BR: What do you love most about being a mom?

KV: The endless love and affection. Being a mom is awesome.

BR: What is the number one way in which motherhood has changed you? 

KV: It's made me slow down and really take in the tiniest moments. As we all know, New Yorkers have a tendency of rushing from place to place, form task to task without really "seeing" anything. Toddlers (even NY toddlers), on the other hand, have no concept of time which means hurrying is out of the question. It allows me to constantly rediscover my neighborhood, city… everything, really. 

BR: Did you breast-feed your children? Why or why not?

KV: I did. Up until shortly after his second birthday in November. There were many times I wanted to give up, but every time I got through "just one more day," we'd hit a beautiful point in our nursing relationship. The older he got, the less he nursed and, therefore, the less demanding it was on my body and me, mentally. I actually enjoyed those quiet moments nursing my son as a toddler more than I did when he was an infant. I was very lucky. 

BR: What inspired you to launch the blog Well Rounded NY with Jessica Pallay?

KV: *Please see Jessica's answer. Read it HERE.

BR: What is your favorite post on Well Rounded NY right now? Why?

KV: I love this personal reflections piece we recently posted about a mom's experience battling lymphoma. It really reminds us how much we all have to be grateful for and displays how a city that has such a bad rep for being rude can actually come together and help someone in need. Read the post HERE.

BR: During and after your pregnancies, what was your day-to-day style? Did you ever wear maternity clothes during or after either pregnancy?

KV: My style is pretty casual and hasn't changed much since before pregnancy. Although, my heels have gotten a lot shorter. I wear sneakers or booties on most days, over-sized button downs are a closet staple, I rotate between skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans and a tailored pant for bottoms. I was pregnant mostly during the summer so really I only had to give into a pair of maternity shorts and jeans. I wore a lot of non-maternity dresses! And yes, I still wore a lot of those dresses after pregnancy. 

BR: What are your five must-have pieces from Shop BURU and why do they work in your mommy lifestyle?

JP: 

1. SAM & LAVI Button Up Shirtdress: A forgiving silhouette and a fun pattern combo? I'd wear it just about everywhere from park to meeting to play date. 
2. Kestrel Vinyl Leather Shopper Tote: This Kestrel vinyl shopper seems like the perfect diaper bag alternative. And all of us mamas could use a good diaper bag alternative, no?
3. Zoa Black Button Front Tunic: Tunics are a moms best friend– and make leggings forgivable to wear in public! 
4. B.P. Collection Ivory & Black Printed Blouse: My toddler would be sure to request for me to wear this "cheetah shirt." Also, for nursing mamas, this over-sized blouse style was a big favorite of mine when I was still nursing. 
5. CrOp by David Peck Navy Trouser Pant: I think it's really important to have a few go-to pieces to form your uniforms as a mom. A good tailored pant like this one would make even an old t-shirt look put together. 

BR: What is a typical weekend like for you and your family?

KV: I think like most families we're out and about when it's warm out and hibernate when it's cold. On the nice days we like to take advantage of the East River Ferry to visit different parts of Brooklyn and the city [New York City]. We go to the park, see friends– we just like to be outside. The fall and winter months tend to be filled with a lot of birthday parties and gatherings which are nice, but we usually like to keep at least one day during the weekend plan-free when we can so that we can go along at our own speed and stay in our pajamas all day if we choose.

BR: What are the mommy must-haves in your purse/diaper bag?

KV: 

1. Honest diapers and wipes
2. iPhone
3. Wallet
4. Toy cars
5. Water
6. Books
7. Stickers
8. Notebook (for me)
9. Band-aids
10. Snacks (of course!)

BR: How do you balance your time between being an editor and co-founder of Well Rounded NY with your family?

KV: I take it all day by day. I only have childcare for a few days per week and am home with my son the other times so it's a lot of odd hours. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to still have a lot of time with my son during the week, but that also means I'm trading in a lot of sleep. I, by no means, have figured out a great balance yet, I just know my family always comes first. 

BR: What's the most baby-friendly place in New York that you like to visit often? Why?

KV: I think New York, overall, is surprisingly baby-friendly. When it's warm, we love taking the Ferry to DUMBO or Governor's Island to explore.

BR: What is the one thing you wish you would have known before becoming a mother?

KV: Not much. I fee like there are so many things that I thought I knew that still catch me by surprise each day and others that people warned me about that I completely forgot. The beauty of parenthood is that it's new to you. It's certainly still new to me!

Thank you so much, Kaity Velez!

Shop her Tastemaker Sale HERE. 

Check out Well Rounded NY HERE.