He also keeps me busier than any boy I’ve ever met.  

This past month Isaac became 100% independently mobile! It happened incredibly quickly, but the boy jets around this place – both on his knees and holding onto furniture. 

Isaac continues to learn an incredible amount every single day.  Despite our attempts to stay as low-key and minimal as possible, he has a ton of toys, but it’s music and reading that this little boy loves most. 

We read as much as humanly possible around here – upon waking, upon nap-time, after we eat, in the tub, before bed – yet Isaac still crawls over to his books excitedly saying, “Buh! Bouh!” to read more times in a day than I can count. 

Aside from that, Isaac has also spent a lot of time socializing this month.  He’s always enjoyed people, but he’s now learning to interact with his friends in such a fun way.  We usually go to the park every day to meet up with friends, shake out our legs and play.   Watching the kids learn and play together is so heart-warming. 

He also fell in love with his first dog, Petey, this month!  We dog-sat for my Auntie and the two were ridiculously cute together – Petey would lick Isaac’s face and Isaac would sneak Petey food under his highchair [Unfortunately Petey doesn’t like papaya – Isaac’s fruit of choice].

[“Saaaave Mee!” –Petey.]

The other big development this past month: attitude.  Isaac has got lots of emotions down!  And he knows what he wants.  If you try to “help” him with something, he’ll make an angry face, scream at you and squirm away.  He’s one independent boy, that’s for sure. 

Random Nine Month Tidbits:

Teeth: Tooth number seven just popped through in the past day or two! He’s now got four on top and three on the bottom.  The boy is a teething champ!  [Side note: We use an amber necklace, which is supposed to help with teething discomfort and inflammation.] 

Favorite things: Books, books, books!  The outdoors.  Brushing his teeth.  Walks.  Swimming.  The sand.  Dancing.  Fish. 

[Isaac loves our home tanks, but he was amazed by the Ocean Center.  Ben and I got annual passes and the babe is free until 3!]

Tricks: Isaac plays catch (sometimes by himself – he’ll throw the ball, go get it, throw it again, etc.) and switches off lights.

Least favorite things: Changing his diaper, putting on sunscreen, leaving the playground, not being able to stand up in the bath. 

Sleep: Isaac’s been sleeping in his crib – in his own room – for about a month now!  As far as the details go, I’ll be doing a legit update soon.

Food: The kid still looooves his food.  Anything and everything, truly.  He’s now eating three meals a day – a mix of purees and soft foods that he can pick up himself. 

[He goes crazy for papaya!]

Booboos: Isaac has at least one bruise on his head every single day from bumping into things or simply bonking his head on the ground repeatedly [!!?].

Stats: Our next check-up is April 12th, and I’m really excited to see how much Isaac weighs [probably somewhere around 20+ pounds is my guess]?  He’s really chunked up!   

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Quick Family Unit Update:

Nine months in, we’re starting to embrace the chaos.  We’re learning to let go of the little things (like having a pristine home or folded laundry) so that we can spend more of our time enjoying each other.  The days seem to just fly by, but we’re doing our best to take family walks on a daily basis and eat dinner together when it’s possible.  Isaac and I have found a daily routine, but we were really lucky to have gotten a week and a half of Daddy time during Spring Break! 

We’re also incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by supportive and loving family.  My Mom [Glammaw] wakes up with Isaac almost every morning [they feed their fish and water their garden together while I get a work out and shower in], plus she watches him while I’m at my internship a few hours a week.  And my Auntie Robin comes up to watch Isaac one day per week so that I can get more work done for school.  Thank god for my village – I don’t know how I’d do it all without them. 

[Guess who completed his first race?]

Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts. Stay connected with me on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to Simple Yet Significant to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!

Life has been cray-cray lately and I haven’t been able to check in for multiple reasons, but I’m glad to say that all my reasons are positive.   Ben and I have been on Spring Break, I’ve been focusing much more on getting myself back into teaching shape, and the baby has been non-stop and going on lots of play dates! 

In any case, I really miss writing, so I thought I’d do a real quick check-in to document a few things, whirlwind style

1. The munchkin is now NINE months old.  There is so much to say about him – which I plan to do in his 9 month update – but he truly is the greatest little bundle of sunshine I’ve ever met.  Life as his Mama has changed everything for me, and I learn something from him every single day. 

2. Grad school is coming to an end.  Which means researching, writing, presentations, and wrapping things up with my internship.  And also means working on getting my shit together for what comes after school – my resume is being worked on and sent out and I’m getting clear on what my perfect schedule would look like in the future.  One of my biggest accomplishments (and something I’m looking at doing more often – possibly for money?) was seeing my name in print this past month.  

3. I’ve really been focusing on my health again.  As you may know, one of the things I’m extremely passionate about is health, fitness, and wellness.  Before the baby came along, I worked for years to drop about 70 pounds in a sustainable manner, got a group fitness certification, and then worked for my personal trainer certification (NASM) to help others do the same. 

I’m really, really excited to start training others, but I feel like I need to get myself back into shape before I can fully do so [postpartum depression did quite the number on my body].  To do so, I’ve been researching like a mad-woman and using myself as a test-subject for a lot of the programming I’ll be recommending to clients in the future [I have a hard time with ‘naturally thin’ trainers who recommend things without ever having to practice it themselves].  In any case, I’ve had to really get back to the basics that worked for me in the past – which isn’t always fun or easy but needs to be done. Having a baby and going to grad school make it difficult to find time, but I feel like it’s really given me a new perspective on what it’s like for others trying to lose fat and get fit and healthy. 

As a side note, I don’t know if anyone’s interested in learning about my process and program, but I’m open to sharing and/or picking up clients.  I’m hoping to get all my paperwork together and start a group and training my first clients this summer, but I’m happy to have people go through the program with me as well. Let me know if you’re interested.

Between everything, I have very little time to update the blog, but there is still so much to be said!  I hope you’re all doing wonderfully and I’ll be back soon with another update on little Isaac and myself  

Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts. Stay connected with me on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to Simple Yet Significant to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!

I sort of alluded to the fact that I’ve been starting to meal plan around here.  It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, but just never got it together enough to make happen. 

Alas, within the past month or so, life became so unwieldy that something had to be done. 

I decided it was time to start meal planning for real for a few reasons:

1. My eating had become sub-par because I found myself simply grabbing for whatever I could get my hands on between a chaotic life,
2. When I looked in the fridge, I’d see a lot of stuff, but there was never anything to eat,
3. When I went shopping I felt a bit purposeless, and
4. We were wasting much more food than necessary because of all the random ingredients in my fridge.

[Baby boy helping Mama meal plan.]

I figured that meal planning and prepping food on the weekends would help to alleviate all of these issues because I’d focus on sticking to our family’s meal plan and only buying the necessary food, and then we’d actually have healthy meals in our fridge rather than just ingredients.  

I know my meal plan looks a little complicated, but I just like to see everyone’s eating schedules laid out – mine, Ben’s and Isaac’s.  That way I know just what I need to prepare for the week and I don’t have to do so much thinking during the week (weekday brain usage is limited ). 

For simplicity’s sake, here are the steps I follow each week:

1. Set up a template in Word with a few different sections:  A table for meals [a quick glance at the week’s menu]; Recipes [a list of recipes I’ll be using this week];  Prep [a checklist of things I need to do during the weekend like hard-boiling eggs, grinding oats for baby cereal, etc.]; Shopping List.  I set this up the first week and use the same template for each week.
2. Throughout the week, I collect a few recipes I’m interested in trying [either from my own archives, fellow bloggers or Pinterest [best thing ever for meal planning!]).  I aim for four meals to make for dinner [preferably crockpot!], knowing that I’ll have leftovers for lunches and possibly another dinner meal.   Breakfasts are always the same for us – veggies with eggs + some salsa and/or avocado for me, and cereal for Ben. 
3. Friday night, I put together my meal plan for the coming week.  I paste the recipes onto the document and make my shopping list based only on the week’s meals.
4. The first shopping I do is on Saturday morning at the farmer’s market.  I buy everything I possibly can from there and then make my way to Costco and/or the grocery store if I need additional stuff. 
5. I then prep everything I possibly can on the weekend, including crockpot meals [I cut everything up and put it into a big ziploc, then freeze].  This is my time to make protein balls for my snacks, batch-cook baby food for Isaac, and cook brown rice/quinoa to have on-hand for Ben (his diet requires more carbohydrates than mine, so I simply make sure he’s always got some carbs readily available to add on to the meals I make).  

Although Isaac doesn’t always understand why Mama’s in the kitchen for a few hours on Sundays, he – as well as the rest of our family – has been reaping the benefits of having a stocked fridge and healthy food at every meal. 

Ultimately, I’ve been really, really pleased with my novice adventures in meal planning.  Now that I’m doing it every week, I can’t figure out why I was so intimidated by it.  I really love – and miss – being in the kitchen, so I relish those few hours where I get to put my headphones in, listen to podcasts, and make healthy, homemade meals for my family. 

I put in a few hours each week and am rewarded with healthy eats all week long!  It is so worth it. 

The best part?

I have totally alleviated all of the issues I was having.  Win-win-win! 

Do you meal plan?  Care to share any awesome recipes? 

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Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please stay connected with me on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to Simple Yet Significant to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!

My eats haven’t been as clean as they should be with such a busy schedule, so I’ve started meal planning and batch cooking on the weekends when everyone’s home [I’m hoping to do a post on my experiences with this soon].  Today was a bit different because I spent most of the day at my internship, where I get a free healthy lunch for being an intern [best perk ever!]. 

Anyway, let’s get to it:

I started the day with an apple cider vinegar drink [ACV + water] and a butt-kicking strength training sesh. 

8:30 am: After the workout, I had a piece of leftover veggie frittata with a side of greens [batch cooked kale + chard + onion + garlic].  I also took my multivitamin and omega 3s. 

11:00 am: Maybe it’s afterburn from the workout, but I’m already hungry.  Luckily, lunch is ready for me [my internship site makes low-fat, low-sodium meals for the community that are delicious!], so I get the chicken breast stuffed with spinach.  The plate also comes with a salad, and sweet potato and taro, which I keep for my son (he loves sweet potato!), but I just eat the chicken.  

1:00 pm: I snack on a ginormous handful of berries on my way home from Costco. [I know I’m supposed to wash them…]

4:00 pm: I’m hungry again, so I eat the side salad from lunch with some cooked ahi. 

7:00 pm: Dinner was eaten while I attended my online class.  Leftovers from last night: corned beef with cabbage, and some extra greens [the kale mix from earlier], and then a handful of cashews and walnuts a couple hours later while my classmates presented. 

I ended the night with some tea and a magnesium drink. 

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How have your eats been lately?  Any fun meals? 

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Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please stay connected with me on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to Simple Yet Significant to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!

I’m in a space where I truly don’t know what’s coming next.  I’ll have my masters degree but don’t want to work a 8-5 desk job; I want to start utilizing my personal trainer cert but don’t know where to start; and then there’s this passion for writing that I really don’t know what to do with… 

While I’m doing my very best to embrace the gap, it’s freaking me out. 

To be fair, though, these crossroad moments in life have always freaked me out.  And I’ve always made it through just fine.  Consciously, I get that.  I know that I’ll always be cared for and given just what I need, just when I need it.  But subconsciously, something inside just won’t let me stop worrying about the logistics. 

When it comes down to it, that rational part of my brain is very purposeful.  Rather than allowing my happy-go-lucky side to take uncalculated risks, it gives me boundaries and reminds me that every action I make has consequences – and nowadays those consequences effect more than just myself. 

So lately I’ve been digging a little deeper to figure out which steps I’ll be taking once I get that degree and have to fully jump into the realm of the unknown.  I know this may not apply to you, but just in case someone else is in the same boat, I thought I’d share what I’ve been doing to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for the next big crossroads. 

• JOURNALING. Specifically, I’ve been asking myself questions like, “Where do I see myself in 5 years?” , “What do I need to do now to prepare myself for that life?”, and “What do I appreciate about my life right now?” 
• RESEARCHING AND READING.  A LOT.  I’ve been inundating myself with knowledge and data that might offer me a bit of insight or guidance.  I’m reading tons of stuff by people I really admire [like strength and conditioning coaches Neghar Fonooni & Rachel Cosgrove].  I’ve also been reading tons of articles on how to become a better fitness professional, how to be an entrepreneur, and how to trust your intuition. 
• CONNECTING WITH MENTORS AND COLLEAGUES.  There’s so much that we can learn from each other in all areas of our lives, whether it be personal, professional or academic.  By connecting with others, I’m able to learn about opportunities.  Plus, I  feel like I’m setting myself up to succeed by not repeating unnecessary mistakes. 
• PRACTICING.  With most things in life, practice makes perfect.  The more I practice something, the more confident I am in following through.  So I’m taking this to heart and practicing all kinds of things right now, from counseling/social work skills, to giving fitness advice, to freelance writing [this past month I got my first piece published in a small Maui publication!]
• PUTTING MYSELF OUT THERE.  As I get clearer about what my intentions are, I’ve been telling more and more of my friends and family what I’m looking for.  I’m working on my resume and will be submitting it to a few organizations within the next month.  And I’ll be taking a big leap by testing out a program with a handful of individuals.   

I feel like the upcoming crossroad in my life is one of the biggest I’ve ever encountered – Isaac’s presence changes everything and I have to think about his wellbeing above all else – but I also feel a little more excited and a little less fearful by doing all of these things in preparation.  Ultimately, I’m filled with gratitude to have all of the opportunities that I do, and I plan to make the most of it! 

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Any big crossroads coming up for you?  How are you preparing? 

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Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please stay connected with me on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to Simple Yet Significant to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!

Usually breakfast involves oatmeal (I fine-grind organic steel cut oats and cook with water and/or formula) mixed with veggies, with fruit cut up on the side for him to grab.   The other day I decided to try something new, so I made some pumpkin pancakes using the same ingredients so that he could pick them up and eat them himself.  I think it’s safe to say they were a huge success.

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Pumpkin Pancakes for Baby

[gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free]

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[Ingredients]

• 1/4 c finely ground oats [I use steel cut oats and fine-grind them, but you could grind regular oats or probably also use baby oatmeal cereal]
• 1/3 c canned pumpkin
• 1/4-1/2 c water or formula

Preheat a pan or skillet to medium-low.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Pour 2’’ pancakes onto the pan and let them cook slowly (the raw oats will need a little time to absorb some liquid) and flip once the pancakes lose their shine. 

Let cool and then unleash the babe! 

You can freeze or refrigerate the leftovers and heat them quickly another day. 

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Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please stay connected with me on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to Simple Yet Significant to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!

It feels like just yesterday he was just eight weeks old.  And although he was adorable back then, I wouldn’t choose to go back even if I had the choice, because I was an absolute mess – complete with sobbing, post-partum fits – then.  Nowadays, we understand each other much more and most of the tears I shed are happy or proud tears of joy [though the occasional ohmygodI’mgonnalosemyshit tears surface randomly too]. 

I’m happy to report that Isaac has gotten much more used to car rides and is much happier getting out and about nowadays.  We’ve gotten into a good routine of going for a walk in the morning, having breakfast, putting him down for a nap, and then getting out mid-morning to see friends/explore the park/attend playgroups.  Isaac loves being outside and exploring, and he’s interested in everything!

This month has been all about learning to move!  He went from sitting to half-crawling, to pulling himself up and scooting, to getting much better on his knees!  He doesn’t crawl 100% on his knees just yet, but the boy can get from point A to point B in no time!  He’s got mad worm skills and is pulling himself up onto just about anything he can reach lately.  It’s definitely time to babyproof. 

The other day I asked him where his ball was (it was about six feet in front of us), and he replied “bah” and looked at it across the room.  So I said, “go get your ball”, and he proceeded to climb out of my lap and across the floor to his ball!  I was so proud, it took everything in me not to start crying.  He understands so much, but it was he first time he was able to really show me that he understood! 

The other big thing this month has been his personality.  Isaac definitely has his opinions, his likes and dislikes, and has no problem making them known.  It’s amazing watching as he develops so quickly! 

Eight month tidbits:

• Teeth: four – top two and bottom two – with a third bottom popping out now.
• Food: he is a food monster (as he’s always been!)… He’s now eating three solid meals a day plus his usual 5 bottles.  He usually has a mix/match of homemade purees and small pieces of foods that he gets to pick up himself, now that he’s got a good pincer grasp down. 
• Words: He seems to most understand and be able to replicate B, D, and M words.  In his repertoire: “ba” = bottle, ball, bye; “muh” = more, milk; “Dada!” 
• Cool tricks: Switching off lights and giving high fives.
• Diapers: Still cloth at home and disposables while out.
• Sleep: Glammaw bought Isaac a 4-in-1 crib this past month that’ll grow with him (thanks Mom!).  Ben and I always thought we’d keep him in our room with us for a while longer, but we decided to see how he liked his crib, and he does really well at night in there, so he’ll sleep from about 7:30pm til around 4:00am in his crib, then wake up for a bottle and come sleep in our bed until around 6ish.  His naps are mostly in his crib nowadays unless I’m laying down with him (which is usually in our bed). 
• Likes: swimming, going for walks, food, peek-a-boo, his reflection in the mirror, other babies.
• Dislikes: naps and getting his diaper changed.

To see past monthly updates, visit the Parenting Page 

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Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please stay connected with me on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to Simple Yet Significant to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!

Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please stay connected with me on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to Simple Yet Significant to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!