talk about it, be about it. Whenever I'm feeling crappy it's because I'm not taking care of myself and I know it. I'm not focusing enough on working towards my goals, and I know it. It's not that I never wallow in those feelings, I do. But I know I will not feel better unless I do something about it. Action - get up off that hiney and get to WERK!