Peas&Tanks: A mama blog

Blessed

2018-03-14T13:47:00.002-07:00

Time has flown by and believe or not but we have had one more baby! Lila Jane was born October 22, 2016 ~ she is truly a little blessing and completes our family. She is also a big part of the reason I have not posted in so long! But she's worth every second of my time, let me tell you <3. She is now 16 months old and hilarious. She entered the world after a couple days of labour via emergency c-section. So this ole bode has gone through a c-section then a VBAC then an appendectomy then a c-section! And it's still kicking and feeling good ~ testament to how amazing our bodies truly are. I thank God we had the team we did help Lila enter this world safe and sound. In Lila's case (medically necessary - umbilical cord wrapped around her little leg acting like a bungee cord), it was not only medically necessary but the very reason she is with us today.

Again, thank you God.

Life just keeps pushing forward ~ two kids in school, baby at home, working part time, house, wife, life! I got to tell you though, my perspective has transformed a lot over the last few years with the challenges I have faced, my family has faced. I practice daily gratitude for my husband and my children from the moment I wake up. The things that have happened in my life have changed me spiritually. I am a Christian and my faith has really gotten me through some very big struggles. We have settled in to our routines as a family, working together to figure out this parenting thing. I am finally training again at Excel and it's nice to kick an hour to myself a few times a week! Every day is a blessing <3 It truly is.

This is what I live for. This is who I live for. Blessed.

Dealing with a C-section

2014-03-10T16:12:00.002-07:00

If you have looked at previous posts regarding my birth stories you will know that my daughter was born via emergency c-section after numerous hours of labour (long story short ~ me not asking enough questions and just being a passenger and believer in the doctor on call led to a few interventions which led to Marley's heart rate playing ping pong which led to emergency c-section ~ in sum, impatient doctor and non-educated/informed mom brought on the c-section which was not what I had hoped for and wanted).

What is done is done and I am appreciative for my dear Marley who is already 3 years old. Since experiencing that I have dived deep into natural birth, VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean), midwifery, and all the goodies that come along with natural birth and preventing "unne-caesarean" for both mama and baby. I will also state right now that we are extremely lucky and blessed to have the ability to bring a baby into this world safely when due to true medical reasons baby can not be born vaginally. I know deep down in my heart that my first experience would have been completely different if I would have gone with a midwife (or at least a professional) that has the same values as I do.

I admit I was naive and had no reason to not "trust" in my doctor and I do take responsibility for not asking the right questions and educating myself as much as possible. Sure I read books and went to prenatal classes (mind you they were recommended FROM my doctor and were very HOSPITAL/Doctor based). I found as a new mom that was new to the world of birth I WENT along with what I thought ladies do. I didn't have lots of friends that had children and midwife wasn't really even my vocabulary. I had a birth plan ~ you know, minimal interventions, skin to skin right away but I didn't plan (nor did I discuss) with my doctor what happens if you have to have a c-section. I didn't know, for example, the lack of skin to skin right away, the possible trouble with breastfeeding since we didn't get that contact right away, the fact that I could actually say NO or ask questions. I didn't know about my alternatives to interventions and I just blindly trusted in my doctor. This might start to sound like I really dislike my doctors ~ I appreciate their expertise and all the goods things they do BUT I really dislike how you get whatever doctor is on call (didn't know this until I went into labour ~ did I assume my doctor would be there ~ um yes I did ~ did she mention it was whomever was on call at the hospital ~ um no she didn't). I also really dislike that fact that the doctor I ended up getting seemed to completely lack appreciation for a women's body and no not everyone will birth in a set number of hours.

I am a slow labourer ~ that doesn't mean once I hit 8 hours that you should do everything in the book to "speed" things along ~ some women are in labour for days for heaven's sake! He completely seemed to miss that fact that natural birth is important to some and nope I don't want to take the quick route ~ I want to let my body do what it has to do to birth my baby. If mama ain't stressing and baby ain't stressing then why not just let it happen? Ok enough with the rant sorry:) I think you get my point. I do want to mention that the surgeon who I had was very good ~ great bedside manner and as I woman I feel like she and I connected. The surgery team was also amazing ~ the had some Jack Johnson playing in the background and one of the anesthesiologist took pictures because Paul was busy comforting me. I remember he even dabbed away my tears and we had a good laugh. Then while I was in recovery an older lady nurse came and sat with me. We talked about her granbabies and I told her how excited I was to meet Marley. She did freeze test after freeze test as we both were excited for me to go see Marley. Though it was not in my plan to have a c-section, the experience with the team was very positive and I could tell they were passionate about their jobs. They tried their best to make it as peaceful and positive as it could be for mom, dad and baby. Thank you to them<3

After my c-section with Marley I went thru a number of emotions from sadness to guilt to depression. My family doctor (who happens to be the doctor on call's spouse) sort of blew off my inquires into the "why" of my experience. Marley wasn't born with any head shaping, Marley wasn't stressing until the time right before he demanded c-section after doing numerous interventions like pitocin (didn't know use of this could increase chance for c-section and wasn't told). I felt very unsatisfied with the responses I was given and simply felt deep down that it didn't have to be the way it was. At one point, when I just found out I was pregnant again (Marley was 9 months old) I told my doctor and her first statement/question was "well should we go ahead and book another c-section". I quickly felt my hairs stand up on my neck and told her no I want to try for a natural birth without all the interventions that her husband did as I truly believe they are the reason the outcome was the way it was. I told her I would be getting a midwife because I needed to work with someone who had the same values as I do surrounding natural birth and we just weren't on the same page. She was neutral about that but I think she understood my position (as I am sure not the first one to leave her care and go for a midwife).

I lucked out and got on with the best midwife in the area (and my bets are that she is the best province if not country wide). My midwife heard my story and how important it was for me to try for a VBAC. One of the first things I had to do was meet with the top women's doctor in our area and have him review my file to let her and I know if it is a go-ahead. I still remember sitting in his office discussing Marley's birth and reasons for switching to a midwife for this one. He looked me square in the eyes and outright apologized for the experience I had with Marley and my c-section. He said that impatience on part of the doctor was obvious and more time should have been given to let nature run it's course. There was no evidence the Marley needed to be pulled out immediately except for some heart rate changes that are common when you get to those stages of labour. I left his office completely in bliss. I re-trusted my body and my gut. Needless to say my second birth was slow moving and a difficult one.

Almost a full day before Jonah finally arrived vaginally. It wasn't an easy labour and there were moments when I thought we would have a repeat c-section but my midwife was so supportive and we were going to do everything in our power to make my VBAC a success and if it didn't turn out that way I knew that I had tried and I had been a DRIVER instead of a passenger on this journey.

Will I try again? Yes I hope to have one more baby some time in the future and the moment I get pregnant I will be calling my midwife and asking for her guidance once more. She was my rock. The amount of support, guidance, knowledge and caring she provides is astounding. She is truly a master of midwifery.

Now~about dealing with a c-section~I want to talk about how to deal emotionally and physically. Let's start off with emotionally(and this is from my own personal experience ~ everyone is so different) I think if it is a MEDICAL necessity then thank goodness baby is here safe and sound. When it isn't medically necessary or/due to over-intervention like mine, this is what I experienced:

1. I felt sadness for "missing out" on a natural ~ the skin to skin right away after birth, breastfeeding right away, that initial bond. Now it could be different in your area and this is something you will want to find out before giving birth just to be aware but in my hospital at the time of my daughter's birth it happens like this: go to O.R. (accompanied by birth supporter~for me, my husband), get prepped/epidural/spinal, baby out, baby over to scale and wrapped in blanket, baby placed on mom's chest, kiss and attempt to hold her but you are frozen, they take baby away (with birth supporter), put mom back together, go to recovery and unfreeze (took me almost 2 hours), then go up to see baby and finally HOLD YOUR BABY! I know practice is/has changed a bit now that we have a new facility but I still think skin to skin right after surgery and while getting stitched up is hard to come by.

2. I felt like my body had let me down initially before I became aware of what happened and the "why".

3. Had seven weeks of difficult breastfeeding ~ I stuck it out but had a lot of pain and trouble. Marley breastfed until she was close to 10 months old.

4. Wished I could just be like all the other mom's that had an easier, natural birth. Was and am still envious of those ladies.

5. Worried about the trauma Marley went through due to the lack of natural birth and worried about our bond. I never had full out bonding issues but when your confidence is down regarding what you think your body should have done it does impact it a bit.

WHAT I LEARNED IN REGARDS TO HANDLING IT EMOTIONALLY:

1. Becoming informed on the "why" is empowering even if it is disappointing and didn't have to be that way.

2. Talking to other mamas that went thru similar experiences. There are a lot of them out there. Connect on social media or local groups for support.

3. Share your story and don't be ASHAMED of the way things played out. It is a learning experience and if nothing else you can help someone else become more aware of their options and alternatives.

4. It is what it is ~ hug your baby<3 Your job as a mother is the most important job you will ever have<3

Next, physically the recovery can be lengthy and probably is a little different for everyone. For me it did take about 6 weeks to get close to back to myself physically. During those 6 weeks I spent a lot of time at home with Marley just getting to know her and breastfeeding. She took her time eating so we spent a lot of time sitting around nursing:) My scar healed quite well but on the right side it sort of dipped in (this is apparently where the surgeon tied the knot of the inside stitches). I was worried about the bump and scar tissue so I luckily connected with a friend that had a similar situation and she directed me to a physiotherapist that specializes in scar therapy (works out the scar to make the tissues flush and smooth like they start out). Here are some other tricks for dealing with the scar:

1. (Can do this as early as 6 weeks IF your scar has healed and it doesn't hurt/not tender) Buy some great organic pure CASTOR OIL. Smooth it onto the scar and around the scar. Place a piece of saran wrap (plastic wrap) over that area that has the castor oil. It just clings right on:) Take a hot water bag or even a very hot wash cloth and place ON TOP of plastic wrap. Let it sit and heat up for 10-15 minutes. Pull off the heat source. MASSAGE on top of the plastic wrap all around the scar. This helps the tissue become smooth (compared to the harder scar tissue that is criss crossed when heals). Do this a few times a week. I did this a few times a week for about 6 weeks while I was seeing my scar therapy physio therapist and getting treatments. This is what she recommended I do as I was getting treatments to help the process along.

This is the awesome castor oil I purchased ~ from Nature's Fare Market in Vernon, BC ~ I am sure you can find it at any health food or natural product store.

2. C-Panty: I found that underwear sits right around the scar and boy is it uncomfortable. I did some research and went to Baby & Me in Kelowna, BC where I purchased a couple pairs of C-Panty. You can find this awesome store on Facebook here. The C-Panty was great because it has a soft piece of material that covers the scar and helps with the healing! You can find more information about this product here. And it helped me a lot ~ the actual product is a little pricey but completely worth it!

I didn't get the high waisted ones ~ I got the regular, classic fit but it does give you an idea:)

3. Find a physio therapist in your area that specializes in SCAR THERAPY. Having this wonderful woman help me recover was truly a blessing. Everything is connected so if your scar doesn't heal properly it can actually impact so many other things ~ not just your core and abdominals but a variety of other parts ~ impacting mobility, impacting how you feel in general. If you happen to live in the Okanagan, British Columbia Canada ~ contact me through the page and I can pass on this physio's name. Again, make sure you go to someone who SPECIALIZES in scar therapy to get the most beneficial treatment for your c-section.

In closing, I can not stress enough how important it is to get informed. No matter how baby arrives, be the DRIVER in your birth and know your wishes and stick to them. Don't let others intimidate you and make you feel unsure about your wishes. If c-section is not medically necessary, try to avoid it. Be informed of how interventions can have an impact. Power is not ignorance. Power is in knowledge and no matter what your personal wishes are and how they differ from mine empower yourself with knowledge. This is the most amazing and life-changing experience of your life and you NEED, you MUST take control and not let someone else DRIVE. Ask questions, get second opinions and I highly recommend working with a midwife or at least a doula. The amount of care and time spent is completely 180 degrees from a doctor. A midwife only has so many patients so they CAN invest that time that a busy doctor can't. Find someone who has similar values regarding birth as you do ~ whatever those values are. If you don't know what your values are and what is important to you ~ join groups on Facebook, do research, read books, talk to moms who have a wide variety of birth stories. Figure it out before the time comes to deliver baby instead of regretting how you let things happen. Drive. I wish every mom to be out there the absolute best birth experience. It truly is a beautiful miracle no matter how it comes to fruition. The power is in your hands! Sending love and positive thoughts to you and your baby!

P.S. A book I ABSOLUTELY fell in love with while planning for my VBAC is Ina May Gaskin Guide to Natural Childbirth. Read it! You can find her site here with information on her book.

The Best Turkey Chilli

2014-02-21T15:16:00.000-08:00

This was originally posted on my wellness blog "eat. burpee. sleep. repeat". I like it so much I thought it would be valuable to post here as well for any mamas out there looking for great meal ideas! There is also a great soup on the other blog that can help with cravings, etc. if you are currently on a weight loss journey. It is not a meal per say ~ it is more of a snack and side option. You can check it out here. Bon appetite!

Ok both of my kids are napping so I am going to bang out this post! Yesterday I shared an awesome soup recipe from one of my favourite nutritionist author's Dr. Joey Shulman. Well today my 3 year old and I whipped up some yummy turkey chilli. I find chilli recipes somewhat all the same but really enjoyed this one because it has cinnamon in it! So not only is it super nutritious, filled with fibre and protein but has undertones off cinnamon which really make this chilli pop! This recipe comes from Phase 2: Boost of Dr. Shulman's Metabolism Boosting Diet. You can find it on page 237 ~ it is delicious and again a great meal you can freeze in a portion size container and heat up for a home cooked meal without all the prep!

THE RECIPE:

1lb ground turkey
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (28oz) tomato sauce
½ medium onion, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp EACH dried basil, parsley, oregano, cinnamon
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 bay leaf
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

In a large pot, cook turkey over medium heat until browned ~ drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetables and spices. Simmer, uncovered for 40 minutes stirring occasionally. Add beans and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

SIDE NOTE: I have never had to drain off fat since the turkey I have used is super lean. I prefer to add my beans when I add everything else and let it simmer for 40 minutes instead of adding the beans at the end. I think it just depends on your personal preference.

Here are the goodies I used today ~ as you can tell I veered from the original recipe a tiny bit due to what was in my cabinets:) I used a can of mixed beans and a can of small red beans instead of 1 can kidney beans. Now that I have made this recipe half a dozen times or so I feel pretty comfortable with switching it up a little here or there:)

I use pretty much all organic canned goods, spices, etc. Everything would have been purchased at Nature's Fare (my favourite place for everything grocery).

Two Rivers ground turkey is from North Vancouver, BC ~ again try to do as much organic and local as we can. Also look for SPCA approved eggs and meat. Purchased from Nature's Fare as well.

This is my best sous chef Marley:) She re-washes all my veggies and preps them (puts them on the cutting board)for me to chop up. Then she puts them in the bowl! She rocks ~ you can't purchase her from Nature's Fare though you will find her there often! She loves it there!

Mix all these goodies together and simmer! It smells so good ~ especially with a little cinnamon pop!

Here are the nutrition details per serving:

371 calories

11 g fat

36 g carbohydrates

32 g protein

11 g fibre

12 g sugars

I am telling you this recipe is one to try and it will become a staple in your home! My husband adds a little hot sauce because he loves hot ~ and nothing is hot enough for him. This recipe has a bit of spice but nothing drastic. Thank you Dr. Shulman for another winner! Enjoy everyone!

Make Mama Well

2014-02-18T14:02:00.001-08:00

Sometimes having babies can make us forget about taking care of ourselves. Sometimes I look at the clock and it is three in the afternoon and I realize I have not changed and cleaned myself up yet. It is quite something when showers become a treat and going to the bathroom by yourself is rare. Life is simply…different. Focus is on the babies ~ who needs a clean bum, who needs a snack, who needs a story, who needs a snuggle, who needs a timeout (MARLEY;), who needs a drink (or a boob depending on the stage). Moms go day after day waiting on the babies, making sure everyone is taken care of. It is a honour to take care of my family but sometimes I just want to pee by myself. So what am I getting at? Mama wellness, my friends. Wellness…think about that word for a second and think about what it means for you. I think for my family to be happy I need to be healthy. Well what is health to me? It is nutrition and exercise. Those are my two priorities after my children and husband (oh and dog). Over the last year I have really focused on my health (along with my families health). I also write a blog called "eat. burpee. sleep. repeat." which you can find here. In this blog I share what I have learned about nutrition, fitness and achieving a healthy weight. I also do some book review stuff and share profiles of amazing members of my training centre Excel Fitness. It is amazing how much dietary changes and some good exercise can really change your view, perception, attitude, mood, and the list goes on. I find that when I am not taking care of myself (eating crap, or not much at all cause I am go-go-go all day; not exercising ~ just doing the running the kids around thing) I feel like garbage. My confidence is weaker, I tend to have a shorter fuse with my kids, just feel grumpy/sad/tired. I just really like who I am ~ I deal with it but I know things should change.

Now that I am wiser about nutrition and a day-to-day diet's effect on you inside and out I feel so much better. I have more energy, a longer fuse for those tough times, and way more confidence. I feel way more comfortable in my skin and don't mind going out and about with little makeup and my hair pulled back. A few years ago when I was less healthy I would always do my makeup and hair but look put together but the food and lack of exercise was what I really should have been focusing on. I mean if you enjoy that good on ya girl! I enjoy that too but time and priorities are different. Somedays it works and somedays it doesn't. The point I am trying to make is that I was trying to hide the fact that I didn't feel to great about myself ~ mainly because I knew I should be eating food that was better for me and exercising more. I have never been crazy unhealthy but just enough where I couldn't just go out and run a 10km (or a 5km:). By the way I did just that this past weekend ~ I woke up on Sunday morning and simply felt like doing the 10km race in my area so luckily I got in and did it:) Here are my stats ~ not too bad for a newbie:
Name: BRITTANY MCMILLAN
Age Cat: F30-34
Place: 149
Time: 1:01:16
DivPlace: 9 / 11
SexPlace: 63 / 94
Mile Pace: 9:52
Km pace: 6:08
Points: 15

Thank heavens that is done!

Running running running!

Post race happy! Sore but happy!

I love learning about nutrition and how I can FUEL my body to operate at it's best. And I love training ~ I wish everyone could find a place like Excel. I look forward to class so much and love leaving there sweating and pumped. I am so much stronger now than I have ever been. I feel so much better in clothes that I felt uncomfortable in before ( you know that pants to tight on the tummy thing, etc.). I am in the best shape of my life (and so wish I would have treated my body like this years ago)! By no means am I saying that all moms need to make time to become super fit body builders but I do think everyone (mom or not, male and female) need to be cognizant of the nutrients they ingest and the exercise they partake in. What do you have to lose? Who wouldn't want to feel better inside and out (when I say inside I am talking about digestion mainly, possibly healing an injury, etc.). A perk could be you can fit into that pair of pants sitting in your closet but that comes second to the fact that you are healthier INSIDE.

I think wellness can take form in other ways too like doing something you enjoy, crafting, sports, social gatherings, etc. but I really do think you need to make sure nutrition and fitness are somewhere in your top priorities. Even if you don't think you have time ~ really try to make time. At some point during the day/night maybe you watch TV or go on the computer. You can squeeze a little workout in somewhere. Also prepping food for the week has recently become a life saver for my family. Instead of reaching for chips you can reach for those carrot sticks or hardboiled egg, etc. If mama feels good, the kids feel good. If everyone is eating a healthy, balanced diet then you have more regulated moods plus you just simply FEEL better. Exercising as I am sure you know improves happiness! I am not seeing any cons here:) I wish all mamas a healthy and vitalized life. You are worth it.

Click over to my wellness blog for tips and how-to. One author that you must check out is named Dr. Joey Shulman. She is phenomenal. You can find her and her books here (and also at your library). Natural Makeover Diet and The Metabolism Boosting Diet are awesome books! She is by no means a "fad diet" writer ~ it is all about making changes for LIFE and how to nourish your body for LIFE. The word diet has a pretty negative connotation but here I am talking about your day-to-day eating. Organic, local, balanced ~ this is the way to go.

If you are making your insides super healthy and taking care of that part of it I think it is also a great idea to take care of the outside. I have mentioned this book before in an earlier post but everyone should read Gorgeously Green. Products that you put on your skin should not be unhealthy for you. This is a great little wake-up call and can really take mama wellness to another level! Ok nap just ended so I am going to cut here. Stay tuned for more:) Thanks for reading!

What's New?

2014-01-03T20:57:00.002-08:00

Well it has been a heck of a long time since I posted last ~ I have been working on my other blog re: health and fitness so that has been taking up most of my computer time:) Here's a link here if you want to check it out:) http://eatburpeesleeprepeat.blogspot.ca Not much has changed in our lives ~ we are still getting settled in our new (old) home and loving having the space. Marley and Jonah are doing fantastic. They really enjoyed the holidays, receiving presents, eating chocolate and spending lots of time with family and friends.

Here is what is new with Marley (3 yrs in 24 days!):

Can dress herself
Doesn't wear a diaper at all now (even at night!) and can go potty all by herself
Asks me things like "Can I say Damn-it?" and I say "No. That's an adult word" and she replies "Damn-it." Little bum:)
Is a big helper around the house ~ puts away cutlery, wipes up messes, folds laundry (some what) and gets me things like diapers, wipes, etc.
Teaches Jonah not-so-baby-friendly things like standing on chairs and sitting on tables ~ thank you Marley!
Is very excited about Ballet class which she is going into this Spring. Has been practising a lot around the house.
Likes to put jewellery on Jonah, wash him, and read to him. Very sweet <3
Loves using the "pad" (my i-pad) ~ I think she knows more than I do already!
Can do up the chest buckle on her carseat all by herself.
Is adamant to do things by herself ~ and let's me know by firmly yelling "Let me do it!"
Has gone to the dentist and received rave reviews.
Cuddles RAFFIE still and thumbsucks.
Stopped taking a bottle (we stopped giving her a bottle) about a couple months ago thank goodness.
Had a temper tantrum when we went to sit on Santa's lap after spending forever in the line up. She was all excited and the moment she was to walk up to him she crashed. Not fun Marley! But we tried again the next day and after some bribery and Mommy sitting in the photo we had a good one taken!
Dance is still her favourite thing in the whole world ~ second is princesses!

She is as sweet and beautiful as one comes. Everywhere we go people tell her how beautiful she is. She loves interacting with anyone and always strikes up conversations with someone. She is funny, goofy, silly, caring, smart and gorgeous. Love this girl to bits!

Here is what is new with Jonah (16 months):

Says Ma, Mama, Dada (only when he is mad at mama will he call for dada otherwise dada is mama haha), moo, nay, meow, woof, something that sounds like quack-quack.
Loves animal sounds and pictures of animals.
Is not speaking yet though he grunts little syllables that would be a sentence if he had words.
Gets frustrated at me when I don't understand what his caveman grunts mean ~ I skipped that class in high school sorry buddy!
I get frustrated at his grunting (especially since Marley starting talking to me when she was less than a year) girl vs boy I guess:) Paul says he is a little difficult now but Marley will be in the long run hahah:)
His comprehension on the other hand is excellent and knows what things are, how to do things, follow directions, etc. He has a very mischievous side and will look at you out of the corner of his eye, grinning, with his little pointy finger out about to touch something I am saying "ta ta" too. Little brat:)
He is starting to get taller so he is losing that chubby little baby boy figure and is looking more like a toddler.
He cries because he doesn't have words so I get driven a smudge crazy sometimes haha:)
He still is breastfeeding a couple times a day ~ never took a bottle, hated soothers and never thumb sucked. Finally more interested in drinking milk from a cup so hoping I won't be breastfeeding a 4 year old! Hoping to be done in the next month or so.
Just started forming an attachment to a little soft stuffed puppy so at least he has something other than me to comfort him! Marley still has her raffies so I think he watched her and learned from her which is great.
He is a hugger, a kisser, a cuddler, a wrestler (pinch, bite, hair pull) and a ham. I think he is more sensitive than Marley and his funny personality shines thru most when he is with his family.
Makes the most funny CHEESE face!
Almost gets "where's your nose?" right
Likes to keep things away from you if he thinks you want it.
Likes tools.
Likes to climb everything ~ has fallen off of everything. Is a DANGER BABY!
Has had a black eye, a huge goose bump, bloody mouth, scraped face, bleeding nose! Gives mommy a heart attack often!
Has a lot of teeth ~ went thru a tough time teething, lots of fevers!
Can run fast.
Loves to be pulled on the sled ~ loves Marley right behind him holding onto him too.
Eats A LOT! And is messy ~ takes a lot of baths!
Is in LOVE with Flora our bulldog ~ she is the first thing he wants to see in the morning. He pets her and kisses her.

Both Marley and Jonah have been really healthy this winter so that is great! We attend Mother Goose and the library often. Marley can memorize a book very quickly so it almost sounds like she is reading it! I am looking forward to Jonah talking ~ just hearing his voice ~ communicating with him. It will be such a treat and make life a little easier especially if there is something wrong. Both are going into swimming lessons this winter/spring ~ Jonah adores the water so I think he will enjoy that. It will also be really neat to see Marley in a dance or gymnastic class:) Overall they are doing great! Most days are a blur and I am trying to slow down and take it all in before it's over. I am still thinking I will head back to work to some degree in the Fall ~ and trying to look at it as a positive for the kids to socialize and make friends. Even though some days are nuts and I feel like I might go nuts I feel so lucky to be with them everyday. See their firsts, help them, watch them, play with them. It is very special. I llooovvveee those little babies!

Having a baby?

2013-10-15T22:26:00.001-07:00

I do not claim to be a expert (on anything really) and I don't know a lot but over the last 3 years of having 2 babies I have learned TONS! Last night I was at a Thanksgiving dinner party and one of the ladies is expecting her first~without even realizing it things kept on coming to mind to share with her~things that I wish someone had shared with me. So whether she expected it or not I shared some of the little things and big things that I have learned since becoming pregnant with my daughter a few years ago....pregnant, birth, breastfeed, pregnant again when Marley was 9 months old, birth, breastfeed (that's where I am right now:) As I was up nursing Jonah at 3am-ish, all these 'things' came to mind...'things' that I like sharing, 'things' that I have experienced, researched and learned about thru accident, some on purpose. I decided I would write a post that encompassed these 'things'~and maybe help, give insight, or just some seeds for thought for those that are in baby mode in some way, shape or form. Again, these are just 'things' I have learned and experiences (just like pregnancies, births, and babies) are all SO VASTLY different :) So in no-particular order here are some 'things' you might find useful (or not lol)!

THE TESTERS!

1. My experience with a Midwife was phenomenal. The holistic care, the mastery of pregnancy, labour and birth, the availability to help and answer questions, the support ~ everything involved expected and unexpected. If you read previous posts my experience with my doctors was not a positive one and long story short my c-section (Marley) was a result of impatience on the doctors part as I am a slow labourer. Decided when I was pregnant with Jonah to go with a midwife and luckily I got in ~ the appointments were more personal, didn't feel rushed, all questions answered and things I would never even think to ask brought to my attention. Jonah took a while to arrive (close to 21 hours from when labour started) and my midwife guided me thru all the tough times to make my hope of a natural birth a reality. Positions, techniques, and everything else involved really made the difference. So my hope is that you do your research and learn as much as you can about your OPTIONS ~ obviously when a baby needs to be delivered via c-section in a medical emergency your options are limited and key is to get baby out healthy and safe while keeping mama safe too. But there is and has been the scenario where doctors are impatient and take that route for whatever reason (though it is not a medical emergency as in my case). Being in labour for the first time without much support (doctors and nurses are in and out not really there to help you with techniques and positions though I am sure some try and help a lot), we were scared when the doctor came in and said "If you don't progress this much in the next hour we are going to have to do a c-section" you are even more scared and of course that is not going to help you relax and work with your body ~ you are tense and don't know what to do. For sure not saying all doctors are bad and all midwives are amazing but I think you really need to be on the same philosophy/beliefs/practices as your care provider. I also HIGHLY disagree with the fact that here at my city hospital you get whomever is on-call and that chances of getting your actual doctor are low so all the birth plans, knowing your beliefs, situations, etc. really goes out the window. If your doctor was for sure the one to deliver your baby then things that happened to me may not happen as much.
For my family a midwife was the way to go. A birthing centre or at home would have be the next step (if I wasn't a high risk birth due to being a VBAC patient). The labour and birth of your child is one of the most amazing experiences of your life and I think every measure needs to be taken to get the BEST care possible ~ to me that means respecting a woman's wants and needs regarding natural birth (if there is no medical reason for c-section of course). I loved delivering my son though yes it was the toughest thing I have had to do in my life and took every ounce of my strength but once he was out and they put him on my chest and it was pure euphoria. My bond with Jonah was so immediate (whereas I didn't get to really hold Marley or see her until I unfroze a couple hours after c-section). So bonding was stronger off from the start, breastfeeding was easier, recovery was extremely fast (went to the fair 5 days after Joe was born!), post-partum blues were minimal ~ I was just happier overall and in turn was a better mama when times were stressful. And Jonah seemed to be just a calmer, peaceful, chill baby and I believe it has to due with how he came into this world ~ out of mom and onto mom. It is already a traumatic CRAZY experience for a baby and if you can show baby you are there I think it makes the transition so much easier. Again, if you have go with a c-section for a medical reason ~ different story ~ obviously making sure baby and mommy are safe and ok is key.
If you can not get a midwife (because they book up SO fast) I really encourage a doula ~ just having that support person to help with making decisions are such an overwhelming time would be so helpful!

Ok that ended up being a long #1 point LOL ~ let's get down to the little things!

2. Read INA MAY'S GUIDE TO CHILDBIRTH
http://www.amazon.ca/Ina-Mays-Guide-Childbirth-Material/dp/0553381156and check out her website http://inamay.com

Lots of great stories, explanations, tips ~ you name it. Really can help you make informed decisions and also great tips for labouring and birth.

3. Read THE HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK by Harvey Karp http://www.amazon.ca/Happiest-Baby-Block-Harvey-Karp/dp/0553381466
Here's a little more info summarized on Baby Center http://www.babycenter.com/0_harvey-karps-happiest-baby-method-for-baby-sleep-and-soothin_10373838.bc

Either way this is BY FAR THE MOST USEFUL BABY BOOK I HAVE EVER READ! It truly works ~ Marley and Jonah are 5 S's babies all the way! DO IT AND THANK HARVEY FOR IT!

I know the Baby Whisperer is another good one and gives lots of good tips but Harvey Karp's book was better at giving straight up HOW TO and that's what a mama needs! Read both and take what you like the best from both and what works for your babe:)

4. Best stroller: BOB http://www.bobgear.com/strollers This was the only thing other than cloth diapers that I bought new when Marley was around 6 months old. I LOVE this stroller ~ it is light, practical, so easy to turn and use, goes anywhere in any type of weather and terrain. Best purchase for sure. You can get them used too so if the price tag is a little steep then go that route but really a crappy stroller is a pain in the butt. I started with a Graco which was fine but found it heavy and didn't go where I wanted to go. Seriously a good stroller gets you outside which is important and baby is happier too:)

5. Cloth Diapers: I started using cloth with my first when she was around 5-6 months old ~ I used Bum Genius ~ mainly Flips and some all-in-ones. I have a variety of types and brands depending on what I could get for a great deal. Flips worked best for my daughter but the all-in-ones worked best for my son (he would pee thru the flips super fast). Either way it did save us money for sure but with both kids I stopped around 11-12 months because they would both pee thru whichever one no matter how many inserts I used. I used them sporadically with Jonah ~ mainly if I know I can be on top of changing him often and I do have some Bum Genius Flip potty trainer ones too that I used with Marley ~ she was a quick potty trainer so never got used a lot but I will try them with Jonah when he is at that stage. http://www.flipdiapers.com Something I learned while getting into cloth diapers is the expensive cloth diaper laundry soap is the same as COUNTRY SAVE http://www.countrysave.com Buy it at London Drugs ~ I still use it! A good site about how to wash cloth diapers is http://www.zany-zebra.com/wash-cloth-diapers.shtml. This is an email I have sent to any friends that ask about doing cloth diapers:

"So we use bumGenius Flip diapers-they are a hybrid which means you don't have to wash whole diaper(like all in ones) - you just wash insert and cover when soiled(I wipe the inside of the cover after I wipe marley when it is just pee). We have a system of 30 diapers- you can get these ones in a box to save money so you get 2 covers, 6 inserts per box - a box is $55 ---- we bought 4 boxes of that then one box of the organic cotton inserts(better absorbency for night) which is $75 again 2 covers and 6 inserts.

We also got a diaper sprayer, a pack of disposable inserts(haven't used them yet) and 2 wet bags(later I bought 2 more - large to hang off of change table and a travel size for diaper bag-these are waterproof, no smell,etc. Bummis and planet wise are great!- buy online you can get them cheaper! )

So this is the jist:

1. 4 boxes of flip with regular inserts

2. 1 box of flip with organic insert

3. Large wet bag to hang (I don't like the pail so hanging wet bags are great) and travel wet bag (I would get 2 hanging and 2 travel)

4. Diaper sprayer(not a have too but nice to have)

5. Roll of biodegradable liners (makes dealing with poop a lot easier )

6. Rock n green detergent(best out of all cloth diaper friendly detergent- buy online can get great deals)

7. Shake it up-powder made by rock n green that you sprinkle into your wet bag keeps it smelling better

8. Pack of disposable inserts for flip diapers(not needed just nice to have in some situations)

So that makes a really complete system! There are newborn clothdiapers by bumgenius too since newborns are a bit differently shaped. They actually told me to not start cloth until baby is a couple months old but you could if you wanted too.

Ummm~ I will forward you a great website from cotton babies (check out the clearance/sale area!! Seconds are just diapers that had a little defect still work perfect but say the sewing was not straight things like that). I would by used online check out castanet or Kijiji or baby swap pages on Facebook.

Don't buy G diapers!

Bumgenius, fuzzibuns, Kathy, thristies, grovia all great.

Hybrids are better!

To wash you throw diapers and wet bag in- do cold rinse with little detergent (we have a basic washer so I just do a 3 min delicate cycle cold water)

Then take out wet bag - don't wash them in hot as you can ruin the waterproof sealing

Add detergent and wash hot, double rinse

Throw inserts and wetbags in dryer, dry on low heat

Hang diaper covers - I put up a little clothes line in my laundry closet works like a charm!

That's it!!!!

I sometimes use a disposable at night if I have to change marley between boob feedings as it is quick and easy.

Flips are good from 8-35 lbs!!! Snaps are better than Velcro for longevity!

I go thru about half my stash every few days - never use them all. I make sure to rotate them around. Put the newly washed ones at the bottom of the pile type thing.

Best to do a load every 2-3 days. Easy as pie:)

Best website to buy that I found was

Baby bellhop out of Victoria- amazing company. Good deals. Check out clearance that would start you up for sure if you wanted to buy new. Detergent, wet bags, accessories, everything there is good deal. Free shipping when spend $100.

You can't use dryer sheets with cloth diapers as it effects absorbency.

Same with diapers creams/ointment. If you need something for little bum rash use grovia magic stick and throw biodegradable liner over insert. You can get it at baby bellhop:). You can also do a trial run from them. More details on their website:)

You for sure don't need to have all the same diapers so if you buy some flips and some fuzzibuns or something depending on sales, etc that's completely fine!"

6. Skin Care: We were/are super cautious about the ingredients in things like baby wash, lotions, etc. and have found a lot of the mainstream ones are chalked full not-so-good things. After doing some research we found a few really yummy products and we have never had any skin issues with either baby. A local company is AMAZING and her products are starting to get into a variety of stores ~ I go to her little shop out in Lavington but I believe Save-On might be selling her products. Either way for baby wash and lotions (and everything in between) check out BACK TO EARTH http://backtoearthenviroproducts.com/index.php/baby-products.html/ Even things like diaper cream ~ "Sweet Pea Herbal Balm" (used to be bum balm) is fantastic ~ you can use it on bug bites, scratches, rashes, chapped skin, anything! It is for sure my fav! Another product that was a life saver when I was struggling with breastfeeding Marley (super painful but not mastitis just sore) is called Gentian Violet http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&id=73:using-gentian-violet&Itemid=17 This really helped with the pain and Marley looked pretty cool with a purple mouth:)

7. Teething: Your baby will teethe ~ some are fine and some are cranky. There are a few things you can try other than Children's Tylenol:) Both of my babies wore teething necklaces (MAKE SURE IT IS GOOD QUALITY BALTIC AMBER and not just beads) ~ It seemed to work for Jonah, whereas it didn't make much of a noticeable difference for Marley. Hylands teething tablets (you can buy them from Nature's Fare here in Vernon) seemed to help too. I also liked using homeopathic products from Boiron like Camila (for teething) http://boiron.ca/en/products/children/camilia/
For sure if you buy an amber teething necklace get it from one of the baby steal sites listed below and pay a third of what you would if you went to a store:)

8. Swaddling: Both of my babies were swaddled and it seemed to help A LOT! But when Jonah was new I came across the most amazing MUSLIN BLANKETS at Chicken Little here in town. They are fantastic blankets ~ not heavy or bulky. One of the makers is Aden&Anais http://www.adenandanais.com/shop/swaddles.aspx
The blankets are so nice and big you can actually swaddle your baby effectively. I used 2 because Jonah always seemed to break free from the first layer but was stuck at the second. I also really like using them as a little blanket in the summer or a stroller/carseat cover to keep out the elements. I can see myself using them for years:) Very cute designs to and the more you wash them the softer they become! Another item a friend passed on to me was the WOOMBIE ~ ain't no breaking free from thisn puppy! It was really handy when you had to do a quick swaddle. http://www.woombie.com/the_original_woombie.html

9. Gear: If you ever need to buy ANYTHING for your baby you must check out the facebook selling groups, baby deal sites and the giant Kids Garage Sale (held at the rec center in Spring and Fall) ~ if you don't live in Vernon, check and see if your city holds something similar ~ LOTS of great deals to be had.
Here are a list of BABY DEAL SITES(your husband is going to hate me hahaha):

Baby Half Off http://babyhalfoff.com
Baby Steals (also linked to Kid Steals and She Steals) http://baby.steals.com
Baby Heist http://www.babyheist.com/category_1/Heist-of-the-Day.htm
True Cuddles http://www.truecuddles.ca
Bundles and Buzz http://www.bundlesandbuzz.com
Mama Bargains http://www.mamabargains.com
Baby Cheapskate http://www.babycheapskate.com
Sweet Baby Deals http://www.sweetbabydealz.com
Mamas Retreat http://www.mamasretreat.com
Mom n Tot Deals http://www.momntotdeals.com

**By far Baby Steals has the best deals more often than the others and check the ARCHIVE (esp around Christmas ~ they do big sales on things that on sale already and sometimes free shipping)

SHOPS (Local to Vernon BC Canada)

Second Street Children's Store (Vernon) ~ bought my Bob Stroller and accessories there ~ lots of good consignment items as well:)
TJ's Kiddies Store (Kelowna) ~ great prices esp. on floor display items ~ I bought the floor display model of my daughter's nightstand there reg. $125.00 Got it for $20 because it had a little chip out of the back corner! For sure the best prices around, amazing selection!
Baby & Me (Kelowna) ~ awesome selection and they have some good sales too! Lots of furniture and uniques things. All the top quality brands. Great place to buy your swaddling blankets too:)

FACEBOOK SALE PAGES/GROUPS (Local to Vernon BC Canada):

Vernon & Area Buy'n Sell, Swap, Trade, Give Away
Vernon Kid Swap Buy/Sell
Vernon & Area Buy & Sell Children's Items
Vernon Parents Swap & Shop
Vernon and Area Buy & Sell Everything
Kelowna Parent's Buy and Sell

BEST BABY BUMP AND BABY AND FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER IN VERNON IS BY FAR Image Studios ~ Caylee Secretan and Fiona Forshaw!!! Seriously go to their Facebook pages and LIKE them ~ they are soooo good and they do lots of giveaways and deals:) LOVE THEM!!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Studios/228528600617859

https://www.facebook.com/CayleeSecretan.Photography

OTHER ITEMS I LOVED:)

Guzzie & Guss Highchair ~ we love wooden stuff and it was a great price (bought it at TJ's)http://www.guzzieandguss.com/buffet-highchair-p-99.html You can also buy a seat cushion in a variety of colours and designs:)
Bumbo with the tray ~ buy this used for sure though ~ super handy with both of my babies ~ Marley liked it more though.
Dream Screen by Lamaze ~ I don't think they make or sell this product anymore but I bought this at the big kids garage sale. Both my kids loved this once they turned one-ish. http://www.amazon.com/Lamaze-LC27104-Dream-Screen/dp/B000I2Q09A
Sleep Sheep ~ I think ours has been used at least 90% of the time when putting our kids to bed. I love the whale sounds:) http://www.sleepsheepandfriends.com/sheep.html
Robeez Shoes ~ these are the best! They are easy to get on and they stay on! Never buy from a store ~ buy from their website ~ they are always having big sales and they are shipped really fast! LOVE THESE! http://www.myrobeez.ca
Padraig Slippers ~ these are awesome too! Easy to get on and Jonah loves his! http://www.padraigcottage.com/m-55-padraig.aspx
Carriers ~ it really depends on the baby and you. Both mine have used a few different ones and like them just fine. Ergo, Bjorn, Cuddly Wrap.
4MOMS Mamaroo ~ this is the holy grail of automatic bouncy chairs ~ huge life saver when Jonah needed constant movement for those hard nights:) http://www.4moms.com/mamaroo I also borrowed a friends swing which was a huge help and we also had a bouncy chair that you push with your foot. All handy ~ you need a place to put baby down sometimes. Really you only use these special items for a short amount of time so if you can get them used or just borrow them that is the way to go:)

So I think that covers most of it ~ of course I will go to sleep tonight and think of something else but these are the main ones:) Hopefully it will help make your search for things easier and you will find some great deals. If there is ever a product you want to research or compare Baby Gizmo.com on youtube do great and honest reviews. Of course every mom has things to share from her experience too so ask them too:) Enjoy the deal sites!

Keep on keeping on...

2013-06-19T22:28:00.000-07:00

Well it is almost summer and I am so excited! I am excited that Marley loves building sand castles and can actually swim with me this year (somewhat:) I am excited to have baby Jonah at the beach eating sand and splashing in the water. This first time we took him to the beach a couple weeks ago he literally crawled his way about 15 feet to the water. It was like a baby sea turtle making his way to the ocean ~ all you saw were these two tracks. So cute! I am excited that we might be moving soon ~ still listed and waiting but it could happen! Man I hope it does! I am excited to take the kids camping and boating. One other thing that I am super pumped about is the new me physique wise. I think this is the first time in my life I have actually felt comfortable and confident in a two piece bathing suit. I am the most fit I have ever been and the most healthy though my husband and I have led a healthy lifestyle for many years in terms of eating and being active. But I have really kicked it up a notch and I am still training at Excel http://excelfit.ca 4 to 6 times a week ~ 45 minute classes. I am down another 5lbs and now am working at maintaining ~ which isn't really work at all as it is pretty much the new normal. I really do crave the awesome workout sessions and LOVE leaving there drenched in sweat ~ literally dripping. I rarely have any 'bad' cravings for things I used to like mocha frappicinos and other sweets. I do eat a lot and I pretty much eat all day ~ healthy veggies, fruits, grains, etc. I also have a couple water bottles I keep filled all day that I drink (if my daughter doesn't drink it first lol!) I do have a cookie every now and then, I do have other treats once in a while ~ who doesn't like an ice capp in the summer heat! But I just make sure I am balanced in my diet and maintain my activity level. Here are some pics of the current me when I first put on my bathing suit (it's an old bathing suit but it was expensive and it fits fine:)
Let's keep in mind that I have a 26 month old little girl and a 9 month old baby boy so yes it is possible mamas ~ if I can achieve this so can you<3

Side note ~ I have always had a bum and bigger legs since I can remember ~ this is the first time since I was probably 13 that I have had a space between my inner thighs and a smaller toned bum! My body has completely changed!

Holy calves batman!

Marley is my trainer:)

So last August when I was about to deliver Baby Jonah I was 185 ~ had Baby Jonah on August 22, 2012 (he was 8lbs 6oz) and about 2 weeks later weighed myself and I was 170 or so. I started back at the gym about 5 weeks postpartum (heal time from a natural birth compared to my daughter's c-section was sooooo different!). I was going to my gym classes about 3 times a week but my eating habits in terms of consistency, etc. were not great nor was I getting much sleep ~ which is bound to happen when you have a new baby, a 2 year old and they are sharing a room in our 2 bedroom townhouse! AHh! Oh and breastfeeding exclusively and sure your body holds onto some nourishing fat for that:) SO not much progress made for the next few months and then I find myself at 165 and it's December ~ complete bummer and sure doesn't help with one's self esteem when you are so hormonal:) Decided it was time to kick it into high gear and what better way to do that than to sign up for the "60 DAY FITNESS CHALLENGE" Excel Fitness http://excelfit.ca was holding. Weighed in on January 6 and I was 165 of lovely mama body. Measurements done. So from that moment I started to go to gym classes 5-6 days a week (keep in mind these are 45 minutes at a time ~ perfect mama break for a breastfeeding mom that has to get back to feed a little guy!). I made sure my diet was healthy, consistent and balanced. Nothing extreme ~ just eat good food and do it all the time (like 6 meals a day~pretty much a grazer) AND drink a ton of water! We do eat a lot of organic and unprocessed food so it wasn't that much of a change ~ just keeping on top of it! Fast forward 60 days ~ I win the challenge ~ YAY! Lost over 20 pounds in 60 days ~ more importantly lost a lot of inches and body fat plus gained a lot of muscle. Oh and another side note ~ I have PUBIC SYMPHOSIS INSTABILITY from back to back babies ~ pretty much the joint holding my 2 large pelvis bones in loosey goosey ~ BAD NEWS I CAN'T DO ANYTHING 1 LEGGED! No lunges, no running what so ever, no balance on one leg crap, no star jumps, no mountain climbers, nothing! So guess what ~ my instructors helped my modify (along with advice from physio and chiro) I started this process not being able to walk much without pain ~ limping around a lot of the day. So these were my keys moves that I still do a lot of today:

1. SQUATS are your best friend ~ grab a kettle bell and do some shoulder presses while you are at it:) turn it up a notch and jump while you are it or stay down and pulse. Either way you don't need a gym to do squats:)

2. BURPEES ~ I have to step back one leg at a time so I am not the fastest but boy is it good cardio!

3. SKIPPING ~ while others were doing sprints, I would be skipping ~ I now can skip for a few minutes straight and fast too:)

4. SPIN ~ no matter how you look at it cycling provides a great workout!

In addition to all that I do strength training, stretching, some core work (lots of glute bridges to help with my pelvis), and sometimes when I am feel strong I will do stairs but the moment I am hurting I pull back otherwise I will have a rough next day. I am now able to run a bit (say around the bases when I play ball) but running is still quite the struggle for me. SO yep I lost all these inches, all this weight and didn't run a mile!

Fast forward to NOW: I weigh roughly 135 ~ I have dropped a couple more % of body fat as well. I am now wearing a size 8 which is the smallest I have been since I was about 12! LOL! It's really not about the size to me ~ I just wanted to fit into clothes without being uncomfortable. I wanted to feel strong and help heal my injury. I just want to feel great and looking great is fun too! I will never be a skinny girl as I am naturally a muscley person ~ and I am super happy to be that way! I mean check out the biceps and the calves in the pictures above ~ Love it! Things are just so much easier when you are in great shape ~ climbing the stairs while holding a 2 year old in one arm and a car seat with a 21 pound 9 month old in the other arm, cleaning the house, running errands, etc. It is all easier and it feels awesome to just go into my closet and grab whatever and throw it on without worrying about it being tight. I now throw things on and am like "damn too big!" Now that is rewarding!

I am still breastfeeding A LOT so even though my plan is to lose about another 10lbs, tone up more, get rid of some more body fat (2% more), I am just maintaining where I am at right now and staying healthy and nourished so baby Jonah can reap the benefits:) Thinking come September I am going to kick it up one more notch, train a little harder and reduce calories a tiny bit while fuelling my body for the kickass classes I will be doing.

Right now I am happy. Right now I am proud. Right now I am feeling great and that's exactly where I want to be. And it doesn't hurt that my stretch marks have almost disappeared since I have toned up my tummy! And I hope some mom is reading this out there and gets inspired to push themselves to where she is feeling strong and healthy:) Ha perfect timing ~ guess who just woke up looking for a boob ~ nope it's not Paul;) I am on my way baby Joe<3

A few of my favourite things...

2013-03-19T14:43:00.002-07:00

You know when you come across something and you think to yourself "this is awesome ~ I wish someone had told me about this ages ago!" Well that's what I am going to do:) I am one of those people that has a bit of an A type personality ~ I research the heck out of things before I make decisions. Today I will focus on SKIN CARE, BEAUTY and HAIR CARE products. Here are some things I wish I knew about a long time ago:
1. I have a huge appreciation for things that have pure ingredients and can thank a book called the GREEN GODDESS for that. I had many aha moments reading that book. When I was a teenager I would use all those products that you commonly find in the drugstore and that are well advertised. I hated having skin that would break out so I would go buy more of this product to "fix" the problem. After reading this book and investigating the ingredients in products I use I realize that it is a snowball effect that only benefits these companies. So read that book and clean out your makeup, hair and skin products ~ you might be sad that it's money down the toilet but will benefit your skin & hair in the long run! Which brings me to my next one!
2. SUKI ~ they make skincare and hair care products ~ organic and natural all the way and not tested on animals. They are fabulous and have research to back their products up. You can even eat their Lemongrass Scrub! It does come with a bit more of a price tag than crap you buy at the drugstore. Comparable to crap you can buy at the counter at say the Bay or Sears (which have horrible ingredients BTW). I buy mine at Nature's Fare ~ but pretty sure lots of natural foods type store carry it. If not you can always get it online and sometimes they have great sales. http://sukiskincare.com I usually do a toner and moisturizer in the morning and a cleanser and then toner before bed.
3. CURELLE ~ this is a Vancouver based company that I use for hair care products. They have great ingredients as well and don't test on animals. They have one product that removes other product buildup, chlorine, etc. and it is fabulous! https://www.facebook.com/curelle
4. ZUII ~ makeup products http://www.zuiiorganic.com. They are amazing ~ again I get mine at Nature's Fare. Please do you skin a service and check the ingredients in your makeup ~ especially your eye makeup! This is one of my favourite brands but there are many great organic, natural brands out there. Use them! Gabrielle http://www.gabrielcosmeticsinc.com is another one. Great BLUSH! Earth Lab is another one http://www.earthlab.ca MADE IN KELOWNA!! Best mascara ever! Aveda of course is wonderful too. You can buy it at Seasons Salon and Spa in Vernon BC.
5. BACK TO EARTH products ~ this is a little company out in Lavington BC that has skin care, hair care, cleaning supplies, detergent, candles, and the list goes on! They are awesome too. I am in love with their Sweet Pea Baby Balm ~ heals any diaper rash one time around ~ chap cheeks from cold windy days healed, scratches, scraps you name it. I use it on my skin too! http://backtoearthenviroproducts.com/index.php/baby-products.html
6. EMU OIL http://www.kalaya.ca I like this brand a lot ~ their concentrated emu oil is an awesome all-around product and it's BABY SAFE too! If I have a dry patch of skin, this fixes it asap. I also would take an eyeliner brush and put some on my eyelashes when a bunch fell out right after my son was born. They regrew back fast (within 2 weeks) and they were full and soft! I just put it on like eyeliner right before bed (don't do too much as it will get in your eyes). And it is usually all absorbed by morning. Also great for cracked hands!
7. BEST HAND CREAM IN THE WORLD is called GARDENER'S DREAM CREAM by Aroma Crystal (a BC company!) https://www.aromacrystal.com/store/products/allproducts/gardeners-dream-cream/5/ I buy mine at Nature's Fare as well. I apply this every night before bed and when my hands are super dry and cracked. This doesn't sting ~ it is soothing and has lavender so super relaxing to breath in. Lasts a long time so it is money well spent. This is the only hand cream/lotion I have EVER used in my whole life that actually works! So great!
8. GOT BLEMISHES, BREAKOUTS, ACNE? Ok this will be the only product I promote that has chemically based ingredients but I have researched it and trust in the product. My doctor prescribed it to me back when I was pregnant with my first and my hormones went all wonky around 2nd trimester. Ever since then I swear by this stuff. I break out in a couple spots once in a while and this is an overnight fix. I get mine in a tube, lotion form ~ put it on before bed and let it work it's magic. Ever since I was a preteen I probably have tried every possible brand, every possible treatment. Organic, natural, not-so-good ingredients (like Clean & Clear type stuff), expensive, cheap, you name it! This stuff works! And it is covered by my health care provider so that also helps. It runs about $60 for a tube about the same size of toothpaste which will last you a long time! Wish I had this when I was a teenager! Here's the company info on the product http://www.stiefel.ca/pdf/clindoxyl_pm.pdf
9. Let's talk HAIR! So best flat iron would have to be by Zazen (my stylist got in for me at the beauty supply) and best hairdryer would have to be my HOT TOOLS one ~ got it at Chatter's:) Don't cheap out on blow dryers ~ I can't believe how fast I can dry my thick hair now!

Hope this helps! Off to nurse Jonah! Oh the things I do when nap time is over LOL!

I did it!

2013-03-18T16:03:00.002-07:00

Great news! I won the 60 Day Fitness Challenge that was hosted by my training facility ~ Excel Fitness http://excelfit.ca! Since the start of January I have lost 23 pounds, 24 inches and 8.4% body fat. I am so excited to keep going on my journey to reach my health & fitness goals. It took a lot of hard work and will power to come this far and has become a lifestyle now. I don't find the cravings, etc. like I used to have. I am really focusing on the whole food is fuel thing and making sure I am putting wholesome, balanced, healthy things in my body. My energy level is of course up and I fit into all my old jeans ~ most are even baggy now! Here is a list of some of the biggest changes (that are so simple too!):
1. Eat a very healthy breakfast ~ I like to alternate between smoothies, cereal with fruit and yogurt, peanut butter on rice cake with scrambled egg and fruit.
2. Eat often to keep blood sugar up and keep cravings down ~ I eat about 5-6 smaller meals a day ~ whether it's some dried fruit and nuts for a snack or a banana ~ keep that food coming!
3. Drink water (or no caffeine tea) CONSTANTLY ~ I have 2 awesome water bottles that are squeeze ones from lulu lemon that are always filled and kicking around my house. My little girl and I are always sipping on water now!
4. Take a multivitamin AND a PROBIOTIC ~ I have found that you really need to have a healthy digestive system to be healthy.
5. Drink peppermint tea in the evening ~ I used to love snacking after dinner once the babies were in bed ~ now I sip on some yummy peppermint tea (which is AWESOME for digestion) before bed so my digestive system works efficiently while I sleep ~ less bloating, more regular, feel better
6. Make dinner your last meal ~ if you have fuelled your body properly all day long I find that I am not hungry after dinner. If you stop eating after dinner (or a minimum of 3 hours before bedtime) this gives your body a chance to do it's own little cleanse overnight!
7. Work out EFFICIENTLY ~ I exercise many times a week ~ at least 6 times ~ most are hard core cardio and 1 or 2 are based on strength training. My main goal is to cut the pounds, inches and body fate at this point and once I get to my magic number then I will probably pop up the strength classes. You can do cardio every day ~ it doesn't have to be intense, almost puking, sweating like a pig cardio but move everyday! You will never leave a workout regretting it but you will regret not doing doing it! I love to really push myself and sweat a whole lot ~ this again acts as a mini cleanse and gets rid of toxins in your system.
8. Cut our dairy and red meat ~ you can get calcium from SOOOO many other sources and protein and iron from sooooo many other sources that are easier for you to digest. I do eat some cheese here or there but that's about it. Almond milk, hemp milk, rice milk are all great "milk" alternatives! Throw a portabello mushroom in your pasta sauce instead of beef! Beans!
9. Weigh in only once in a while ~ if you are concerned about the number, don't be! It's all a journey! I weigh in Monday morning ~ before I eat but after I have nursed my 6 month old baby:)
10. Rocks! I filled a mason jar with rocks and every time I lose a pound I move it to the LOST jar! It's is a good visual reminder of my goal and it feels so good to fill up my LOST jar!
11. FOCUS on your fitness and eating great ~ I used to wear a lot of makeup and spend time doing my hair, etc. That's NOT a bad thing but I have chosen to cut that down a ton and spend that time and energy on fitness and eating well. Once I hit my goal then I will work at maintaining it but I can then spend time on the exterior beauty things:) If you are skipping breakfast because you are doing hair and makeup STOP and go eat something! Go for a walk ~ you will feel so much better about yourself once you are not hiding behind those things:)
12. TREAT YOURSELF PLAN ~ you don't need to cut out every treat, a dessert, a coffee, etc. just make a plan ~ my plan is that I can have ONE treat ONCE a week. My treat day is Sunday ~ I don't go crazy but I typically have my yummy piece of dark chocolate or a little piece of carrot cake. Don't beat yourself up if you accidentally jumped off the wagon ~ just reset the next morning and start new!

Okay~I think that about covers what I am practicing right now:) I will keep you posted on my future progress!

Transformation in 60 days! Down 23lbs, 24 inches & 8.4% body fat!!!

Moving on up...

2013-02-24T22:06:00.004-08:00

Life is somewhat on hold at the moment. We listed our place about two weeks ago and are anxiously awaiting a call from our realtor telling us someone wants to make an offer. It is a very exciting time! We have an offer in on a place we would LOVE to live subject to the sale of our townhouse. Keeping hope alive that it all works out! Having two wee babes in a two bedroom townhouse isn't all that bad ~ but sometimes it can be a real bummer ~ like when you just get one to sleep and the other one wakes him/her up:( Boo! We really want to have a home where we can spend years and years ~ really make it a place where our kids love to play. One of the homes that one looks back on and says "I grew up there". Marley also needs more space to run and play ~ she literally runs back and forth from front door to back door trying to get all her energy out. Other than figuring out the next big housing chapter of our lives, my brain is slowly weeding out what my career will look like in the upcoming year. I would love to be a stay at home mom and if money allows I hope to be. If we need the money then I will teach part time ~ not too sure what that looks like and what grade level but know 100% I will not go back to full time. My children are my priority at this point of my life and I am not interested in a career right now. So housing and jobs ~ FUN! :)
Now to the kiddies<3 Marley is still super into music, dance and playing. Her big thing right now is asking to watch Gangnam Style on my iPad ~ she says "whoop whoop style?" with the little horse dance move arms crossed in front ~ so cute! She also really loves to watch Walk Off the Earth music videos on youtube. She was mouthing some words to their cover of "Trouble" today ~ again super cute:) Can't wait to get her into some dance classes!!
Jonah is the big 6 months old! And huge! He is such a sweet little man ~ lots of smiles and loves to watch Marley entertain. For the last two weeks I have been trying to convince him to try solids (puree) but it is a GIANT NO GO:( He purses his lips together, cries, turns his head, shows no interest in eating what so ever. He likes to play with the spoon and that's about it. He is a boob man 100% and that's where he wants to be! He is getting good at holding items given to him and is big on reaching out to touch whatever sparks his interest. I love holding onto him ~ he is one cute chubby guy:)
I am really proud of myself as I have been working on a fitness challenge thru my gym and have made great progress. I also was diagnosed with "pubic symphosis instability" which means the joint holding my two large pelvis bones together in the front is super loose. It's a real bummer and can be super painful. Have been working with physio and massage trying to get it back to better. Sucks a lot right now because I can not run, do lunges, or any one legged thing. I have to modify almost everything at the gym. I have never had any major pain issues, illnesses, etc. except for this for the last two years and I am so ready to get it handled and move on. It will most likely return if we decided to have more babies but at least I will know how to handle it. It was disguised as a pulled groin up until about a month and a half ago. Any day I am not in pain is a good day ~ I catch myself walking around, cleaning, playing and am like "whoa not hurting right now" because I have been so used to being in a lot of pain everyday. Any progress is good progress and I am just going to work on getting stronger.

I am looking forward to spring and can not wait to get outside and play with the kids on GRASS!:) So let's sum it up:
1. Pray we sell our townhouse NOW so we can start the next great chapter in a house with space, a yard, more than 2 bedrooms:) SEND POSITIVE THOUGHTS OF SELLING OUR WAY NOW THANKS:D
2. Figure out the job situation for next year~ maintain balance with family and work if I have to return part time. Not even balance really more like family is most important ~ supplement it with a little cash from work.
3. Marley and Jonah are probably the most amazing little human beings in the whole wide world and I love them to bits!
4. Fitness Challenge is going well and looking forward to seeing what I accomplish in March. Will share all the details once challenge is complete (maybe even some pics we'll see how brave I am:)
5. Diagnosed with PSI ~ dealing with it and trying to heal. No more pain I eventually I hope:) Well not until next baby (hehe c'mon Paul I know you want too;) :)
6. SO READY FOR SPRING AND SUMMER! Not a winter, cold weather person ~ probably should move to somewhere like southern California when I retire:)

Next time I post it will be about how we sold our house, I figured out the job situation, how much weight I loss, and how well my PSI is doing:) And it will be Spring because it's almost March! Yaya!

Let's pray for all the good things to come our way!

Mommy's Little Dancer

2013-01-23T23:53:00.004-08:00

My girl has a gift...

Show was just starting! Go DoodleBops!

I am positive Marley is meant to dance, sing, entertain, create. She danced before she could walk. As soon as she could sit up on her own she started grooving. I really think that we are born with a little purpose, a natural passion. Marley's is to dance. Tonight we went to our first musical production ~ Strawberry Shortcake and the Doodlebops. Just watching the look on her face made the hour long drive well worth it. She moves so naturally to the music. She attempts to sing the songs they sing. She claps, smiles, wiggles ~ and looks so unbelievably happy. So satisfied. So fulfilled. When we wake in the morning she asks for "muqik"~ music to dance, spin, hop. She says "mommy try" after every cool little move. It is so adorable and makes me smile. She likes all kinds of music and she loves watching dancing on the computer/tv/etc. It's almost like she was a dancer or performer of some sort in a past life ~ she is an old soul, not yet two but seems to be so sure above her dance. You can tell she is so amazed when she tries something new ~ so impressed with her ability. I will encourage her ~ if dance/performance makes her happy I will make sure I support her in that. I think too many kids get "cut off" or directed away from something like the arts. I will make sure she can experience what she feels so happy doing. I love this girl so much. She is a toddler with such confidence, enthusiasm, love, curiosity, sweetness and intuition. She's my little dancer<3

Strawberry Shortcake happens to be a old highschool friend of mine ~ we used to do theatre together!

I can't wait to do it again! We are so hitting up Broadway in NYC when she gets a little older! She would love it!

Gitter done!

2013-01-21T22:59:00.003-08:00

I am not one of those "special" cases ~ you know those ladies that have a second baby and a couple months later look as fit and lean as they did before they were even pregnant. I was probably in the best shape of my life (and happiest with my body) right before I was pregnant with my daughter Marley. I had just completed a life-changing 12 weeks doing bootcamp at a local gym and was so excited with the very fit and healthy me. My very last week is when I took a pregnancy test due to some common prego things and voola I was pregnant! That was a wonderful moment! I have always been an active girl ~ my weight has gone up and down slightly from about mid-teens til now. I really enjoyed pregnancy because I didn't feel self conscious like I once did ~ who cares if my tummy sticks out now!:) It was a freedom I have never experienced since hitting puberty even when I was in great shape. I gained about 35 or so pounds with that first pregnancy and the weight came off fairly easily ~ I started back at my gym (Excel Fitness Vernon BC ~ http://excelfit.ca ~fitness class based sort of like bootcamp) at about 6 months post partum and became pregnant again 9 months post partum. I was about 8 pounds shy of my ideal weight at that time but still happy with the progress I had made. So here I am now 5 months post partum, round 2 and the weight is coming off slow as a turtle. I started back at my gym at 5 weeks post partum but didn't really focus on food/nutrition until about 3 weeks ago. Having two babies is no excuse but the fact of the matter is that I am tired and busy busy busy. At the start when I was getting into the groove I would look at the clock and it would be two in the afternoon and I had not had a bite to eat yet! Of course my kiddos were fed and happy as clams. I am making a conscious effort to take the time to eat, drink and be merry even if one of them is crying. So a few weeks ago I signed up for a 60 day fitness challenge ~ pledged to take minimum 4 classes a week, eat super healthy, no coffee, no alcohol, etc. I am sticking to it ~ eating great, drinking a ton of water, exercising and I am feeling great. I am down 5 pounds already and am very satisfied with that. I gained about 30 pounds with this last pregnancy and it seems like it is just lingering so I am glad to have an action plan set in motion. Of course sleep aids in weight loss but I can not change that:) At least there are a couple things I can control like what goes into my mouth, exercise, etc. and that will get me closer to my goal. Other than being a healthier me, my main reason for wanting to drop pounds is to fit into my damn clothes! :) Nothing worse than having a bunch of nice pre-baby clothes sitting in your closet just starring at you! Can't wait to pull on that one pair of nice jeans and zip them up without sucking it in:) Here's to success and health!

Ground Turkey Quinoa salad with homemade hummus guacamole

Oh and a small organic whole chicken in the slow cooker with veggies is a to-die-for yummy recipe ~ just pinterest it!

Jonah ~ 5 Month Update :)

2013-01-20T23:42:00.001-08:00

My little man is so sweet! Jonah has such an easy going personality. I love how much he loves me ~ he is getting so expressive now ~ when he sees me he waves his arms and gives a squeal. He has starting rolling over from back to tummy but gets stuck. Poor little guy!

He laughs so hard at Marley and is constantly watching her every move in complete astonishment. She is so good with him and always asks to "hob him" ~ she is gently and loving. Jonah is sleeping thru the night and naps around three to four times a day. He nurses often throughout the day ~ probably every couple of hours. He loves tickles and raspberries on his belly. He is a giant of a baby and is off the charts in height and weight. I love this stage he is coming into ~ cute, chubby baby body, learning to sit up, trying out solid foods, playing with toys.

Baby Joe's eyes are staying blue and his hair is looking lighter and lighter. He is currently in swimming lessons as a Starfish (and Marley is a Duck). He falls asleep pretty easy in the car and is not a big fan of his carseat just yet. It will be nice when spring rolls around and we can do way more things outside. He has grown out of so many pieces of clothing (he is wearing 9-12 month stuff)! Jonah is not a soother baby or a thumb sucker yet ~ I don't know if that will become a thing like it was and is for Marley. He is my angel baby and I love my big "baby man":)

More Babies is Better

2013-01-20T23:24:00.006-08:00

People typically ask questions about having two kids ~ especially so close together (18 months). I say it's great but can be very hard sometimes. Having one baby is busy and as they get older and gain more independence the busy-ness stays but just changes. Throw another very dependant little being into the mix and you are super busy. Days are full of diaper changes, feeding(solids to one, breast to the other), kissing boo boos and making them smile. Time becomes almost invisible except for when nap time rolls around or you just really need your partner to come home from work so you can go pee. Being a parent has a lot of rewards like the intense eye contact I have with my little man Jonah ~ it is such a wonderful conversation without words. He eyes tell me how much he loves me, how funny he thinks I am, how amazing and interesting the world is. My daughter is a little old soul who seems to know so much for someone not yet two. She can read body language and facial expressions like you would not believe. Subconsciously I may look tired, stressed, worried and she will call me out on it. There is no hiding with her:) She already displays so much empathy, sympathy and love. "You ok mama?" head tilt, bright blue eyes with a little smile ~ this alway brightens the moment even if I haven't even had a chance to brush my hair and change my baby puke clothes and it's already pass noon. It is a whirlwind and sometimes it can feel overwhelming ~ babies both crying, needing you at the same time, house is a mess, your clothes have spit up on them, and the dog needs out and you just want to go have a nap:) But the good times easily surpass these crazy moments.

You never know what to expect ~ tomorrow Jonah might learn to roll over from his tummy to his back or Marley might throw out one of her 5 word sentences. It is like no other "job" I have ever done before. I love being a part of so many amazing moments everyday ~ I love the adventures we get to go on ~ Marley is such an excited, animated, social, funny girl ~ a trip to the library to get a book receives a big "oooouuu yay!" It is hard sometimes like I said and I think I would have to be either super human or a liar if I acknowledge that. It is great though and I would not change it for anything. I am very lucky and my babies are the epitome of love. Next time (I hope there is one much to my husband's dismay :D ) I would wait a little longer to have another baby ~ maybe 2-3 years apart ~ mainly for my body's sake with all the changes and stress pregnancy and birth have on a body. But for sure it is worth it to have them somewhat close together ~ the bond Marley and Jonah have is amazing already<3<3 I love being a mom and I am so thankful that I live this life everyday<3<3

Best Ever HEALTHY Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie

2013-01-20T20:59:00.002-08:00

Since this past Fall I have become SUPER excited about cooking and baking in general ~ I received a swaaeeet Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer for Christmas (thanks Mom:D ) and recently also purchased a really nice Hamilton Beach Food Processor (thanks post xmas sales at Canadian Tire:D ) ~ needless to say I have been whipping up a storm of yummies in my kitchen. I love creating and changing recipes to suite the needs of my little family ~ my husband and I have always been super into organic and local ~ always keeping in mind that what you put into your body is simply fuel. Since having my daughter (almost 2!) and another baby recently (almost 5 months!) I have discovered a new passion for making sure what we are eating is good for us. I would never want my daughter to run on processed food and we are so lucky to have a great market in our town which sells mostly organic, natural and local foods (thank you Nature's Fare<3). We have been buying these yummy organic cookies and I figured I might as well try my hand at a few recipes to see what I can come up with. After doing a bunch of research I found a good base recipe that I have altered to fit our family. These are the yummiest Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies that I have ever had and I hope you enjoy them too!

Here's the ingredients you'll need to make some magic happen(I included the brand in italics ~ if I write NF it just stands for Nature's Fare organic brand):

1/2 cup Coconut Oil (Omega Nutrition)
1/2 cup organic Peanut Butter Smooth or Chunky (New World Natural Foods)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (Sunny Boy)
1 1/2 cups DARK brown sugar (NF)
3/4 cup rolled oats(NF)
1/4 cup oat bran(NF)
4 tbsp Vanilla Almond Milk (Earth's Own Almond Fresh)
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract (Frontier Vanilla Extract Fair Trade)
1 tbsp corn starch (NF)
1 tbsp Raw Coconut Vinegar (Coconut Secret)
1 teaspoon baking powder (NF)
1 teaspoon baking soda (NF)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tbsp Golden Flax Meal~ground (NF)
1 tbsp Hemp Seeds~"hearts" (Manitoba Harvest)
3/4 cup chocolate chips~dark bittersweet 71% + cocoa (Cuisine Camino Fair Trade Chocolate)

OPTIONS: to make gluten free use brown rice flour, apple cider vinegar instead of raw coconut vinegar though raw coconut is proven to be a healthier alternative, to add omega oils you can add 1 tbsp of Vega Antioxidant Omega Oil Blend :)

HOW TO:
1. Heat oven to 350F
2. In a bowl combine peanut butter, coconut oil, sugar and vanilla extract (I used my stand mixer but this could easily be mixed by hand)
3. In another bowl combine flax seed, almond milk, corn starch and raw coconut vinegar. Stir it up then pour into bowl with peanut butter mixture. Mix it up!
4. Can use the same clean dry ingredient bowl used for step 3 and mix flour, rolled oats, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and hemp hearts. Mix it up by hand!
5. Take wet ingredients bowl from stand mixer (if you used one) and stir in dry ingredients. Then add your chocolate chips and mix it up:)
6. Use parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I like to swipe a tiny little fingerprint of oil in each corner for my parchment paper to stick too.
7. Roll up cookie dough balls (1 inch diameter) and place on cookie sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes (this is about the perfect time for the cookie to be soft on the inside and just the perfect crunchiness on the outside)
8. Cool for 5-10 minutes
9. Enjoy a warm cookie with a cold glass of vanilla Hemp Bliss milk! :D
10. Leave the kitchen so you don't eat them all!

In the picture above I had also packed some cookie dough into a heart shaped silicone muffin cup ~ it turned out great ~ maybe an idea for Valentine's Day <3

Enjoy!

Sleeping, Eating, Pooping

2012-11-22T21:58:00.004-08:00

MOST HANDSOME LITTLE GUY ON EARTH (10 weeks old)

JONAH IS AMAZING! He is 3 months today and I am loving him more every single second we get to hang out. Right now we are working on a better sleep schedule trying to get moi a few more consecutive zzzz's. Colds always seem to throw everything for a loop! Jonah is now laughing (super cute!), smiling non-stop, holding onto toys sort of, and loves watching big sister Marley be a goof! I am feeling good ~ back at the gym, eating, you know the usual:) Loving staying home with the kids and can not imagine not doing it! Marley is so good with Jonah and she never ceases to amaze me with the crazy things she says and does. I am looking forward to watching her and Baby Joe play, actually play ~ I know he will be in stitches watching Marley fool around. We seem to keep busy with Mother Goose, playgroups and running errands. I can not believe it has already been 3 months ~ I am working on Joe's birth announcement and hopefully will have it out soon:) We did get some pictures done which are true keepsakes~I sometimes feel I roll thru my day on auto-pilot and don't really take the time to be in the 'now' but that is changing as I am not making a conscious effort to take it all in a least a few times a day...taking pictures with my mind about what Marley and Joe look like...taking video in my mind about a funny thing Marley says or a cute look that Joe gives me...taking a breath and just hugging them and their cute little chubby baby bodies<3 I am so lucky! Makes me heart so happy!

Jonah's Arrival

2012-10-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

Jonah Glenn ~ born Wednesday August 22, 2012 1:47am

Our beautiful baby boy made his entrance on Wednesday August 22, 2012 at 1:47am! I was able to have him naturally (a VBAC since my daughter was C-section) and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I was full term plus some and baby boy McMillan took his sweet time. I had false labour on Monday ~ and for anyone who has had false labour ~ it SUCKS! You get all pumped up that soon baby will be here and then it peters out and simply leaves you tired and a little sore. Then Monday night it started back up (something about 3am ~ it's the "witching" hour for sure!) By 8am or so I was having good contractions. I waited until 511 (5 mins apart, 1 min long for 1 hour) and called my midwife around noon. Oh and by the way GET A MIDWIFE if you are going to have a baby ~ the amount of one-on-one care and knowledge is astonishing! She came and checked us out and I was around 3 cm dilated. We waited a little while longer and had some yummy pasta to help with my energy for the labour. It is quite interesting having good, strong contractions while looking after a 18 month old toddler ~ she just looks at you funny every time I stop to brace myself on a counter or wall until the contraction passed:) At 3pm we headed up to the hospital and checked in. Our midwife met us up there and stayed with us until 4 or so hours after he was born! She is dedicated<3 SO...labour...well tried just walking around the room and would usually lean over a bed or chair for each contraction. My husband Paul was super accomodating and would put pressure on my lower back as I was having a little back labour. Moved to the shower eventually and by this time they are coming like crazy and my body is pretty shaky ~ I'd say we were at around 7pm or so...I eventually moved to the bed and took the gas to help ease the pain ~ all 4's, gas mask, very intense contractions~some 10 minutes long (peaking for 10 minutes folks!), blacked out a bit:) Few hours later, took phentanol which I don't know if it helped or not ~ was close to 7 cms dilated, getting tired, changing positions to get things all lined up (ladies you know what I am talking about:), due to some circumstances decided to get an epidural at 9cm, crazy anestegiologist sort of reminds me of Dr. Nick from the Simpsons gave me a different type of epidural were I was not frozen but the pain of the contractions subsided enough for me to really focus and get baby out. So after about 30 mins of pushing Baby JONAH arrived!

about 4 hours old ~ getting weighed and measured! wants to go back to mama!!!:)

Right when he arrived he was put on my chest and they covered both of us with a blanket. Paul announced that it was a baby boy at that time ~ not like we cared either way as we were so excited our healthy little guy was here! We laid there for more than 3 hours, staring at each other, him napping on me and then our midwife checked him over on the table ~ did the weight and height and all that fun stuff (he weighed 8lbs 6oz, measured 20 inches, head size 34.5 cm). That only took a couple minutes and he was back on me to feed. He ate for about an hour and fell asleep on me once more. So around 4-5am, our midwife finally got to go home! Thank you midwife<3 Paul slept for a bit and so did I. He went home around 8am to help grandma get big sister up for a visit. They all came up to the hospital shortly after 9am. Jonah did not get named until the next day after we got to settle down a bit from all the excitement. He is such a calm baby ~ very efficient eater and good little sleeper. We are on week 6 right now and he has still not done any purple crying(knock on wood!).

A week old

We got to bring him home on the 23rd and it was so nice to be home. Paul was lucky enough to spend 2 weeks at home helping me with Marley. He eats about every 2 hours so I am pretty busy:) Things are going great and we love have little Jonah Glenn in our home. Marley is adapting quite well and so is our dog Flora. He has been gaining weight like a little piggy and now weighs 12 lbs! He was gaining 2 oz a day for a few weeks! He has also grown 4 inches! He is cute, cuddly and completely chill:) He was an early smiler too (3 weeks!) We are so happy and I could not feel anymore blessed with the way labour went. I desperately wanted to have him on me immediately after arriving and we were able too ~ I felt so disconnected when Marley arrived via c-section because we didn't get to finally be with one another until 2 hours after surgery ~ it was very hard. Recovery this time was so quick in comparison too! We were at our local fair 1 week after he was born! I am feeling good, Jonah is doing fantastic, Marley is a ham and Paul is such a great support. I am so lucky<3<3

ONE WHOLE MONTH OLD!!!

Back in Action...and 30 weeks PREGNANT!

2012-06-02T17:17:00.002-07:00

Okay so somebody tell me how it is already JUNE 2nd, 2012! Time has flown by and I have not spent any time updating my blog! Well here goes ~ so I have been working since the end of January. New school, new students, daycare, oh and did I mention being PREGNANT again:) Things have been going well ~ it is easy for me to admit that my career is for sure not as important as it once was. All I want to do is get off work and spend time with Marley and Paul. Luckily, Marley ADORES her daycare (as do I) so that has made this past 6 months way easier. I struggled with leaving her for work ~ especially since the school district is still laying so many of us off. Marley's daycare is so wonderful and it made all the difference. Work was work and I am glad to be off sooner than later. We have 3 more weeks of class than it will be MARLEY & ME time:) We get a whole month and a couple weeks before the new baby is to arrive so I plan on doing something super fun every single day with Mars bar. I was laid off again this past week (2nd to be cut so everyone below me is cut too ~ that is 419 all the way to 576!) I am not worried as I will be the 2nd one to be recalled so I should know my "assignment" in a couple of weeks if not sooner. They will then place someone in a long term TOC position to fill my spot as I am on Mat. leave as of September.

I know 2 kiddies will be crazy but I am so excited ~ family is really where my passion lies now. The pregnancy has been more difficult than the first as I have a lot of hip and groin pain ~ I hurt my groin at the end of Marley pregnancy and that seemed to pop right back a couple months into this pregnancy. We are 30 weeks right now and I am tired but surviving:)

Marley is growing like a weed and finally decided to walk about a month ago. She is 16 months old! She took her first steps about a month prior to walking full time. It was getting to be very difficult to carry her around with the growing baby bump so I am so happy she is now up and at 'em! Her words are coming along ~ mainly mama, dada, wawa, baba, pup pup, foee (for Flora our dog), and SHOES! She already has a shoe obsession and loves changing shoes ~ she also likes to say 2 shoes! Very adorable! I don't know how much she understands about a new baby coming along but she sure likes to smack and kiss my growing belly. We are going to wait to find out what the gender is and we have switched to a midwife who is amazing! So yeah ~ that about sums up life right now...winding down work, summer break quickly approaching, playing with Marley, enjoying the pregnancy, and looking forward to August 17th (our due date)! Paul is doing well too:D I will try to write more often but we all know how that has been going!

It's Almost Christmas!

2011-12-21T21:47:00.000-08:00

Well ~ here I am again ~ writing after a whole month has blown by again! It's funny how you get into your routine and time does not stand still. Everything is going wonderfully! Marley is changing constantly and never fails to keep me smiling~even at the worst of times! She is now a scooter (bum scooter) and she can fly. She tucks one leg in and gives'er all around our place. Finally child proofed! She also experiments with the odd bit of crawling now and then but scooting is her main mode of transportation. Marley is now completely off of breastfeeding (not my choice) and loves her similac. She also just grew a couple more teeth so we are up to 6! Her sign language is bare minimum but enough for us right now with milk and bath:) It's a lot easier to figure some things out as she is a pretty cut and dry kid. We hang out during the day ~ do errands, playmates, etc. Then once daddy comes home I usually pop over to the gym for an hour and get some exercise in. It has worked out great! Dreading going back to work ~ I just don't want to leave her:( Friends say it will be good to get out and do my own thing but I just want my thing to be with Marley:) We did find a super family licensed daycare place for end of January when I head back so that is a relief. Only 5 months then summer and Marley and I can hang out 24/7 again! We will see what September holds with layoffs, etc. ~ Paul and I would like for me to do stay at home mom thing so I am thinking that is the route we are headed. Luckily I can do 3-4 years of unpaid leave but keep my position in the seniority list for the school district. So we will just wait and see!

Today is my 29th birthday and I had a fabulous day with my girl, family and friends. We went to the gym this morning then went and got a free smoothie from booster juice (go to Simplyfrugal.ca and click on the Canadian Birthday Freebie area!) I have a bunch of other freebies we plan on using this week! We then came home and she had a nap. We got ready for birthday dinner and off we went. It is so nice to have family and friends join us on my birthday. Marley was awesome at the restaurant and provided many laughs!

We are ready for Christmas and can not wait to give our presents. It was so much fun buying little gifts for Marley! She will be so excited to open paper and bags ~ I am sure that will provide the entertainment rather than the toys:) Things are good and now I must sign off as Paul and I are going to watch a movie:) I will share my new passion for couponing next post! Tata for now!

Holy Smokes! Where did the last month go?

2011-11-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

Who knew balloons make such great friends?<3

I just saw the last time I posted and couldn't believe my eyes! October 15? Wow ~ when you have a baby and the baby routine everything just flies by. So what has happened lately? Well I am happy to report that I have joined a fitness club ~ it's not your typical gym ~ it's all class based (which I LOVE). I really need someone to push me, I need to have signed up for a class to make sure that I will be there. It is just to easy to come up with excuses especially now. Marley is doing great in the little childcare they run there. She plays, discovers and barely notices me when I return to pick her up. Little social butterfly! So that's great and I am already feeling better...and sleeping better. I find my clock is so messed up right now and because I am really exercising hard, I am tired enough to fall asleep at a decent hour:)

Marley is changing day by day. She was a cute kitty for Halloween! Love that baby! I love how much interaction and communication is happening. She now signs "milk" when she wants a bottle (we are completely weaned now ~ not my choice ~ but I am not the boss). She is also waving ~ we like to wave to our puppy Flora when we wake up in the morning or get home from errands. This baby girl is a crazy clapper too! Everything is so wonderful and I dread returning to work in 3 months:( We'll see though ~ luckily my husband and I have decided to be open to me staying home. So once February 1 hits ~ we will do what feels right for our family. I feel really lucky to have that support.

My new latest obsession (other than Marley of course) is COUPONING! I have a album started and I have everything categorized & organized! Very excited to save money. I also have been downsizing my closet to bring in a little extra cash which has been great (and now I can hang clothes up because there is room!). It is just nuts how much STUFF we accumulate and I more than happy to get rid of things I do not use. Someone else could use it and with the way the economy is, folks like to buy used in many cases because that is what works for their budget.

Cloth diapering is still going great! Rockin Green is sort of working for us but I think I will be switching to The Laundry Tarts or Nellies. I have heard great things about Laundry Tarts ~ and it's Canadian! So these are some things that are popular in my household right now:
1. Buying local (or at least Canadian) as much as possible. Did you know Oral B floss is made in IRELAND?!?! What the?
2. Cut down on plastics ~ we have a wooden highchair (Vancouver BC based company ~ Guzzie & Guss), reusable bags, we go for wooden toys, etc.
3. Cloth diapers and using baby facecloths as wipes (just use some water folks)
4. Coupons are great and so is free stuff ~ there are tons of sites where you can get free samples and coupons ~ save some money!
5. Sell items you don't use, don't need! Clutter ain't pretty and we consume way too much as a society! Things are not important!
6. Physical activity is the spice of life. Get moving! I also suggested to my gym to put on fitness classes for mom n tot ~ and they are going to do it! So excited for that!
7. Volunteer, trade etc. for goods ~ I am volunteering in the childcare at the gym 1 day a week (for 2 hours) and this will pay for my childcare unlimited while I attend the gym! Or it could pay for my gym pass if I didn't need childcare. We also traded some items we don't need for some fresh garden veggies from some friends! Again save money and be creative!

Marley is taking her first flight on Thursday ~ we are going away for a wedding ~ just to Alberta but still it will be an adventure. We also used our Royal Bank points to pay for our flights! I will be sure to report on the travelling with a 9 month old experience as soon as we return!

Testing...testing...1,2,3 ~ I WHHEEEIIINNN!

2011-10-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Whew! I just completed my Live Performance Electrical Certificate (LPEC) exam and I passed! Since having Marley, my brain has not ventured into the academic side of things and I studied for a couple weeks for this exam. For folks that don't know what this is ~ it's through our Safety Authority ~ it's for people working in the theatre (and film) industry whether it's professional, community or education. Since I teach drama (and therefore, teach students how to use lighting equipment) I am supposed to have this certification. To even write the exam you have to put together a package showing your hours (which has to be a minimum of 800 hours working with lighting!) and then you get a login and a pass number to then write the exam online. You have 75 minutes and 54 multiple choice questions ~ man was this exam hard! Very specific and detailed ~ a lot of the content does not necessarily apply to what I do day and day and made me have to think back to my university training. But I studied and got'er done! So happy I passed and so happy I completed it! Very handy thing to have on my resume! Of course, I had to wait until Marley was sleeping to write it. Which I did and I went through all of the questions and finished with literally a couple seconds to spare! Then the computer tallies up your mark and tells you how you did ~ when it said Congratulations! You passed on the screen I actually yelled out "I passed!" soon followed by a cry coming from the nursery ~ I accidentally woke Marley up:) Sorry baby ~ Mommy was very excited! She fell back to sleep after daddy went in and ssshhed her and now it's time to relax and watch a movie! Hoping she will sleep another 13 and a half hours like she did last night! Feeling super!

A note on HOT BABY DEALS!!

2011-10-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

I have created a Facebook page called Hot Baby Deals where I list all the sites and pages that I have come across that provide some great baby deals! The purpose of this page was to let my mom friends (and any other moms) know about all the great deals to be had. People that "like" my page can also list their favourites that they come across as well and hopefully my page will keep growing & folks will keep on saving some $$ as we all know babes can be pricey little monkeys!

Here is a summary note that lists all the sites and pages that are on my page as of Oct 14. I hope to update it once a month so moms don't have to keep scrolling down to find what is on the page ~ I know how valuable time is when you got a baby on your hip:)

Hope this helps:)

BABY HALF OFF ~ http://babyhalfoff.com/
BABY STEALS ~ http://babysteals.stealnetwork.com/index.php
BABY HEIST ~ http://www.babyheist.com/category_1/Heist-of-the-Day.htm
TRUE CUDDLES ~ http://www.truecuddles.ca/
FUNKY TRICYCLE
BUNDLES AND BUZZ ~ http://www.bundlesandbuzz.com/
BABY BELLHOP ~ http://www.babybellhop.com/ (IN Victoria!)
GREEN MOMMY
ECO BABY BUYS ~ http://www.ecobabybuys.com/index.php/
MAMABARGINS
BABY CHEAPSKATE
HIPPEEZ CLOTH DIAPERS
NEW BABY SUPPLY
FAIRYTALE DEALS
CLOTH DIAPER CONTEST
YEAH BABY BOUTIQUE
OLIVIA PLACE
BABY AGE
HIPPO BARGINS

Lots of the above sites have Facebook pages as well! Here are some other ones on Facebook:

Mom N Tot Deals
AppleCheeks Reusable Diapers
MOD Mommy Jewelry
Cloth Diaper Contests & Giveaways
Mother of a Deal
Armstrong BC Kid Swap
Baby and Kid Stuff for Sale
Kelowna Parent's Buy and Sell

Also if you have an iphone ~ there is an app called DEAL DROP which actually lists a bunch of the above sites!

Dates, Food and Spa

2011-10-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

It's Thanksgiving weekend and I am loving all of the turkey and ham dinners we are having! Food just seems to taste better when someone else makes it:) Paul and I had our first date night since Marley was born (8 MONTHS AGO!!!) We got a babysitter (who rocked!) that we trust and feel very comfortable with so we never worried once while we were out. We went to this wonderful comedy show ~ it was crazy how many folks I saw there that I had not seen in ages ~ pretty much since our daughter was born. I guess that is what happens when you "hermit":) As we were walking out of the show arm in arm Paul and I decided to pop over to the place we actually had our very first date. It was funny because we sat in the exact same place we did 5 or so years ago. It was fun reminiscing! Of course Marley just slept for our babysitter so she had a pretty easy night (but I do think she wanted Mars to wake up so they could hang out!:) Friday was low key. We did a friend dinner on Saturday night which was super but it had to end early as Marley wasn't really in the party mood ~ party pooper! It is always such a toss up whether we are going to be able to stay a short, medium or long amount of time now that we have a babe. Sometimes we are just lucky to make it out of the house:) Marley's "witching hour" is usually 5:00pm ~ it has been a while since the last nap but not exactly bedtime. All I can do is try to make her happy so we try to go for a walk and then eat, bath, eat, bed:) This night she was ready for bed before we even left the house! But we made it and it was a great visit:) Oh and did I mention the turkey and stuffing were to die for!

Then yesterday I got to do something I never have done before! I did a spa day (from 11am-3pm!) with a girlfriend! I got a massage, a facial, a pedicure then a manicure! It was very relaxing to say the least and it was nice to spend time with a friend that is moving away. This was all thanks to my brother ~ I could not have spent that kind of money on myself now that we have Marley (just would have felt to guilty). Of course when I got home I smudged up my manicure ~ nail polish is completely impractical when you have a baby!:) So off it went and back to mommy hood I go ~ au natural nails and all:) We got to go to my mom-in-law's place for ham dinner ~ sooooo yummy! That was a great day ended off with blueberry pie and Marley was so good even though we got her home late:)

Now today is a cleaning, getting groceries day (which I love!) I pulled out the bassinet that Marley was in for a couple months when she first arrived. It was tucked under the crib but we are going to drop the crib mattress platform down as Marley will probably be trying to escape any week now:) I sat the bassinet in the living room and sat her in it. It sort of looks like she is sitting in a boat ~ she just sat and played while mommy and daddy did chores ~ looking up every once and a while with a 4 chomper grin ~ then back down playing with her toys. Very sweet! And tonight we get ANOTHER yummy turkey dinner at my folk's place and then it's back to the same ole' routine:)

I am finding everything is much more fun when you have Marley around (and sure more work but that's fine with us). I love watching her out and about, visiting, sharing stories with short grunts and big squeals, grabbing her toys and clapping them together, crying if someone gets right up in her face to quickly (she has the cutest cry face which makes me laugh), cuddling up to my shoulder when she's unsure<3 Can't wait for number two whenever that happens!

Four Chompers

2011-10-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

I was rocking Marley last night in our big cozy chair while we fed and watched the Dream Screen in her room. It was quiet, she was so relaxed ~ her eyelids getting heavy. As I gazed down at her I had a thought ~ this sweet little girl was in my belly only 8 and a half months ago! I then started to think about how she always kicked and jabbed my sides when there was music playing or when I was laying down. How amazing is that! I feel like for the last 8+months that she has been here has flown by in some ways and I never really think back to how it all started. With the first few months of nausea, weird tomato cravings, really sore hips and being super thirsty all the time:) So many changes, so many sensations. And then she was here...in my arms. She wasn't a little tadpole of a creature....she sure doesn't look like a little alien like she did in the second ultrasound. I remember tearing up the first time I heard that little heartbeat and now here she is...in my arms ~ just chillin':) Holy smokes life is nuts ~ I made this, we made this! Now she has grown ~ 18 +lbs from the little 7 lbs 15oz ~ still has the cute head of hair ~ the biggest, brightest blue eyes you have ever seen, the sweetest smiley face and 4 big chompers! 2 down, 2 up ~ so funny! And boy let me tell you ~ she'll bite you:)

Never have I loved anything, anyone so much as I do Marley<3

2011-10-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

I love you Marley!