Mid Life Melanin MaMa

31 Comments

• Jane replied 6 years ago

  You look great! Your smile says it all, you look happy and at ease with your new role. I'm sure you will both be just fine - I hope you enjoy it.

• approprio replied 6 years ago

  Spot on. They'll be delighted to meet you. If Zion'Joy needs a reference for kindergarten. I'm sure the whole of YLF will be happy to oblige. 

  (Are you sure about donating the shoe farm? That would break my heart.)

• Ledonna N. replied 6 years ago

  Jane I'm enjoying the new role so much.

  Approprio the way things are going. I just might need the reference lol. Whew. My sister wants me to wait a few more weeks. I'm a bit fustrated about it. I love my curated collection because it tookme many years to find the pretty and the comfortable.

• Laura1975 replied 6 years ago

  I would wait in your shoes (pun intended!). There's still time for all the extra water retention to go and make a difference and your feet may shrink further. Then again, they may not, but I think your sister is right. Don't donate just yet.

  Follow your gut instinct with the Learning Centres though :)

• replied 6 years ago

  Best of luck in your childcare search - I remember how stressful this is!  
  You will find a wonderful caring environment for your nugget - and it never hurts for the two of you to look stylish and adorable!

  Bummer about the shoes - but, oh, isn't she worth it?  

• Eliza replied 6 years ago

  What a happy addition you two would make to a childcare setting. May you find the fit that is just right for your family. Looking great! 

• Firecracker (Sharan) replied 6 years ago

  I enjoyed your account of your thought process. It's so familiar, even though I haven't been in the situation you describe. I hope the search goes well and you find just the right spot for Zion'Joy. You look beautiful and as stylish as ever, Ledonna. I'd wait a bit on purging the shoes. Maybe you could put them in a holding area, so they don't taunt you.

• Inge replied 6 years ago

  You look amazing, Ledonna, and I love your attitude! (I hear those waiting lists are crazy, WOW!).
  So sorry to hear about the shoes, it's not easy having to part with footwear you love, but just think that there are other gorgeous shoes waiting for you out there ;-)

• Kate replied 6 years ago

  You look fab, Ledonna. I love that peplum top on you. The school should be so lucky to have Nugget.

• Diana replied 6 years ago

  You look amazing!  Love that leopard peplum with the pinstripes.  And honestly, except for your super cute accessory, I would never even guess that you had just had a baby. 

• Sal replied 6 years ago

  You look fab, and the right place will appear:)

  It is fun and special time with a newborn - so pleased you are enjoying yourself.

• Emily K replied 6 years ago

  Keep the shoes for a while!  The body needs a reeeeaaaaalllly long time to recover from pregnancy.  I wouldn't make the call on foot size for about a year.  Honestly.  

  I'm glad you and Zion'Joy went "as yourselves" to the interview/tours--the sooner people get to know the "real you" the better, I think  :-)

• Suz replied 6 years ago

  Ledonna, you look amazing! I really love the fun, comfortable vibe of this outfit. It's easy to move in, and fun for baby to look at, too! (You know their little eyes like black and white type patterns, and leopard print counts as that in my books!) 

  Hang on to your shoes in a holding zone for a while -- if you can! You may still fit them in a year or so. 

• pil replied 6 years ago

  You look so happy!

• cindysmith replied 6 years ago

  You look really fabulous!

• Bijou replied 6 years ago

  Ledonna, so glad that you dressed as your fabulous self - nothing could be more impressive than that. I remember doing the tours of centres and was so relieved when I found "the one". I immediately knew that it was the right place for us. 

• annagybe replied 6 years ago

  I so hear you on taking random opportunities to wear real clothes.
  You look great.
  And wishing you the best re child care. I know it's difficult out here in Seattle.
  Thinking fondly of you.

• JAileen replied 6 years ago

  I hope you find a place you feel comfortable with. That's the most important thing. You and your baby look fab.

• rachylou replied 6 years ago

  Full swing! Great outfit! Do it again :) lol

  Did you like the place?

• Jaime replied 6 years ago

  Competition for babycare makes my skin crawl. Does anyone call your daughter Z'J? Can I be more irrelevant? You both look fabulous. Good luck!

• Joy replied 6 years ago

  You look wonderful. Zion'Joy looks tiny. It's hard to believe you need to look for a Learning Center now. Is this for preschool? Look for happy, relaxed children who are given opportunities to explore their world.
  Hang onto those shoes at least until the weather turns cool next fall.

• Ledonna N. replied 6 years ago

  Joy i have to go back to work june 26th so i need toddler care. Baby Nugget will be 4 monts old.

  Shevia yes but makes me a bit disgusted so i try not to think about the selective competition. My sister calls her ZJ. I callbher Zi ir nugget.

  Rachylou i toured 3 places today 1 i really liked the other was ok. One i wanted to call child protective services. I hated it so.

  Bijou i will know in my heart and my sister has the commen sense i dont have. She is my grounded rock.

  So much wisdom and encouragement thank you all. I have a holding area for sboes. So i will wait until tje end of rhe year. Oh wat tje body goes through. I would say this whole experience lat about 2 years.

  I'm am hanging on there. The last learning facility was depressing and sad. We knew right away it was not for us. I called it a soul crusher and a joy snatcher. This was my face when we left.

  1
• Barbara Diane replied 6 years ago

  I'm so sad to hear about the last facility. But glad to hear you really liked one and that the other one was ok. 

  You look amazing. And so does Zion'Joy. 

• rachylou replied 6 years ago

  Oh my word. Your face says it all about that last place. Gak.

• Style Fan replied 6 years ago

  Ledonna I loved reading about your thought process about what to wear.  Yes be your fabulous self.  You looked amazing.  Baby nugget is so tiny and adorable.
  I haven't been in the situation you have but I can imagine it is stressful.  You do want to find the right place - it is so important.  That last place.  Shudder.

• Amy Isabella replied 6 years ago

  You look amazing Ledonna - absolutely radiant, super effortlessly put together and fab. And Zion'Joy looks gorgeous too. How do you do it? Lots of luck with your search: I'm sure you'll instinctively know which is the "right one" for both of you.

• Jenni NZ replied 6 years ago

  Lovely happy first pics Ledonna, then very sad face in comments! Oh so important to let your heart tell you which is the right place ( Gandalf reference, The Two Towers). I'm so glad you decided to be yourself. I've been there with the self-doubt and feeling you'll be judged. Z'J so precious must be loved by the carers and hopefully that loving will show through in the ambience of the place.

• Lucy replied 6 years ago

  You look amazing! Great outfit, very you and just right to feel confident in, 

  I remember the struggles of finding daycare for my son in Sydney in an impossible market. The only advice I have is to go with your gut. Over the six years before he went to school, I had three amazing places, and another that started off very good and then changed hands and became appalling. Needless to say I moved him from the last one, and wished I had done it a month sooner! So sending you all the best wishes, I hope you find something you and she both adore.  

• bella replied 6 years ago

  I sympathize, we are looking for a preschool for my son, who will be 3 in the fall (yes, I couldn't believe we need to start looking so early either! It turns out there are some discounts available if you sign up early). I've been nervous about my outfit as well. Some of these schools are a bit more expensive, so cater to a wealthy clientele. But I figured I strengths as parents lie elsewhere (US-educated university professors).

• rachelthrives replied 6 years ago

  As someone who does  admissions for a private school, you should not feel judged during an interview! As you say, *you're* paying *them*--I'm usually trying to sell the family a bit, plus listening to see if we fit what they are looking for for their child. If you feel judged, that's a sign that it's not the right place for you and Zion'Joy. /rant over

  Love the look, and as others have said, you look SO happy!

• unfrumped replied 6 years ago

  Great look! I vote wear what makes you feel confident and strong in your role as mother and protector/ advocate for your babe. So you can focus on all the vibes you may pick up from the centers and " feel the fit".