Riley’s Substack

My Westhampton Favorites

Riley Kim — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:12:58 GMT

Famously called “worst hampton” in the first season of Royal Pains, Westhampton holds a special place in my heart. My family has been coming out here since my dad was a teenager. I’ve seen it change a lot over the years, hello Main Street renovation, but it still holds onto its small town charm. At the end of the day, it’s a true beach town and I love i…

Summer MVPs

Riley Kim — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:58:05 GMT

I am simply a happier person in the summer. Whether it be the change of scenery, the better weather or the overall lightened mood everyone seems to adopt, summer is my absolute favorite time of the year. I seriously debate moving somewhere with better year round weather every summer. So in the spirit of good weather, here are my summer of 2026 MVPs.

Pack…

Can We Rebrand the Terrible Twos?

Riley Kim — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:04:05 GMT

In my whole 2.5 years of parenting, I think 2.5 is the hardest age yet. Don’t get me wrong the newborn trenches are definitely trenches. Especially when you have a baby who refuses to nap more than 22 minutes. You have to learn to run on minimum sleep. It rattles you. It is primarily physically exhausting.

2.5 years and the so called terrible twos, are n…

What No One Told Me About Postpartum

Riley Kim — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:30:26 GMT

The only prenatal advice I got was “sleep while you can” and “sleep when the baby sleeps.” That’s it. That’s the briefing. I was also the first of my friends to have kids, so there was no group chat to pull from, no one to text at 2am like “is this normal.” And honestly, I didn’t want one. I went into childbirth wanting to know as little as possible, because I didn’t want to psych myself out. Needless to say, I was in for a postpartum surprise.

Here’s what actually happened, twice.

the night sweats. like you got hosed down in your sleep. every night for weeks.

I was so confused the first night when I woke up absolutely drenched. Did I forget to turn the AC on? Wait why isn’t my husband sweaty too? Nope, just lovely postpartum hormones. I would have to shower every single morning. Oh and the smell of postpartum sweat? Let’s just say I was grossed out by myself. Also, the leaking…

phantom cries. you’ll swear you hear the baby. you didn’t. especially while showering.

This one drove me nuts. Showering was supposed to be an escape from it all. 5 minutes of respite from the newborn craziness. But turns out you can’t really enjoy it because the water sound convinces your brain the baby is crying and needs you right now.

the line down your belly. mine didn’t fade for months.

The one plus side of this is that people know you recently gave birth so maybe they go a little easier on you?

hating your husband a little. not because he did anything. just because he exists.

I love my husband to death. He is my best friend. But postpartum rage takes no prisoners. He could just be sitting there, breathing, and it would annoy me.

the panic of thinking you fell asleep holding the baby. he's in the crib. he's fine. your body doesn't believe it.

I blame the hospital nurses a little for this one, honestly, with the constant "even if you're drowsy, put the baby down" plus the mandatory video on the dangers of co-sleeping. I woke up in a full panic once with my blanket rolled up like a baby in my arms, positive I'd fallen asleep holding Archer.

the sundown scaries. the anxiety that shows up right when the house gets quiet and you know you’re about to be up all night.

By the time I had Callan, I already knew this feeling was coming, so I basically dreaded it before I'd even given birth. Nighttime with a newborn is scary because you genuinely never know how it's going to go. The sleep math never maths.

I Quit

Riley Kim — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:11:17 GMT

I used to think being a "good" mom, wife, and my own boss meant doing all of it, and doing it well. Manicures, date nights, same-day texts back, the whole thing. Somewhere between kid number two and pivoting careers, I stopped trying to do it all and started asking myself a much better question: does this actually matter to me, or does it just look like it should? Here's everything I've quietly quit in the name of staying sane.

Looking Put Together Most Days

This is counterintuitive to being a content creator, and I'm sure I would be doing a lot better if I just learned how to finally blow dry my hair and gave myself more than 5 minutes to get ready in the morning, but this is a battle I am constantly losing. I have two kids, I work, I currently have no structured childcare, my husband is gone before the kids are even up.

Manicures

Are we all lying to each other, or do people really enjoy sitting painfully still for manicures? Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love a pedicure. It is my favorite kind of phone time. And add on a foot massage? Absolutely! But to me, manicures are not worth it anymore. If I get regular polish, I chip it right away. If I get gel, I feel claustrophobic about not being able to get it off on my own. And it pains me to hire a babysitter to then go spend more money on a manicure.

Late Dinner Reservations

Call me lame, I do not care. I love to be in bed by 8:30pm with my dessert. If the dinner reservation is past 7:30pm, it is not for me. I will be hangry and then tired the next day.

Following the News

I know this comes from a place of enormous privilege, but I do not watch the news. I am subscribed to Morning Brew and The Skimm, but honestly it goes straight into the trash 6/7 days a week. I do not have the mental capacity to follow the news in detail. I follow the big ideas, but I could not tell you what happened in any great detail. The news turns me into an even more worry wart than I already am.

Meal Planning Lunches

I used to be OCD about my son's 3 meals a day, always planning what he was gonna have ahead of time. Now, with two kids and working for myself and (until recently) no childcare, this had to go. Now he'll eat leftovers from dinner, or I'll open the fridge and see what I can quickly put together. We love a Siete quesadilla in a pinch.

Drinking (for the most part)

I've been pregnant or breastfeeding or trying to conceive for a good chunk of the past couple of years, so naturally alcohol was the first thing to go. But if I'm being honest, I really haven't been into drinking post-college. I like to be in control, which directly conflicts with alcohol. I also hate being hungover more than anything, and unfortunately, I get hungover pretty quickly. I've never been someone who craves a glass of wine after a long day. Give me the sweet treat instead. I used to feel like I was the wet blanket not drinking, but I've come to the realization that you do you. Whatever works for you. And I think anyone at my girlfriend's wedding, where I was 38 weeks pregnant, can attest that not drinking didn't stop me from having fun.

Responding to Texts the Same Day

A Break Up Letter to Jeans

Riley Kim — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:33:16 GMT

When I was pregnant with my kids, I craveddddd to just be in my denim again. No elastic waist, true vintage, straight leg jeans. Now, at 8 months postpartum, there is nothing I want to put on less than a pair of jeans. Not only do I not like how they fit me right now, I've also realized there are so many more non-denim alternatives out there these days.…

My Sun-Kissed Makeup Routine

Riley Kim — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:35:12 GMT

I am extremely short on time lately. Actually just always now. I also hate taking off makeup, but I notice on the days I put in a little effort, I feel better about myself. I am not out here doing a whole caked up face. But just adding a little something to look like myself but better. More glowy. More alive despite being woken up at 4am by my baby.

Here…

My Anguilla MVPs: What I Actually Used

Riley Kim — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:04:27 GMT

I am a chronic over-packer. What I want to wear is very mood dependent, so planning outfits days in advance is a struggle for me. Like how the heck am I supposed to know what I feel like wearing two Thursdays from now?! But I've accepted the truth: planning outfits ahead of time means I bring less and have way less of a morning scramble once I'm actuall…

A Retired WAG

Riley Kim — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:50:28 GMT

When Michael retired from hockey, all the conversations were around how he would handle the transition from playing a sport for a living to working a desk job. I was so hyper-focused on how much of a change it would be for him that I completely neglected to think about how it would impact our kids and me. Now that we’re approaching two years of him join…

Bedtime for One

Riley Kim — Tue, 19 May 2026 13:10:53 GMT

Most nights, I’m the one who does bedtime.

I give the bath, read the books, turn out the light. My husband texts when he’s leaving the office and I do the math - okay, maybe he makes it for the last book, maybe he catches the tail end of dinner. Some nights he does. A lot of nights he doesn’t. And I’ve been thinking lately about why this particular adjus…

My Journey to Conceiving

Riley Kim — Mon, 11 May 2026 13:18:50 GMT

I consider myself a pretty open book, especially when it comes to how I conceived my two children. But I realized that between Instagram Stories that disappear and DMs piling up with the same questions, I owed you all something more permanent. So here it is: the full picture of what worked for me, in one place.

The obligatory disclaimer: I am not a doctor, and every body is different. What worked for me won’t necessarily work for you. But if you’re in a similar boat, I genuinely hope this gives you some light. Fertility used to be this hush-hush topic- the more we talk about it, the less isolating it becomes. If you’re in the trenches right now, you are not alone.

I Manifested This For Myself

That was my first, gut-punch thought when my OB-GYN referred me to a fertility specialist. My period had never returned after years on birth control, and when Clomid gave me a period but still no ovulation, I found myself in a referral line I never wanted to be in.

When my mind is type A, but my actions are type b

Riley Kim — Tue, 05 May 2026 13:07:52 GMT

In college I would see my friends’ color coded planners, and on TikTok I see fridges organized to a tee. I envy from afar and pin for later, fully convinced that oh yes, I will absolutely do that too. But in reality, those pins live in a folder I never go back to. My floor is visible maybe two days a week, the fridge gets organized once a month if that,…

Resort is My Super Bowl

Riley Kim — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:07:49 GMT

My sister is getting married not too far from now and to say I am excited is an understatement. Most of my resort wardrobe happens to be white so I am taking this as an excuse to refresh my options. Here are some pieces that have caught my eye...

Club Moda La Isla

Hands down the best curation of the year. Moda carries low stock so you do have to act fast,…

A Semi-Crunchy Mom

Riley Kim — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:05:21 GMT

I would love to be a full non-toxic queen in every aspect of my life, but I just know that ain’t my reality. Pregnancy and breastfeeding definitely made me more aware of the ingredients in my household and beauty products. So while I most definitely still indulge in sugar, can’t seem to kick that habit, I have taken a cleaner approach to the below domai…

The Snack Bowl Chronicles

Riley Kim — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:03:16 GMT

My husband once told me I have no vices. Boy, was he wrong. I may work out six days a week and choose the salad over the pizza, but no matter what I will always have my snacks. I simply need something sweet after every meal. My go-to, as even my college roommates can attest, is the snack bowl: a bowl filled with the most random, delightful assortment of…

Most Worn, Used & Eaten

Riley Kim — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:06:16 GMT

These are the things that have been on repeat lately. The pieces I reach for without thinking, the products I actually use daily, and the snacks I keep restocking. Nothing groundbreaking, just the things that have seamlessly worked their way into my everyday.

My lazy girl breakfast or afternoon snack of choice

Unfortunately, you do need a toddler tower

Ful…

Still Shopping for My Mom… But Now I’m on the List Too

Riley Kim — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:01:01 GMT

Even though I am a mom and have been for the past 2.5 years, I still don’t feel used to being included in this holiday.

To me, Mother’s Day has always meant a Sunday at my parents’ house, grilling in the backyard and scrambling to find my beyond stylish mom the perfect gift. Now it looks a little different. I’m still doing all of that, but I’m also being…

A Partial Breakup with Breastfeeding

Riley Kim — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:06:09 GMT

People constantly asked me while I was pregnant with my first if I was going to breastfeed. My answer, for all nine months, stayed the same: if it works, sure. If it doesn’t, no. How could I possibly know before even having a baby what our breastfeeding journey would look like? What if the baby didn’t latch? What if I experienced something like DMER?

I w…

Navigating Life After Maternity Leave

Riley Kim — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:22:23 GMT

I’ve never been one who is good at change. I am a routine-oriented, tradition-loving, sometimes sees things in black-and-white-thinking girlie.

I remember the anxiety I felt as my return to work post Archer approached. It consumed me. It kept me up at night. It stressed me out beyond belief.

A month after Archer was born, I moved with him to Charleston,…

Motherhood: Round Two

Riley Kim — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:02:01 GMT

When I had Archer, I followed every rule, tracked everything and felt the guilt.
This time around with Callan, I’m doing things very differently.

Wake Windows

If you had said wake windows to me three months postpartum with Archer, I would’ve crawled out of my skin.

Everything I read made it seem like wake windows had to be followed exactly or the world woul…