YOYA's 20 Questions: Jena & Jesi

YOYA's 20 Questions: Jena & Jesi

Every mom holds her own magic - that arsenal of must have products and best kept secrets which allow her to get through the day and on occasion make motherhood look like a breeze. Each week, we'll use YOYA's 20 Questions to unlock the vault and provide a sneak peek into the essentials of our favorite moms.  

Double feature! This week the spotlight’s on Jena Goetze and Jesi Baxter, sisters and new moms of 14 month old babes. Jena is a Senior Digital Projects Manager at Vineyard Vines, and Jesi the Special Events Manager at The Modern inside of the MoMA. We sat down with the duo for twice the tips, tricks and funny stories that come with being new moms. Enjoy learning more about Jena and Jesi below, from their favorite Instagram account that pulls back the curtain on motherhood, to the apps they’ve sworn by these past 14 months. 

  

ABOUT ME:

Neighborhood: (JG) Rye, NY and Jesi is in Westport, CT. It’s kind of a funny story… I’ve lived all over New York City, but right before I had my son we decided to move back to Rye, where I’m from. We moved in with my parents while looking for a house, and as fate would have it, so did Jesi! We ended up having our babies three days apart, so it was amazing to have the support and company as two new moms.

Work Industry: (JG) I work in Advertising//Marketing at Vineyard Vines. (JB) I plan private events for The Modern inside the MoMA.

My Crew (Kids/Ages): (JG) My husband is Rich and son is Cole. Jesi is married to Andrew and their daughter is Cora. Both babies are 14 months, and 3 days apart!

Morning Routine: (JG) Weekday mornings with Cole are my favorite. He’s so happy to see me when I pick him up from the crib, and after we snuggle with his bottle, he just wants to play! I usually try to wake up before him so I can get ready for the day - shower, get his lunch ready, etc. Can’t lie, it’s pretty hectic! (JB) What routine?! Weekday mornings are struggle city.




ESSENTIALS:

Go-To Outfit: (JG) I love clothes that are easy and low maintenance. My go-to’s have been high-waisted skinny jeans (to help suck me in!) with a tank French tucked, plus comfortable shoes for running around! (JB) Black on black on black. Foolproof way of running out of the house.

Must Have Beauty Product:  (JG) Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Oil and Drybar’s Detox Dry Shampoo. (JB) A great Vitamin C Serum. I love any serum because it’s a quick add to your daily routine.

Favorite Instagram Account(s) to Follow: (JG) @JennyMollen - she’s just hilarious and posts the real-life mom stuff. #dictatorlunches #momsouttherekillingit I also love @EvaChen for all things #momlife and fashion.



Home Decor Style: (JB) Clean and cozy with industrial accents. Jena and I have similar taste. I like to change out decor seasonally (like throw blankets and pillows) to get a warmer cabin vibe in the fall/winter months and a lighter coastal feel in the spring/summer months. 

Best Workout: (JG) I love barre classes. I hate cardio, and this is a workout that goes by so quickly and is really effective. It 100% helped me to have a healthy pregnancy and labor experience. (JB) Between chasing Cora around and having dance parties together, I have my cardio covered!

Currently Reading: (JG) Jenny Mollen’s Live Fast Die Hot. I think i have an obsession!


 

Guilty Pleasure: (JB) Pizza!! Jena and I have been known to order a whole Grandma pie to split. 

Favorite Destination: (JG) Napa, CA and anywhere in Italy. (JB) Love both of those places. I’d say anywhere food and wine take priority!

Travel Essential: (JB) Coconut Oil. It’s the best all-in-one moisturizer for your face, body, hair, cuticles - you name it! 

KIDS

Describe your kid’s style (are they in charge of it or are you? / does it differ from your own?): (JG) Cole is always on the move so I definitely chose pieces made for comfort. I try to dress him like me (neutrals!) but he usually ends up in a cozy sweat pant or legging with a fun colored or printed top. I try to stick with organic cotton, it’s so soft!  (JB) I also try to buy mostly neutrals since Cora receives a lot of pink gifts!  I opt for simple and practical shapes that are easy for changing, and will add a cute bow to jazz it up :)

Favorite Kids Brand: (JG) I used to work around the corner for YOYA and would love popping in on my lunch breaks! Also LovedBaby, Primary.com, Freshly Picked, Lulu and Roo, Zara Kids and Slouch Headwear.

Go-To Gift (new baby, birthday party, etc): (JG) Personalized teether from Bannor Toys for new baby! Made from wood. (JB) Custom Christmas Stockings or the Ollie Swaddle for new moms (because this saved me).

 

 

Mom Hack / Gadget / App: (JG) No mom hacks but these apps are great: BabyConnect app saved me when Cole was a newborn. It helps you track feedings and sleep. It was nice to be able to tap a button and have the info be saved so you didn’t have to do much thinking when you're sleep deprived! Wonder Weeks app is really interesting because it tracks your baby’s neurological development. Even if it doesn’t completely line up with what your baby is doing, it’s very cool to see what kinds of things they’re learning for the first time because a lot of the time it’s things you would never think twice about.

(JB) My hack is keeping a basket full of baby supplies in the car (diapering, extra outfit, blanket, shoes, snacks, along with a mini stroller, beach tent & picnic blanket) to make leaving the house quick and be prepared for any spontaneous activity. Also, whenever we make baby food to freeze, we double the batch and swap. For example, the other day Jena made meatballs and I made banana bread. We froze it up into portions and voila.

Essential Snack On the Go (for you and/or your kids): (JG) Can’t go wrong with Cheerios and Smoothie Pouches… for me too!

Favorite Rainy Day Activity: (JB) Goals: trekking to an aquarium, museum or library. Reality: not leaving the house and braising something all day for dinner. (JG) SAME, except for the cooking part…

For more of Jena and Jesi's favorites, follow along at @cora_n_cole


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