I’m Cienna, and I’m so glad you’re here

This space exists as a place for me to be. Not just as a mom, but as the many parts of myself that quietly stepped aside when I became one. Motherhood has been the greatest, most life-altering joy I’ve known, and two years in, I’m also beginning to understand how easily my own identity can fade into the background. Through conversations with other parents, I’ve learned this isn’t unusual—it’s almost a rite of passage. So here we are, finding ourselves together, allowing who we were before children to earnestly and beautifully blend with who we are because of them.

I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember, always parading my elementary school short stories proudly around my home and journaling like my life depended on it. Somewhere along the way, that spark dimmed. In college and post-grad, I found my creativity again through painting, illustration, and brand-building for local businesses. I found outlets that allowed me to feel without having to explain. But moving through this dense, emotional chapter of life has stirred something deeper: a visceral need to bring all my worlds together—my creativity, my love, my motherhood, and myself.

So, join me.

It will be imperfect, emotional, and unfiltered—messy in the most honest way. Just like me, the Unpolished Mom.

romanticize your life

Loving my child came so easily, but loving the life I lead as a mother has been one of the most difficult challenges I’ve faced. I’ve had to teach myself to truly slow down and savor the privilege of having a lived-in home, a child who loves her voice however loud it may get, tiny toys hiding in plain sight which are just waiting to be stepped on—appreciating the beauty quietly woven into the ordinary. Romanticizing a life so typical and normal is saving me from competition and resentment. Follow along to see how impactful it can be to take a beat and love this little life.