“Mothers aren’t celebrated nearly enough for all the love, strength, sacrifice, patience, and magic they pour into this world every single day.” That Instagram post, from this past Mother’s Day, is why @itsaprilmarie fills her feed with smiles, sass and girl power. Consider yourself warned if you don’t like pink. April Marie is a lifestyle influencer and mother of two adorable girls who will turn 2 and 3 years old this month. Celebrating her kids is her office as much as fashion shows and travel. If the kids are invited, she’s in.
Want to make the most of theme parks and theme parties? Check out April’s take on everything from Disney World and Great Wolf Lodge to Galentine’s pajama parties. If Marie wasn’t her middle name, Fun would be.
I caught up with April Marie when she was at home in South Austin between her first solo modeling trip since she became a mom, the Miami, Florida swimwear show and an influencer technology networking conference in San Diego.
Like most parents, getting out of the house with two kids under 3 is a whirlwind.
“No day is ever the same in our household,” she says. “As soon as I get in the car, someone says, I have to poopoo.” Between trying to get everyone to smile, potty training and changing diapers, this summer will be non-stop.
Sleep training, forget it. “If I let them cry for 20-40 minutes, my Asian ancestors would whoop me from the heavens above. In the Pilipino community, everyone is in the same room.”
It is rare when the girls spend the night in their pink twin canopy bed, much less nap at home. Between modeling for Huggies, Carter and Evenflo, among other Target brands, the girls are always out and about. Most of April Marie’s work comes from LTK, formerly known as LIKEtoKNOWit, a Dallas-based shopping platform that allows social media influencers like April Marie to earn commission on products. Even though she works at home (editing Instagram videos can take anywhere from 1-3 weeks), their schedule is anything but routine.
“They will fall asleep in the shopping cart,” she says.
April Marie’s Favorite Places to Toddle
1. Bright Imaginations Play Café (Kyle) – Caffeine and co-working space for parents, sensory and pretend play spaces for kids, including a doctor’s office, grocery store and baby area.
2. The Thinkery (Mueller) – April Marie’s girls call this the big kids museum. Water tables, a farmer’s market, and science and art-based activities spark curiosity and wonder.
3. Alliance Children’s Garden (Butler Park) – Free splash pads, rock climbing, kids’ tunnels and spectacular skyline vistas. “Every time I post a picture from there, everyone is like where are you?”
4. Buda Playground (Buda) – Train rides, gem mining, and food trucks.
5. Dance Unlimited – In the recital business for more than two decades for kids. “Enroll your kids here. You won’t regret it.”
6. Austin Nature and Science Center (Zilker Park) – Explore the natural world with wildlife exhibits and hands-on activities like the dino pit, where kids dig for bones.
7. Zilker Botanical Garden (Zilker Park) – Look for butterflies on the Woodland Faerie Trail, reflections in the Japanese garden and smell the roses.
8. Mommy & Me walks Outings sponsored by Bumpsuit, a maternity and postpartum clothing company founded by another Austin local. “This is a great way to get out and meet other moms.”
9. The Little Gym (South Austin) –Parent and child classes and open gym for kids from 4 months old to 12 who are growing into their bodies and like to tumble.
10. Music Meadows (Southpark Meadows) – Interactive water fountains and massive oak trees around an amphitheater where they host free concerts. Head over to Southpark Meadows to shop, grab lunch at Another Broken Egg or treat the kids to an ice cream