NICO at Home with Kristen and Finn

SHOP SINGLET ONESIE

Lis: A photoshoot in your underwear can be a daunting idea. How did you find the experience?

Kristen: I loved our photoshoot! it was the most perfect summery Brisbane afternoon to be prancing around the yard in nothing but my delicates. I say we should all do it more!

Lis: Finn is such a bundle of fun – what are your favourite things about him?

Kristen: Thank you! He is such a happy little boy. I am completely obsessed with his dimples when he cracks a big smile, the fat baby hands that slap my face to wake me up in the morning, and how inquisitive he is about the world. And his tiny bean toes, eeek! I want to snack on them.

Lis: Motherhood in my experience has been such a process of transformation. How would you describe it and is it what you expected?

Kristen: Yes, so transformative! It’s such a deep metamorphosis, and the changes are ongoing. Everyday you’re challenged to step up and push down walls that, sometimes, you didn’t actually know you even had. The biggest change for me has been slowing down - it never appealed to me before I had a baby, but you really are forced into it. It’s actually so nice, I appreciate a lot more about my day-to-day life now, noticing the finer details and genuinely stopping to smell the roses.

Lis: Do you think that motherhood has changed you?

Kristen: I think it’s impossible to not be changed. You give birth to a baby and you give birth to a new life of your own, as a mother, simultaneously. It’s unimaginably beautiful.

Lis: I’ve found being a parent to be such a roller coaster of highs and lows, and while it’s important to celebrate the highs, it sometimes feels like there’s no platform to talk about the lows. What has been your experience?

Kristen: Absolutely agree! Especially in the age of instagram, where you showcase the literal highlights of your life, and the negatives are often kept privately. There’s definitely a shift in the waters in regards to transparency and being ‘human’ on the internet, but I feel quite at peace with keeping my battles more private anyway. I’ve learnt the importance of strong friendships and people who are happy to sit and listen and be there for you when the going gets tough. I treasure my friends more than ever since having Finn. My mother is also an amazing support person in my life, I would be entirely lost without her guiding my way.

Lis: What are your hopes for the future for Finn?

Kristen: I hope he has a ‘green’ future – sustainability, clean air, a house off the grid and a veggie patch brimming with food. I hope he’s comfortable in his own skin, and I hope (the most of all) to have a strong, supportive relationship with my son.

Lis: Any tips for mothers to be?

Kristen: Do tummy time! Kiss that cute baby whenever you can. Get out of the house and get some fresh air. Don’t stress about the sleep thing, even though every single person will talk to you about it. When the days are difficult, remember tomorrow is a brand new day - try again. Time really does go as fast as they all say!!