I never thought that I’d live in jeans for the simple fact that I spend most of my day on the floor (and they have pockets). But life with a one-and-a-half year old and an active dog has made practical fashion seems to be winning day-in and day-out.

And that’s not to say that I’m not following trends and playing with colours, prints and patterns like I always do. But dare I say, my outfits do seem to be “toned-down” this year vs. years past.

I also find myself shooting content more regularly, but not often sharing the details or styling choices behind it. Because in my mind the choices have been, “we were going to the park, it was hot, and I only had one clean bra.”

And thus the title of the post: has style (as a subject matter) become secondary (for me)?

I truthfully hope not, as the reason I’m in this blogging game is to share my passion for fashion and styling, but we’ll see, as the summer season is made for shooting, hopefully I’ll get more quality time to spending sharing my thoughts and takes on the current trends.

Here is a great spontaneous shoot we did in the early spring. To stay up to date with what I’m wearing make sure to be following me on Insta.

Some thoughts about this look
Since early spring, I’ve been living for beige and tonal neutrals. There is something lovely about the natural hue that matches so well with my predominately pastel wardrobe (and hair).

Sterling and I have both lived in our denim coats last season. Mine, gifted to me from Joe Fresh, is oversized, pastel and basically made out of dreams. Sterling’s jacket was found at a maker’s market last year, during the very early days of Baby Shark, and was hand-painted on the back of an up-cycled coat by artist Natalie Daye of Big Blue Denim. I instantly fell in love and predicted how much Sterling would love sharks.

So until I’m back spending my days in an office, I think my style will have a touch of “practical motherhood” sprinkled throughout.

On Sterling: Jacket: Natalie Daye, Romper: Gap, Shoes: Minimoc
On Barbara: Jacket: c/o Joe Fresh, Shirt: Target, Pants: Topshop, Shoes: Coach, Sunglasses: c/o Clearly, Necklaces: Van Der Hout Jewelry

Now, I often say that my memory is photographic, but what I mean is that if there is a picture of it, I can pull the memory.

I’ll never forget one summer, while away at overnight camp, I used 17 disposable cameras. I currently have boxes, hard-drives and over 30 000 photos on my phone and there is nothing I like better than going through them and looking back on the memories and moments.

The process of documentation has been been a critical part of my life and as I’ve gotten older I find myself investing in creative ways to capture moments.

At our wedding, I invested in an amazing photographer from Mango Studios, an inspiring cinematographer from Elle & Be Films and an illustrator Danielle Final, who live-painted the ceremony, reception and photography session. The combination of these three methods of documentation have kept the memory of this special day vivid for me.

Since Sterling’s arrival, my world has exploded with pictures, but I’m not complaining. I find myself often picking a month, from the past 17 and reviewing the special moments I captured. With Trevor and I both photographers ( 2Boo Studio) we are always with a camera on-hand.

When Sterling was first born we invested and took photos at about 6 weeks with the insanely talented Scarlett O’Neill. With these shots, we’ve printed giant poster size wall art and created hardcover books for our families to remember this quick moment in Sterling’s life.

So during our recent trip to Miami, we decided to invest in memories and capture this moment in time, Sterling at one. So we began to arrange for our second session of family photos. I found Emily Prada, a Miami local known for her breathtaking wedding photography, who uses nature to highlight her subjects via Instagram and fell in love with her aesthetic. Because she shoots locally, she had lots of recommendations for locations and we picked John U. Lloyd Beach State Park as it’s filled numerous scenic backdrops. Check out some of the photo session below.

I cannot wait to print these photos out and put them on display. I’ve already gifted a set of family ones to my grandparents for their hospitality and love during our trip to Miami.

If you are a Toronto local and looking to capture memories with your children, check out my photography business 2Boo Studio. I’d love to create special moments for you that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

TWO YEARS AGO. How is that possible?

Sterling is 16 months now, taking about 10-15 steps on his own and ready to explore new things each day. He and I spend our days together and are currently exploring options of childcare, but in the meantime, Trevor and I have prioritized him having a growing library of books, toys, tools and crafts to engage and stimulate his developing mind.

So when buybuy BABY reached out to share their amazing assortment of indoor, outdoor, creative, and educational (STEM) toys and activities from our favourite brands (at every budget) I jumped at the opportunity to spoil Sterling. Although this post is sponsored by buybuy BABY all opinions are 100% my own.

Having Sterling born so early in the year (January 4^th), I find his developmental stages change with the season. As we approach spring, he’s all about moving and being outside, which is convenient because I am as well. The Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Sports Car has definitely been a winner as the weather has been warming up. We’ve gone cruising around our neighbourhood thanks to the push handle allowing me to have full control. Sterling absolutely loves playing with this stylish car in our home too, and practices getting in and out. I love that this toy can also grow with him as there is a removable floor to give him control once he’s ready.

We also picked up the Happy Trails Walk and Ride-On Giraffe to encourage movement around our home. I love to watch Sterling’s development, coordination and balance while pushing and scooting on this adorable wooden toy. Sterling is currently mastering backing up and navigating around Taco.

As a designer myself, sparking Sterling’s interests in the different types of art is one of my favourite parts of parenting. He’s been drawn to music since day one, probably because I walked around singing every day of his life and my entire pregnancy.

The Hey! Play! Acoustic Toy Guitar has been fun for the whole family to play with, Trevor “tuned” it and I’ve been walking around playing everything from The Beatles to Baby Shark. Sterling likes to pick the cords while hitting the base to a beat. Instruments as toys, introduced at an early age will hopefully ignite a life-long passion for music and the preforming arts. 

As Trevor and I are photographers, our collection of cameras is pretty big and growing. Knowing that Sterling will grow up around cameras, we started his collection of toy versions pretty early. Again, hoping to spark interest.

I love the nostalgic feeling of this Fisher Price Classics Changeable Disc Camera, that is an updated version of the 1968 original. So far Sterling has only figured out the pressing of the button, and has yet to discover the adorable pictures that can be seen through the viewfinder. The camera comes with three discs, which are filled with images from animals to nursery rhymes to stories.

We also picked up the Hey! Play! Montessori Wooden Math Game, which teaches STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) basics. With wooden pegs and colour tiles and stacking rings, the game teaches children to count, sort and stack. This is another toy that will continue to grow with Sterling and so far, he’s at the stage where he’s arbitrarily stacking the rings and sorting them across the pegs. 

Probably Sterling’s favourite and most used item we picked up from buybuy BABY was his new Sweet Seats Shark Chair. His face lit up the first time he sat down in it. He can usually be found lounging in it while flipping through his books, cuddling with a stuffed animal or snacking on Cheerios. I think he really likes having a spot just him.

Over these next few months as we move into the warmer weather of spring and summer, I can’t wait to see how much more Sterling learns and develops. These toys and activities from buybuy BABY should ignite his interests, creativity and thirst for discovery. Each day as he takes his tiny steps forward, it feels like leaps and bounds as he discovers the world around him.

At the end of last month, our family escaped the never-ending, shitty winter weather, to beautiful Miami for two weeks. And I’ve got to tell you, it was probably one of the healthiest decisions we’ve made as a family in a long time.

Winters are hard for everyone, but I think it’s especially hard for those who work from home or spend their days raising little ones. Between the cold and winter storms, being trapped inside for months can feel isolating, so this escape was very much needed. The weather for each of the days we were there was 27 degrees and sunny.

We split our trip into two sections, the first 5 days we stayed at the beach in a newly built hotel and then for the next 10 we were with my grandparents.

Last year, Sterling and I came down (I shared about my trip with a 7 week old, traveling alone, here) but as my grandparents weren’t there, I knew this trip would be much more special. I also thought it was really magical that the ages of the people on this trip are Sterling: 1, Trevor and I: 31, my grandparents: 91. 1, 31, 91. A truly special trip.

Flights
We planned our flights around nap-times and found great success with Sterling. Our flight to Florida departed at around 6pm, and although Sterling didn’t sleep on the 3 hour flight he was easy and calm due to the late hour. The minute we landed he fell asleep in our ErgoBaby until we picked up our rental car. On the way home, we arrived at the airport at 10am for our 1pm flight, and Sterling made some friends with the people around us, and passed out on top of his dad until we landed.

Hotel
We spent the first 5 nights about a 20 minute drive away from my grandparent’s place in Aventura, at the newly built Costa Hollywood Beach Resort. We decided on this resort for a few reasons:
• their proximity to the beach and boardwalk
• A full kitchen. As Sterling goes in and out of picky stages with food, preparing and having essentials on-hand is key
• A separated living space and bedroom. Sterling is a great sleeper but goes to bed around 8pm, so having a space for us to be in was key

The location was truly amazing. A 1 minute walk to the beach where you could spend your days on the touristy but family-friendly Hollywood Boardwalk which is lined with restaurants, ice cream shops and little stores. On the Friday and Saturday nights, most of the restaurants had live music and the streets were filled with people.

The hotel staff were friendly and knowledgeable about local restaurants as well as the area. Our room was great, very modern and sleek. I did a room tour and it’s saved to my Miami 2019 Highlight on Instagram. They also had a small breakfast available each morning, which was great because croissants are key for Sterling and coffee is mandatory for this mama and both were delicious.

Food
The first few days Sterling had a hard time adjusting to the break of routine around meal time. So we focused on simple meals and invested in an Ikea highchair so he could sit properly with us during family meals, and almost immediately he started eating better.

We didn’t really go out to eat much so unfortunately we didn’t hit many of the spots on our must-eat list, but rather ate where it was convenient. Feel free to DM me on IG or leave a comment if you want more details of the spots we did go to.

For Sterling, we brought a bunch of his favourite food pouches PC Organic Banana Kiwi Strained Baby Food and once we got to my grandparent’s we made his regular smoothies for meal times, which consist of blueberries, bananas, peanut, nut or seed butter, yoghurt and whatever else we have on hand, like spinach or strawberries.

Overall, traveling with a baby (almost toddler) is never going to be easy, but being flexible with your schedule and rules can allow for a painless trip. I really enjoyed the extended time-off, typically vacations are one-jammed-pack-week of sight-seeing and activities, but this trip to Miami for 15 days, meant that we could keep each day light and enjoyable.

We leave on our first family vacation in one week and I cannot wait to escape. I typically can handle the cold temperatures fairly well (1, 2, 3,) and feel confident driving in the snow (I’ve always invested in the best winter tires) but now, with Sterling, it’s harder to prioritize leaving the house when conditions are bad. Meaning we’ve been home bound for a while over the last few weeks. So I’m looking forward to spending time outside while showing my son one of my favourite cities and spending time with my grandparents.

But first, there are a lot of planning to do for this vacation, and my number one plan for success is giving myself the most amount of time to do every task, especially on travel days.

Sterling and I traveled to Miami last year, when he was a few weeks old around the same time, but he was a newborn and only the essentials were necessary to bring along. This time he has a pretty good, yet flexible, routine. Lately, he’s become more picky with food, but he definitely has his favourites so I can plan and make sure I’m prepared.

I’ve already started pack, like 3 weeks out. I started with Sterling, checking out this spring wardrobe I’ve been building for a while now. I picked up a few shorts, bathing suits and new shoes which will give us more than enough for him, plus I’m sure I’ll be hitting up a Target upon arrival.

I also began trying on my summer stuff and didn’t love most of what I have. It’s been about a year and a half since I’ve bought non-pregnancy clothes and the few pieces I did buy this summer are probably the ones coming. So I also picked up a few things that I’m excited to wear and show you.

So, until next week when #theNegins escape to Miami, I’ll be hibernating, making lists and packing while trying to get over this cold.

Puffer: Lacoste, Sweater: Zara, Pants: from my grandmother, Boots: Uggs (old but similar), Glasses: C/O Clearly

It was a few days before Christmas (and I was so sick), when it dawned on me, that I had to get moving on planning my son’s first birthday. Sterling was born a few days after the start of the new year, so over the next few days I would need to arrange everything, rather quickly, as businesses would be closed during the holidays and New Years.

I decided to keep it intimate affair, inviting only our families and a few friends to celebrating this milestone in our home. With that in mind, I also worked with Sterling’s nap-time schedule to ensure a happy baby during the party.

I designed the invitations, elegant and shark themed, inspired by his favourite song, Baby Shark.  And although I’ve heard Baby Shark thousands of times, I love how excited he gets when he hears it, so I’m all about it.

I served brunch and included all of our favourites: bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon, egg salad, tuna salad, a giant charcuterie board filled with meats, soft and hard cheeses, olives and assorted crackers and breads.

We ordered custom cookies (which were as delicious as they were beautiful) from Little Rose Cookie Co, who was so amazing to work with. She created the Baby Shark cookies and Sterling couldn’t stop smiling when he saw them.

Sterling had two cakes, a decadent hazelnut chocolate from the bakery Sweet Olenkas that we served to our guests and a naked smash cake that I made using the Betty Crocker’s Rainbow Chip and layered with frosting and sprinkles.

The smash cake was a big success. At first Sterling didn’t understand what he should do,  but with some encouragement he loved destroying and exploring the cake, tasting it a bit before dropping every last piece onto the floor (which we lined with a plastic table-cloth for an easy clean up).

I still can’t believe that I have a one year old, but I’m falling more in love with the sweet boy he’s becoming. He’s funny, creative, loves to read, obsessed with both Monkey and Taco and I can’t wait to see all of the milestones we will reach together this year.

My Birth Story

Most blog posts and my social media content involved Sterling, I mean how could it not. I’ve fallen completely in love with this sweet and funny boy.

Our Son Sterling
(Photography by Scarlet O’Neill)

But it was a very different year of blogging for me, doing product reviews and sharing what I learned and what worked for this growing boy.

Infant Top 10 List

Good Enough to Eat

Feeding My Baby

When I did shoot, I tried my best and feel confident, but it wasn’t a year where I felt my best. I struggled with my health; recovering from both pregnancy and injury, back-to-back. So when my confidence was at its lowest, I pushed myself to face fears. This year I shot basically naked and allowed others to take control of my image. I quickly realized that shooting my own content for the past 6 years, meant I’ve always had the final say of which pictures were release or shared. Giving up that up wasn’t easy, but I’m learning to enjoy the process of releasing that control.

2018 easy. campaign shoot
(Photography by Jacqueline Ashton)

Junior Foxes SS18 Campaign
(Photography by Nicole Lewis)

Junior Foxes FW18 Campaign
(Photography by Nicole Lewis)

I also continued to decorate the house (#NeginNest) and shared my favourite room yet.

Sterling’s Nursery

Another post I have coming up is one about my goals for 2019. It will be another year of changes and transitions and I’m excited to get started on this exciting chapter. Leave a comment and let me know if there is anything you’d like to see on the blog, as I change things up.

So when UNIQLO reached out to share their new collection of sweaters I jumped at the opportunity to try them on and style them for the season. Although this post is sponsored by UNIQLO all opinions are 100% my own.

What I look for in my knitwear is very specific and I always gravitate to whites and cream knits, (I have around 10 white[ish] sweaters that I love). It’s likely because they are so easy to style with any print, pattern and colour. I’m obsessed with the texture and cut of this 3D Lambswool sweater, that has the perfect V-neck in the front and a mini one in the back and cocoons out in shape allowing it to be ideal for layering.

For the past few years, I’ve lived in turtle necks. Tight and tucked-in or oversized and chunky; turtle necks are one of the ideal cuts for sweaters. And it was love at first sight when I tried on this fine Merino wool turtle neck. The fabric is super soft, fine and fitted but not too tight.

After wearing it twice, I downloaded the new UNIQLO CA App, picked it up in two more colours and had them shipped directly to my door. I’ve worn it tucked into jeans and track pants, under overalls and dresses and layered with a chunky cardigan for a sweater on sweater look. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen me in them via my stories and feed for the last month or so.

With the holiday season officially starting, a great way to take knitwear into a more formal setting is with a sweater dress. Because knitwear could add a little bulk, I like to keep things more fitted when it comes to dresses allowing the material to hug your curves. This Extra Fine Merino Wool dress is a great fit and flare cut, making it super flattering. I added simple statement earrings to help highlight the mock turtle neck, adding a touch of glam to the look.

Having cozy and effortless basics to turn to makes getting dressed in the dark easier and the luxurious knits at UNIQLO are going to continue to be the go-to piece for the upcoming winter season.

Sweater, Turtle neck and dress: UNIQLO Canada, Glasses: Clearly.ca
Jacket & Pants: Banana Republic, Boots: Zara, Jeans: Target, Shawl (actually a blanket): Vintage, Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood for Erdem

I started with the basics as recommended; oatmeal, apples, bananas and quickly began to learn his favourites like squash, sweet potato and pumpkin. Over the last few months, we also tried new textures for him like chicken and cottage cheese (not together) and stronger flavours like Kosher Sour dill pickles (which he loves to suck on and has helped with teething) and peanut butter (he tried it really early with the Israeli snack Bamba).

It was time to start developing those taste buds and blending more complex flavours together. And with that new task it was time to breakout the Beaba Babycook Pro, a 4-in-1 food processor that steams, blends, defrosts and reheats baby food with ease.

This machine makes preparing for Sterling so easy. The jar is large enough (1100 ml) to fit all of the ingredients for all of the recipes I’ve prepared. And most of the recipes from the Beaba Baby Cook Book are as simple as chop and peel (as required) add water, wait 15 minutes while it steams and then blend. Here are two different cookbooks by Beaba, one for baby and one for mama, but you can pick up this one in store at West Coast Kids.

The machine shuts off once it’s completely cooked and you simply remove the basket and set aside some of the water that you’ll add back in to create the desired consistency during the blending process.

A current go-to recipe that Sterling has been enjoying is the Carrot, Apple, and Potato Soup, with a pinch of cinnamon.

When Sterling tried this soup, it was love at first taste and I’ve made another batch to freeze for those meals out of the house, or when time is limited. I love the Kushies SiliTray, made from food-grade silicone, making it easy to just pop out the perfect portion.

Another favourite recipe from the Beaba Baby Cook Book, that Sterling devoured was the Apple Raisin Compote that can be served on top of oatmeal, pancakes or toast.

With half a cup of cubed apple, 1 pitted date and only 10 raisins, this simple recipe is filled with fiber, vitamins and minerals ensuring Sterling is getting all of the right things from his food.

I served this compote as a part of his breakfast along with cottage cheese and half of a mashed banana. This adorable Kushies SiliPlate has a strong suction that sticks to his high chair and the fact that it’s dishwasher safe makes it one of my go-tos.

I also have an assortment of the Kushies’ bibs that help keep Sterling’s clothes clean. I love that most are spill and waterproof and that they are made in Canada. They also have a pocket (this one is made from a food grade silicone) so any crumbs or drops are safe from the floor and my pup Taco, who is happy to help clean up any mess that does make it to the floor.

Read more about my love for his Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair here.

Thank you West Coast Kids, Beaba and Kushies for partnering with me on this post and helping me make Sterling’s meals easy and nutritious.

Appliance: Beaba Babyfood Pro in Lemon. Plate: Kushies SiliPlate. Spoons: Kushies SiliFeed. Bowl: Kushies SiliBowl and Spoon set, Bibs: Kushies Waterproof Clean bib with sleeves, SiliSoft bib, Waterproof clean bib.

There’s nothing quite like the soft, delicate skin of a baby. And using the right products to protect and nurture Sterling’s skin has been one of our main concerns.

I have yet to invest in green beauty for myself, but I did want to start my son on the right path, using products that are as natural as possible, especially since a baby’s skin absorbs so much.  So when my friends at West Coast Kids introduced me to one of their favourite brands Shoosha Truly Organic, I quickly became obsessed with a line of products with ingredients that are so pure and organic you can actually eat them.

Because soap always end up getting in baby’s eyes and mouth while in the bath, Shoosha ensured that their line was made from USDA Certified Organic food grade ingredients, like Calendula, Coconut and Sunflower Oil, so it’s not only gentle and hydrating on sensitive skin but it’s also tear-free.

My favourite product that I tried was the Calm Baby Calendula Oil in the Lavender Vanilla scent (also available in unscented), and I can’t help but use it on myself after a shower and I’m becoming addicted to the beautiful scent.

Sterling absolutely loves bath time and now I do too, knowing that I’m using the purest products for his soft skin. Thank you Shoosha Truly Organic and West Coast Kids for partnering with me on this post.

I’m wearing: Dress: Smash & Tess, glasses: c/o Clearly.ca
Bath: Stokke® Flexi Bath®, Changing pad: Keekaroo