Mom Talk with Rayna
In a few sentences (we know you don’t have much time!) tell us about yourself and your little one…
I’m Rayna and I have a wild one year old named Benson Lief. We live in Toronto, where I have lived my entire life except for one year (the best year) when I lived in Australia and met my Dutch husband, Bas. I am a freelance prop stylist and creative director and dreamt up the idea of The Mom Lists when I first became pregnant a couple summers back. It’s been so amazing seeing my visions come to life and I’m so excited to continue to grow and collaborate with other inspiring moms.
faves
What is one thing you couldn’t live without as a mom?
Right now, I’ll probably say our mini muslin blankets. I feel like a magician always just whipping one out because a one year old is messy. They really are so versatile. I use them to clean Benson’s little hands and face, I am constantly wiping up piles of drool, they make a great sun cover (socks and shoes never seem to stay on) ... the other day I tucked it in his shirt and used it as a bib (always forgetting bibs!)
You’ve been there, done that… so what would you say… save or splurge?
Sleepers? Save. As long as they’re comfy (and cute) - I wasn’t too picky. Our house is always so hot that often Benson sleeps in just a t-shirt and sleepsack (no sleeper). We do LOVE our sleepsacks and have always used ErgoCocoon 0.2 since he was born.
Swaddles/blankets? Splurge. Can I be addicted to swaddle blankets? We have a whole basket full. I use them for EVERYTHING. Some of our favourite brands are Little Unicorn and Pehr.
Stroller? Splurge. We used our leftover wedding giftcards! Did you know Hudson’s Bay sold strollers? If you can splurge - Yoyo+ is a GREAT travel stroller. Highly recommend.
High chair? Save. Ikea all the way.
Diapers and wipes? Splurge. I’ve always used as natural diapers and wipes as possible and have never had a bum bum issue… Waterwipes are our go-to and right now we are loving Rascal and Friends diapers (great price point) but we’ve used Babyganics, Seventh Generation, and Parasol diapers too.
Three things that are always in your diaper bag (besides diapers)?
An extra outfit, wipes, and snacks (for me and babe).
Book Club
What is your favourite children’s book?
It’s so hard to choose just one but I’m going to go with a classic and say Red is Best.
Which book could you recite from memory (aka. your child’s fave)?
Right now Where’s the Zebra? We’re Going to the Farmers’ Market and That’s Not My Unicorn are on constant rotation.
Mini Style
What are your favourite places to shop for your babe?
Macpherson Toyhouse, Early Bird and Worm, and August Kinn are the ultimate local shops!
But for everyday clothes Mini Mioche basics, Wooly Doodle rompers and everything at Zara Kids.
Mom Talk
What advice would you tell your pregnant self?
It’s going to get crazy so enjoy the calm. Do as much as you possibly can for yourself before babe comes - haircuts, massages, dinners with friends, stress free shopping… because time for yourself seems to disappear once you have your babe in your arms (but it is all worth it!)
As a working mom, how do you find balance between work and motherhood?
Balance - what balance? I’m definitely still working on that. Sometimes I feel like I have it all under control and I am rocking this mom-thing and other times I can barely keep my head above water… but I think that is life in general. It’s so important to make time to just be a mother and put work completely aside which can be challenging when you are your own boss. Take care of yourself and listen to your body and how you are feeling - you’ll do your best when you feel your best.
Who is your momspiration?
I have a long list of mom crushes and momspirations… please don’t make me choose! You will be seeing many of my momspirations featured in future Mom Talks!
#TMLmomtalk