Mom Talk with Dani from MOMS NORTH
In a few sentences (we know you don’t have much time!) tell us about yourself and your little ones…
Hey I'm Dani! I have two awesome little kids. Rome is almost 4 and Naia is almost 2. Rome is our patient and sensitive one and his little sister is our wild one! They're so fun and crazy... truly the best! We absolutely love travelling and love time at the lake. Water is our life no matter where we are. I am married to my kindergarten best friend and he's an absolute legend... and a major hunk.
Tell us all about Moms North:
(and everything else that keeps you busy!)
Moms North is a sidekick to Moms Toronto (@momstoronto on instagram). We're a group of Mamas who hold events, entertain, educate and create a space for Moms to chat and be themselves. Motherhood can feel really lonely and we don't want that, we want to be your crew! I am also a wedding/family/lifestyle/branding photographer, which is my main gig and keeps me extremely busy! I love capturing all the most important memories of your life.
faves
What is one thing you couldn’t live without as a mom?
(your ultimate must-have!)
My amazing husband who is so present with our kids and puts in (almost) as much work with them as I do lol. He's seriously the best. In the breastfeeding days I couldn't live without my Medela Breast Pump to create supply for when I was working and also pump during weddings so my boobs didn't explode! I also couldn't live without our amazing friends and family who help SO much and love our kids as much as we do.
What are your child’s current faves?
(if it suddenly disappeared tomorrow - there would for sure be tears!)
My kids aren't overly attached to anything but our dog HAHA. But Naia is currently loving her Baby Alive Doll that she can feed and change her diaper. Rome loves his wooden train tracks and Mega Blocks. Naia loves the Mega Blocks too. They love building.
What are three things that you take everywhere with you …
(diaper bag essentials - besides diapers!)
- Boo Bamboo Baby Natural Diaper Cream
- All the snacks/water
- Toy cars/books
Book Club
What is your favourite children’s book?
(a childhood fave or a post children discovery)
Where the Wild Things Are and Where the Sidewalk Ends
What is your child’s favourite books?
(bet you can recite from memory!)
- Any books with information/facts on animals (Rome)
- Julia Donaldson Books (Rome)
- Little Green Peas (Naia)
- The Shape of my Heart (Naia)
Mini Style
What are your favourite places to shop for your babe?
(mostly online these days I’m sure!)
H&M, Old Navy and Mini Mioche
What children’s clothing brand do you wish they made in your size?
(because let’s face it, we’ve all once thought “I wish this came in my size!”)
Mini Mioche for sure!
Mom Talk
What advice would you tell your pregnant self?
(if only you knew then..)
REST! Oh my gosh take time to rest, especially in the days leading up to birth. It's a marathon (the best and coolest marathon ever!) but requires a lot of work so treat yourself well. Also document it both in photographs and writing down how everything feels. I didn't write anything down and still don't to this day but I absolutely should have because it goes so quickly and you get so busy that you forget everything! Oh and your baby will be different than ALL of the advice you are getting and you will absolutely figure it out and nail it. You are amazing!
As a working mom, how do you find balance between work and motherhood?
(really is there such a thing?)
HAHA I definitely don't think there is a thing. It absolutely takes a village and you need to accept help every place you can. I've been telling myself forever that my kids and myself will benefit from time away from each other. They need other influences and I need time to be creative. Obviously the mom guilt will always creep in (like the other day when Rome cried as I was leaving to shoot and he told me he misses me so much every time I leave... cue the tears as I drive away!) but seeing me being a hard working person as well as a loving mom while I am with them is going to shape them into balanced humans I think.
Who is your momspiration?
(it can be more than just one because there are so many superstars out there!)
Oh cripes. I am surrounded by the coolest and best mamas. I am so lucky. Obviously my mom is a huge inspiration. She is so positive and selfless but I do wish she'd take more time for herself once in a while. My best friend Chyna is a major mom boss and is a second mom to so many of her dancers and I have NO idea how she keeps her head on straight with how much she has on her plate, but she always does it. My friend Robin is a stepmom and is the most positive and caring person who works so hard to create the best household for those kids. I admire her dedication so much. My friend Eleanor is also a huge inspiration for me. She has a farm, a photography business, helps her husband with his construction business and at one point was homeschooling her kids (even before Covid!). One of my favourite things about her is how dedicated she is to teaching her kids the REAL history not only of Canada, but the world. She is such a kind soul and she's always had my back. I have a ton of other moms who inspire me but we'd be here all day.
What has been your pandemic saviour?
(we need all the sanity tips!)
When daycare opened back up! LOL - we were also really lucky living up north to not have as big of a covid threat so it felt more relaxed. We have lots of outside space as well so we were out every chance we got.
Follow Dani on Instagram: @daniellemeredithphoto, @momsnorth and @ouradventurefam and visit her websites: www.daniellemeredithphotography.com and www.momsnorth.com
#TMLmomtalk