Need some good book recommendations for the New Year? Today’s Mother Essentials from new mama Trisha Okubo—founder of the jewelry brand Maison Miru—has reading suggestions in spades! Currently working from home in NYC with her 5-month-old daughter Aya, the bookish designer’s latest lineup of must-haves also includes cheeky pieces of art for the home, brain-boosting toys for Aya, and some of her own signature interchangeable charms that feature emblems of love, luck, hope, and happiness—all solid goals for 2021!

Super Soft Throw Blanket. “Self-care involves treating yourself to little luxuries, like the super comfortable blanket that just makes you smile. St. Frank’s alpaca throws are so cozy, draping yourself in one is like being hugged by a baby alpaca. Aya is already eyeing mine to make it hers.” Baby Alpaca Throw Blanket, $225, St. Frank.

Memory Book. “My creative practice is all about capturing memories, so I’m all for thoughtfully designed keepsakes so I can remember these newborn moments.” The Story of You Baby Book, $99, Artifact Uprising. 

Symbolic Charm Necklaces. “I designed our Secrets & Stories collection of interchangeable charms to capture the essence of who you are. I wear a necklace with a little lightning bolt that represents Aya’s boundless energy. And a chill pill to remind myself that everything is going to be OK.” Chill Pill Charm Necklace, $138, Maison Miru.

SNOO Bassinet. “It’s pricey, but IMHO it’s worth every penny to get more sleep. The SNOO rocks Aya to sleep. we call it Robot Nanny. I also love the brand’s 5-second swaddles, since Aya is a bit of a swaddle Houdini and shimmies her arms out of every other swaddle.  Plus, these swaddles have a two-way zip to make diaper changes a breeze.” SNOO Smart Sleeper Bassinet, $1,395, Amazon.

Curated Email Newsletters. “Email may be old school, but it’s how I stay informed about what’s happening in the world. NextDraft keeps me informed about the news I need (with the requisite dose of humor required to read the news), The What gives me a wide range of inspiration each week (it always has a gem of an idea and I love their reading lists), and Girls Night In is my email version of self-care.”

I’ve Done Nothing/I’ve Done Everything Mug. “My husband Mark is the beverage director of the house, and he makes me my morning coffee in this awesome David Shrigley mug. Even before I was a mom, I felt like this mug just got me. Aya’s first piece of art is also a David Shrigley—we’re hanging this print above her changing table.” I’ve Done Everything x David Shrigley Mug, $23, Third Drawer Down.

Decadent Desserts. “Everything looks better after dessert. Before Aya, my husband and I used to treat ourselves to late night pie from Petee’s (they are open until midnight or 1 a.m. for late-night pie emergencies). Lately, I’ve been powered by Mah Ze Dahr’s dark chocolate brownies—they’re decadent and delightful. Plus, they ship nationwide, so I’ve been sending them to friends and family around the country.” Dark Chocolate Brownies, $26 for 6, Mah Ze Dahr Bakery.

No-Tie Baby Carrier. “Aya loves to cuddle as much as I do, and I kangaroo sling her to snuggle her close. The key to this carrier is that it doesn’t require any crazy knots or ties. You just put it on and open up the sling. It’s great for moms with zero patience for extra steps. Thanks to the baby carrier, taking her around the city is a breeze, and I can also hold her as I work.” Baby K’tan Baby Carrier, $49.95, Amazon.

Lovevery Play Gym. “I love thoughtfully designed modular systems, and Lovevery created the ultimate play gym for baby’s first year. Designed by child development experts, the play gym has all of these add-ons for each month of baby’s development—from high contrast black and white cards for newborns to play objects for each age and stage.” The Play Gym, $140, Lovevery.

All of the Books. “Reading keeps me grounded, and my nightstand is stacked with stories, from the new Elena Ferrante novel to Rachel Cusk’s witty and delightfully honest take on motherhood in A Life’s Work.” 

5 Year Diary. “I’ve been keeping these diaries personally for the last 10 years, and I just started one for the baby. What’s cool is that you can see what you did that same day in years’ past—so every day, you can see how far you’ve come.” 5 Year Diary by Tamara Shopsin, $24.95, Amazon.

Baby Art Gallery Cards. “It’s never too early to start teaching your little one about art. I started Aya on these high contrast black and white images inspired by iconic pieces of art and she’s already a fan of Bridget Riley and Jackson Pollock.” Baby Art Gallery, $12.99, Amazon.

Creative Podcasts. “How do you feed your mind when you have zero free hands? Podcasts. I’ve been keeping sharp with Guy Raz’s How I Built This for the backstories behind iconic companies and Rachel Schwartzmann’s Slow Stories—a breath of fresh air and a reminder to slow down in this crazy world. I particularly enjoyed her conversation with Stephanie Danler of Sweetbitter.”  

Infant Lounger Pillow.  “I don’t know who loves this pillow more, me or Aya. The lush fabric and the foam padding is so comfortable that I’ve totally taken a nap on it. I love it so much that I’m designing adult-size floor cushions modeled on the plushness and coziness of this lounger for my living room.” Royal Lion Boppy Newborn Lounger, $39.99, Amazon.

For more Mother Essentials, peep our past columns with author Rio Cortez, Kido Chicago owner Keewa Nurullah, small-space mama Laura Fenton, Citizens of Humanity creative director Marianne McDonald, Curasalve founder Kelley Williams, Trade Street Jam Co. founder Ashley Rouse, Weelicious and One Potato founder Catherine McCord, Milky Mama’s Krystal Nicole Duhaney, mega-influencer Chriselle Lim, Matana Organics founder Gabriela Babila, interior designer Susan Work, author Tiffany Dufu, Les Gamins founder Veronique Nguyen, Lonny editor Angela Tafoya, Wiley Body founder Vanessa Wade, DockATot’s Roma Patel, designers Anna Wallack, Cynthia Rowley, Rebecca Atwood, and Dana Haim, Olympian Alysia Montano, cookbook author Hetal Vasavada, model and muse Slick Woods, children’s author Serena Minott, clean living expert Kristian Henderson, Oakland retail queen Sherri McMullen, wellness influencer Joanne Encarnacion, author LaTonya Yvette, and many, many more!