Mom to Mom: Randall de Seve

Satch and I fell in love with her gorgeous book entitled, "Toy Boat" (which I wrote about here) and now it's my pleasure to introduce you to this amazing mama...

Mom: Randall de Seve
Of: Paulina (7) and Fia (2)
Where: New York

1. In what ways has becoming a mother changed you?

I think it’s changed the pace at which I live my life. Before parenting, I always felt the need to squeeze so much into a day—to always be economical with my time and productive. With my kids, I’ve learned to slow down a lot, in part to sustain myself, but also to allow my girls to appreciate their world at a child’s pace--to watch flowers open in the spring and build pillow forts when it rains.

2. What is one tip you would like to share about mothering?

Read to your kids a lot.

3. What is your creative outlet/medium?

Writing stories.

4. How do you find time for creativity?

A lot of what goes into making a children’s story is thinking, and I do that all the time! I write when my older daughter is in school and my younger one is with her wonderful part-time caregiver. If I’m in the middle of a story, I can usually play with it after the kids go to sleep—but I’m incapable of starting anything at night!

5. What inspired you to write Toy Boat?

At Paulina’s third birthday party, the children made toy boats and sailed them in a blow-up pool in our yard. Paulina made one for me, and it still sits on my desk. One day, when I was daydreaming, it told me its story.

6. What grounds you, moves you, fills your well?

My girls--the wonderful things they do every day and the love they show each other.