FRIDAY Q&A: MY BIRTH PLAN, OUR BABYMOON PLAN, MONOGRAMMED BATH TOWELS, AND MORE

Happy Friday! It’s been a week of high highs and low lows and sadly today we’re headed to the funeral for one of my best friends’ dad who passed away last weekend. It’s definitely been one of those weeks where I’m reminded of what’s really important and want to squeeze all my family and friends extra tight. I hope you all have a beautiful weekend surrounded by the people you love!

design darling friday q&a

1. Where is your favorite place to buy monogrammed bath towels?

We have monogrammed bath towels from Pottery Barn (this style in white with a navy diamond monogram) and Weezie (this style with navy piping and a light blue script monogram, which you can see in this post) and I adore them both! I like keeping one set in our master bathroom and another in our hall bath.

2. I would love to learn how you handled a baby shower in Dallas when you live in CT. I live in SF but my baby shower will be in NY so I need to figure out gift logistics!

My mother-in-law’s best friend planned the entire event and most of the guests shipped gifts directly to our house in Connecticut since that is the address on our baby registry (particularly the big items like stroller and car seat!). But we did receive several sweet gifts at our baby shower so we packed as many as we could squeeze into our suitcases and then my mother-in-law is shipping the rest.

3. Best eye mask to use before a friend’s wedding?

I don’t have a favorite eye mask (would love to hear your recs!) but hands down my favorite way to prep for a big event is this $12 ice roller. You store it in the fridge or freezer and can roll it on top of any face oil or moisturizer to instantly depuff and tighten the skin around your eyes and jawline!

4. I’m expecting in November! Will you share what baby items you bought and/or registered for?

Congratulations! I just posted what’s on our baby registry this week and I’m planning to write an updated post in the fall/winter after our baby arrives and we’ve used all the products for a few months.

5. Your skin always looks flawless in pics — any tips for applying makeup to acne-prone skin?

That is so kind but I assure you it is far from flawless! I use this primer followed by this tinted moisturizer (which I’ve used for YEARS and have yet to find one I like more). I recently started using this Charlotte Tilbury product after the tinted moisturizer for a little extra glow and it makes a huge difference!

6. What kind of car do you drive?

We traded in our two leased cars when we moved from Dallas to Connecticut and bought a navy Jeep Grand Cherokee that we both share (Will takes the train into the city on weekdays so it’s rarely a big inconvenience!).

7. Do you and Will ever get in arguments?

This question made me laugh before of course we do! Every couple has disagreements and thankfully we’ve gotten a lot better about talking through ours over the years. He tends to be hyper rational and I tend to be hyper sensitive (particularly while pregnant haha) but we’ve learned when it’s time to take a break and that nothing’s ever worth going to bed angry about.

8. Where are you delivering? Do you have a birth plan?

I’m planning to deliver at Greenwich Hospital and am hoping to have a vaginal birth with the help of an epidural, but I don’t have a ton of preferences beyond that. I trust my doctor to determine what’s necessary in the moment and I know Will and I will roll with the punches if anything unexpected comes up. I’ve tried to shield myself from reading a ton of horror stories because it’s such an intimate experience and no two births look exactly alike. I support any woman’s choice to give birth exactly how she envisions it — whether that’s a scheduled c-section or giving birth in a bathtub at home — and ask that you all do the same, even if my labor experience looks completely different from yours!

9. Have you been using any creams or oils to prevent stretch marks during your pregnancy?

I’ve been using this belly butter most nights but I think my lack of stretch marks probably has more to do with genetics than any nighttime ritual. The scent is a little earthy (nothing overpowering but worth noting if that’s not your thing) but I’ve gotten used to it and find it moisturizing enough to use on my hands and feet as well.

10. Where are you doing your babymoon?

After our big trip to Australia during my first trimester, I’m honestly more excited about laying low than I am about planning another international adventure. We’re heading to my family’s house on Nantucket for a few weeks in July and again for my 30th birthday in August (more on our summer plans here) and while these won’t be the most exotic or romantic trips, they’re exactly the kind of low-key quality time I’m craving before our lives get turned upside down in the fall!