Stephanie is mom to Jaykob, 4 years old, and Jiles, 6 months. A single mom in Las Colinas, she currently writes a fashion blog, does personal shopping and closet reorganization and is working to launch her clothing line, Stephanie Marlis.
4:49AM I hear 6-month-old Jiles’ happily babbling—which means it’s time to get up and start my Saturday! As I approach her bed she’s on her knees pulling on the side of the bed with a huge smile.
5:00AM I nurse Jiles, change her diaper, then we head to her closet to choose her outfit for today. As we stand in her closet, the mini fashionista tugs on a rock ‘n’ roll tee. I decide to pair it with her fuchsia leggings and black motorcycle boots, completing her look with fuchsia-and-black sequined hair bows.
5:30AM After placing the baby in her pack and play, I fix myself a cup of coffee before taking a quick shower and getting dressed for the day. Jiles is so fashionable I decide to wear a tunic with leggings and boots as well.
6:15AM I fix blueberry muffins, turkey bacon and cut up some fresh strawberries and bananas for breakfast.
6:48AM Finally, I wake Jaykob for breakfast and lay out his clothes (a camo print Big Brother tee and Gap jeans) so he can get dressed. Meanwhile, Jiles has fallen back to sleep.
7:00AM I’m multitasking by checking my e-mail and reviewing my calendar while pumping.
7:18AM I pack Jiles’ diaper bag with my nursing cover, her Boon Spoon and jar of sweet potato-cinnamon baby food and a banana, Fiber One bar and bottle of water for myself.
8AM I nurse Jiles one more time before heading out for the day.
8:27AM Everyone has had breakfast and we are dressed and out the door. Jaykob enthusiastically yells, “Let’s hit the towel!” I’ve tried to tell him it’s “town,” but he insists otherwise. … I give up!
9AM I drop Jaykob off with a friend for a play date with her son while Jiles and I head off to meet with a client.
9:30AM I meet my client at Starbucks so I can get a feel for what she wants to accomplish and set a shopping plan of action. She is looking to expand her current wardrobe with a few new fall pieces, a stylish pair of new jeans, boots and a handbag.
10AM to Noon It’s off to NorthPark with my client for her fabulous new fall wardrobe pieces!
12:30PM I pick up Jaykob from his play date and he’s excited to tell mommy and baby sister all about his morning. He fills us in on all the fun he had as we head home for lunch. We have turkey sandwiches, Sun Chips and of course, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
1:15PM The children are taking a nap. As much as I’d love to join them, now is the time to get some work done! I start by checking my e-mail while pumping. I also touch base with a couple of my clients, then my business partner Karla regarding ideas for the clothing line and begin drafting my weekly style blog.
3PM My mother calls, so I decide to take a quick break and fix myself a cup of tea.
4PM Jaykob and Jiles are up and I need a brain break! I put on Michael Jackson’s This Is It. Jaykob and I grab sunglasses, his guitar and maracas, and we sing and dance our hearts out! The baby is laughing hysterically at mommy and big brother being silly. Needless to say, we keep her entertained!
5:06PM It’s time for dinner and I decide to take the easy route and order a half cheese, half pepperoni pizza (my son’s favorite dinner). While waiting for the pizza to arrive, I help Jaykob practice writing his letters and numbers on his mini dry-erase board.
5:57PM Pizza’s finally here! Jaykob grabs his Go Diego Go placemat while I fasten Jiles into her high chair.
6:03PM I feed myself with one hand and Jiles her spinach and potatoes with the other hand. She finally grabs the spoon from me and we have spinach and potatoes everywhere!
6:19PM I’ve got a messy baby! I run my son’s bath and fill my daughter’s pink tub with water and grab all her bath time necessities: lavender bubble bath, shampoo and frog bath towels. Once Jaykob finishes his bath, my best helper assists me with giving his baby sister a bath.
7PM I get our clothes together for church the next morning. Jaykob insists that he and baby sister wear the same color, so I have to make sure they coordinate.
7:20PM I read Jaykob and Jiles a bedtime story, Guess Who – Safari Friends.
8PM I tuck Jaykob into his bed, then head to the living room to watch a DVR’d episode of Real Housewives. I nurse Jiles and check my Blackberry while waiting for her to drift off to sleep.
8:54PM Jiles is finally asleep, so I fix myself a cup of herbal tea before getting back on my laptop to finish this week’s blog post and plan out my schedule for the upcoming week.
11:10PM I finally crash!
