When Stacey bursts into a room and you want to be her friend. She is vivacious, bubbley and speaks with such wit you’re naturally drawn to her. We caught up with her and her two lovely daughters, Pursley (4 year old) and Eve (2 year old) and she told us her story. She and her husband (Derek) are college sweethearts and celebrating their 15^thyear of marriage. They hail from the polar vortex of Minnesota and their expat journey began in their 20s when they both quit their jobs, sold their home stateside and moved to Beijing. Fast forward 13 years, they are still enjoying the adventure. Derek is in financial communications and she a lawyer — she promises that they are more fun than how that reads on paper. 

My journey to Motherhood….

… did not come easy. My husband and I had been married 10 years before the arrival of our eldest, Pursley. Struggling with infertility certainly gave me a deeper appreciation for the patience and support of my husband and the arrival of our miracle babies. I am eternally grateful. 

I also suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) during both pregnancies (like Princess Kate — but without the support of a royal staff. HG was taxing — feeling extremely nauseated every day, being unable to keep food or liquids down for all 9 months, and going in for IV drips took its toll physically and mentally. And during my pregnancy with our second, Eve, there was a Zika outbreak here in Singapore — so we all flew back to the US for my final trimester and delivery. 

1 - Best advice you have ever received.

To not merely preach to our children, but do. When attempting to mold our littles to be the best versions of themselves, we as parents should exemplify these lessons in our daily lives...whether it be to have more patience, to use our manners, to speak in a respectful tone, or to communicate frustrations with words. It’s definitely humbling to try to live up to this advice. I find myself falling short all the time. 

2 - How do you achieve balance? 

Every day I try to give 100% of myself to work when it’s time to work and 100% of myself to my children when it’s family time. That means not crafting the perfect Instagram post of my girls when I’m at work and not reaching for my phone to check work email when I am with my bebes. For me, being fully present at work and then being fully present at home ultimately is the most efficient division of my time ... but it’s certainly a challenge to switch gears back and forth ... and—of course—your kids are always in your heart and always on your mind!

3 - Hardest part about Motherhood

MAINTAINING MY PATIENCE AND LIVING IN THE PRESENT (like all other parents, I have an endless list of to dos running on loop in my mind)! 

4 - Best part about Motherhood

For me, being a mother is the purest form of joy. At the end of each day, no matter the drama or headache, I am always joy filled. 

5 - Self-care routine

In order to decompress I enjoy swimming. I find it soothing, peaceful (it’s challenging to hear my children yelling for me when my ears are under water), a refreshing break from the heat + it’s a great way to stretch + get in cardio + a resistance workout. 

6 - I feel most empowered ...

I feel most empowered at the end of the day when I’m cuddling with my daughters in bed as they are on the brink of falling asleep ... there is no place I would rather be. I often think to myself — “well, that was a satisfyingly exhausting day.”

7 - Having kids in a foreign country

Raising children in Singapore is comforting. I appreciate the ease, security, and kindness the country has to offer. Of course, it is bittersweet to be so far away from loved ones ... but we often tell our family and friends back home — Singapore is an amazing place! Make the journey and visit! 

We are so grateful to have Stacey on board and to share her story. And prior to knowing Stacey, we’d only heard of it from Princess Kate (along with her fabulous pregnancy wardrobe and enviable royal entourage). We did a bit more research to find out more and shared 5 things you should know about HG on our stories! Head on over and share it if you know someone having a rough pregnancy!  

***

Living the Look

Stacey : Linen White Ladies Button-Down Dress, Tie-Strap Cobalt Blue Ladies Swing Maxi Dress

Pursley & Eve : Kids Short Sleeve Organic Pyjamas Set in Giraffe Print ,Cobalt Blue Girls Dress with Tassels, Chambray Girls Doll Dress

The Collection

Mama + Mini Capsule 2 collection is designed for ladies from all walks of life with comfort, style and function in mind. Besides allowing mothers to coordinate with their children, another key focus of this collection is versatility. The pieces are made for all mothers with a majority of them being maternity and nursing friendly as we are with you at every stage of your motherhood journey.

{SHOP Mama + Mini} 

Xoxo