10 Things I'm Thankful for

This year I have a very straight forward list of what I’m thankful. It’s crazy how quickly your priorities shift the second a baby comes into your life–you start to really see things differently. Whereas last year I would have been thankful for lavish vacations and the ability to live my best life (with lots of rosé and fun activities), this year I’m focused on very different things that mean a lot more to me. I guess you can say I’ve changed as a person because of Capri, but I like to think this is part of being a mother. Your whole world changes but for the better.

Here are 10 things I’m thankful for this year.

1. Capri’s health. After she was born (& obviously stole my heart) nothing else mattered to me except that she’s healthy. Because she was born small for her age there were extra precautions and tests run the first few days that really had my stomach in knots. She was perfectly healthy but the thought of anything being wrong scared me more than I’d like to admit. I now understand why parents always say health is the most important thing in life…because your kids ARE your life.

2. Nurses & Doctors. After spending 41 weeks with my doctor I just love him. We developed a relationship that is so special and he will forever be part of Capri’s existence. The nurses that helped deliver me are also angels. I cannot express how appreciative I am for their calmness and support during labor. It was scary AF but they truly made the experience as smooth as possible.

3. My support team. After Paul went back to work I was terrified. Like, I was literally counting down the hours until he was going to work for the first time in tears. I was NOT ready to be alone. While I knew I could handle taking care of Capri, I was emotionally not ready to be alone. After admitting this to Paul he helped me come up with a plan that involved my mom and sisters consistently being part of my week with Capri. We now have scheduled days where they help me and honestly I couldn’t do it without them. Raising a baby is hard. Raising a baby alone is hard. Raising a baby while working is hard. I’m not ashamed to admit that I NEED help and I’m just so thankful that I have my family available to me, as there’s no one I’d rather my baby spend time with than family.

4. My career. This year I worked extra hard to reach my goals and also to be able to take some time off once I had my baby. I wanted to feel comfortable stepping away for a little while (even thought I never really did), and that required me to be at a place in my career that allowed me to do that. I feel so proud of everything I worked on this year, the new partnerships I made, the content I produced, the projects in the works, my career is truly something that makes me SO happy. I love what I do, which is why I don’t stop and why I don’t ever “shut off.” It’s natural for me to share my life and I’m just so thankful that you guys enjoy following along, Without your continued interest none of this would be possible.

5. My team. You guys don’t get to see them very often because we don’t work together in a traditional office setting everyday, but there is a crew of people who work behind the scenes of my career. My management team, my attorney (Paul), my graphic designer, & my strategist are all harassed by me daily and they all somehow continue to put up with me. Relinquishing control of certain parts of my business is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but once I found people that I trust it made my life SO much better. I love working with people who understand me, my brand, my aesthetic, and my goals. I’m so thankful to have found each and every one of you.

6. Safety & Community. After the Woolsey Fires threatened homes less than a mile away from us it made me realize how quickly your home can vanish. You never really think of disasters like that actually happening to you but when it comes that close it’s a serious reality check. It was heartwarming to see so many friends and family in our community making donations and coming up with ways to help those affected. I’m very thankful our home was safe and thankful for everyone who pulled through this difficult time to help those who lost everything.

7. My home. This year we moved into our new house and spent a lot of time and money renovating it to make it our dream home. I’m so proud of what we did and I honestly never want to leave because I’m so comfortable here. The timing of us finding this house after looking for over a year is pretty nuts–I didn’t realize I was pregnant yet but wanted to find a home we could raise a family in. Now that we have the house and Capri is here, I’m so thankful we found “the one.” I can see us making so many fun memories with her in this house.

8. My parents. Now that I’m a parent I have a whole new appreciation for my parents. I think back to them raising me at just 21 years old and it freaks me out. How?! And then they had 2 more! Like, it really blows my mind. It’s SO much work and I truly admire people who do it. Like I said, I need help, but my parents did it on their own and I just respect that so much. I’m thankful for them committing their entire life to give me and my sisters the best possible life and for still being there for us today.

9. Paul. We all know Paul is next level about everything. While I love to point out just how extra he is…I also really really really appreciate it. At the end of the day Paul is just trying to make sure we are making the best decisions to give us the best life. He puts family first and everything else second. He is the best life partner and I am SO thankful to have someone like him by my side through everything we do together. He also gave me Capri, so for that I am forever grateful.

10. Capri. My little baby doesn’t even know just how much she has changed my life. She has filled my existence with so much happiness and it’s only been 2 months! I am so excited for a lifetime with her in it, and I’m so incredibly thankful that she is my baby. I get to live life all over again through her eyes and I aspire to do it even better this time around for her. Capri, I’m so thankful you came into my life….you are my whole world.

What are you thankful for this year? Would love to hear. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! XO