Ali Landry Longs For a Southern Style Upbringing For Estela
 Courtesy New Moms Handbook for use on CBB |
Born and raised in Louisiana, Ali Landry is bringing the traditional southern style to Los Angeles — especially when it comes to Estela Ines, her daughter with Alejandro Monteverde.
Despite her efforts, however, the actress often longs for her hometown qualities among her now metropolitan lifestyle.
“I grew up in Louisiana where I have 18 sets of aunts and uncles all living within 30 miles of each other,” she tells the fall issue of New Mom’s Handbook.
“In the South you visit a lot. I mean you don’t call and say, ‘I’m coming over,’ you just stop by and visit all afternoon. It makes me so sad not to have that for Estela [in Los Angeles]. That absolutely is the toughest thing in the world.”
Fortunately, experiencing life in both Louisiana and the west coast got Ali’s creative juices flowing; She recently launched her children’s clothing line, Belle Parish.
“It started because my mom saved these beautiful day gowns from when I was a baby,” she shares. “When I had Estela she flew here and brought me this beautiful box with all of these delicate little cotton dresses that women in our town made by hand.” A quick glance around, and Ali realized the old-fashioned style was hard to come by in Hollywood!
“And then it occurred to me, in California I see a lot of children dressed like adults. I have so much appreciation now for where I’m from and that traditional style. I just really wanted to celebrate each phase of her life and I wanted to dress her like a baby with bonnets, dresses and the little crocheted shoes.”
Calling every day in motherhood “a new experience,” Ali reveals that, as of lately, her time has been spent battling the terrible twos. “She’s just started that age where she hits me sometimes,” she says. “I’m very consistent and I do put her sitting in the corner.” Keeping the lines of communication open with Estela, Ali — who will “try to talk to her and explain why we don’t hit people” — is also a stickler for good manners. “I also like to make sure she says, ‘Please,’ and ‘Thank you.’ And, ‘Yes, Ma’am.’”
Click below to read about how Ali and Alejandro’s morning parenting routine differs and what Ali’s mother said that made her cry.
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