Welcome to Moments & Mirrors! 🤍 Moments & Mirrors will unfold as a collection of stories and reflections drawn from my own experiences, with the hope that they inspire ideas for my daughters to inherit and individualize. So glad you are here, friend! 💌
Charlie’s 1st Birthday! 🍓
Augusts have a special place in my heart now, not because of it being the title of one of my favorite TS songs, but because August is the month my daughter was born! I still have trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that my baby is ONE! Her birthday was very special.
Charlie’s actual birthday was on a Friday, with her birthday party falling on the very next day.
For Charlie’s actual birthday, we set up the present we bought her (which was this wooden climbing set) and tied a balloon to it, then put party hats on her favorite stuffed animals and placed them around the living room We made her birthday cake pancakes (delicious) and took her to Build-A-Bear for their “pay your age” deal. Build-A-Bear was kinda hilariously anticlimactic - it took a whole 5 minutes. But Charlie loves stuffed animals, and it melted my heart to see her squeeze her new little pal afterwards.
On Saturday, we threw her a strawberry-themed “Berry 1st Birthday” party and it meant so much to me to see all the love that Charlie was surrounded by. She was smiles and giggles galore! Honestly, she’s such a little ham. She was soaking up every ounce of attention, and I loved that for her. I guess she is a Leo after all, right? ;)
I had two amazing friends that travelled in (from Pennsylvania + Washington - talk about dedication!) so they were able to spend the weekend with us! They were so helpful with getting the party set up, and I can’t shout it from the rooftops loud enough. Jill & Bre - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I love you!
I am also always astounded by how generous my husbands family is with their traveling! Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all travelled in from out-of-state, and I just kept thinking how grateful I am that Charlie has all these wonderful people in her life.
Like most parents, Charlie’s happiness is my priority. Thank you to the people who made her the happiest birthday girl. It’s a reminder that events like these aren’t about the decorations or the gifts or whatever-else - it’s the people around you. Love on your village, people!
There was a moment when we were all singing ‘Happy Birthday’, and Charlie kept looking back and forth between David and I with a little smile. I’ll never forget that moment. It was my favorite part of the entire day. Our sweet girl!
A Personal Win 🧠
I started therapy in August! Yay! As someone who values overall health and well-being, I’m excited that I started this as a way to feel healthy mentally. While I’m just at the beginning, I can tell that my time there is important for me and it’s guiding me to feel better. It will make me a better partner and mother for our family. I’m proud of myself - that’s all!
Habit Tracking 🥦
After I turned 29, I decided starting in August I would start tracking some personal habits that aligned with how I wanted to feel in my life. At the end of each month, I’ll take a look at where I netted out, observe, reflect, and take some time to think about what I want to change moving forward.
Here is what I’m tracking and some general themes I found:
Daily Habits I Tracked: Eat 3 Vegetables, 100g Protein, 25g Fiber, 80oz Water, 20 Minutes Movement, 8K+ Steps, Fresh Air, Get Ready for the Day, Meditate, Journal, Read, In Bed by 9pm, Mood
General Themes:
I failed at eating 3 vegetables most days… I hit this less than a third of the month. Whoops! Kinda opens my eyes that I was mainly eating a lot carbs + proteins. Which I’m fine with, but maybe I should start figuring out how to incorporate some more nutrient dense foods into each of my meals.
Because I started tracking this, my movement and step count improved a lot in August - yay! Walking has been hard in the brutal NC heat, but if I timed it early on or late evening, I was able to squeeze in a 2mi daily walk most of the month! I want to start incorporating more strength and stretching in September to help my body prepare for labor.
I killed it at getting fresh air and meditating (something I do in the morning before anyone else wakes up). But I miss journaling! I think I’d rather journal than meditate, so might alternate between doing these in the morning during my quiet time.
The most common moods for me were: Peaceful, Tired, and Happy. This tracks. I think starting therapy helped bring a lot of peace to my daily life. I’m not surprised by the tired - hello third trimester! I’d like to think my focus on tracking these healthier habits contributed to overall better moods.
Reading 📖
Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
I’m so sad knowing this is Elin’s last summer novel because I’ve just discovered her. Thank goodness she’s got a decent archive for me to continue to dive into. Overall, Swan Song wasn’t my favorite but it was delightfully on brand.
The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
A solid historical fiction piece! This was my neighborhood book club pic. It follows the story of a French Jewish woman who worked as a forger in WWII. I feel like I’ve read so many historical fiction novels on WWII, yet I still learn new things in each of them.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (⭐⭐⭐⭐+1/2)
Great book! A boy goes missing in the Adirondack woods and then years later, his sister also goes missing. Add in a summer camp setting, family dramatics and elements of mystery and it’s no wonder so many people are hooked. I was surprised to see it made Obama’s summer reading list too! My only complaint was an ending that felt too quick, but I love any story that keeps me this invested.
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Joan Didion has a fascinating mind. This book was written during the year following her husband’s passing, where she also had to deal with her daughter facing some seriously scary health issues. The material felt dense and thought-provoking - and I feel like I need to read again to truly soak in the story and lessons she shares. Definitely a more serious read, but a good one if you are up for it!
Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
My final Elin read of the summer - and this was a lovely one to end on. A woman gets killed by a hit and run and before she “gets to heaven”, she watches as her three children navigate life during the summer after her passing. Normally, this type of woo-woo story wouldn’t be my cup of tea, but I really enjoyed this book. Elin just has a way of establishing great characters and really setting the scene. If you are a fellow Elin reader - please let me know how you feel about her winter books! I’m thinking I’ll dive into those this December!
I’m on the hunt for some fun fall-witchy-vibe books for spooky season. Please give me your recs if you have any!
Favorite Purchase 🤑
This Dove Cinnamon Pumpkin Pie body wash. Smells like cozy dessert. Stocked up and bought multiple to last me all season.
You Should Read This 🫧
I’m obsessed with
’s multiple pieces on Bama Rush. Worth diving into!That’s a wrap on August, and with that summer. We are officially in the ‘ber months and I’m officially that much closer to welcoming baby #2! A lot to look forward to for the rest of this year :) Hope you all have things to feel excited for in your future, and if you find yourself asking “Hmm…I’m not sure…” - go out and plan something fun!
Bye, friends!