At Bellē Up, we understand and appreciate that being a mom is the hardest, yet least recognized, job ever. Yes, we said, EVER! We created Mom of the Week (MOTW) as a way of recognizing moms who do the hardest job ever and then some. It is our honor to present you our Mom of the Week … JENNIFER WORMAN!
About Jennifer
Jennifer Worman recently had her first baby (a boy) and you wouldn’t even know it!
This chic, always pulled-together mom balances her family life and being a businesswoman extraordinarily well; always with poise and grace. Jennifer, a former auditor for a big accounting firm, has started an amazing fashion blog here in Chicago called Red Soles and Red Wine (www.redsolesandredwine.com), which we can’t go a day without checking in on (her outfits are fantastic!). In addition to being a dynamic fashion blogger, Jennifer spends her days designing incredible jewelry for her company t+j Designs (www.tplusjdesigns.com).
Enjoy! ~ The Skirt PR Team
Name: Jennifer Worman
Hometown: Bellevue, WA
Current Town/Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Please list ages of your children: Grant – 4 months
Tell us about your family: We love spending our weekends walking around the neighborhood, seeing friends and eating. Each week I see Grant learning and seeing new things and it is an amazing journey for my husband and I. We try to show him new things as well as different environments so he can soak in the city. My husband and I are foodies so we do take the time to have date night at least once a week.
Career: I own and design my jewelry line (with my sister), t+j Designs, as well as share my love of fashion, trends, and styling on my personal blog, Red Soles and Red Wine.
Tell us about the cause and/or organization that is most important to you and why:
When I first started my merchandising career at Janie and Jack, I helped raise money for March of Dimes as well as St Jude’s Children Hospital. I distinctly remember the family who visited our company and spoke about how St Jude’s changed their life financially as well as emotionally. Being a mother has been a life changing experience for me and I cannot imagine the emotions of dealing with having a child with cancer. I think St. Jude’s is an amazing organization and contribute to them each year. I’m in the works of planning ways my company and customers can contribute also during this holiday season.
Hobbies: Exploring the dining scene in Chicago, traveling, and shopping.
Hidden Talents: I memorize things well! When I was in college I received a 4.0 in every class that had multiple choice tests, as I had memorized the textbooks and could see the answer when I saw the question.
Favorite family activities: Right now since [Grant] is still young, our favorite activity is taking him on long walks as well as music time at home.
My favorite part about pregnancy was feeling him move, kick and hiccup in my tummy.
My least favorite part about pregnancy was the lack of sleep and my back pains!
When I was pregnant, I wish I had known that giving birth was not as scary as I had imagined. Moms like to tell you stories (even if you would rather not know) and I was very scared of the birthing process.
I would tell a new mom the following three things:
(a) Take it day by day and follow your own instincts. Advice is lovely but you do what’s best for you, your family and your children.
(b) Make time for yourself as well as have date nights with your husband. This will keep you sane, feeling better and happy.
(c) Enjoy it all, some days are hard, some are easy, but they grow so quickly! I look at Grant sometimes and am amazed that this little man came out of me. He changes every week and I can see him learning new things. I cannot express how much I love the whole experience. My fear of being a mommy turned into the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
When I became a mom, I was surprised to learn that I can actually take things day by day. I was always such a worrier and stresser in life. With becoming a mom, I’ve learned to be more in the moment.
When I hear the term “Work/Life Balance” I think that it is extremely hard to really feel “balanced”. I want to be the best mom, the best entrepreneur, the best wife, the best friend, but in all honestly you can’t be the best at it all. I do what I can and try to realize work can wait and life is about the experiences.
The most important thing my mom taught me about parenthood was enjoying the moment! Smile, laugh, and have fun.
My parenting style is best described as relaxed but scheduled. My husband and I are blessed with a happy baby. He has slept through the night since month two, so we are adamant about keeping that way with him going to bed at 7:30 every night. I introduced him to the bottle and the pacifier early as well as breastfeeding and didn’t worry too much about each step of the way. As a result he seemed relaxed also. We really do try to take it day by day and not read too much on the internet. Searching too much online can really scare you!
The most incredible part of parenthood is the whole journey. Watching him grow, seeing his personality, and seeing his first smile and hearing his first laugh has been incredible.
The most difficult part of parenthood is feeling guilty for not breastfeeding longer, for dropping him off at daycare, all the things you think you “should” do. I’m harder on myself as a mom.
The funniest part of parenthood is the fact that you get used to talking about, and more comfortable with cleaning, poop. When did poop become daily conversation? When you start having children.
My greatest hope for my child is for him to be happy and healthy.
My mom and dad are my inspiration for being a mom. I think both of them contributed to my wonderful childhood and I learned from both what type of mom I wanted to be.
I try to set aside at least 3 hours per day as “me time”. I spend this time putting together my style blog. This is typically at night after [Grant] goes to bed. Continuing my style blog makes me happy and my readers have been so positive and encouraging.
Favorite children’s movie: “Up”, one of the best movies for children and adults.
Favorite TV mom before I became a mom: I grew up watching the Cosby show and loved Claire Huxtable.
Favorite TV mom now: Not necessarily a favorite mom, but I love the show Modern Family!
Favorite clothing item when I was pregnant: My Citizens of Humanity maternity jeans—the only clothing item I splurged on when pregnant.
Favorite item at Bellē Up or BelleUp.com: For moms: I’m loving the Seraphine Leather Look Panel Leggings! For babies: someone recently gave us Andy Warhol’s “Colors“ book and we love it.
