Moms of Toddlers, Save Your Back!

As most of you know by now from earlier posts, I am a Mom, but my kids are way past the toddler phase...13 years old and 9 years old...wow, how the years fly...

Also, you may remember that I take care of a little one that just turned one year old this month, which puts me back into the "Toddler World" very quickly!

Mary Jane is her name and she has just gotten into the stage of wanting to walk around furniture, walk pushing her cart, and walk holding my fingers...but not ready to walk solo.

I may only be 5 foot tall, but that still means hunching over and letting this adorable one year old hold onto my fingers and walk endlessly around the house...we do laps, and my back hates me for it!

Ok, then I find this new product called Walking Wings!

You can find them at Babies R Us or purchase online. It's awesome!

This is how it works...
The child is basically placed in a very cushioned and comfortable harness that has straps above the shoulders that YOU can ADJUST to your own height and comfort.

You then hold the straps, instead of the little ones hands, and assist them in walking while YOU are in an upright position!

She loves it! Her hands are free to balance and explore and I am free from back pain!
A true win - win!

Blogging For Charity! Shrinkx Is In!

I came across this website called Hotels Combined that will donate $20 to one of the following charities if you make a mention in one of your blogs! Here is some good information as to who they are and how it works....

"Hotels Combined is a leading price comparison system used by over 25 million people every year. We aggregate and compare accommodation prices from all major sources such as Hotels.com, Travelocity.com, Priceline.com and many more. We are a free research tool helping users find the best priced accommodation option. If required, the reservation is made directly on the compared websites (Hotels.com, Travelocity.com, Priceline etc..)"

"Every time a new blogger mentions us we donate $20 to one of the selected charities (WWF, World Vision or Make-A-Wish Foundation). This way while promoting our service we help those truly in need."

To participate, and why not, just takes a couple minutes, just do the following: "Make a post or a comment about HotelsCombined.com on your blog. There are no rules or format of how to mention us – it’s absolutely up to you. We will donate funds as long as you’ve mentioned HotelsCombined.com on any page of your blog."

For final details:
check out http://www.hotelscombined.com/Charity.aspx and on your next post, blog for charity!

The Family Road Trip...A Must Try For All!

Every year we embark on a summer road trip with the kids to Vail, Colorado! The drive is a total of 17 hours. We cover 12 hours the first day and then tackle the last 5 hours on day two...piece of cake on day two!

When we first started taking this trip 5 years ago we didn't know what was in store for us. The kids were 9 and 4 1/2 and it was uncharted territory for us.

What was so shocking...and still is, is that both kids still say that this is their favorite trip of every year, and that the DRIVE is a big part of that! Wow! Who knew that could even be possible!

It doesn't hurt that we stay with the cousins when we get there, which always means HUGE fun all the time!! They just love being together.

We raft, we hike, ride bikes, rock climb...you name it and the kids are up for it. They don't really seem to care what we end up doing, just that we all do it together. Priceless memories.

And for the driving part of the adventure, we have established little traditions along the way. Traditions that though they are small, we can never deviate from now...they are in stone!

For example, on day one we make camp in Trinidad, CO, and have dinner at an Italian Restaurant that not only has fabulous food, but the entire staff sings....even the buss boys! It's awesome! On the way back home we always stop at the Big Texan in Amarillo for dinner, completely different atmosphere but another warm fuzzy because of the familiarity....another must each year.

I guess what it all comes down to is the slower pace, the long stretch of time together without interruption, and more family to greet us once we arrive.

For us, it's a little slice of heaven in a sometimes chaotic world.

And I think all of us could probably use a dose of "simpler times," a slower pace, and more importantly the opportunity to create priceless time together.

Road trips a family must. Or at least, a must try!

Girls Do Need Their Girlfriends...

I have to say, this has been my year of stepping outside my box!

So since I have a bit of momentum going, I decided to finally accept the one of many invitations and join in on a "girls trip!"

Yes, I'm over 40 now...wow, that's alot more painful in print than it is verbalizing, and I have never been on a girls trip...ever!

I just felt like it was a indulgence of some sort that I just didn't need.

I guess somehow I felt like it was taking away from my family and so I just always found a reason to gracefully say "No Thanks!"

Well this year I finally said YES!

I went with six of my friends to Cabo for a quick four day three night trip, and this is what I have discovered... We do need our girlfriends!

As wonderful as my family is...all of them, there is a different level of relaxation and conversation when it's just the girls.

I actually had time to think, reflect, plan a full day around me...WOW!

I came home feeling refreshed, a bit empowered by all the great girl talk, and grateful for my girlfriends!

So ladies, you broke me in!

Share Your Success...It Inspires Us!

I always include a card when I ship a Shrinkx Belt that requests that you share your success with us.

And although your comments to me personally via email have been wonderful, those are private and I can't share them.

So this is a shout out to all you Shrinkx veterans and new users of the Shrinkx Belt to share your story...your journey with Shrinkx.

The stories are not only exciting to read but inspiring, and give a feeling of hope to pregnant moms-to-be.

So share your stories, your excitement, and even your measurements!

The energy is contagious and your success will inspire someone else.

Feel free to add other tips that might be helpful to new users and anything else that might have contributed to helping you feel fabulous after baby...even more fabulous than before giving your body over to pregnancy and childbirth.

The name of the game is "Lift Another Lady Up!"
Pass it on...

Pregnancy Weight Gain...Touchy Topic...

A committee of doctors from the Institute of Medicine has issued new guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy. The guidelines are "for women of all sizes, starting with a prepregnancy checkup that addresses weight, diet, and exercise..."

Ok, for me this can be a very touchy topic...

I don't believe that the old theory of "your eating for two now so pile that plate on up! " is beneficial to anyone, but more, the common sense gene steps in and says... if your hungry eat, if not, then don't!
Should you try to make good choices? Yes. Does that always happen? No.
Just do the best you can....make a true effort...that's it!

The reason I feel so strongly is that when focus on weight becomes the center of the pregnancy, it can become a very miserable 40 weeks. And some people just gain differently during pregnancy no matter what they do. Some gain alot, but don't eat alot...some don't gain much at all, and eat all day! I think the focus should more be on the quality of food that you are trying to keep in your diet during pregnancy, and then just let nature take its course.

When I was pregnant with my first child, because I'm so short, I was really worried that I would turn into a rolly polly so I excercised through my entire pregnancy....ran the morning of the day my water broke! I was determined to not gain any more then I needed to...well, I gained 35 pounds at 5 foot tall! Not terrible, but not great!

Then several years later I'm pregnant with my second child, and being that it was considered a high risk pregnancy, I could not workout much at all! Ate the exact same way as my first, very restricted on any type of exercise...gained 35 pounds!! The exact same amount as the first time around! I really believe that my body just did what it felt was best...which on the new guidelines is considered to be on the upper end of the weight gain chart...oops...

Obviously there are risks that are associated with very high weight gain during pregnancy, and I know that is the reason for the guidelines. They are there to help avoid potential problems for both Mommy and Baby.

I'm just saying...careful Doc, unless truly warranted, that is one touchy topic.

OK, I have one completely demeaning question asked of me by a female doctor that was filling in for my usual doctor when I was pregnant with my first that I have to share...She asked me "if I was a closet eater, because my husband said that I always make healthy choices, but my weight gain didn't reflect that"... I cried all the way home.
Anyone else have a similar horror story? If so, you have to share it, don't leave me hanging solo!

A Gift To Treasure

This will be a bit of a sentimental post, but it touched me so much that I couldn't not do it.

I have been so fortunate to be able to be a stay at home Mom to my kids...which I have loved and treasured.

This past year my daughters First Grade teacher had her first child in the later part of the summer and was having a true struggle with placing her in day care when the school year started. So I suggested that I would care for her full time through the school year and would be able to balance everything else out just fine. I understood her struggle.

So I cared for Mary Jane through this past school year full time, and yes it was a full load, and yes I had to stay very scheduled and structured, but what a gift she is. With all the craziness with the economy and different stresses in the world today, I can honestly say that I smiled more having her, then I every would have without her there. So basically, nurturing her, nurtured me as well.

Well, the school year ended and I will have her again this fall, but for now I only get to have her once a week to keep a bit of continuity there for this next school year...just to make the transition easier for her. But last week when I had her here for the day, there was a little box in her diaper bag beautifully wrapped from Tiffany & Co. that had my name on it. I opened the gift and it was the Tiffany Link Bracelet...just beautiful...and a note thanking me for being that link to an amazing first year for little Mary Jane.

I say, thank you Mary Jane, for all the spontaneous smiles and out loud laughter that you prompted from me....and I will treasure my gift.

Shrinkx ...Off To Europe!

More exciting news with Shrinkx! I Just got my first order from Europe!

So a Shrinkx Hip Belt will be travelling to Alja in Slovenia...how exciting!! If only I could fit my 5ft frame in a 4 x 4 x 14 box...

Ladies You Gotta Bookie Boo!

If your not a member of the Bookie Boo Community already, then you need to at least check out this site!

Talk about information, support, sense of community, insight, direction, in ABUNDANCE all in one place! Awesome.

I will definitely Bookie Boo regularly now...once I figure out what that really means...

Always Room For More...

I was chatting with a friend today that just had her second child, and though she was overjoyed, she had this sadness as well...Boy did that hit home, and I think so many of us Moms can relate.

The second child process...

As beautiful as it is and such a gift...a sibling!
But somehow with it, for a moment...or two, comes this bit of sadness. Feeling like somehow you have placed this precious first born on the "winter" shelf and your now bringing out the "summer" clothes!

I NOW know that we place that on ourselves and that isn't at all what our child is thinking or feeling. But at the time I didn't feel that, and it took the words and wisdom of a child to open my eyes...

When I had my second, my kids are just over four years apart, and I was sitting and nursing...again...and my son is sitting watching a program, and I'm feeling horrible that he's sitting watching a program, so I apologize to him.
I said I was so sorry that we weren't at the park or playing a game together, and he looked at me so sincerely, and at 4 1/2 years of age said "You have two kids now Mommy...It's ok...I'm ok."

Of course I cried....

As our families grow, our hearts grow as well, always room for more...

New Baby Shower Trend & Shrinkx is On Board!

In the past, baby showers have been all about the new little one that is about to arrive.
This is wonderful, and absolutely necessary, due to the fact that you need so much for this new addition that you will not just have laying around the house!
But usually, the new Mom ends up having more than one shower, so one can be a Baby Shower and the other a Mommy Shower!

So the new Baby Shower Trend is to not only think of baby, but also Mommy!

Here are some of the top Mommy Shower gifts!

*Spa Treatments for Mom! These spa treatments, like the treatments provided by the Home Body Studio, are designed specifically for the New Mom or Mom To Be!

*The Belly Bandit or Tauts Belly Wrap and our own Shrinkx Hip Belt are designed to get Mom looking fabulous in no time after baby arrives!

*Meals for Mom and Dad...like the ones from Magic Kitchen , prepared fresh and healthy and delivered to her door for the first week home....awesome!

I think this new trend is awesome and obviously well deserved! And we all know that there will be no Mommy pampering once the little one arrives!

For those of you that have already hosted a Mommy Shower...You Rock!

Oh Those Summer Days...

I love summer!

I love having the kids home...waking a little later...feeling like my day is more mine...

Today was one of those wonderful summer days. I woke feeling refreshed! Got in my office and started taking care of business, stopped and got a great workout, got my house in order...all before the kids arose!

Then, off to Home Depot...love Home Depot! Got a few flowers to add to the backyard, got sandpaper and paint to complete a project outside while the kids swam.

Happy, happy am I!

Planted all my flowers while watching my wonderful kids swim in the pool...finished my project, which turned out quite nice, while the kids are swimming in the pool...Dropped the SOLID metal umbrella stand on my big toe...while the kids are swimming in the pool...Hobbled to the pool and soaked my throbbing toe...while the kids are swimming in the pool...

Now I'm blogging to all of you at almost 1am and drinking a glass of wine because my toe is throbbing so badly that I can't sleep and I'm praying the glass of wine will take the edge off!

Oh, those summer days....

You CAN Do It!

Fit without the Gym? Yes, You Can!

This post on Healthy Fit Mama is awesome! Simple and do-able!

So many new Moms struggle with the baby weight because they put so much pressure on themselves when it comes to the "type" of exercise they are doing post pregnancy.

You do not need to do the same thing you did prior to pregnancy in order to get back your pre-pregnancy body, you just need to DO!

Actually, starting a routine that is completely different and almost random can actually shock and benefit you more than sticking to the norm.

New Moms, use your home and what's in it to get fabulous again!

Climb up and down the stairs for ten minutes straight twice a day. Promise yourself that you will do 25 push ups a day and 50 crunches a day. Get a DVD that motivates you and just do it 3X's a week. Do-able!

Don't let your body post pregnancy make you feel defeated, but instead be inspired to be a Mom that doesn't look like a Mom!

You deserve to have your body back...or even better...it may be my tag line with Shrinkx, but it's the truth and it's do-able!

With Kids...Honesty is the Best Policy...

While driving in the car with the kids this morning my oldest painfully reminded me of something that happened when I was pregnant with his sister...

My son was only turning 4 when I was pregnant with his sister and would constantly look at my tummy and ask "How is that baby going to get out of there anyway?" I just wasn't ready to REALLY answer that question. So I decided that I would just claim that the baby would come out of my belly button. How cute right?

He would look at my belly button and get real worried and always explain how small that belly button was and that baby just can't be that tiny...can it? I would just tell him not to worry and that the Doctor would get her out just fine.

Well, I have been a fan for a while of TLC the "Learning Channel" and had it on that station in the living room while I was getting ready in my bathroom. My son came running into the bathroom, wide eyed....the program on TLC had changed to the Baby Story and was following the delivery of a new, healthy baby...but not out of her belly button!

So with HUGE eyes he says "Mommy that baby is not coming out of your belly button, it's coming out of your bottom!" I felt a twinge of panic as I confessed that yes, he was right, that the baby wasn't coming out of my belly button...

Then the worst of it....My son asks me, "Mommy was that your first lie?"

Ouch!

Note to self, and any new Mom out there....just be honest, or at least honest enough.

Home Stretch For Heather Armstrong!

In case your not one of the half million followers of Dooce the ever entertaining blog written by Heather Armstrong, you need to go check it out for the next several days, should be extra entertaining.

Heather is days away from delivering her second child and shares the most hilariously entertaining and private accounts of this journey.

As I have stated before in an earlier blog, Heather does not have an edit button, so you never know what she will be writing about...in detail.

Like her most recent post that's all about her "mucus plug".... Oh yeah, she went there. If you don't know what that might be, google it and then go to images...just not before or too early after dinner.

Bitter Sweet for Locks of Love!

My daughter Kailey was born 8 years ago healthy, beautiful, and with a head of hair!

This head of hair has almost become her signature...

She would just smile shyly every time someone would comment on that long beautiful hair, so it came as a bit of a surprise when she announced that she wanted to donate her hair to Locks of Love!

A huge part of me was so proud of her and so grateful that she "had not become her hair", that she didn't feel like she "needed" that hair.

But....honestly, another part of me was a bit sad. I would constantly run my fingers through that long beautiful hair....as she grew, it grew.

It was almost like I was losing a piece of my "little girl" once the hair was lost.

Crazy I know, and not real proud of it, but just being honest...

I supported her and was proud of her, but it also made me think how quickly they grow up and no matter how well they do this, as a parent it's still bitter sweet.

On May 30th at 4:30pm Kailey donated 10 inches of hair to Lock of Love...with a huge smile on her face that made me so proud of my big girl!

Another Success Story for Shrinkx!

Sarah, one of my most recent customers, got in touch with me yesterday shocked and excited!

When she purchased the Shrinkx Belt her hips measured 37.5 inches at 6 months of pregnancy.

She wore the Belt for 6 weeks and is about 10 pounds from her ideal weight.

She said she was feeling really good so decided to take out the tape measure.

She measured her hips...and then measured them again.

Her hips now measure 33 inches, 7 weeks postpartum!

Love that Shrinkx Belt!

Congrats Sarah!

A Sunday At The Baby Expo!

Off we go...me, Bianca (the Shrinkx Mannequin), and my business guru!

The day before, it rained buckets! Perfect day to do anything "indoors"...

Sunday morning when we are headed off to the Expo it is crisp and clear! Perfect day to do anything "outdoors"...

Baby Expo...indoors...

So, the sad side is that it was a low turnout for everyone at the Expo.

The positive side, is the day did go by quickly, and I did get to meet many magnificent pregnant bellies!

And as a added bonus for me, my sister-in-law who had delivered about 5 weeks previous, and of course is wearing her Shrinkx Belt and looks amazing (had to add that), came and helped me out in the booth for a few hours...great girl time...we take that girl time anyway we can get it!

9 Months of Pregnancy In 20 Seconds

If only it could be this effortless and graceful!

And you have to admit, there is a bit of beauty in a belly like that...gotta appreciate the miracle in the making...

Mommy & Baby Expo 2009!

Bianca (my Shrinkx Belt Mannequin) and I will be there!

I would love to meet everyone who has joined the Shrinkx Family! And for all you Moms-To-Be, that haven't checked out the belt, come see what the Shrinkx Post Natal Hip Belt is all about!

The Expo is this Sunday, May 17th, 2009 from 12noon-6pm at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road.

I know Mother's Day was just last weekend, but treat yourself to one more special day....you deserve so many more, especially after 40 weeks of pregnancy...and one more special gift!

Order your Shrinkx Belt early so it will be there and waiting when your ready to take your body back!