Welcome to be.loved!

be.loved is a full-spectrum support service for new & growing families. Many resources can be found on the site, so please take a look around. Head over to the be.connected page to contact me with questions, concerns, or requests for more information about services for your family. I can't wait to meet you!

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Happy July 4th, everyone! Today, we celebrate our country & our many freedoms. The Fourth has never been my favorite holiday; crowds, loud noises, air pollution - SO not my jam. On the other hand, it does have BBQ food & time with my favorite people. So, I hope that you all get to do some celebrating with those that you love the most. Today, I am even more acutely aware that there are so many that are not so lucky. As a result of our policies & current administration, there are families torn apart. They don’t get to spend time with their loved ones today or any day. For my breakdown on why this is problematic (to say the *very* least) from a toxic stress standpoint see my blog post titled “The One Where I Make Some Phone Calls”. We cannot be a country that builds our freedom on the backs of infants & children. We cannot be a country that shouts our freedom from the rooftops while destroying families seeking that same freedom for their children. So, this July 4th weekend, protest, donate, sign petitions, get people riled up at your BBQs, & call your senators. Because your freedom allows you to do so. Stay safe, my lovelies ❤️ ************************************************** @fams2gether @elizabethwarren @aclunationwide @edmarkey @repstephenlynch ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #keepfamiliestogether #happyfourthofjuly #july4th #freedom #firstamendment #independenceday #familiesbelongtogether #forthechildren #closethecamps
Oh, heyyyyyyy. I didn’t disappear forever! I simply took a bit of a social media break. It was much needed but now I’m diving right back in. I’ve been slowly & thoughtfully planning the next steps for be.loved. Lots of writing & website building to create an online community & membership portal for parents in Boston & worldwide. But, not to worry, individual a la carte support is still available, just contact me here or through my website! The new launch is still a while off but I promise it will be worth the wait! What things would you like to see in an ideal online parent resource? Support from me? Online community? Library of summarized current research? Breakdown of options? Webinars? Something else? Drop your ideas in the comments!!! ❤️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ************************************************** ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #socialmediabreak #imback #slowandsteady #hustle #momsformoms #mompreneurs #parentingsupport
Honestly, mamas, I’m exhausted. And not just cuz lil bub has the sniffles so no one is sleeping. I wish that I were at a place right now where I could coherently discuss what’s going on right now in Georgia & Alabama (and, quite frankly, all over this country). I wish I had something profound or hopeful to say. But I’m just so damn tired. I’m tired of citing facts in a world where, to many, they don’t seem to matter. I’m tired of pointing out glaring hypocrisies & contradictions in the logic of our politicians. I’m tired of shouting into a seeming void. But we keep fighting, even if we shouldn’t have to. These laws aren’t subtle, they aren’t quiet, they scream their intention: to further marginalize women, particularly WOC & women living in poverty, & to silence our voices. Make no mistake, this is not, & has never been, a moral issue. It’s a misogynist issue. So we lean on each other, we shout, we yell, we stomp our feet. We may be tired, but we are not silent. ************************************************** Photo by @gabriel.matula.ph from unsplash.com ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #menshouldntbemakinglawsaboutwomensbodies #reproductiverightsforall #womensrightsarehumanrights #feminism #womensrights #abortionishealthcare #getoutofmyuterus #mybodymychoice #scienceisnotopinion #iamwomanhearmeroar
Happy Monday, everyone! My second installment of my infant sleep series is up! While the first focused on the history of our infant sleep expectations, the second investigates evolutionary reasons infants don’t sleep well (or at all!) alone. It turns out, we’re animals. Mammals. And it’s always been evolutionarily adaptive for mammals to co-sleep. Why does that matter? Because evolution only selects behaviors that help us survive as a species. When your baby wants you nearby at night he’s just doing what he’s designed to do: survive! If you’ve ever been asked “is your baby sleeping through the night?” (here’s looking at you, @sussexroyal) you’ll want to give this a read! Share with other parents! Instead of getting anxious about infant sleep, get informed! Link in bio. Stay tuned for the rest of the series 😊 ************************************************** @beyond_sleep_training_project @paper__pinecone ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #evolutionarypsychology #evolutionmatters #developmentalpsychology #infantsleep #sleepdevelopment #evidencebasedparenting #informedchoiceparenting #infantdevelopment #normalizeinfantsleep #beyondsleeptrainingproject
Happy Mother’s Day to: the mamas, the mamas-to-be, the mamas to angels, &the hoping-to-be-mamas! No matter where you are on your motherhood journey, I hope you have a moment or two today where you enjoy dolce far niente - the sweetness of doing nothing. Doing nothing & enjoying it. Stay in your jammies, sip your coffee, don’t shower, snuggle on the couch, eat good food, & gaze upon all you have created. Mothers are notoriously bad at this. But today, for this one day, see if you can find a moment. Be present. No pressure, no stress, just live in the moment. You are magic. ✨💕✨ ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #mothersday #happymothersday #bepresent #dolcefarniente #mamasaremagic #todaysyourday #motherhoodjourney #theartofdoingnothing
Happy Wednesday!!! You know what today is? It’s the day it was finally nice enough out to set up the sand & water table. Hours of entertainment! Sensory play! Pretend play with dinos! Vitamin D & fresh air! I don’t know who is the most excited. Is it Leo, the Pisces water baby? Is it me, who has been craving outside time & who was running out of indoor activity ideas? Or is it Ollie, who just wants company outside while he lays in the sun (& possibly a fetch partner)? It’s some kind of magical three-way tie. Anyway, I really did my research before choosing sand for the table. In the end I went with Jurassic Sands. It’s dust free, dye free, chemical free, asthma & allergy friendly, has no residue & is sustainable & eco-friendly. It comes in beautiful colors & is so, so soft. Perfect for sandcastles, digging, & sensory play. Be sure to check them out or share your favorite play sands below! ************************************************** @sandman_and_robin @thestep2company ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #jurassicsands #lovetheearth #sustainable #shopclean #ecofriendly #sensoryplay #sandtable #watertable #gogreen #theresnoplanetb
Happy Earth Day! I’m kind of relishing this rainy day. It seems appropriate today that it is wet & lush & green. We’ve done so much to damage our earth, so today let’s try to focus on what we can do to start repairing it. I try hard to foster good habits with Leo now so that they become long-term behaviors. We talk about conserving water for our friends Nemo & Doesn’t ry (can’t flush unless you use the potty, bud). We talk about recycling vs. garbage when he’s “helping” clean up. We have eliminated almost all single-use plastic in our home & use clean beauty/personal care/cleaning/home products. We’re looking into composting services. We try to shop local & organic. We support sustainable companies. Today, to celebrate our earth, we planted some sunflowers. As they grow, we’ll be reminded of all the earth provides & it will give us a chance to talk about conservation & taking care of our home. Let’s raise the next generation of little humans to love their earth & be her stewards in a way precious generations haven’t. Our examples & lessons become their behavior. What have you done today to show the earth how much you appreciate her? ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #happyearthday #earthday2019 #lovetheearth #shopclean #intentionalliving #childrenarethefuture #savetheearth #motherearth #gogreen #theresnoplanetb
Buona Pasqua! I hope everyone is having a lovely Easter weekend or had a beautiful Passover. Whether you celebrate this weekend or not, I hope it’s been filled with love, gratitude, laughter, warmth, good food, & your chosen family. May you be happier than this nugget on an Easter egg hunt for eggs filled with cars. And when you inevitably find Easter grass in your house in three months, may it make you smile with fond memories. ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #buonapasqua #happyeaster #happypassover #famiglia #somuchdriving #springhassprung #auntsareforspoiling #egghunt #thisstuffgetseverywhere #jerseycitybywayofCT #foodfordays
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Ugh. Groooaaaaaaaan. 🤦🏽‍♀️ Buzzfeed, seriously?! Please stop feeding into the culture of fear around childbirth. Don’t use click-baity titles to fill the heads of pregnant women, those trying to conceive, & young people for whom childbirth is far in the future with terror. Childbirth experiences are so varied, so personal. Women have to work so hard to get informed & feel empowered during pregnancy & childbirth. We live in a world where, often, personal agency is not a given in this process. Protocol & history & biases are hard enough to navigate. Every article like this does nothing but create more hurdles for women. Fear is the biggest obstacle to a positive birth experience - stop feeding into it. We have to do better. ************************************************** @buzzfeed ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #evidencebasedbirth #birthwithoutfear #pregnancy #birth #motherhood #empoweredbirth #birthculture #stopfearmongering #womenshealth
As parents, sometimes we forget that our children, however small, are *people*. Teeny human beings with wants & thoughts & oh so many feelings. Instead, we focus on getting them to comply to all our wishes. Yes, sometimes to keep them safe & healthy & teach them. More frequently, perhaps, to make our lives easier. Less complicated, more streamlined, less difficult, more like before. We fill our days with don’ts & nos & stops then get frustrated when our children throw a tantrum over their lack of agency. So here’s a reminder for a cloudy Thursday: take a breath & lead with love. Make them feel heard. Acknowledge their anger, their frustration, their sadness. Validate it. Use gentle words. And offer hugs & kisses & help for when they’re ready. It’s not always easy & no one can do it every single time (we all have our breaking points!). Responding with warmth will mean the world to your little bug. And, I promise you, it will make your life easier, too. Anger is met with anger, but love begets love. After all, they’re only real request is “love me” 💕 ************************************************** #belovedboston #bostonmamas #mamas #toddlermama #toddlers #boymama #instamama #igmama #motherhood #bloggermama #adventuresofleojack #littlelionpaws #lifewithleo #leomio #dearleo #motherhood #workingmama #sahm #workfromhomemama #bostonbusinesswomen #leadwithlove #lovebegetslove #lovewarrior #loveaboveall #emotionalintelligence #socialemotionalintelligence #emotionalvalidation #mindfulparenting #youarekind #loveme