Celebrating my first Mother’s Day and new book

admin — Sun, 11 May 2025 14:50:22 +0000

Today, we celebrate #motherhood in all its forms.

To the moms who carried life and the ones who carry love just as deeply. To the new moms, seasoned moms, stepmoms, and chosen moms. To those still waiting, still hoping, still trying. To those who’ve experienced loss, and hold motherhood in their hearts. To the moms parenting through joy, through exhaustion, through every high and low. To the ones doing it alone, and the ones surrounded by support. To the mothers we’ve lost, and the ones who live on in our hearts.

Motherhood isn’t one story—it’s many. Each one unique, each one filled with love, resilience, and strength.

As I celebrate my first Mother’s Day I can’t help but reflect on the road that led me here — the bump before the baby, the delivery that brought him into my arms, and the little boy who changed everything the moment he arrived.

In just one year, so much has changed—and so have I.

Motherhood has changed me in ways I never could have imagined. It’s made me softer in all the best ways, but stronger too. It’s opened my heart to a kind of love that’s impossible to explain, but so easy to feel. It’s shifted my world completely … giving every moment a new kind of meaning. It’s reminded me to slow down, to breathe life in, and to hold on to every little moment, because they truly do pass so quickly.

Becoming a mom has been the best chapter of my life—but the road to get here was one of the hardest. It’s a story many know all too well, yet it’s often left unspoken.

This Mother’s Day, I’m opening that chapter and sharing it with the world. I’m beyond excited to reveal the first look at my upcoming children’s book: The Road to You.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂 is a celebration of love, patience, and resilience—the kind that carries us through the journey to parenthood. Whether you’re expecting, navigating infertility, or simply believe in the power of hope, this story is for you.

It’s a tribute to every path, especially the ones that took a little longer or looked a little different.

I can’t wait to share this book with you all.
Stay tuned—The Road to You is coming Winter 2025-26!

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How I created a children’s book for my son using Canva

admin — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 15:08:58 +0000

As a writer, I have always found the written word to be something extremely powerful. More so, I love how a collection of words can tell a story or capture a moment in time. As a mom, I’m always on the lookout for ways to create meaningful moments with my son … and story time is definitely one of them.

This past summer, I felt an urge to do something unique for him, something that would capture his growth, curiosity, and the special bond we share every time we pick up a book. That’s when the idea of writing a children’s book just for him came to life.

Finding inspiration in every day moments

The last four months have been a whirlwind of activity, but also a time of reflection. Each month, I capture my son’s milestones, his favourite toys, the special moments he shares with friends and family. Whether it was my son’s fascination with music, becoming best friends with our dog Louie, or creating memories with his grandparents, these moments have made up his early and best days.

I wanted to bottle up these experiences and translate them into something timeless. That’s how my ABC book for my son came to be—a collection of our shared adventures, small but powerful memories, each one linked to a letter of the alphabet.

Crafting the ABCs

It was easy to capture something special for each letter of the alphabet in addition to lessons I hope he will gain from reading the book as he gets older. For example:

L is for Louie your furry best friend. With a wag of his tail the fun never ends!
M is for Mama, who makes every day bright. Her love wraps around you, cozy and tight!
N is for Nonni, who cook with such care. Their homemade lasagna is beyond compare!

By the time I reached the letter Z, I realized the book wasn’t just about learning the alphabet—it was a heartfelt tribute to our memories, friends, family and the early moments in my son’s life.

Bringing the book to life with Canva

Once I had the words down, it was time to bring them to life visually. That’s where Canva came in. Canva’s user-friendly design tools made the entire process of illustrating and formatting the book incredibly easy!

I started by creating a template that suited the playful and bright tone I wanted for the book. Canva’s library of illustrations allowed me to add colorful elements to each page. For “L is for Louie,” I found a cute, cartoon-style illustration of a white dog that perfectly captured our family dog. For “N is for Nonni,” which means grandparents in Italian, I found a fun image of grandparent’s cooking in the kitchen.

The flexibility of Canva meant I could customize each page exactly how I envisioned. I could change fonts, colours, and images to match the personality of each letter and its associated rhyme. It was a fun, creative process that reminded me of when I formally published my other children’s books, except this time the book was intended for just one special reader … my son.

Once I was satisfied with the design, Canva’s print service made it easy to turn the digital book into a tangible keepsake. This was my first time printing with Canva and I was extremely impressed with the quality of the book once it arrived. I chose to print a medium hardcover edition—something my son could flip through again and again without it wearing out.

When the book arrived in the mail, we sat down together, flipping through the pages, reliving our special moments, and pointing out the colourful illustrations that captured his imagination.

Writing this ABC book for my son was more than a creative project—it was a way to slow down and appreciate the last four months we’ve shared together.

As he grows, I hope to create more personalized books that reflect the different stages of his childhood.

For any parents out there thinking about creating something special for their little ones, I encourage you to try it! Whether it’s a book, a photo album, or a creative project you’ve been dreaming of, the time you spend capturing these moments is a gift that both you and your child will cherish for years to come.

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