"It's almost been a year now. I never planned to live in a tiny apartment on a major street, but it's by far my favorite place I've ever lived. Last summer, some of our best friends who live in this building told us the apartment was opening. We joked about moving in just so we could more conveniently share in daily life together. At that time, I was 4 months pregnant with no real intention of moving out of our bungalow rental. A week later, we got a notice from our landlord stating they were selling and we had to be out in 30 days. So, into this apartment we moved. Turns out it was a joke come true and I'm very grateful."

Joy wears an Uzi top, Fog Linen pants, and house slippers from Pakistan. James wears a Royal Apparel moon onesie and Cotton Sheep shark socks.

"Simple, clean, intentional."

Baby bits.

"The bare essentials, but with a cozy, playful feeling."

"The Stokke crib is the only piece of furniture we bought for the nursery. I love the oval shape, how it grows as your child does, and the wheels are certainly handy when trying to rock him to sleep."

Little bundle.

"We live in a 600-square-foot apartment that functions more like a studio than a one-bedroom, so I'd have to say the whole apartment is my 'favorite room' because it's really the only one! But I love it! The big windows and open floor plan make it feel larger than it is. Some say it's way too small, but I like to think of it as a big hotel suite."

Costume change!

The cutest shark socks by Cotton Sheep.

"The various ceramics and brass candlesticks, predominately from random second-hand stores."

"Less is more."

"I am the owner of Made By Sohn. I provide illustration, calligraphy, and styling services."

"I would say it was my illustrations of evergreens for Kinfolk magazine, Issue 6. I got this job a week before I officially even started my business, which was a huge blessing and surprise."

"I've become a lot more selective about the work I take on. Every job is time and energy away from my son, so it has to be really worth it to sacrifice what I see as my first and most important job."

"Incredibly difficult. I don't have it down at all, but hopefully I'll find a way soon!"

Sitting pretty.

"Every success I've had has shown me that my dreams are not too big to have."

Joy wears a Black Crane quilted dress and Franco Sarto boots. James wears a Makie grey kimono onesie.

Mama love.

"His full name is James Francis Inwoo Fitzgerald IV. My husband is James Francis III and Inwoo is the Korean middle name we added, which means merciful."

"I used to pride myself in efficiency and now I'm lucky to get even one thing off my to-do list. I'm learning how to just pause and enjoy the moments I know I'll never get back with my family, even if that means getting less done (a practice I'm still getting used to). Each day is an unrepeatable gift and that fact seems to be much more obvious when I see how fast my baby changes."

"That having a child actually is both the best and hardest experience/job in the world. I've heard that all my life, but I didn't really know what people meant by it until I became a mother myself."

The Fitzgerald's first baby.

A look at the main living area.

"I'm excited to love my son through every stage of his life and how that will challenge and shape us both. But just waking up every day and knowing I'll see his face is pretty darn exciting."

"Knowing he will suffer and experience pain in this life and as a mother, sometimes the most loving thing I can do will be to allow it. Also...puberty. I have no idea what I'll do when that happens."

"The Bay Area. I came to Portland in November 2010."

Mean muggin'.

“Wow. So many things. But what I love most is the tight-knit community our family has here. It's so comforting to know James will be surrounded by people that love him, which is more important than location."

"Something mighty intense and dramatic would have to happen for me to move anywhere else for a while. But my husband and I have talked about living in Korea one day."

Tea time!

"His bright eyes, chubby thighs, the way he grasps my face with his tiny hands, when he catches my eye and gives me a big gummy smile. But mostly, that he is half my husband."

Trinkets.

"I believe God gave me James specifically, so the fact that I've been entrusted to love and care for him is an amazing honor in and of itself."

"I want to be like my servant-hearted mother, my prayerful grandmother, and my graceful and wise friend, Liza."

"Surround yourself with positive and encouraging voices. Don't let the horror stories define your experience."

"A day where I had peace despite the circumstances. But I'd love the circumstances to include 2-3 naps, smiles, cuddling plus accomplishing work, cleaning, cooking, exercise, and ample time for reading and prayer. Too much to ask?"

"Minimalistic ease. As for it changing: Not really. The only difference is that I wear less dresses—it's pretty impossible to breastfeed in one."

Joy wears a Black Crane square shirt, a vintage linen tee, J.Crew pants, and Franco Sarto shoes. James wears a Hanna Anderson pilot hat, Carter onesie, and Hansel from Basel tights.

"Black Crane by Momo Suzuki. I always feel like the woman I want to be in her designs, but without compromise on comfort. The materials she uses are all incredibly soft and never seem to wear out. It's really hard to find quality like that these days. UZI is another brand I wear often for the fabric and silhouettes."

"I'm absurdly thoughtful when I shop, possibly to a fault. I take every purchase seriously and save up to buy only a few things that I love. I don't shop at any one place, but my favorite Portland stores to visit in person are Una and Palace. For online shopping, I go to Totokaelo, Anaise, and Mohawk General Store."

"For me: A Jesse Kamm trench, Martiniano glove shoes, and an Alexander Wang front-tucked skirt pant. For James: A Nico Nico tee, Bobo Choses jumpsuit, and Treehouse overalls.”

"A vintage linen tee, black skinny jeans, camel leather ankle boots, and I'm never without my wedding rings."

"My night outfits are what I wear during the day, but with red lipstick." To find out more about Joy, check out her Instagram feed and website.