"We moved into this townhome just under a year ago. Pre-COVID I hadn’t spent much time in the actual house, because I was designing a show on location in Nola and Savannah. We wanted an upgrade from our previous apartment and we felt safe and comfortable bringing a baby home to this one. I love the west side of Los Angeles. I’m 15 minutes from LAX and with the amount of traveling I do, it’s just so clutch. Twenty minutes from Venice Beach, 5 minutes from Little Kingston (my favorite Jamaican restaurant), and downtown in under 30. I’ve lived in this area for a while. I like it."

Ayanna wears Asos pants and a Sammy B Designs tee. Nia wears Hux Baby.

"I remember scrolling through Pinterest and feeling uninspired with all the nurseries on there. Everything was either pink or neutral and that didn't really feel authentic to who we are. To personalize it, I thought about what I wanted my daughter to see when she wakes up in that room. It was my art pieces. One painting is of a young Fulani woman. My father bought it for me as a gift on my 10th birthday. As I started to put her room together, I realized I wanted her to have it. The other piece was a gift from the prop master on my last show, Queen Sugar. I realized I love art focused on black women. I’ve put up a few more pieces of art since then. I wanted her to see herself and feel proud. Everything else is really just my aesthetic. Prints and jewel tones."

Nia's crib and rug are from Pottery Barn. Bedding is by Pottery Barn and SpearmintLOVE. Her changing table is from Target. Her rocker is from Houzz.

"Diasporian glam, if I had to name it. I have decor by artisans from Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, New Orleans, Miami, and, of course, my birthplace of Jamaica all over the house. I love prints and jewel tones. So our home is a mashup of what I love."

"Everything is a work in progress. So, be patient. I’m the type of person who wants it all now. My husband and I had our two weddings two years ago and have been spending our time since then merging and purging to create a space we both like. Now we’re shopping with intention over necessity."

When mommy's baubles double as a chew toy.

"My vision was to try and create a warm comfy space for us to spend our time in. I hate the mirrored wall so much. I asked if it could come down before we moved in. I would have preferred a blank wall to hang more artwork or use for storage space, but such is life. I love plants and so does my husband. However, he is terrible at taking care of them when I’m out of town. I’m currently trying to rehabilitate some of the plants we have before we add more. I shopped much of it at JoyBird and All Modern."

"Everything. It's hard to summarize into neat sentences how wonderful this experience has been so far. But I know I never want to go back to what life was before her."

"I’m most nervous about failing her. It’s impossible to be perfect, I know. But I really want her to grow up to be a good human being, first and foremost."

"I think being a woman is an honor. Just look at how we handle life. That's what excited me most about her gender. I knew I would always be able to relate to her and best guide her through life because I’m a woman."

"Nia is half Kenyan and half Jamaican. Growing up, I celebrated Kwanzaa. The 6th day is Nia, which represents 'Purpose.' It’s actual translation is 'Bright' in Swahili, her father's first language. I had two dreams before she was born and both dreams led me to believe she was coming into my life for a reason. So, we named her Nia Grace, her middle name is my mother’s first name."

"She's 7 months and getting ready to crawl. She’ll play almost anything, so I’ve only purchased a few toys. Right now we're trying to manage teething, which seems to be going much better than expected. So, lots of squeaky things. She loves eating from my plate and when we read or sing to her."

Grace (left), Ayanna's mother, wears an Asos dress. Ayanna wears Proenza Schouler boots.

"I had a few profound moments. Like the moment I realized just how much my mother truly loved us, by lining it beside how much I love my daughter. I respect her so much. I understand the sacrifices she’s made and I really want to explore this next chapter with her. It’s definitely made us closer than we already were."

"Communal. I was born in Jamaica, and lived in New York, Toronto, and, finally, South Florida. We have lots of family in those areas. I was into sports and in the honors program. I liked the arts and my parents supported me in anything I took to. We were always traveling, so it's given me an appreciation for the world."

"I’m pretty relaxed. She’s still very young and really easy going, so I’m just loving on her a lot. My mom and I speak a lot more patois (Jamaican Creole) in the house. Her father speaks to her in Swahili and Kikuyu. I absolutely want her to have a firm foundation with her heritages. Both Kenyan and Jamaican."

"I figured it would happen, but could never really see it because of where I was in life financially or the relationship part."

"My pregnancy was extremely uneventful, which was great. It was a surprise and I found out I was pregnant while prepping season 4 of Queen Sugar. I spent most of my time designing the show. I didn't have any morning sickness or aversions and physically felt fine. I was traveling so much at the time, I had an OB in New Orleans, a midwife in L.A., and a nurse midwife in Atlanta. I managed to make all my visits."

A nice stack of arm candy.

"No. I actually got into a little trouble because I didn't. I was designing another series in Savannah and went back to work as soon as I got home. When the studio found out, they wouldn't let me come back to work and made me stay home until I got a doctor's note. I guess this COVID lockdown is substituting as one."

Ayanna wears a Sies Marjan suit and Schutz shoes. Nia wears Hux Baby.

"I have the What To Expect app I go to for info. I’m more into figuring it out myself. My daughter will tell me what she needs and I’ll adjust."

"Beyoncé (duh). But really all moms committed to bettering themselves and their lives for their children."

"Better than I could have ever expected. My mom left a few days after we shot this feature and it's been only myself and my husband. I didn't realize how much of a help he is and it's always such a pleasant surprise. We’ve been able to tag team on walks, grocery runs, and spending time with Nia. I love my little family."

"I’m an early morning person. I’m out of bed by 6 a.m. I’ll do a mini YouTube soca/dancehall workout. I make breakfast, do some maintenance cleaning, then I’ll head upstairs into our home office and work on sewing masks for the Costume Designers Guild Local 892 to donate. The day will be peppered in with some reading or TV. I take Nia for a walk everyday and then make dinner and get ready for bed. It really hasn't been too bad for me. Some days feel redundant but I’m grateful that boredom is my biggest problem."

"A little. I decided—quite early, but much stronger now—that I want another baby in a few years. I also want a house, like now. I’m outgrowing the apartment/townhouse lifestyle and I want a backyard for Nia to play in. I feel as if I’m aging out of the way of life I had before and I’m happy about it. In this age of clout, TikTok dances, and viral memes, my unit has been the thing that feels real and most important. I will protect it fiercely. I intend to have my daughter with me as much as I can, even if I have to travel for work. So, it's really about strategizing around that."

"Do it your way. Have a plan but also be flexible. Trust your body. It's okay to not feel like you have it all together. Just take it one day at a time. Ask for help."

"One more. Another girl, hopefully. Lol."

"I’m a costume designer for film and TV. My latest project, Council of Dads, is currently airing on NBC on Thursday nights. I went to school for biochem. I dropped out. After moving to L.A. to live with family, I got into styling. Styling led to costume design and working with Issa Rae. Now I've been designing professionally for the last 5 years."

"Since the lockdown, all productions have been halted. Where I would be interviewing or prepping to go on another project, everything is paused until they can sort out how to safely let everyone do their jobs. So, it's looking like I won't be back to work until the fall."

Ayanna wears Frame denim, a Sacai top, Gucci shoes, and Peperuka earrings from Kenya. Nia wears a Hux Baby top and pants from Amazon.

"A little, with time management and just being all around more efficient. Now I have someone who depends on me and deserves my time. So, how do I organize what I need to do so I can be that for her? Sometimes that means creating a moodboard at 2 a.m. or nursing on a conference call. If I can prioritize her, I can be flexible with everything else."

"Not really. But my husband and I are open to a good daycare or nanny sharing."

"Parenthood and relationships have been streamlined. My focus is on what's important and a priority. As a creative, I can create and create again. Whenever there's a challenge presenting itself, I find the fun in trying to figure it out."

"I dealt with it a little bit when I decided to work up until my due date and return to work so quickly. A few people would make comments and I allowed what some of those women felt/experienced to make me feel like I was making a mistake. They made it seem like it was impossible to juggle both. But in true Ayanna fashion, I like to prove people wrong."

"I think it's important to show strength as well as weakness or vulnerability. I want her to see me work and win."

"For day-to-day errands, it's vintage denim and a graphic tee with my favorite YSL sandals or sneakers. I dress for my mood, so I have several different styles I can rotate. I’ve started buying timeless pieces that I’ll probably wear until they don't fit anymore."

"Yeah, pre-pregnancy I was really thin. Now I’m a little curvier, so, for one thing, none of my denim fits. I purchased one pair of stretch jeans and that's all I’m rocking while hoping I’ll be able to fit into my pants again. I really loved the way they fit. While I was working in Savannah, I bought about a dozen matching sets and rotated them around."

"For kids, Hux Baby and SpearmintLOVE are my two favorites. For me, right now I’m loving Cult Gaia, Monse, Tongoro, Almasika Jewelry, and always Jacquemus."

"Sometimes I go down the Instagram rabbit hole and find someone new. Many times designers reach out to me directly. I love working with sustainable brands as well as black designers."

"I use Aesop brands and I’m in love with Kilian brand perfume and lotions. It smells so good. The Aesop Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser, the Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Facial Treatment, Perfect Facial Hydrating Cream, and the Damascan Rose Facial Treatment are my favorites."

"Everything I've mentioned, whenever I can take it. Mostly early in the morning."

"It’s normally early in the morning before Nia and my husband wake up. I’ll read, journal, or workout."

"Not much actually. But I do like that if there is something she wants to do in life, L.A. is a good place with easy connections."

"Absolutely, I grew up in several cities. So home is really wherever the heart is."

"Little Kingston, Tatsu, Post & Beam, and Otium is really nice too. I love going to the beach. We socially distanced at the park during the early days of the lockdown. I try to go to LACMA often and see the exhibits."

"I’m definitely visiting my facialist and a masseuse. I haven't had a facial or massage since I left Savannah. I’m jumping on a plane and going somewhere. I miss traveling."

The actual cutest.

"Stay sane. By all means necessary and available."

For more on Ayanna and baby Nia, be sure to follow along on Instagram.