Our favorite thing about Solly Baby is you; the community of parents doing the beautiful, messy, important work of raising little ones. And the more we have the privilege of getting to know you (over emails and DMs and social media and real-life bump-ins), the more we’re inspired by your stories. So much so that we knew we needed a way to share them. Which is how our Full Heart Series came to be. As we share stories from moms and dads around the world, we hope you’ll find something here that resonates, encourages, and reminds you that parenting with a full heart comes in many forms. Enjoy.
Let's start with a quick introduction. Tell us the facts.
Name: Avery Adrien
Children: Primrose (3 years old) Prudence (3 months old)
Location: Richmond, VA
Occupation: Marketer
Tell us about a time in the last week when your heart was full.
My heart was full last weekend when my girls got some quality time with their grandparents while I got some restorative alone time for a massage & mani/pedi!
What’s your favorite thing about your Solly Wrap?
I was wearing Prudence in a Wrap a few weeks ago while giving Prim a bath. And I looked down at both my girls and it really hit me that I was now a mom to two. I'd been so scared about how I'd be able to juggle both at the same time but there we were...in our Solly Wrap and doing it!
What’s something that’s surprised you about motherhood?
Something that has surprised me about motherhood is how patient I've become. Like, we're always *always* in a hurry, but I've somehow been able to allow my kids to slow me down to their tempo while simultaneously speeding up to fit everything into our 24 hours, if that makes sense.
Top three newborn must-haves?
Solly Wrap
Hatch sound machine
NoseFrida!!
When do you feel your best as a mom?
I feel my best as a mom after I've showered with a really nice soap.
Describe a typical day in the life?
A typical day for us is a sunrise barre or yoga workout for me at my local hot studio. I zip home after for my necessary Nespresso + get Prim's breakfast and lunch made before the house wakes up. My husband gets Prudence ready while I take on Prim + get her to school. I work in digital marketing from home, so I get back to my office (the living room couch!) and start working. I'm likely going to keep Pru Odie home with me for a year just like I did with Prim. I set her up on her playmat and she makes sure I stay on task throughout the day. Before we know it, it's 4:30 and time to pick big sis up! And then if there's not dance class on the schedule, we come home, get into our (as Prim calls them) "chillin' clothes," and begin our evening routine. She's in bed by 7:30 and me and the baby hang out with some tv. We can't get enough of Married at First Sight right now!
What would you do with an extra hour in the day (besides sleep)?
If I had one more hour in the day, I'd take a morning walk with my dog + hubs. Now that we have two kiddos, it's nearly impossible for us to get that time alone together with just us and our first (fur) baby.
We love your style! What inspires you when getting dressed? Any favorite places to shop?
The first thing I ate after giving birth was a shrimp cocktail. Only because the hospital didn't have what I *really* wanted—raw oysters!
Where’s the first place you took Prudence after bringing her home?
The first place we took Pru was out to dinner for Thanksgiving. She was born only a few days before and no one had the energy to cook at home.
Any tips for dining out with little ones?
We honestly wing it! Prim loves dining out too and gets excited about planning her "going out" outfit. She gets dressed up, we pack her tablet + coloring supplies and allow her to choose her meal off the (kid's) menu. Prudence is so chill. We always go out with her Doona so it's easy to turn it into a stroller next to our table during dinner. If I'm going to enjoy a few cocktails, I pack extra breastmilk or formula. I always overdo it on the diaper changing supplies. I must have a mat and we must have extra blankets. We've been to some restaurants lately that don't have changing tables which is such a headache, so I make sure we have everything we need to keep her bum comfy during diaper duty.
What’s in your new mom starter pack?
Freestyle diaper subscription, a Baggu bag and saline mist.
What Solly items do you currently have? Anything on your wish list?
We have two Solly Wraps, matching pj's for me and the girls and a Solly Dolly. We'd love a few more of your amazing sleep sets in the striped colorways! Size 3-6 months
Time for a round of rapid-fire favorites …
Fave indulgence: Oysters
Children's book you'll never get tired of: Once Upon a Potty
Drink of choice: Topo Chico in a glass bottle
Fave sans-kids mama-time activity: A cutie cocktail bar
Motherhood-related topic you could talk about for 15 min uninterrupted: Sleep hacks
Post-bedtime snack: Ginger tea + Girl Scout cookies - especially Trefoils!
