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XO YorsTruly Blog

Year 4 is the year of more… more love, more laug

Year 4 is the year of more… more love, more laughs, more memories, more challenges, more victories, more joys, more blessings. Cheers to God’s love shining down on ours as we become a family of 4! Happy Anniversary, my love. #4Years #FamilyOf4

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my stor

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my stories for detailed shots of Bella’s #SecretGarden birthday celebration.

I had so much fun putting this together and I’m so happy many of you are finding inspo for your little princess’ birthday celebration. 🌸 I’m trying to spend time each day to put together a blog post to share details on everything as well as share more of what I wanted to do if I wasn’t already being extra 😉 So stay tuned! 🙌🏾

I can’t believe it’s been a full week with a o

I can’t believe it’s been a full week with a one year old! Before I became a mom, I did not understand the value of month to month milestones but I have definitely learned to appreciate the growth and major changes that happen even within a 24 hour period. Already Bella has truly grown into a mini human 😂 Her gibberish is sounding more like words. Her responses - words and mannerisms - are perfect for our ‘conversations.’ And now shes... RUNNING! She’s even singing along to our musical books and her name song that her dad made up (it’s actually the sweetest!) 😭 It’s insane.

I’m so proud of my girl but I’m also so sad she’s growing so quickly. Whew! I am quickly learning motherhood is a forever battle between wanting your child to be independent while also depending on you. haha I’m really loving this season we’re in and I’m looking forward to Isabella’s continued growth! #GirlMom #12monthsold #1yearold #ToddlerLife

TWELVE MONTHS Wow. How are we already celebrating

TWELVE MONTHS Wow. How are we already celebrating a full year of life? Everyday of the past 365 days have been the most incredible moments of my life - moments filled with challenges, joys, tears of happiness and sadness. But most importantly, moments with you my sweet Isabella.

This month you've continued to sing your ABC's as if it's the only song in the world, talk with so much passion, dance to any beat you hear and walk like there's no tomorrow. And now you're climbing anything you can, including your daddy. lol

I love your curiosity, your fearlessness and your excitement as you explore the world around you. Thank you for your sweet cuddles and contagious giggles.

Because of you, I've learned to celebrate all achievements in life because no matter how small, together they yield impactful results.

Thank you for being mine, Isabella Fiori. #IsabellaGrows #IsabellaFiori #BirthdayBabe #IsabellaTurnsOne

We’re parents of a one year old! Whoa! While so

We’re parents of a one year old! Whoa! While so much has happened and I often find myself wondering how we’re still in 2020, our year with Bella has gone by so quickly. When people tell you time moves fast when it comes to your little one, believe them! It’s not just saying.

I’ve been asked how I feel and in this moment I’m incredibly proud of how much Isabella has grown and how her confidence and personality are just booming! But I’m just as emotional thinking about her growing into her own person and no longer “needing” me. She’s already let go of my hand to walk on her own and that in itself was one hell of a whirlwind of emotions 😂

I’m just so thankful. So grateful for Bella and blessed to have Frankie by my side on this journey. Even with the challenges of parenthood / motherhood, I wear this badge with so much honor and do not take this role for granted. Cheers to celebrating 365 days with our greatest gift and looking forward to so many more over-the-top celebrations to make sure my little Leo diva knows she is the bestest. 🤍🥰🎂 #IsabellaTurnsOne

ELEVEN MONTHS I am extremely last posting this mo

ELEVEN MONTHS I am extremely last posting this monthly photo because this month was actually kind of emotional for me. My baby girl is really growing up. It was so fun practicing walking with Bella - holding her hands the entire time. And now she is walking sooo fast and talking up a storm. Her personality is coming in so strong and I love every part of it.

Being home to witness so many major developments rather than hear them from her daycare has been a blessing. She gets excited to say, "Hi" and "Bye" while waving. She touches the screen as a way to touch the faces of family members as we're face timing with them (which makes my heart melt and also makes me kind of sad at the same time; damn distance!). Her laugh is contagious and she now has 6 teeth! I am one blessed mama to have this sweet child in my life.

Because of you, I understand why the biggest joys in life come family.

Thank you for being mine, Isabella Fiori. #IsabellaGrows #IsabellaFiori ♡

Every now and then I miss my pregnancy belly. I’

Every now and then I miss my pregnancy belly. I’ve always thought that was so weird but after I reflected on a conversation I had with my cousin the other night I realized it’s more than just the belly for me. I think part of me misses who I was during my pregnancy.

When I think back on when I was pregnant, I feel like I had so much purpose - I mean, I was creating life.. I don’t think it gets more purposeful than that! But even through my pregnancy journey I remained super active, I continued to travel, I went out to the clubs (no joke, I was 9 months pregnant at the club 😭), I interviewed for jobs and made a switch right before Bella’s arrival, I was eating right, my pregnancy was damn near perfect, my hair was shiny and everyone around me really made me feel like super woman. It felt great. I felt great. I loved the happy woman that I was. Even my postpartum recovery was amazing. But when I made the transition from maternity leave back to real life, it was like I hit a brick wall.

Sure, my body bounced back and I appreciated the kind comments, but I was drowning inside. Drowning. Constantly thinking about my baby girl while trying to stay on top of things with a new role at a new company and trying to retain so much shit while pumping in-between was a recipe for disaster. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so low about myself and these thoughts have continued to remain in my mind. I suck at being a mom, I suck at being a wife and I suck at being an employee. I even suck at doing my makeup now that we’ve been trapped in the house for so long 😩

My confidence has slowly been chipped at over these past several months and at this point I just feel so blah. The blurred lines of working at home during COVID while also attempting to navigate each day as if there aren't people that look like me being killed or targeted because they are black is emotionally draining.

[continued in comments]

Happy Birthday @ishowboat ! Choosing to be present

Happy Birthday @ishowboat ! Choosing to be present in your role as a husband and a father is one of the many reasons I love you so much. Thank you for being so loving and such a positive light for both Bella and myself. Your smile is as infectious as your attitude and I aspire to be more like you everyday in how you approach life and any challenges that come your way.

I know quarantine didn’t make for the best birthday, so we’ll definitely need to make this one up ☺️ Me and Bella love you so much. 🤍 #HappyBirthday 🎈

My peace. #TheLongs

My peace. #TheLongs

[Sponsored] There are soo many baby products out t

[Sponsored] There are soo many baby products out there that it was really overwhelming for me as a first time mom to do research on every item before we purchased or added it to our registry. So when other moms reach out to me I make sure I share the items that have worked for us so far and why.

Flexibility
We already had a baby monitor in Bella's nursery that worked fine but we quickly realized we needed something that offered flexibility because of all the traveling we do. While our 2020 travel plans have been put to a halt, the @lollipopbabycamera has been easily and quickly moved throughout the house as we've adjusted to this new work from home lifestyle while she is not in daycare. We've placed it on one corner of her crib, a bookshelf near her crib, in our bedroom and even in the living room. Basically, wherever Bella goes, this monitor can go and it makes life so much easier as mom and dad try to be productive.

Simple to Put Together
You can mount it to a wall or turn the flexible tail and literally hook it to any piece of furniture. Everything needed comes in the box so you don't have to buy a bunch of individual parts which is much appreciated. I didn't even need the directions to get it setup. Connecting it to Wi-Fi and downloading the app was also simple.

Notifications on My Phone
I appreciate the alerts that come directly to my phone which means I don't have to be home to be in the know. This is especially helpful for mamas that are pumping at the office and still want to see their baby if they are not in daycare yet! No need to carry around a monitor from room to room to see and hear baby.

You can also connect a single @lollipopcamera to multiple devices so both Frankie and I can receive alerts. When you receive a notification, it will record for about 30 seconds so you can go back and watch what happened. This is awesome for those super exciting moments you didn't get a chance to record on your phone!

Needless to say, we are so happy with this camera! And when the world opens up for us to explore it again, we will definitely bring our @lollipopcamera along with us for the ride.

#lollipopbabymonitor #lollipopbabycamera #lollipopbabycam

Don’t discount your influence on those around yo

Don’t discount your influence on those around you and how you, as an individual, have the ability to make an impact towards change. Simple conversations can lead to greater understanding. Educating can lead to changed perceptions. Exemplified actions can lead to changed behaviors. Using your voice can lead to lives saved/ protected.

Now, more than ever, you are needed. Regardless of race, sexual orientation or how you identify yourself - you have influence. So use that influence to do good and to help those around you be better.

Please also use your influence to demand justice for those whose voices have been silenced. #elijahnichols #elijahmcclain and #breonnataylor are just a couple amongst many, that need your help. Please check out the link in my bio to see how you can help. It’s not always about money and you don’t have to donate if you don’t have the means. Using your voice has the highest price tag, and it comes at no cost to you. Please sign petitions, send emails and make phone calls. These families deserve to have justice on behalf of the mothers, fathers and children whose lives were taken away from them. And this includes those who are facing unfair sentences due to the color of their skin.

Imagine finding both love and friendship in the sa

Imagine finding both love and friendship in the same person.

I say marry them and have some babies. 🤍 #LuckyMe

My family is so dope. I truly don’t know what I

My family is so dope. I truly don’t know what I would do without these two. They make me smile even on my toughest days. They don’t even realize how much they support and encourage me without saying a word. I couldn’t have hand picked a greater team.

Also, please swipe right to catch @bellagirlwiththecurls being cute 😂 This girl knows how to to work the camera.
#familyiseverything #blacklove

Happy First Father’s Day to the best baby daddy

Happy First Father’s Day to the best baby daddy a woman can ask for. You’ve always held parenthood on a pedestal and I’ve always admired that in you. I loved our conversations about our parenting styles and how we would encourage our children and love on them and show them the world. I’ve never known a man to be soo ready to become a father - like you would literally smile so big as we talked parenthood. It was sweet.

You were the best partner through my pregnancy and in the delivery room. I’ve always known you would be an amazing father, but in the moment I saw you holding our daughter in your arms the love in my heart overflowed and just took over me. It was so raw. So emotional. So beautiful. And seeing you now with Bella has been one of my greatest highlights. Watching you figure out how to put on her tiny clothes, read with her and make her smile is the best. She literally adores you and I love it.

You are intentional with your role as a father and a husband and Bella and I are so grateful for that. We love you so much, daddy! 🤍

TEN MONTHS | Isabella isn’t so little anymore an

TEN MONTHS | Isabella isn’t so little anymore and I can’t take it! Baby girl is growing up so fast and we’re just trying to keep up. She now has 4 teeth with a couple more starting to break through. She loves food and will let you know when she wants what you’re eating no matter what it is 😅
Baby girl has always loved to move around and now she can full on crawl - you would think she’s sprinting the way she zips around. Bella also loves to climb up on
e v e r y t h i n g! At first we thought it was cute and now she’s taking steps as she holds onto things and we are freaking out about really baby proofing the house 🙈 We’ve dropped her bed one level and it’s funny watching her try to climb out.
Bella can clap and wave and it’s so entertaining. Conversations feel like they’re getting deep and I’m pretty sure she’s cussed us out once or twice ha
Because of you, I’ve learned to view life in a different lens.

Thank you for being mine, Isabella Fiori. #IsabellaGrows #IsabellaFiori ♡

What. A. Day! Today we celebrated #Juneteenth as

What. A. Day!
Today we celebrated #Juneteenth as a family and it was everything. In my 13 years of education, like many other critical moments in *black* history, I never once heard of this date. Sure, I heard of the Emancipation Proclamation made by Abraham Lincoln, but I did not know it was not until 2 years later that all slaves were free(ish). I learned of #Juneteenth as an adult just 2 years ago when we moved to #Portland. How sad is that? I took the time to educate myself then and I continue to take that same mindset when new information comes my way. These are the moments I am so thankful for social media - look at how much information we’ve learned. From critical historical dates to uncovering the layers of pain the black community carries to how there are millions of George Floyds that cannot breathe (both literally from police brutality and figuratively through several points of injustice ingrained in our nation). All these stories bring us to where we are today in 2020 and it’s been painful and emotional but also beautiful and transformational.

This year is going down in history and I am so thankful to be a part of it. Today we proudly celebrated our blackness. Something I’ve never done! It feels so good. And today I can truly say, “I’m black and I’m proud.” ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

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