Site icon Magpie by Jen Shoop

Nocturnes.

In the wee small hours, when there are tiny voices at our door,

or I am twisting the bedsheets with anxious thoughts,

you are there,

as predictable as the moon.

When our son was a few days old,

everything hurt in the middle of the night: the garish light from the bedside lamp,

the incision stinging across my belly, my aching arms and breasts,

my heart, stretched and misshapen,

and I remember looking out the window of our Manhattan apartment, and noticing the lit squares of a handful of windows in the building across our caliginous courtyard,

and I wrote stories into those midnight sills,

of other parents, rocking their own babies, in the still of the night.

When I was febrile and weak that March of 2020,

sweating and convulsing in our bed, begging for daybreak, and fever-break, and a break from the pandemic,

our airedale leapt onto the bed and curled her body against mine,

her chocolate drop eyes seeking nothing in exchange for her company,

and I thought how impossible the night can be,

without these twilight talismans.

Post-Scripts.

+The whole sky is yours.

+3 a.m. parties. (Not what you think!)

+On the female friendships of my youth.

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Shopping Break.

+Wow. I am obsessed with this coat from Sezane.

+This brand makes the BEST puzzles — we love to set out a puzzle in the cooler weather months, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas — and I just bought this one for the fall season. These also make pretty gifts!

+Lululemon Aligns, restocked in fresh colors for fall! They also brought back their wildly popular sherpa belt bags, although I got the look for less last season with this $20 Amazon score. I love it! Will wear a lot this season, too. Great for walks with girlfriends / casual athleisure moments.

+Cooler weather calls for a new mug for morning coffee. Love these from TB and these from Juliska.

+I know many people are devoted to Nili Lotan’s Shon pant — if you want the look for a little less, try Velvet’s Brylie pants. They already sold out at Saks and Shopbop but are still available on Velvet’s site. I think I’m going to order to try!

+Also contemplating ordering these cords and these.

+Ordered this oversized tunic sweatshirt in brown!

+This sherpa zip-up for kids is currently under $20.

+These baskets remind me (in shape) of my beloved beachcomber baskets but cost much, much less. Good for toys!

+True Celine vibes for $200.

+These coupes spark joy.

+Gorgeous dress from Tuckernuck.

+I’ve been looking for a reading arm chair for my son’s room. It’s tricky because I know he will destroy it so I don’t want to spend a fortune on it. Currently contemplating this one from The Inside. Does anyone have any other recs?

+Such a cheerful cardigan.

+Indulging my inner boho.

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