Playdate 16 | Taylor Sterling & Elodie at Bumble

Hi everyone! I’m so happy to be back with a new playdate. It really is one of my favorite series because I get to catch up with friends, meet their babies, and share with you all the mamas who inspire me daily.

Many of you may already be familiar with today’s guests, Taylor Sterling, Founder & Creative Director of Glitter Guide, and her darling 11-months old baby, Elodie! Taylor was one of the very first bloggers I came across when I started my blog in 2011. I met her at a local meet-up when she was still a personal style blogger at Sterling Style (I thought her last post there has always been very inspiring and brave to me). She since then launched a very successful lifestyle site with a dedicated following, got married, and became a new mom. I love following her personal Instagram as well as she shares many adorable updates on Elodie and her journey as a mom.

What has impressed me most about Taylor is how well she is embracing motherhood. Being someone who has always been very goal-oriented, business driven and pays a lot of attention to aesthetics, being a mother is not an easy transition. Yet, I find that she’s doing it so gracefully and really owning that role as a new mom.

I thought it was time to catch up with Taylor and do a playdate with Elodie. I’ve always wanted to check out Bumble in Los Altos and knew that it’s also one of Taylor and Elodie’s favorite hangout spots. So I thought this was the perfect excuse for me to take Hadley out on a little road trip to meet new friends on a Friday afternoon.

Check out our Q&A and the fun playdate captured by the wonderful Emily Scott! I died when Taylor and Elodie showed up in matching color hats!

What makes Bumble a special place for you and Elodie? We adore Bumble. It’s so baby / kid-friendly. They have activities for kids, a great kids’ menu, daycare for kids over 1, it’s got a fun modern design, it’s honestly not like any other place in the Bay Area. They also have an adult patio where you can sit and work while the kids play in the daycare.

On Elodie: Target Beanie (similar) / Old Navy Top / GapKids Denim Vest (similar) / Red Wagon Baby Leggings / Freshly Picked Moccasins / Bla Bla Kids Doll. On Taylor: Anthropologie Pink Fedora / J.Crew Striped Shirt / Paige Denim Overalls / Free People Cardigan / Sam Edelman Leopard Loafers / The Horse Watch

Favorite characteristics of your daughter? She’s growing so much everyday that it changes, but right now she’s so fun (and funny!). She’s starting to really understand everything so she’s very alert and social. I love that she has a great mix of being outgoing and active, but also is cuddly and loving.

Most challenging part of being a mom? Most Rewarding? There are quite a few challenges. If I had to pick one it would probably be having the patience to just focus on her needs and not worry about work, the house, etc. Being a entrepreneur and raising a baby at the same time has been extremely challenging. I never really get a break. Every moment is consumed with worry about what I am not focusing on. I’m actively trying to get better at this. The most rewarding thing is seeing her grow and how much love we have between us. It’s a feeling that fills me with so much light and happiness.

Has it been easier or harder running Glitter Guide after having Elodie? It’s been incredibly hard. I always knew I was busy, but I didn’t realize how time-consuming my job is until I started juggling raising a baby at the same time. I recently hired a nanny part-time and that has helped a lot. I should have done that a lot sooner to save my sanity. I like to take on a lot of work, but I’ve had some stress meltdowns since I started the juggle. It’s really shown me that I can’t do it all and that sometimes I have to say no to projects, events, etc.

I want to learn more about your new project, Little Hearts Photo? What inspired you to start and why is it important to you? Little Hearts Photo (which will most likely launch early next year) is a fun kids’ portrait pop-up session that I’m starting with my photographer friend Delbarr Moradi. She and I are always doing all these styled shoots for Glitter Guide, and we often have our daughters with us on set. We would end up taking their photos at the end of the shoot and having so much fun with it. We decided we should do this for other kids and make it super fun and different. I love doing things that involve kids and I don’t get to do that a lot with Glitter Guide so this will be something new and fresh for me.

How did you know you were ready to be a mom? Or is there such a thing? Ha! I’m not sure anyone is really ready. I was so nervous about being pregnant and becoming a mom. I’ve never been super maternal even though I love kids. I’ve always been very career focused. Thankfully it’s been very natural for me. What has really surprised me is how much I love it. It may be hard and tiring, but it really is amazing.

On me: Hatch Bataeu Top / Gap Boyfriend Jeans / Freda Salvador Bootie. On Hadley: Uniqlo Top / Baby Gap Skinny Jeans / Zara Stretch Boots

What advice would you give to a first-time mom? I would say be gentle with yourself. You have all these expectations you set for yourself (or set by others) that you feel you have to live up to. Every mom and baby are different and their journey will be different. It’s hard not to get stressed and scared. Enjoy the whole process because each phase flies by and then you will actually miss it.

What’s your typical day like? Do you have a nanny or help? I hired a nanny a couple of months ago. It’s a real life-saver. She’s only part-time so Mondays and Fridays I still juggle work and Elodie full-time. Then Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays she comes into my home and helps for 5 hours. For those 15 hours a week I try to get as much work for Glitter Guide done as possible since it’s the only time I can guarantee that I can get anything done. It’s so hard not to use that time to go to the store, gym, etc. I want to so bad, but I just can’t. My work has to be a priority during that time. The times I don’t have the nanny it’s all a juggle. Usually my day isn’t very exciting. I spend most of the day playing with Elodie and then cramming computer work while she’s napping.

Where do you go for tips/advices for motherhood and parenting? Most of the time I look to my mom, sister and close friends. Their support has been really amazing. It’s also been really mice to make friends with moms who work in similar industries as me. We can really relate to each other.

Your favorite thing to do when you have time alone? Most of the time I treat myself to a manicure and pedicure. I would love to get back to the gym. It’s something I am so passionate about, but I can’t seem to fit it in right now.

Where do you shop for Elodie? For yourself? I love to shop at J.Crew, Anthropologie, Free People, and Shopbop. For Elodie it’s a mix of BabyGap, J.Crew Baby, and specialty shops like Fawn Shoppe.

Has your personal style changed since you had a baby? If so, how? Not too much. I’ve always dressed very casually. I love fashion, but comfort always wins for me. It’s not that I don’t put a lot of time into how I dress, but I almost never wear heels (even though I have quite the collection) or things that are hard to really be active in. I think people are often a little surprised that I’m not more fancy since Glitter Guide is so glam. You can find me in jeans, flats and t-shirts most days.

Where do you find inspiration for your personal style? I love Tumblr for collecting my style inspirations. Street style is so inspiring and probably where I get most of my ideas from (that and J.Crew catalogs). My tumblr: http://taylorsterlingloves.tumblr.com

Do you plan to have more kids? I think so. We would like to have two. I’m really enjoying not being pregnant and just focusing on her right now so we plan to wait a little before we start that next chapter.

Any advice on marriage after baby? This is something I want to work harder on. My husband is amazing and he’s a great dad. I am so lucky to have him to share in this experience with. Right now he’s started a new career and I’m running a small business so we’re a little burnt out and stressed at the end of each day. We keep saying we need more date nights and vacations. I’m hoping that in 2015 we make that more of a priority so that we can spend more quality time together. It’s so important. My advice would be if you can get help from family or friends to take it and make quality time with your significant other.

Secret to following your passion after having a baby? Luckily for me my passion for work and new things has only grown since having a baby. I love what I do so much and feel so lucky to be doing what I’m passionate about every single day. I’m going to work tirelessly to keep that up. Just know you will be working very, very hard. You simply have less time and energy, but you can power through. It’s also important to spend time away from work to stay inspired. When I get out with Elodie and see the world through her eyes I get so inspired and it helps me be better at work.

I cannot agree with Taylor more! I hope you enjoyed our Q&A and many thanks to Taylor and Elodie for an incredible and fun playdate! Can’t wait to come back to Bumble!

Photography by Emily Scott

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