hey mama, in the lead up to mother’s day we wanted to highlight some of our favourite mama’s out there to help us feel a little more connected, supported, heard & seen during this time.
each day we will be sharing with you an interview we did with one of these beautiful women & we can't wait to introduce you to them.
for day three we spoke with Kinna Shaffer photographer & mama based in the USA...
biglittlethings. | So lovely Kinna, tell us a bit about yourself & who you’re a mama to.
Kinna | Momma to the sweetest, spunkiest, chunkiest little 15 month old - Haddon. I’m a wife, momma, business owner and creative. I believe in a God that is unshakable. Most of my days are consumed with my motherly duties, but when I have time to myself I enjoy painting, decorating, styling for brands I work with, and catching an occasional nap. I like my coffee milky and i’m a huge fan of cheeky reality TV shows!
B | tell us either about your journey to motherhood OR through motherhood currently.
K | We had a rather challenging pregnancy and delivery, so the beginning of motherhood was really marked by fear, confusion and pain (in more ways than one) for me. I mourned my life and my body - no one tells you about that part. Everyone is so quick to celebrate the pregnancy, the bump, the glow. But we don't emphasize, embrace or respect the postpartum body as we should. The stretching and the scarring? “you’ll bounce back” they say. But what about the women who don't? We forget to tell them it's okay, your old life is gone and your new life will be better. There will be so much love that replaces the mourning of the past you.
The moment I met my sweet boy my world was rocked. I was reborn, a new woman, a new type of wife and most importantly reborn as a mother. I'm thankful for that transition, for the lows and the highs. Motherhood has taught me to celebrate all mommas, all bodies. All the small and big milestones, transitions, moments. Its a new love, a high that I’m glad I never have to come down from. 
B | How is having a one year old treating you? What has this first year been like as a new mama?
K | The last year has been the most full, emotional, beautiful whirlwind I have ever experienced. I am so blown away by the love that I have for my son. It's a love that is so unexplainable and so deep. He is so much fun and presents me with new challenges every day.
Every month that goes by things just get crazier! It’s amazing how fast life goes once you have kids, how a minute can feel like a lifetime (when he’s throwing a first class tantrum) but how this past year feels like it flew by in just a minute. We are in such a fun stage right now, Haddon has really started communicating with us and it is just so mind blowing to watch him put together broken words and hand motions to explain to us that he wants a cookie. lol! or to watch him calm himself down while he's all worked up throwing a fit over nothing. Motherhood, and just parenthood in general is never dull!
B | You’re a woman of many talents, incredible photographer & you co-own a gorgeous baby brand B E L D I, how are you juggling working from home & being a mama to Haddon?
K | SO FLATTERED by that!!! I used to try to push myself, and push Haddon. I wanted to be that mom that could balance work and life perfectly. I didn't want the label of stay at home mom for some reason. I would overbook myself, try to please people and put my needs on the back burner, and just take on more than I could handle. I would try to take him with me to shoots and meetings, and that burned me out very fast. It was a transitional period for me (around when haddon was four or five months old) to be able to take a step back and put my sanity first. I realized that if I wasn't being watered then I couldn't take care of him properly, my marriage, and definitely not do my best work.
Now I put him first. always. He deserves that. My clients deserve it. I deserve it.
I am thankful I went through that though, because it gave me a huge appreciation for the moms who are not as fortunate to make that choice to step back. I realized that it is not a right, but a privilege to stay home with my son while still pursuing things I love. I feel really lucky.
B | if you could go back in time; what would you say to your pregnant self?
K | To breathe. Breathe in the good, the bad and the ugly. Take what comes your way and just breathe. There are some things that you just can not change, but the way you handle them can change so much. It has been a beautiful lesson to learn this through motherhood.
B | what are some biglittle moments of being a mama?
K | When your kid actually finishes the food you put on their plate, when you get to see them in an outfit you were saving, when they fall asleep rubbing your face, when they actually sit down in their carseat instead of trying to swan dive out the other side as your putting them in, when they snuggle up with you on the couch just to be close to you, when you hear that first “mama”. The biglittle moments are what make this all worth it.
B | what/who inspires you as a mama?
K | All of the beautiful women in my life inspire me. My mother, grandmother, mother in law, sisters, friends, all the ladies that came before me and set an example for me to live by and learn from. I come from a line of hard working women, they work hard and they love harder.
I want my kids to always remember me by how much I told them I loved them, and how often I showed it. There is no greater gift you can give your kids than to give them that.
B | lastly, a very important question - what’s your Top 3 favourite products from biglittlethings?
K | “Notes To My Future Son” by Catie Gett ALWAYS brings me to tears without fail. It is such a beautiful way to teach your son love, respect, compassion, and beauty while still preserving their masculinity.
Snuggle Me Lounger is a must have for babies during those first few months! It is so cute and snuggly and it always gave me peace of mind if I had to run to the bathroom or cook dinner. Haddon loved his so much.
Anything from The Clē Collective is my favorite!!! We have been using these blends for months! Love the branding, the blends, and the aid they provide! We use “Tired” every night in our bedtime routine!
you can follow Kinna on instagram @kinna.shaffer & visit her gorgeous baby clothing brand shopbeldi.co
