Have you ever wondered, "What do the team members at Solly Baby do all day?" Okay, probably not, lol. But did you know Solly is made up of a small handful of moms across the U.S.? Our little remote team is a tight-knit group, and we're lucky to have each other to lean on in the chaos and fun that is working-mom-life. We might be in different phases of motherhood, but that's the best part! We asked a few of our mama team members to share a bit more about their days, so you can get to know the faces behind the brand and rest assured your Solly Family has all been there, too, mama.
1. What time does your day usually start? Tell us about your morning routine.
Lauren / Head of Copy / Mama to a 5, 2.5 + 1-year-old
My 15-month-old usually starts babbling in his crib around 6:15. By 6:30, he's ready for company, so I bring him into my bed to nurse and snuggle for as long as he'll have it. Eventually, I ask if he wants to come help me put in my contacts to which he always responds with an enthusiastic "yeh!" And with that we're vertical and ready to start our day. His sisters are usually happy to sleep until 7:30 or so, but if he sneaks into their room sooner, they'll pop up and greet him: "Good morning, Archieeeee!"
Samantha / Director of Content + Social Media Marketing / Mama to a 6-year-old + 11-month-old
Our mornings usually start at 5ish when Milo (my 11-month-old) wakes up and wants to come in our bed for some snuggles and a morning nursing session. He will sometimes fall back asleep and I'll scroll through emails on my phone until it's a more reasonable hour. Rocky sleeps, for lack of a better term, like a rock (LOL) so he usually sleeps until the very last minute when he absolutely has to get out of bed and get ready for school. From there it’s just a mad dash to get everyone up and off to where they need to be. I’m very much a “wake up and go” kind of person. My husband jokes that I always do more before I have my coffee than he does all morning, but I’m full steam ahead.
Morgan / Head of Compliance + Education / Mama to a 6, 8, + 11-year-old
I am up around 5:30 am. My sweet husband has my iced latte (his home roasted coffee beans are the absolute best!) ready in the fridge from when he left for work. I sit down for a devotional and to start my work for the day. The younger kids are usually up around 7 am for a bit of TV and then breakfast while my oldest sleeps until 8. We have slow mornings around these parts, and then start our homeschooling, head out to run errands or to an activity around 10 o'clock.
Kort / Director of Fulfillment + Customer Support / Mama to a 13, 17, 20 + 21-year-old.
My day starts out at 5:15 am. I get up, start working from home answering emails, and then I make my daughter breakfast before heading into the Solly Warehouse for a full day's work. Breakfast is my favorite part of the morning. My daughter and I get up at the same time and have a chance to talk and spend time together before heading off in different directions. I savor those one-on-one moments, especially as my children become teenagers and become independent drivers! Those moments are precious.
2. How are you sleeping these days?
L: Lol. We just got back from a trip out west, and two time zones + five people sharing a room did not make for the most restful vacation of our lives. We're home and nearly reacclimatized, thankfully, but we leave for the beach tomorrow, which will no doubt have us (more) under-slept (than usual) for another couple weeks.
S: Honestly the best I’ve slept in a year. We finally transitioned Milo into his room and out of ours, and it was a game-changer. Before that he was waking up every hour and a half like clockwork to nurse or just scream. Turns out he just needed to be away from me for all of us to get some sleep. It’s a bit crowded with Rocky in our bed, and he has a tendency to sleep like a starfish, but I’m just grateful to be getting relatively normal stretches of sleep at this point.
M: Wonderfully! My little ones are older now at 6, 8 and 11, so I have been riding the good ol' sleep train for a few years. I desperately miss the newborn days, especially the quiet middle of the night nursing sessions in the dim of a single light, but the lack of sleep always hit me hard. Sleep deprivation is one part I will not miss.
K: I don't require too much sleep even though I really do try some! I only need about 6 hours and I am good ALL DAY! But when I sleep, I sleep goooood.
3. What kind of things are your kids into right now? What do they like to talk to you about?
L: Archer loves to point to any stove or grill and convey to anyone who will listen that it is hot.
My 2.5-year-old, Cleo, loves to play bakery. She'll ask me for my order, and then tell say, "That's not available. How about a kouign amon instead, maybe?"
My 5-year-old, Isla, takes impeccable care of her baby dolls and is always setting up elaborate nurseries and day cares. She loves to report back to me on their spit-up, diaper rashes and general mischief-making. (You wouldn't believe what Turquoise and Wiggle Worm get into!)
S: Milo is still in the babbling stage, but he does like to grunt and yell at our dogs, especially when they are taking too much of my attention. He also likes to say “aww” and give them big hugs, so I guess I’d say Milo is interested in the dogs, LOL. Rocky is another story. My sweet boy never stops talking. It’s always about LEGOs. He is also constantly telling me about every Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario and Spider-Man character and what kind of shenanigans they are getting into. Did you know there were so many different versions of Sonic? Did you know his favorite food is chili dogs but Knuckles prefers grapes? I did…I did.
M: My oldest Briggs is 11 going on 30. He loves to draw and creates incredible stop motion videos. He is wise beyond his years and will talk about anything and everything oftentimes taking me aback with his vocabulary (bipedal and anaphylaxis being a couple words he casually used in conversation this week).
Quinn is 8 and loves our dogs, chickens and sheep as well as all 347 of her dolls. She would do school with me all day if I would let her.
My handsome 6-year-old loves to make people laugh and is a ball of energy. He is a cuddle bug and loves to gives hugs and kisses. He is inquisitive and asks enough questions for all three kids. They can all three always agree on Legos, fort building, board games or an episode of "Dude Perfect" or "Studio C" on YouTube.
K: Right now since it is summer, my kids are into working and making money, getting lots of vitamin D in the sun, and beach days. Mostly, though, we are into spending time together. We love being together no matter what we do. Going to Angel baseball games, having Disneyland outings, playing pickleball and getting in some movie nights to name a few. It terms of talking, they don't stop, but I love it. As a family we are good friends, too, so we talk about everything!
4. What do mealtimes look like for you?
L: We joke that Archer gets three chances to eat every bite: once off his plate, once out of his bib's catchall (aka trough, lol), and, most reliably, off the floor. Cleo likes to "Cheers!" 100x with every meal and is always thoughtful to inquire, "How does your ___ taste, Mom?" Isla is the first to ask for dessert, which is usually "apple cookies." (We spread an apple round with peanut butter and top it with three chocolate chips and call it dessert because we know how to party.) My husband and I each get up a million times to refill, clean up and swap out. It's chaos and it's perfect.
S: My husband works until about 7-7:30 each night so we often eat without him so we don’t mess up the bedtime routine. Rocky and I will sit together at the “Eat Party” table and Milo will pull up in his high chair. We did baby-led weaning with Milo and I swear he eats more than Rocky and I combined. He’s always the last one to do the “all done” sign language.
M: Breakfast often consists of some form of sourdough (bagels, sourdough bread and most recently homemade pop-tarts) that my husband has prepared the night before and I pop in the oven. For lunch, we keep simple, oftentimes leftovers, and with my husband's current schedule he typically makes dinner (he's a keeper for sure).
K: Since both my husband and I work full-time, our mealtimes are very important to us and we do make them a priority. If you are at our table for a meal, they are filled with lots of laughter and talking. You have to have thick skin to be in our family as we are always joking with one another, so mealtimes are truly the best in this house!
Which phase of motherhood do you think you'll miss the most?
L: Just the other day I was walking into a store with my littlest in the carrier and a girl holding each hand, and I thought, "I already miss this." The weight of my son on my chest. The clammy little hands that so readily reach for mine. I still haven't come up with the perfect response for when a stranger inevitably comments, "You've sure got your hands full!" but I do know it beats being empty-handed any day.
S: I always think “this is my favorite age” until we reach the next one and then it’s like, “Oh no, THIS is my favorite age.” I think my boys are just so wonderful. Rocky especially is incredibly sweet and cuddly and always wants to be touching me. It leaves me feeling touched-out so much of the time, but I also know it won’t be like this forever. There will be a day when he doesn't want to go to sleep next to me, snuggled up like a koala bear, so I’m going to soak it all up now.
M: I pine for the newborn days but I don't think that will ever go away. Luckily I work for Solly and get to love on + enjoy everyone else's tiny babes. I think back to when they were 2, 4, and 6 and they seemed so big then, but I look at them now and realize just how little they still were (and miss the chipmunk cheeks and baby teeth). I think I will miss every stage to some degree. It has been incredibly tough yet rewarding to be both their mother and their teacher. Teaching them to read has probably given me the most anxiety but also the neatest experience. They aren't kidding when they say the days can be long but the years are short.
K: I will miss the phase of having all my children under one roof. Doesn't matter which period of time it is. Being all together every day is what I will miss most. I was warned that once my children got into high school that time flies by. I didn't believe it but it is 100% true! I love my family and I am so proud of each of my children and the directions they are headed in, but as they leave me one by one, a piece of my heart leaves with them.
