MODERN MOM Summer

As the host of E! Nightly Pop and online show Necessary Realness, a literal fashion icon, and now a mom to both Row and Grey— a day in the life of MORGAN STEWART MCGRAW is never dull. We visited her stunning Los Angeles home to talk finding her parenting groove with two littles, how motherhood has changed her personal style, and tackling the ever-present mom guilt.

Having grown the renowned, celebrity-loved footwear brand, Loeffler Randall, for more than a decade alongside her husband, there was one more facet of her brand just waiting to be brought to life. We caught up with NYC mom of three JESSIE LOEFFLER RANDALL, in her first-ever retail store to talk design, business, and her most recent motherhood challenge.

photography by

KIMBERLY GENEVIEVE

makeup by

LIZ CASTELLANOS

hair by

DAVID ROBERT

styling by

MORGAN STEWART MCGRAW photography courtesy of LOEFFLER RANDALL FANCY FOOTWORK MODERNMOM

MODERNMOM

MORNING ROUTINE

“I’m back filming my show. I was doing two before and I wanted to be able to focus on my kids. I get up, get Row, [she] comes in and hangs out with me. Grey gets up a bit later than she does. We’re big on Elmo; I kind of use that to calm her down before we get breakfast going. Then Grey comes in the bed and now we’re in the phase of her being upset that Grey is [there.] I thought the jealousy came later, but she is very much like, “This is my bed. This is my room. This is my Elmo. Why is this kid here?” So there’s me bouncing him around in a bathrobe, and then I have to hand him off to the nanny that gets there because I have to get ready to leave. Row does not leave at that point and is trying on all of my shoes and will not leave unless she gets to. I eat breakfast and say bye to her, she walks me out to the garage, we have to wave goodbye, she presses the garage button to close it, and then we start the day.”

MOST SURPRISING ABOUT MOTHERHOOD “How much I love it and how full on it is for me. Also, I feel like I still feel like myself but a way better version. All of the loose ends that I had, or disorganization, or things that were just more juvenile about “I still feel like myself have come together and I love it. It’s important myself, but a way to me to try to do as much as I can [while] working. better version.” I was worried and while I was pregnant, I did a lot of therapy to make sure I dealt with any concerns that I had and I think that did a world of wonder for me. So when [Row] came, I was doe-eyed from the moment I saw her.” MOST IMPORTANT ABOUT RAISING MY KIDS

THE BIG SHIFT

“Zero to one [kids was the hardest]. Once you have one, that’s the life shift. It’s not about you anymore, you try to balance, but it really is about your children. That selflessness is not innate within us, or at least it was not innate within me. Realizing that it doesn’t matter if you’re tired or hungry, you have a whole human. Two is easy and I say that in terms of, could I have a third? Probably not. But I think zero to one was way more challenging.”

“Being around. I was fortunate enough to grow up knowing that my mom was going to be there for me, no matter what. I knew that. I want them to know that I am their number one support. I’m going to be there for them, no matter what accolade comes, no matter how busy— they are my priority.”

BIGGEST PARENTING WORRY BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF MOTHERHOOD

“Putting my shit on my kids. Things that they’re not necessarily born with, but over time, they see me doing things and then they pick up on it. Like we all do with [our] moms: “I don’t like that about you, and now I’m doing that.” I try to be as neutral of a person around them as possible while guiding them; that is my goal. To not put all of my ism’s on Row and Grey, but probably more Row. You are who you are, so it’s tricky. I also want them to not think that I’m over-reacting all of the time.”

“Knowing what to do in certain situations. Not second guessing myself as much as I do. I think that goes “I was doe-eyed from the moment I saw her.” away over time, but even in instances where I’m more relaxed about something, and I’m like, ‘I totally got this.’ Then I’m like, ‘Wait. Was that the right decision? Should I have done that?’ Navigating getting into a flow and not [overthinking] has been the hardest. The challenge is also not comparing Row

to other kids. They are their own people and we just have to accept them and support them. If they’re not doing the same thing as another kid, that’s okay.”

CHOOSING BABY NAMES

“With Row, I was maybe five weeks pregnant and we were driving down the [Pacific Coast Highway] and I was like, “What about Row?” That’s it. It just came to me, it was like that was the name, no question. I think we decided on Grey’s name two days before he came out. It was really hard. My older brother’s name is Oliver. I loved Oliver, but I wasn’t going to straight up take the name, so we incorporated it as his middle. It was really tough finding a cool boy’s name. It can’t be too try-hard, can’t be too common, McGraw is also like a fine wine, you have to balance it.”

DIFFERENT PREGNANCIES

“I was so violently ill with Row. Migraines, throwing up every single day, [it was] awful. And with Grey, I was nauseous a few days. It was night and day. Boys are much easier, in my experience, at least.”

THE FOURTH TRIMESTER

“Hands down, postpartum was easier this time. With Row, I didn’t know where I was. I was like, ‘What’s going on in all of my areas?’ I didn’t know if it was going to come back together, but it does somehow. It was what I expected— I thought it was going to be difficult and it was.”

MOM GUILT

“My daughter has a class two days a week and it’s during my work hours. My husband takes her which I feel really good about, but it kills me to not be able to be there with her. I’ve filmed a million of these shows and I haven’t had a million of these classes. It takes a minute in the morning to get out of that head space and realize, ‘It’s okay, you’re there every single day.’ I just have to talk myself out of it, but it’s crazy it doesn’t go away.”

PARENTING TEAM

“[My husband and I] are very good in general because we’re opposite in our strengths. He’s good at being patient with them, and not losing it every time they lose it. I’m very good at the doing. He’s very settled with them and can sit in a pen and play games and make every sound in the world and I’m very much like, “Let’s get in the car, let’s go to the park, let’s go to the play date. So we’re very good in those aspects.”

RAISING KIDS IN LA

“I grew up in LA and it’s so cheesy, but [I love] the nature of it. I grew up with my parents, we went hiking all the time, going to Franklin Canyon, seeing the ducks, [experiencing] that outdoor living and sunshine. I’m excited for them [to have that]. I still feel like I feel that now as an adult.”

HAVING IT ALL

“I love that. I feel like in stages, you can have it all. I feel like I’m in a stage right now where I have it all. By the way, having it all takes a lot of fucking work. You are balancing a million balls in the air, you are double checking. I’m Virgo Rising, so I’m very OCD, and having it all

MORGAN ON THE CLOCK

NOW WATCHING “We just finished The Bear.”

KIDS SHOW “Elmo.”

BEFORE KIDS “[I never thought I would] have kids. I knew I was going to, but you can never prepare.”

IF I HAD MORE TIME “I would work out more. It’s impossible.”

COFFEE ORDER “A cappuccino with whole milk and chocolate powder on top. That’s what I have in the morning; my husband makes it. Everyone’s like, ‘Whole milk?’ Yeah, I know I’m the last person. Put the whole milk in it.”

LISTENING TO “I’m into the new Drake. I’m sorry, I like it. Everyone’s like ‘Ew.’ But OK, we’ll see you at the club. We’ll see you in Ibiza this summer.”

FAVE RESTAURANT “E. Baldi, hands down. It’s the only place to eat.” 375 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA

in place, I thrive. But I don’t think you can have it all forever.”

STYLE CHANGE

“I do [think my style has changed since becoming a mom]. We’re going on vacation and I didn’t realize it was the hardest thing in the world looking for bathing suits. I feel like I’ve always just worn bathing suits that I liked, and now I find myself adding full pieces to my cart. It’s not even because of anything I feel insecure about or that I don’t feel like I can rock a two piece, it’s just something I’m gravitating towards. There’s also more of a long dress vibe because in my mind—it kills me—if I have to bend down with Row, it’s easier. I’m going more for the convenient dressing for my kids. I can’t believe that’s happening. On my show, I get to wear 12 inch heels because that’s who I still am at heart, but I’m definitely [opting for] more of what’s going to get me through this easier.”

SUMMER MUST-HAVES

“I’m packing for my trip and as contradictory as it is to what I just said, I feel like [the summer essentials are] short sets. Like a pajama top and a short set. Easy, two-piece sets that you can just throw on, it’s no big deal. For shoes, I’m going to do flat sandals. You know, when you go on vacation you bring heels, and then you’re like, “I’m not putting those on, I’m on vacation.”

SHOP FOR KIDS

“There is a place in Beverly Hills called English Rabbit. A part of me doesn’t want to shout that out, because I don’t want everyone to go there now, but I really love going in. I’m big on the nostalgia, so when I grew up, I went to a store with my mom and I like having that with my kid. I don’t want to shop online all the time for my kids’ stuff.”

“I’m feeling really good about where we are. It’s definitely a whirlwind. You look around and you’re like, ‘I made two babies?’ I think it’s just now hitting me that I did it as close together as I did.” —Morgan Stewart McGraw