With Mother’s Day around the corner, we’d like to honor moms around the world! Whether you’re blessed to have your mom still living or she has passed from this earth; a mom yourself or you know someone who is a mom… all moms - from birth to adoption - are celebrated on May 12, 2024!
Some moms are warm and thoughtful, others open-minded and hip, and some are there to challenge us. Each is unique in their own way and independent of their differences, all of them deserve a high-five and kudos on Mother’s Day (and every other day, too!).
To celebrate, we want to share a warm mom's story: meet Maddy Novich, the ORORO cargo-biking mom.
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“Motherhood is the hardest, but also the most amazing job. I think it is very under-recognized as an independent job. Our time, energy, and effort are so much… but it’s sort of overlooked.” Maddy |
Maddy, the Cargo-Biking Mom
Maddy has three children - Jack who is ten, Sloane who is six, and Marlowe who is almost three.
With an active Instagram following (www.instagram.com/cargobikemomma), Maddy is a hardcore cargo biker living in New York City with her children and husband, Jeff. If you’re not familiar with cargo bikes, they have bench seats, are mostly encased, have two or three wheels, and allow people to carry children and/or cargo.
Maddy’s Favorite Adventures with ORORO
Maddy bikes every day in NYC. (That’s right every day… rain, snow, wind or sunshine!) Her go-to pieces in the fall and winter are ORORO. In 20-degree weather or colder, she puts on her ORORO Heated Vest and then covers up with a regular parka. In slightly warmer temperatures, her ORORO Heated Parka does the trick and, on even warmer days, her ORORO vest is perfect.
Maddy invested in her first cargo bike in 2019 and now owns four which are all 100% electric. She is adept at navigating the NYC streets with her kids in tow and knows how to keep herself and her kids safe.
The city infrastructure in New York has been built up tremendously in recent years to accommodate bikers. Bike lanes and bike paths run throughout the city and Central Park is now completely power-free. “It's an amazing way to get around the city,” adds Maddy.
Sometimes she says the bike lanes are blocked by drivers, which is frustrating, but Maddy adds “The moment they see I have kids, by and large, they’re very nice and very respectful.”
When not biking, Maddy can often be found at playgrounds with her children. Sitting and watching them play in the colder months is a big part of her day and, again, ORORO comes to the rescue.
“I wore the (ORORO) parka all winter, anytime I did anything, just walking around the streets of NYC, doing my outdoor activities, picking my kids up from school, walking to and from… it’s nice to be able to be warm,” Maddy explains.
Maddy would love a fleece jacket as her next ORORO purchase and particularly loves our winter white option. She also wants to buy an ORORO piece for her husband and invest in ORORO Heated Seat Cushions for her cargo bikes. The bench seats on the cargo bikes are perfect for our seat cushions.
How Maddy Learned About ORORO
Maddy’s friend received an ORORO vest as a gift five years ago, loved it, and suggested Maddy check it out. Maddy quickly became an ORORO Squad Member and hasn’t looked back since (except while on her cargo bike!). She currently has three ORORO pieces - a parka, vest and heated scarf.
The Beauty of Being a Mom
As for being a Mom, Maddy says, “I love how I’ve built a team around myself, right? Like a team of people who I love and adore and respect and we experience life together.”
Maddy continues, “We sit around the dinner table every evening and ask questions about each other’s day and learn about what we’re doing together and any challenges we face… we’re doing it together as a collaborative effort… It’s amazing.”
If Maddy had Super Mom capabilities, she says, “I would try and replicate myself and have multiple versions of myself because I have three kids who are all doing these amazing things and I cannot be in all the places at once. So I think I would try cloning myself so that I am just not missing out on anything.”
If she could give a gift to all moms around the world, Maddy would give every mom one or two hours of uninterrupted time per day. “They could just have two hours of guilt-free independent time for themselves to reflect, take some mental wellness… moments to do whatever it is they might need to do.”
Grandmothers - Moms Times Two!
Maddy will be spending part of Mother’s Day with her mom and her daughters at the Penn Club in NYC (for University of Penn graduates) which is a private social club.
Maddy describes her mom, who now lives in Connecticut, as “an amazing woman. I feel so lucky. She's a really fierce, independent woman who is ten years widowed and it did not stop her from moving across the country from Chicago to New York. She started a new career and rebuilt her life…she is a very inspiring woman!”
And if Maddy’s life doesn’t feel full enough, she not only is a full-time mom of three children and an Instagram account influencer, but she also teaches criminal justice at a local college, as well as actively produces research on policing and criminalized communities. Talk about inspiring!
Moms Past, Present and Future
While Mother’s Day is a time of celebration for many, it is also a time of sadness and reflection for those whose moms are no longer in our lives.
If your mom has already passed, consider these ways to honor her on Mother’s Day: lighting a candle, writing her a letter to share with a loved one, or meeting with a friend to reminisce about her. Or if you are feeling ambitious, run a marathon, go for a long hike, or take a trip in her honor.
Most importantly, be gentle and compassionate with yourself on Mother’s Day as you grieve the absence of her in your life.
And for future moms-to-be, we wish you well as you embark upon this adventure. Life will never quite be the same!
ORORO Celebrates You on Mother’s Day!
This month we want to give thanks to all the moms around the world who work tirelessly to take care of their children. Check below to discover warm gift ideas for Mother’s Day!
ORORO Items Owned by Maddy
Women’s Heated Puffer Parka- Gray
“Climb Every Mountain” Unisex Cap
Maddy’s Wishlist
Women’s Colorblock Recycled Fleece Jacket
Other Items Recommended for Moms
Women’s Heated Cropped Puffer Down Vest
“Tribeca” Women’s Heated Long Puffer Vest
Women’s Heated Recycled Fleece Vest
