The diversity of the rhythm of everyday family life never ceases to amaze us. We are all connected through our common experience of parenting, our center, and heartbeats are unified through our love of our little ones. We are amazed by the details and the beauty of each family, while recognizing there is nothing more important to every family than keeping baby safe, comfortable, and by our sides. Here is a glimpse into the daily rhythm of MyLin and Lindsay Stokes-Kennedy and their two children.
Tell us a little about your family…
I, MyLin, am the stay-at-home mom and I am also an artist (Stokes Kennedy Art Studio). My wife, Lindsay, is an interior designer and owns her own design studio – Three Salt Design Co. We have two boys: Kameron is 12 and Lennox is 11 months.
What does a typical day in your family look like?
Lindsay is doing her first (or final depending on how you look at it) feeding at 5:30am before slipping out of bed and getting ready for work. She creeps out at 7 and if I’m lucky, Lennox and I get another hour of sleep before he’s flailing his chubby arms. We awake and have breakfast with Kameron, then he gets ready for virtual middle school. I walk our dog, Pepper Anne, and bring along Lennox for some fresh air either in the baby carrier or stroller (depends how long we walk that day). We then proceed with our Eat, Play, Sleep schedule. We do ABC songs, nursery rhymes, read/play then he naps for 2-3 hours. This is time for me to touch base with Kameron on his schoolwork and me get in some household chores and art time. When Nox wakes up again we eat lunch, play, watch a movie and then he has his second nap. I prep dinner during this time, and we eat once Lindsay gets home. Lennox’s favorite part of the day is bath time and then milk time. Lindsay feeds him and then I rock him to sleep. Once he is down, we will come out and watch a couple of shows with Kameron. We are currently binge watching the Marvel Runaways.
What does home mean for your family?
Lindsay is an interior designer and has always been passionate about what she does. More than a pretty space, home has always been particularly important to both of us, so we take time to invest in this space most of all. I mean a spiritual, mental, and physical investment, that goes along with the financial investment. Our family must always feel safe, relaxed, and inspired in our home and finding and keeping tools that reflect and encourage safe, functional, and beautiful living is always our goals.
If you or your partner work, how does work inspire your family?
Having a baby and then experiencing a pandemic like covid, you see how differently life must look to ensure that your family is protected and safe at all costs. While we know covid has been an abundant source of discouragement and grief, for us it gave Lindsay some amazing bonding time with her first-born son. And once it cleared, people were so tired of looking at the walls of their homes, that Lindsay’s company has been really progressing every day. Fortunately for us, that allows me to stay home with Kameron during his first virtual school year, and with our baby during his first year of life.
How does babywearing help you at home? Helping with other siblings? Getting work done?
Motherhood for us has been about balance. We want to give our children the love and comfort they desire and deserve, without limiting ourselves to move, shake and grow when we have the opportunity to. At home babywearing ensures that tasks get done, and Lennox is still very close to heart. It is my wish that I am able to get everything done during his naps, but that is not always the case. Therefore, our Omni 360 comes in great use when he wants to be held but I still have things to get done.