If this pandemic was a baby, he’d be about the same age as my son. My Colton Dean was born in a hurry on March 27 in Los Angeles, induced a week early for fear of overrun hospitals, a mysterious, deadly virus, and the potential that birth partners could be banned from delivery rooms at any moment. Businesses were shuttered, an ominous “stay home” order was in effect, and not a shred of toilet paper was stocked across the entire U.S. The building blocks of Colton’s life, and mine as his mother, are intricately woven together with Covid-19 now and forever. I hope that someday it will fade from the defining chapter of his story to an early footnote, but that each page to come has been fortified with deep love. When Colton was born, we called him “our bright spot.” During the darkest days of lockdown, his was a light shining more brilliantly than anything I’d seen before. One year in, it still blows me away. Read more about our first year together: https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/post/covid-pandemic-baby-first-birthday

Day in the life... but make it HALLOWEEN. The pandemic didn't stop our spooky celebrations at home! I tried to make it a special day for 2-year-old Everly, with pumpkin carving, cookie decorating, and a special trick-or-treat basket, since we wouldn't be going door-to-door this year. As for 7-month-old Colton, well, he was happy to just hang out and looked BEYOND adorable in his homemade Olaf costume! ***** Mom Needs Merlot: The Blog https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/ Shop Mama Must-Haves on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/sophieschillaci Music from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0i06td ***** Let’s Get Social!  Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcgXQFk3ZysrXxjKCeQ74mg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieschillaci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SophieSchillaciOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieSchillaci ***** Who is Sophie?  Sophie Schillaci is a seasoned entertainment journalist with a decade of experience in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind the keyboard. She has worked for media outlets including Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter and MTV News, interviewing A-list stars across film, television and music, sharing their stories through compelling video and written content.  An East Coast transplant, Sophie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two dogs and two babes: Everly, who made her a mama in August of 2018, and Colton, born in March of 2020. She's covered red carpets for the GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, countless major studio film and television premieres, the Sundance Film Festival, and the list goes on (and on). She's traveled the globe for exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews... and attended more tapings of "The Voice" and "American Idol" than she can count.  Additionally, she has appeared as a pop culture expert on several nationally and globally syndicated programs, including Good Morning America, The Talk, Extra and more.  As a senior video producer and writer for ET's digital imprint, ETonline.com, Sophie created the successful franchise series "Certified Country" and "Interviews Under the Influence." Prior to breaking into the entertainment world, Sophie worked as a collegiate sports reporter and was named a winner at the College Emmy Awards for her work spearheading broadcast coverage of Division One Hockey's prestigious Frozen Four tournament.  When she's not chasing her toddler with her baby strapped to her chest,  she's probably online shopping for tiny, adorable clothes (Ugh, Instagram ads!) or binge watching trashy TV with her husband.

It’s Colton and Mommy’s day out at the salon! Little man was overdue for his very first haircut, so we found an adorable little spot in Studio City, Los Angeles that specializes in taking care of little ones. My favorite part? The Yellow Balloon (real life rave, NOT sponsored!) has been open for more than 40 years and doing “baby’s first haircut” for generations. I kinda wish I had my own first haircut here! Colton was a trooper and the whole process took about 20 minutes. See the (hilarious) before and (adorable) after — and everything in between. XO, Mom Needs Merlot ***** Mom Needs Merlot: The Blog https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/ Shop Mama Must-Haves on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/sophieschillaci Music from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0i06td ***** Let’s Get Social!  Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcgXQFk3ZysrXxjKCeQ74mg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieschillaci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SophieSchillaciOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieSchillaci ***** Who is Sophie?  Sophie Schillaci is a seasoned entertainment journalist with a decade of experience in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind the keyboard. She has worked for media outlets including Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter and MTV News, interviewing A-list stars across film, television and music, sharing their stories through compelling video and written content.  An East Coast transplant, Sophie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two dogs and two babes: Everly, who made her a mama in August of 2018, and Colton, born in March of 2020. She's covered red carpets for the GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, countless major studio film and television premieres, the Sundance Film Festival, and the list goes on (and on). She's traveled the globe for exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews... and attended more tapings of "The Voice" and "American Idol" than she can count.  Additionally, she has appeared as a pop culture expert on several nationally and globally syndicated programs, including Good Morning America, The Talk, Extra and more.  As a senior video producer and writer for ET's digital imprint, ETonline.com, Sophie created the successful franchise series "Certified Country" and "Interviews Under the Influence." Prior to breaking into the entertainment world, Sophie worked as a collegiate sports reporter and was named a winner at the College Emmy Awards for her work spearheading broadcast coverage of Division One Hockey's prestigious Frozen Four tournament.  When she's not chasing her toddler with her baby strapped to her chest,  she's probably online shopping for tiny, adorable clothes (Ugh, Instagram ads!) or binge watching trashy TV with her husband.

Everly just turned TWO and I am having ALL THE FEELS! To celebrate, we decided to pack up and head to Oceanside, San Diego for a long weekend with another family, whose son Parker shares the same birthday as Everly! Today we're sharing the story of how we met (it's pretty wild!) along with highlights and special details from our fun weekend together! COVID be damned! We still managed to create an amazing birthday celebration while being safe and responsible. Next year: Disneyland! ***** Mom Needs Merlot: The Blog https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/ Shop Mama Must-Haves on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/sophieschillaci Music from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0i06td ***** Let’s Get Social!  Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcgXQFk3ZysrXxjKCeQ74mg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieschillaci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SophieSchillaciOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieSchillaci ***** Who is Sophie?  Sophie Schillaci is a seasoned entertainment journalist with a decade of experience in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind the keyboard. She has worked for media outlets including Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter and MTV News, interviewing A-list stars across film, television and music, sharing their stories through compelling video and written content.  An East Coast transplant, Sophie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two dogs and two babes: Everly, who made her a mama in August of 2018, and Colton, born in March of 2020. She's covered red carpets for the GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, countless major studio film and television premieres, the Sundance Film Festival, and the list goes on (and on). She's traveled the globe for exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews... and attended more tapings of "The Voice" and "American Idol" than she can count.  Additionally, she has appeared as a pop culture expert on several nationally and globally syndicated programs, including Good Morning America, The Talk, Extra and more.  As a senior video producer and writer for ET's digital imprint, ETonline.com, Sophie created the successful franchise series "Certified Country" and "Interviews Under the Influence." Prior to breaking into the entertainment world, Sophie worked as a collegiate sports reporter and was named a winner at the College Emmy Awards for her work spearheading broadcast coverage of Division One Hockey's prestigious Frozen Four tournament.  When she's not chasing her toddler with her baby strapped to her chest,  she's probably online shopping for tiny, adorable clothes (Ugh, Instagram ads!) or binge watching trashy TV with her husband.

Sophie continues to dive deep into rarely discussed parenting topics in the latest installment of “Mom Needs Merlot: Real Talk,” tackling the subject of Surrogates, Gestational Carriers and Egg Donors. Lauren Keiffer is a mom of two and, now, a two-time gestational carrier. (She’s also Sophie’s sorority sister!) Lauren opens up about everything you want to know about surrogacy, from how much it pays, to the psychological evaluations, the science of it and more. Make yourself comfortable and settle in for a fascinating conversation! Want to skip ahead? You can find detailed time codes from the interview below. 02:29 History of Lauren and Sophie’s friendship 02:33 Her current pregnancy 03:43 Lauren’s history of surrogacy 04:08 How did you get involved with surrogacy? 06:38 The first surrogacy 07:35 Egg donation 09:15 Psychological Evaluations 10:13 How much does it pay? 13:04 Egg retrieval and second surrogacy 14:06 The second surrogacy 18:16 Emotional connection to the baby 21:00 How do YOUR kids feel about it? 23:00 Getting her tubes tied 24:38 Kids say the darnedest things 25:28 Being pregnant 25:42 Breastfeeding the new baby 29:26 The COVID factor 33:45 The science behind surrogacy 40:00 It’s about more than the money 40:58 Advice to future surrogates ***** Mom Needs Merlot: The Blog https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/ Shop Mama Must-Haves on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/sophieschillaci Music from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0i06td ***** Let’s Get Social!  Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcgXQFk3ZysrXxjKCeQ74mg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieschillaci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SophieSchillaciOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieSchillaci ***** Who is Sophie?  Sophie Schillaci is a seasoned entertainment journalist with a decade of experience in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind the keyboard. She has worked for media outlets including Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter and MTV News, interviewing A-list stars across film, television and music, sharing their stories through compelling video and written content.  An East Coast transplant, Sophie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two dogs and two babes: Everly, who made her a mama in August of 2018, and Colton, born in March of 2020. She's covered red carpets for the GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, countless major studio film and television premieres, the Sundance Film Festival, and the list goes on (and on). She's traveled the globe for exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews... and attended more tapings of "The Voice" and "American Idol" than she can count.  Additionally, she has appeared as a pop culture expert on several nationally and globally syndicated programs, including Good Morning America, The Talk, Extra and more.  As a senior video producer and writer for ET's digital imprint, ETonline.com, Sophie created the successful franchise series "Certified Country" and "Interviews Under the Influence." Prior to breaking into the entertainment world, Sophie worked as a collegiate sports reporter and was named a winner at the College Emmy Awards for her work spearheading broadcast coverage of Division One Hockey's prestigious Frozen Four tournament.  When she's not chasing her toddler with her baby strapped to her chest,  she's probably online shopping for tiny, adorable clothes (Ugh, Instagram ads!) or binge watching trashy TV with her husband.

***THIS. CHANGES. EVERYTHING.*** The first time it happened to me, my husband found me sobbing on the bathroom floor at 7 am. As a new mom, I was prepared for the soft belly and sagging breasts. Everyone talks about those! And the fact that they provided nourishment for my beautiful baby girl made them a change to be proud of. But losing my hair? And losing A LOTTTTT of it... RIGHT on my very visible hairline?! I was not ready for that. WHY is postpartum hair loss a thing?! What did my HAIR have to do with having a baby? Well, chalk it up to hormones and the flip side of that gorgeous pregnancy perk: full and luscious locks. I was a hot mess. And there was nothing I could do about it. Prenatal vitamins? Didn't help. Biotin? Nope. Essential Oils? Haaaa! BUT!!! During my tenure as a red carpet reporter, I DID learn one magical beauty secret that CHANGED EVERYTHING. I'm sharing it with you today, along with a piping hot cup of TRUTH TEA. If you're struggling with pp hair loss, I hope you take comfort in my story. Sending you love! READ MORE: https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/post/the-ugly-truth-about-postpartum-hair-loss-and-how-to-fix-it-with-this-best-kept-beauty-secret ***** SHOP (Affiliate Links): Hair Building Fibers: https://amzn.to/3agn7QE Root Touch Up Powder: https://amzn.to/3kvHI8p Brow Powders: https://amzn.to/2ChGTyy https://amzn.to/33Sw95c Brush: https://amzn.to/3gQ3TDR Whiskey Fix Styling Paste: https://amzn.to/2DR49nA R+Co Skyline Dry Shampoo Powder: https://amzn.to/2DN0DL9 ***** Mom Needs Merlot: The Blog https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/ Shop Mama Must-Haves on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/sophieschillaci Music from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0i06td ***** Let’s Get Social!  Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcgXQFk3ZysrXxjKCeQ74mg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieschillaci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SophieSchillaciOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieSchillaci ***** Who is Sophie?  Sophie Schillaci is a seasoned entertainment journalist with a decade of experience in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind the keyboard. She has worked for media outlets including Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter and MTV News, interviewing A-list stars across film, television and music, sharing their stories through compelling video and written content.  An East Coast transplant, Sophie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two dogs and two babes: Everly, who made her a mama in August of 2018, and Colton, born in March of 2020. She's covered red carpets for the GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, countless major studio film and television premieres, the Sundance Film Festival, and the list goes on (and on). She's traveled the globe for exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews... and attended more tapings of "The Voice" and "American Idol" than she can count.  Additionally, she has appeared as a pop culture expert on several nationally and globally syndicated programs, including Good Morning America, The Talk, Extra and more.  As a senior video producer and writer for ET's digital imprint, ETonline.com, Sophie created the successful franchise series "Certified Country" and "Interviews Under the Influence." Prior to breaking into the entertainment world, Sophie worked as a collegiate sports reporter and was named a winner at the College Emmy Awards for her work spearheading broadcast coverage of Division One Hockey's prestigious Frozen Four tournament.  When she's not chasing her toddler with her baby strapped to her chest,  she's probably online shopping for tiny, adorable clothes (Ugh, Instagram ads!) or binge watching trashy TV with her husband.

When “Everyday” makeup isn’t actually an “everyday” thing — let’s face it, showers aren’t even an “everyday” thing anymore — look no further than this super simple routine that’ll have any tired mama looking bright and rested. This video is NOT SPONSORED, but I may earn a small commission from affiliate links below. XOXO Beauty Faves: https://www.amazon.com/shop/sophieschillaci?listId=26T0NDSHU4ADL&ref=cm_sw_tw_r_inf_list_own_sophieschillaci_dp_YH2xChU2Vphuj ***** Mom Needs Merlot: The Blog https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/ Shop Mama Must-Haves on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/sophieschillaci Music from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0i06td ***** Let’s Get Social!  Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcgXQFk3ZysrXxjKCeQ74mg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieschillaci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SophieSchillaciOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieSchillaci ***** Who is Sophie?  Sophie Schillaci is a seasoned entertainment journalist with a decade of experience in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind the keyboard. She has worked for media outlets including Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter and MTV News, interviewing A-list stars across film, television and music, sharing their stories through compelling video and written content.  An East Coast transplant, Sophie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two dogs and two babes: Everly, who made her a mama in August of 2018, and Colton, born in March of 2020. She's covered red carpets for the GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, countless major studio film and television premieres, the Sundance Film Festival, and the list goes on (and on). She's traveled the globe for exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews... and attended more tapings of "The Voice" and "American Idol" than she can count.  Additionally, she has appeared as a pop culture expert on several nationally and globally syndicated programs, including Good Morning America, The Talk, Extra and more.  As a senior video producer and writer for ET's digital imprint, ETonline.com, Sophie created the successful franchise series "Certified Country" and "Interviews Under the Influence." Prior to breaking into the entertainment world, Sophie worked as a collegiate sports reporter and was named a winner at the College Emmy Awards for her work spearheading broadcast coverage of Division One Hockey's prestigious Frozen Four tournament.  When she's not chasing her toddler with her baby strapped to her chest,  she's probably online shopping for tiny, adorable clothes (Ugh, Instagram ads!) or binge watching trashy TV with her husband.

Friends for more than 20 years, Sophie Schillaci and Jill Dunbar engage in an honest and raw conversation about infertility, IVF, and how to be truly supportive along the journey. In 2018, Sophie had quickly and easily become pregnant with her first child. Months later, Jill learned that she would face challenges with infertility as more and more members of her close circle of friends welcomed children of their own. Today, Jill is a mother to a beautiful baby girl after successfully undergoing in vitro fertilization. She hopes to be a light for other women struggling with infertility, and, for anyone wanting to talk further, can be found on Instagram @Jillybeans688. This is her story. If you'd like to skip over any portion of our conversation, you can find a detailed list of timecode from our conversation below. ***** TIMECODES: 01:20 - A history of Jill + Sophie's friendship, and why we are having this conversation. 03:48 - Pregnancy Announcement Anxiety 04:10 - Infertility + Social Media 05:00 - Why Infertility "Definitely made me a better person" 07:28 - Jill's Infertility Journey: The Beginning 08:50 - When your friends start getting pregnant... 09:50 - Why can't I get pregnant?! Finding the issue. 12:42 - Step One: Letrozole // Clomid 15:45 - IUI: Intrauterine Insemination 16:25 - Injectables... and the possibility of SEXTUPLETS 17:08 - IVF + the waiting game 18:01 - "One of the hardest nights for me" -- Why meeting Sophie's baby made Jill feel like "a terrible human being." 21:00 - How to BE A GOOD FRIEND 26:52 - ***Finding your village*** 28:25 - Beginning the IVF process 30:18 - Egg retrieval 32:36 - Fertilizing the eggs 34:08 - Unsuccessful embryo transfer 34:58 - IVF + your boss 35:44 - Frozen embryo transfer success! 38:00 - Choosing the sex? 38:48 - Being pregnant 40:53 - What's next?! Frozen embryos + Postpartum thyroiditis 42:53 - Family plans change 43:06 - The birth of a mother 43:45 - Trying naturally for baby no. 2 44:32 - $$ IVF COSTS HOW MUCH? $$ 45:35 - The importance of advocating for yourself 47:17 - "Gone Fishing": The sisterhood of the traveling fertility shirt ***** Mom Needs Merlot: The Blog https://www.momneedsmerlot.com/ Shop Mama Must-Haves on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/sophieschillaci Music from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0i06td ***** Let’s Get Social!  Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcgXQFk3ZysrXxjKCeQ74mg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieschillaci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SophieSchillaciOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieSchillaci ***** Who is Sophie?  Sophie Schillaci is a seasoned entertainment journalist with a decade of experience in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind the keyboard. She has worked for media outlets including Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter and MTV News, interviewing A-list stars across film, television and music, sharing their stories through compelling video and written content.  An East Coast transplant, Sophie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two dogs and two babes: Everly, who made her a mama in August of 2018, and Colton, born in March of 2020. She's covered red carpets for the GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, countless major studio film and television premieres, the Sundance Film Festival, and the list goes on (and on). She's traveled the globe for exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews... and attended more tapings of "The Voice" and "American Idol" than she can count.  Additionally, she has appeared as a pop culture expert on several nationally and globally syndicated programs, including Good Morning America, The Talk, Extra and more.  As a senior video producer and writer for ET's digital imprint, ETonline.com, Sophie created the successful franchise series "Certified Country" and "Interviews Under the Influence." Prior to breaking into the entertainment world, Sophie worked as a collegiate sports reporter and was named a winner at the College Emmy Awards for her work spearheading broadcast coverage of Division One Hockey's prestigious Frozen Four tournament.  When she's not chasing her toddler with her baby strapped to her chest,  she's probably online shopping for tiny, adorable clothes (Ugh, Instagram ads!) or binge watching trashy TV with her husband.