Mother Stories
Chasing Paper Founder Elizabeth Rees On Playing & Working At Home With Her 2 Under 2
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Photographed by Mann Frau
Nov 18, 2020
Juggling 2 kids under 2-years-old…during a pandemic…while your business is booming (!) is no small feat. But Chasing Paper founder Elizabeth Rees has some help—including Lovevery’s perfectly curated Play Kits that keep newborns and toddlers engaged for hours on end. Below, the Milwaukee-based mother of Uma (nearly 19 months) and Marlow (4 months) opens up her beautiful, colorful home to MOTHER (swoon-worthy wallpaper included!) to take a trio of Lovevery products for a spin: The Charmer Play Kit (for ages 3-4 months), The Pioneer Play Kit (for ages 16-18 months), and the brand-new Organic Nap Mat, perfect for the daycare/preschool set.
Already a fan of Lovevery before our feature, Rees sounded off about what makes these Montessori-inspired toys so ideal for little ones (and parents), as well as filled us in on her own childhood, going from 1 to 2 kids so close in age, her post-COVID plans, and more!
This article is brought to you by Mother x Lovevery.
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- Uma, nearly 19 months, scoping out the brand-new Lovevery Play Kits for herself and little sister Marlow, 4 months.
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First up to explore: Lovevery's The Pioneer Play Kit, designed for ages 16-18 months.
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"Uma goes to a Montessori-type daycare four days a week. Marlow will join her after the first of the year. Currently we have a wonderful nanny who watches Marlow three days a week and both girls are with me on Fridays."
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"Two have really stood out to us. The Threadable Bead Kit is amazing to watch as a parent. Uma had no clue how to do it when she first got it. I showed her again and again and then one day she just...got it. She was so undeniably proud and I was, too. It's such an honor to watch these moments of learning and growing. I think if Uma could choose a favorite, it would be the Wooden Stacking Peg Board. She loves to build tall things and then knock them down!"
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"We started our Lovevery subscription right when Uma turned one and COVID hit. Her daycare was closed and they have Montessori-like values and practices (which is why we choose it) and I felt like I wanted to try to continue things that would keep her brain and body busy while home with me and my husband. Lovevery toys are so well made, not just the quality, but the thoughtfulness behind the boxes allows you as a parent to just enjoy the time not pulling together ideas and researching toys. This makes it so easy to have play time feel so good for parent and child."
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"As I have gotten older, I have adapted to a quality over quantity approach. When I started reading about childhood development, I was so happy to find that this is something that is reinforced. Having fewer toys actually allows a child to use their imagination and critical thinking more. So, the Lovevery Play Kits were a perfect way to bring toys and activities into our home in a thoughtful way. They will also be passed down to little sister and future cousins!"
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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Why hello there!
Some of the Lovevery toys scattered around Uma include: the Community Garden Puzzle, which helps toddlers practice their pincer grasp while learning about nature; the Wooden Peg Stacking Board, which asks little ones to fit small objects into small spaces while building colorful towers; the Max and Nona Go To The Park board book, which tells a story about process and learning to manage emotions, and the Threadable Bead Kit, which challenges toddlers to practice using both hands during a fun fine motor activity.
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"We just bought Uma a wooden step stool that goes up to our kitchen island. She is very interested in being involved in meal prep, cleaning, and just eating anything that she can reach—she is an incredibly adventurous eater and loves to try new things! Also, she is very interested in water. So, we throw down some towels (to spare our floors) and let her play with water in our sink. Uma had not really had the attention for TV (and, believe me, during the height of COVID we tried). But she just started watching and loves Daniel Tiger. 'Daniel' was actually one of her first 10 words! We are also big into books, puzzles, and anything she can stack!"
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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Uma tries out the Fuzzy Bug Shrub toy from The Pioneer Play Kit. This toy allows toddlers to coordinate both their hands to pull, stick, and hide the Velcro critters on the shrub—or on themselves!
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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Mother-daughter joy.
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"We let our kids have a lot of independence and freedom to explore and try things. We try to encourage curiosity and to not lean into our own expectations—which is much harder for me than my husband."
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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A timeless favorite from The Pioneer Play Kit, the Race and Chase Ramp helps toddlers explore motion and direction with a unique side-by-side racing ramp and car duo.
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"I grew up one of four kids, in the same town we just moved backed to. I spent my early childhood outside. Riding our bikes, playing in the backyard and neighbors' homes, going to the lake, having adventures. My husband also grew up here and we loved how close it was to the lake, the small downtown, and the sense of community."
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"There is so much I am excited for! I cannot wait to travel more, having adventures with them individually, as a family, and girls' trips. I am also so excited to bring them to work with me and show them what it means to build something and show them how I run my company. I'm looking forward to exploring their individual interests alongside them—cheering them on and offering them my support. Finally, I hope that during their pre-teen, teen, and adulthood that I will be their first call, their sounding board, their safe place. I am also equally nervous about so much! I worry about the pressure of social media and the increasing reliance on digital experiences. Kids are exposed to so much more at an earlier age and it shapes their worldview and how they perceive their place in it."
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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One of Lovevery's latest launches is The Organic Nap Mat, a sleep set that encourages independence and keeps children cozy on-the-go. The 100% organic, OKEO-TE certified set includes a padded mat, blanket, pillow, and custom buckles made for little hands—all in one piece!
The Organic Nap Mat, $80, Lovevery.
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"Recently Uma loves to play 'night night.' She gets a pillow and blanket and spends 10 minutes getting the blanket just right, so this Nap Mat is perfect for her!" says Elizabeth. "She loves to create a little cozy time to read books and pretend to go 'night night.' We will definitely use it for cousin sleepovers in the future!"
The Organic Nap Mat, $80, Lovevery.
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Another Uma favorite: this colorful and versatile Drawstring Bag from The Pioneer Play Kit—an organic cotton bag for keeping the bead kit tidy, and any other found objects safe.
The Organic Nap Mat, $80, Lovevery.
The Pioneer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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- Now, onto little Marlow's room and her baby-appropriate toys!
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A look at Lovevery's The Charmer Play Kit, designed for ages 3-4 months.
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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Toys inside The Charmer Play Kit, include: the Black & White Card Set, featuring high-contrast images that are riveting to babies at this stage, a Mirror that allows baby's to explore their own faces, a tactile Soft Book that builds connections between seeing and feeling, and a variety of grasping and teething toys, as well as a Rolling Bell to coordinate senses of feeling, seeing, and hearing all at once!
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"Oh my gosh, it's been a ride! It's been a strange time to bring a baby into the world. Marlow has been a bright spot in a very challenging time. The hard part of having a baby during a pandemic is that she hasn't meet many people outside our families or been to any public places. But we have had so much family time. I struggled after Uma with not feeling like we had enough quiet family time as she was born in the Spring and there was lots of work and summer time activities, weddings, parties, etc. It gave me a lot of anxiety being alone with her or leaving her with a babysitter as I got the hang of being a mom. So, I have been kinda secretly grateful for a slower slide into being a mom of two. My husband and I have also been able to lean on one another and become better communicators since we have spent an incredible amount of time together this year, which I am very grateful for. We have definitely helped each other become better parents."
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"No! Marlow was the biggest surprise of my life! We had a hard time getting pregnant with Uma and never imagined it would happen so easily. I was very scared and anxious at first, but looking back now, it was such a blessing. If I would have needed intervention or help getting pregnant again, it would have been a lot more challenging during the pandemic. Many of my friends had infertility treatments cancelled and postponed. So I feel incredibly grateful and lucky to have Marlow with us now. It is my most sincere hope that Uma and Marlow will be the best of friends."
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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One of Marlow's favorites from The Charmer Play Kit, this colorful Silicone Beaded Teether helps babies practice with grasping and learn to open and close their hands on their own.
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"Marlow is just learning to grasp things and pull them to her mouth, and so far this Silicone Teether is her favorite from The Charmer Play Kit. And actually Uma steals it, too!" says Elizabeth. "Marlow also loves the wooden rattle."
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"Overall, I think I am just being easier on myself, which in turn helps both Marlow and Uma feel more freedom. Uma crawled and walked pretty late and I felt a lot of stress and guilt. Immediately I thought it was because we failed to do enough tummy time or that I wasn't modeling or encouraging her in the right ways. Now I realize that kids just do things in their own time and in their own way."
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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Nothing beats a classic wooden rattle when looking for and tracking sound sources. Elizabeth's favorite aspect of this two-toned option: "The wood is so soft and smooth."
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"I love green and wanted to learn into that for her room (I used green in Uma's nursery, too!). I find it to be a very grounding and soothing color. I landed on maroon accents that I thought added some warmth. I picked the Tree Toile wallpaper as I felt like it was made for this room with its slanted ceilings and leaded windows—it feels like a little cottage. I then choose to layer in modern art to give some juxtaposition and make it feel a bit more modern."
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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The Hand To Hand Discs from The Charmer Play Kit build motor skills via hand-to-hand transfer, which promotes cross-body coordination. Plus, they're pretty to look at. "It's so beautifully made and looks like a little sculpture in her room, so we keep it displayed," says Elizabeth.
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"I am so lucky that I love my job and having my girls only fuels me more. I am working at home four days a week and go into our production facility one day. I have Marlow home with me one day and both girls on Friday. This has been sort of the perfect transition back after maternity leave. Business has been booming with COVID and people are spending much more time at home, so it's been an exciting time for Chasing Paper and I have been so lucky that my amazing team has helped me keep the momentum going while I was out on maternity leave."
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"I think that our homes have been transformed into multi-dimensional spaces. Now they are restaurants, gyms, schools, movie theaters, playgrounds, and coffee shops, and it's been so interesting to see people make functional changes to their homes to make them comfortable for this extended time at home. I think the same goes for family. Of course, I can FaceTime friends. But my family is really our bubble, so my sisters and brother and I have become even closer. They are truly my best friends. I feel very lucky to have them close by."
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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This tactile Soft Book by Lovevery incorporates bold black & white graphics and bright colors, flaps and flip-up pages that reveal surprises, and a variety of textures and crinkly sounds.
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"This book keeps Marlow so engaged. Each page there is something to touch or feel. I can actually SEE her brain lighting up!" says Elizabeth.
The Charmer Play Kit, starting at $36 a month, Lovevery.
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"TRAVEL! I cannot wait to get back to New York City to see friends, down to Florida to see my husband's mom, and also I would love to do a girls' trip somewhere warm! I also cannot wait to go on dates with my husband!"
For more on Elizabeth, her company, and her adorable family, be sure to follow her at @elizabeth_rees and @chasingpaper on Instagram.
And to shop the Lovevery Play Kits and Organic Nap Mat in this feature, head over to Lovevery.com.
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The girls are beautiful, the house is beautiful, the mom is beautiful… and I LOVE the idea of Montessori toys. Will have to check these out for my little 8 month old!