Ellyn Mole

This new mom is learning the ropes of blending motherhood and business, all with baby on her hip.

Family comes first.

All families are unique. Tell us about yours.

My husband and I met in high school in Santa Maria, California, where we both grew up. Shortly after we started dating, he told me he enlisted in the Marine Corps in the infantry. I was shocked and didn’t think we’d last long distance, but somehow our love and friendship was stronger and we made it through. He ended up stationed in Oahu, and I moved there to pursue my BFA in graphic design with a minor in Spanish language. In 2019 we got married, then my husband got out of the Marine Corps and started college. In 2020 I graduated with my degree in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We were having a difficult time being so far away from family, life was expensive living in Hawaii and we knew we would have better opportunities moving back to the mainland, so we moved. Troy found out he got into the University of Oregon so we knew we’d be moving to the Eugene area. After a couple

of visits we bought a house in Creswell. We loved the safe, family-friendly community it offers. A year later I found an available storefront in downtown and opened my graphic design studio, Ellyn Amalia Designs.

Fast forward to January 4, 2025, the day our worlds changed forever and I brought our daughter, Elowynn Jane into the world. She was born at 36+4 weeks due to a fetal growth restriction caused by an issue with her umbilical cord and my severe preeclampsia. She only weighed 4 pounds and 12 ounces (putting her in the 1st percentile) but was a fighter from the beginning. Although she had a rough start to life, she has been growing beautifully since.

Our pets include one almost 2-year-old basset hound named Gerhart who weighs about 70 pounds. We also have a kitty named Calypso we adopted from a local shelter who we think is almost 3 years old.

Tell us about one of your proudest mom moments.

I was recently attending the Creswell Story Time at the Creswell Library. Elowynn decided at 11 months old that she wanted to stand for 10 whole seconds and then take one step for the first time. I was so proud! Other moms saw it too and were so happy to have witnessed that milestone.

Now tell us about one of your most humbling mom moments.

I never thought I would be standing in the middle of downtown Creswell covered in baby poop. I was stopping by my design studio before getting back to work with baby girl for the first time. She happened to have the biggest blowout I’d ever seen and didn’t realize it until after I had already picked her up and was trying to get her into the car seat. I was wearing a white shirt and the poop started seeping out of her diaper all over my clothes. It was awful. To top things off I didn’t have any extra clothes for her in the diaper bag. I feel like I used an entire pack of wipes to clean us both up. I drove home covered in poop but at least the baby was clean!

What is the most surprising thing you have found wedged between the sofa cushions or behind a

car seat?

When we first brought our baby girl home, our dog started gathering the pacifiers when he could find them and would hide them in fun and unique spots within our couch cushions.

What is something you swore you would never do before kids that you now do (skip showers, go to a drive through coffee in your pjs, etc.)?

1. Co-sleep with baby: I realized that sleeping next to our baby was our only way to get sleep pretty quickly…and I absolutely love it and our safe sleep set-up now. Instead of dreading nighttime, I look forward to it. 2. Wear slippers everywhere at any time of day because slip-on shoes are easier than tying laces. 3. Smell my baby’s butt to see if there’s a poopie in there. 4. Wear clothing with milk and throw-

up on it out in public. 5. Confidently breastfeed in public without a cover (this was hard at first…I’m so proud of myself now).

You know you’re a mom when you hear yourself say…

“Don’t put that in your mouth! That’s a dog toy!” “Are you pooping?”

No one works harder than mom.

We know that being a mom is a full-time job. How do you balance (or not) motherhood, activities, work, volunteering, household responsibilities, and life in general? What sometimes falls through the cracks?

I work part-time, so my weekdays are built around caring for my daughter while fitting in work, activities and life where I can. Every day is different, from trips to Story Time at the library, connecting with other parents at WellMama, work appointments, Zoom calls, nap time, volunteering and family dinners. What really makes this schedule work is support. Having a house cleaner come bi-weekly saves me so much time during the week. We started doing Hello Fresh meals recently and that’s helped us make easy, healthy meals during the week without having to stress about grocery shopping. And having my parents live nearby is something I’m incredibly grateful for.

Tell us about your work or volunteerism outside of the home.

I’m a member of the Children’s Legacy Foundation Network and also volunteer as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Creswell.

What have you learned professionally that has helped you as a mom?

I’ve learned that in my professional life, most people don’t mind, and are often incredibly supportive, if I’m working with a baby on my hip or need to step away for a moment. Clients and colleagues genuinely want to help and under-stand that motherhood is part of my life.

Tell us about a recent achievement you’re proud of, or a personal passion or talent.

In addition to being a graphic designer, I’m a fine artist and enjoy painting, creating linocut prints, and making holiday card collections.

If mom’s not happy, nobody’s happy.

Tell us about your upbringing. How did it shape the mother you are today?

I grew up in Santa Maria, along California’s Central Coast, in a family of teachers who worked hard to make a living. We had most of what I needed growing up, but there wasn’t extra money for extravagant family vacations or to help pay for college. My parents are humble, moral people who worked tirelessly to provide a stable and loving home for my brother and I. My mom, coming from a Greek family, also brought Greek values into our household, emphasizing family loyalty, hard work and a strong sense of community. They could be strict at times, but it was always out of love. Growing up this way taught me the value of hard work, resilience and integrity. It showed me that love doesn’t have to be flashy to be deep and meaningful. It also gave me a strong foundation in empathy, patience, and the importance of guiding with both structure and compassion.

What is something you will NEVER do again?

I will never be waking up at 4:30 a.m. to go jump in a pool again. I was a swimmer and water polo player for most of my upbringing through college. I don’t miss jumping into cold pools at the crack of dawn, especially in the winter.

If you could instantly have one new skill (i.e. foreign language, musical talent, eyes in the back of your head, etc.), what would it be?

I’d love to be able to read the minds of animals (like my dog) and babies!

Tell us something about you that would surprise people who don’t know you.

I have a full kit of medieval armor I wear along with medieval bow and arrows that I do medieval reenact-ment with. My family also owns a whole medieval camp set-up.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I keep Oreos in my fridge ( they’re better this way) and I dunk them in milk late at night if I can sneak away from the baby once she’s asleep.

Listen to mom.

Is motherhood what you expected? What surprised you the most?

From the very beginning, I was shocked by how much there was to learn caring for a tiny newborn; breastfeeding struggles, pumping schedules, latching, all the baby throw-up, figuring out how often and how much to feed, and navigating the emotional rollercoaster of postpartum hormones. I also faced intense postpartum anxiety and overwhelm during recovery. After 42 hours of induced labor, countless sleepless nights, and being sent home with a tiny human with little guidance, I was a total mess — exhausted, in pain, and expected to “bounce back” while somehow getting back to work at some point. Pregnancy was hard. Childbirth was hard. Postpartum was harder.

Another surprise was finding time to spend as a couple after having a baby. My husband and I thought our connection would naturally continue, but we quickly realized that carving out moments together takes intention.

I was also surprised by how much my priorities shifted. For months, I felt completely unlike myself. I was forgetful. I had little interest in the activities I used to enjoy and even contemplated not going back to work at all. I was lost for a long time, unprepared for how disorienting and consuming those feelings could be. It wasn’t until about eight months postpartum that I started to feel like myself again…reconnecting with my passions, my career and my identity beyond motherhood. I know now that admitting motherhood is hard doesn’t make me love my daughter any less. In fact, it makes me love her even more.

What’s the best advice you’ve received from another mom?

One of my closest mom friends once shared a phrase that’s been a lifesaver: when a family member questions your parenting choices, you can say, “I hear you, but this is what’s working for our family right now.”

What advice would you give your younger mom self? What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

I would tell my younger mom self to trust her instincts and give herself more grace. I wish I knew then that it’s okay to ask for help, to rest and to let go of unrealistic expectations. Motherhood doesn’t come with a manual, and it’s full of messy, imperfect moments, but those are the moments that matter most. I’d remind myself that it’s okay to not have it all figured out, and that showing up with love, patience and presence is more than enough.

---

MOMs love local…

We love locally owned businesses, restaurants, places and organizations. Share your favorite…

…shop to pick up a gift: Provisions Market Hall, 5th Street Public Market

…coffee spot: Washburne Cafe, Provisions, Farmers Union, Blue Valley Bistro in both their Creswell and Coburg locations

…hair salon: Tana’s Cuttin Corral in Creswell, Beauty Boutique in Creswell

…restaurant to take the kid: Brails, PLAY Eugene, Duc’s Pond, Toxic Burger in Creswell

…take-out, food truck or quick bite: Dak Thai, On Your Way BBQ food truck

…local parks: Harry Holt Park in Creswell, Amazon Park

…events in your community: Creswell Winter Lights Festival, Creswell’s Fourth of July Parade, and the Creswell Mother’s day weekend community yard sale

…any other local places you love: Ambrosia, Tacovore, Izakaya Meiji

---

MOM’s favorite…

Tell us about your favorite…

…family games: Call to Adventure, Dungeons & Dragons, Medieval Reenactment with the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism)

…place to find some peace & quiet: Eugene Yoga, Mount Pisgah, the coast

…binge-worthy TV: Bridgerton, Game of Thrones, Fallout, Building the Band

…time-saving app or digital tool: For work, Basecamp. For baby, Solid Starts and Momcozy apps, plus a shared Google calendar.

…parenting book or philosophy: The Nurture Revolution, The Continuum Concept, Enough About the Baby, How to Not Hate Your Husband After Kids

---