After the birth of her first child, Marnie Wrobel found herself longing to hold onto everything – the fleeting moments, the emotions, the quiet in-betweens. But it was during her second pregnancy, while navigating the deep waters of perinatal anxiety and depression, that the idea to document and reflect began to take shape. What started as a desire to remember became a vital space for reflection, honesty and healing. With time, courage and intention, she created a journal – not just to capture milestones, but to honour the emotional journey of motherhood itself. Here, Marnie talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind The Ephemeral Hours, how she balances work and family life, the challenges she has overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
The very first spark for The Ephemeral Hours came after having my first baby. I found myself wanting to hold onto everything. Every feeling, every milestone, every little fleeting moment. I didn’t know exactly what shape it would take, but I knew I needed to create something meaningful. The idea truly evolved though, during my second pregnancy. I was navigating the heavy fog of perinatal anxiety and depression, and suddenly the need to document and reflect took on a whole new level of importance. I didn’t just want to remember; I needed a way to make sense of what I was going through.
The journal I started creating wasn’t just about recording the cute stuff. It became a space for honesty, for self-reflection, for healing. I didn’t actually have the capacity to bring the idea to life until my second child was about two and a half. By then I’d done a lot of inner work, and that’s when it all clicked. I realised the journal couldn’t just be about the baby; it had to hold space for the mother too. That’s why our prompts focus so much on introspection, emotional awareness and authentic storytelling, because that’s what saved me.
From the very beginning, this brand has been about preserving the ephemeral, the moments that make up your being, and honouring the realness of parenthood, not just the highlights.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Honestly, I’m still very much in the beginning. Like, start line, race-day-nerves kind of beginning! But the pre-launch phase was a really fun, creative time. Designing each of the journals, writing the prompts, deciding what pages would go where… it was deeply personal and full of intention. I got to work closely with my best friend, who is a talented graphic designer, and she brought the visual identity of The Ephemeral Hours to life so beautifully.
There was so much excitement and anticipation about what this little idea could grow into. At the same time, there were plenty of tears, late nights and the occasional tantrum (mine, not the kids’) as I built my own website, taught myself email marketing and tried to wrap my head around all the logistics of actually running a business, all while parenting two small humans.
Now that I’ve launched, I’m in the thick of learning and growing. I’m figuring out Klaviyo, testing Meta ads, experimenting with different creatives to see what resonates and slowly building my organic following. Every day is a learning curve, but it’s also full of hope. And if anyone reading this has tips, tricks or advice… please know I’m all ears!
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
I think the biggest breakthrough so far was realising that the journal didn’t just have to be a keepsake for the child; it could also be a deeply reflective space for the parent. That changed the entire structure and tone of the product. I stopped thinking of it as a baby/school years book and started seeing it as a bridge between generations, something that would capture the emotional journey of parenthood as much as the milestones.
Right now, I’m still working towards my next big breakthrough. Every week brings something new to learn, adjust or rethink. But that first realisation, that our stories matter as much as the kids’, continues to be the heartbeat of everything I do.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Balance seems like too generous of a word for what is going on at the moment… Most days it feels more like a constant dance. Sometimes graceful, sometimes completely chaotic. My eldest started school last year and my 3-year-old is in care a few days a week, so I really try and knuckle down when I have the hours to myself.
I’ve also made a conscious decision to let my kids see me working on something I care about. They’re still little, but I love that they’re watching me build something from scratch. My daughter in particular is super interested and will sit with me while I pack orders, help me stick sample prints into folders and get just as excited as I do when a delivery arrives. She is also my best salesperson, always telling her school friends and their parents how much they need one of these journals.
In saying that, there are definitely moments when it feels like too much. When the house is a mess, the inbox is overflowing and I’m questioning if I’ve done either job (mum or business owner) particularly well that day. But I come back to this idea that the messiness is part of the story too. I’m learning to honour that. Some days I’m in full mum mode. Other days I get deep into work and feel like I’ve found my flow. I’m trying to trust that it all balances out over time.
