Toby's new trick

Toby asked me to show you guys his new trick. It's called the Magnificent Head Raise. He has been working hard on it every day.

How to massage a baby

At three and a half months old, Toby is already a little bon vivant and loves full-body massages. Here's how we do it...

Depending on how luxurious we're feeling, we use pure vegetable oil (which our doctor suggested, funnily enough) or nothing at all. I start by softly rubbing his forehead in circles and tracing his eyebrows...

Then I rub his chubby belly and down his arms...

Next I give him a double foot massage (his fave!)...

And pull up his legs for a satisfying stretch.

Next I flip him around onto his belly and rub his back...

And finish with some light karate chops! It's become a sweet bedtime tradition, even though he is the wriggliest massaged person I've ever met. Do you guys have any other moves you'd recommend? xoxo

P.S. In other baby news: I'll be posting our birth story this coming Monday, September 20th. Thanks for all your sweet notes about it; I'm excited to (finally) share.

(Photos by Brookelyn Photography. Thank you so much, Brooke!)

Dad's birthday weekend

My sweets, I'd love to share a few photos of my dad's birthday weekend, if you'd like to see...

We rented a big house on a frozen lake in the Poconos. My aunt, uncle, cousin, sister, brother, brother's girlfriend, and, of course, dad all piled in, and we built fires, played games and made lasagna. We also went for snowy walks (it was surprisingly wintery!).

We brought 60 candles for my dad's cake, plus another 34 candles for my sister's husband, Paul, whose birthday was the same day.

It was quite a feat.

The birthday boys.

The night of my dad's birthday dinner, I made everyone stand behind a chair to take portraits. A little cheesy, I know, but I love them. (Above is Alex, me, my twin sister Lucy, and our little brother Nick.)

Since we're usually squeezed into a tiny New York apartment, it felt awesome to hang out in a sprawling five-bedroom house. Even the sofa was enormous. Here, Alex and Toby chilled on Sunday morning.

(And one of them drooled a lot.)

Toby was visibly thrilled to be in a huge group all weekend. (One morning when I came downstairs after taking a quick shower, he was happily parked on the sofa between my dad and uncle, watching No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain, like a little couch potato. It was hilarious.)

It was such a great, cozy, relaxing weekend, and made me want to do these types of mini family getaways more often! xoxo Happy birthday, again, Paul and Dad! We adore you!

Motherhood Mondays: Has your style changed since having a baby?

For today's Motherhood Monday post, let's talk about style. I've always had a pretty low-key look (cardigans, flats), but after Toby arrived, my style became even more relaxed (read: worse!). I didn't have time to do much for my own look, and I sort of forgot about myself in that way. My focus was so much on sweet Toby. But now that Toby's a year old--and we feel much more comfortable and confident as parents--I'm excited to take some time for myself and reestablish my style. Here are the pieces that are getting me started:

* Red lipstick. Red lips make you feel glamorous and feminine, even when you're driving trucks in the sandbox or changing a diaper.

* Striped shirts. Along with everyone else in the (blog) world, I adore French-style striped shirts, which make you feel like a modern-day Jean Seberg.

* Dark jeans. Around a baby, you run a 100% risk of getting covered in banana, yogurt, sand, spit-up, snot, pee, or something strange-smelling and unidentifiable. Dark denim is the way to go! Spills just magically absorb until you have time to do laundry. :)

* Big bags. Instead of an actual diaper bag, I like carrying big regular bags and throwing everything in. I love this leather bag from Banana Republic. Bonus: It has a magnetic clasp, so it's easy to open and close while juggling a baby.

* Ring slings. I tried a Sakura Bloom ring sling for the first time recently and fell in love. Not only are they super cozy (Toby sleeps so well in it!) and surprisingly easy to put on, but they look beautiful. Instead of wearing a strappy carrier or pushing around a stroller, you wrap yourself and your baby in silk. It's a fashion statement as much as a baby carrier. Also, don't you love how you can see the shape of their big diaper butts? Heartbreakingly sweet. :)

So, I'd love to ask: What are your go-to pieces? How would you describe your style? If you're a mother, how has your style changed since having a baby? Do you ever wear your baby in a sling or carrier? xoxo

P.S. This post is part of the Sakura Bloom Styleathon, hosted by my friend Leigh. Read more here, if you'd like. I'm honored to be a part of it!

(Striped shirt from Chance; layering tank c/o Lilla P; jeans from Emersonmade; sling c/o Sakura Bloom; sunglasses c/o Selima Optique; heels from Michael Kors; bag from Banana Republic)

Cup of Jo's Guide to New York City

Yahoo! My sweets, I'm thrilled to be sharing a little guide to New York City this week. I'll be sharing our favorite places to sleep, eat and play--as well as the best lobster roll ever, a (very) romantic date idea, the attractions that are worth battling the crowds and how to not look like a tourist (since my mom always asks!).

You could write a book on New York City (and people have:), so instead of featuring an overarching round-up, this guide will feature Alex and my regular hang-outs, personal favorites and New York discoveries. I'd LOVE to hear your recommendations in the comments, as well. The guide will be posted in separate parts all week, and I really hope you enjoy it. xoxo Update: Read the complete guide here.

(Photo by Shannen Norman for Cup of Jo; graphic design by HipHipGinGin for Cup of Jo)

Happy 60th birthday, Mommy!

My mom turns 60 today. She is the most wonderful mother you could hope for--she always sounds happy when you call (even to talk about boring things), she somehow knows the definition of every vocab word (the only one that ever stumped her was friable!) and she's always up for a stinky cheese and glass of white wine. And isn't she beautiful? To know her is to love her, and I could write about her all day. We're throwing her a big family party this May in NYC, and I cannot wait.

My mom when she was three, living in Manchester, England, with her mother, older brother and grandparents, while her dad was stationed in Korea...

At Catholic school in first grade...

A romantic photo my dad took when they were first dating in London...

With us twin babies in Paris ("We had lots of wild wallpaper, even on the ceilings!" she remembers)...

With me at our grandparents' house in Alabama...

With my sister in the Tuileries gardens in Paris...

With my brother (who I think looks just like Toby here!)...

With newborn Toby!

Mama, we adore you!!!!!!! Happy 6-0!!!!!!!

P.S. Babies in Paris:)

My mom's tomboy style

My mom recently sent me some old family photos of our cousins, summer vacations, all sorts of things-but what stood out most was my mom's incredible style. She wore Wellington boots, flannel shirts and my dad's sweaters, and her pieces were loose and relaxed. Yet through her tomboyish style, she still exuded grace and femininity. I'm so inspired by these beautiful photos and am going to try to shop my closet to see if I can create some similar outfits. What was your mom's style like?

P.S. Having babies in Paris, and my mom on her wedding day.