Savor It

Let your light shine at Yoga for Mamas!

photo courtesy of egyptsaidso.com

I just finished planning this Sunday's Yoga for Mamas retreat at lil omm, which I'll be co-teaching with Pleasance Silicki and it's going to be AWESOME!  Please come join us to explore the concept of GROWTH--we'll do some reflection, some yoga, some sharing, and some treat snacking! ;) 

Here's all the details:

Yoga For Mamas will now be offered once a month, on the first Sunday of each month from 6:30-8pm. Mothers at all stages are invited to come together as a community of women to revitalize, energize, and strengthen our own bodies and minds in order to care for those around us.  Each month one theme will be explored.  April's theme is GROWTH.  See you on April 1st. To register, visit www.lilomm.com. lil omm members can attend for free and drop-ins/non-members are $20. 

Prenatal Yoga Music Playlist

I often get asked about the music that I play in my classes and I just discovered this lovely widget that allows me to share that with all of you! Man, I love itunes! Enjoy and download--mix and match your favorites to create your ultimate birthing playlist. I'll be adding more in the next several weeks and might even try to create a page that can host all of my playlists. Stay tuned! (haha...no pun intended..well, okay, maybe just a little!)

Cool video! Conception to birth--visualized.

Jonah at 4.

 

Dear Jonah,

Four entire years have passed since I gave birth to you and you changed my life and identity forever and ever.  I love being your mama!  But, when both you and I look back and reflect on these early years, I think it's important to document that it has not often been easy.  We have had our challenges, first with your premature birth, then in the first year of your life that seemed just a little too raw, too intense, too sleep-deprived, too much on shaky ground for both of us.  But we weathered it, and we grew, and the love that exists between a mother and son shook me to my core and burst my heart open like nothing else could ever do.  And that heart-full explosion created more room for joy and gratitude and (believe it or not!) peace and contentment. 

I have witnessed such tremendous change and growth in you in these past four years--with all the traditonal milestones, of course, but also all the hard-fought battles that came more easily to so many of your peers--blowing bubbles, jumping, throwing a ball.  And now, we are HERE. And we have lots of good days in a row, with less struggles and less battles and more laughs and more ease.  More saying yes and less saying no. 

To me, four seems MOMENTOUS.  I feel a huge shift in you lately and am loving seeing you come into your own.  Just a few months ago, it seems like you emerged, or perhaps settled, more into yourself and your body, and the result has been amazing to watch.  I love our conversations that seem so logical, and so well thought out, on your part.  I love your funny jokes and the way you are always up for an adventure and to try new things.  You are just like your Dad in your unparalleled amount of energy and your inability to sit still--you want to do it all, see it all, TOUCH it all. ;) You have a new-found love of the alphabet and still hold tight your love affair with books and reading.  Although still a firefighter at heart, your horizons are slowly expanding to new interests and activities.  After almost 3 years of appointments, you graduated from physical therapy (this is huge!) and you recently started soccer with your friends. You are incredibly polite and thoughtful and oh my goodness, so LOVING.  This is not to say that you won't be found tormenting your little brother or testing me by saying that you're going to hit me (after all, you are a 4 year old boy) but within your true depths you are all heart and love and affection. 

One of my favorite things lately is watching you learn, or ask questions, or seeing your face light up when you succeed.  You have a healthy sense of self-esteem it seems, as you have been telling me, "mama, did you know that I am good at that?" or "let me have a turn because I'm very good at X." ;)  And indeed, my sweet Jonah, you are good.  In fact, you are GREAT.  And I can't wait to see that greatness make itself known in this world in so many ways that are uniquely your own.  Thanks for letting me be a part of that special process and all I can say is: Remember to let your light shine.  Shine on, my 4 year old, shine on. 

With all the love my heart can hold,

Your mama

 

Eli at 2.

My darling Eli,

You are now 2.  Every day more and more of your personality emerges.  From what we can tell so far you are one pretty incredible individual.  You are all heart.  I mean really, your sweet nature just radiates off you like heat.  People stop to comment about you and your cuteness everywhere we go, especially at the grocery store when you are pushing your own cart (this is a new skill you have just acquired) and when you are taking yoga with mama trying to put yourself into legs up the wall.  I see peace at your core and I hope that remains a lifelong trait. 

You ADORE your older brother and spend lots of time following him, trying to keep up with him and talking about him..."Donah, uh,uh, mama, Donah." At the moment you are a pretty typical little brother, letting him dominate, but I have a feeling that might shift and we might discover that you will establish clear boundaries around your needs.  I have a hunch that a quiet intensity lies beneath your surface.

You have quite a bit of words and want so badly to string them together to have conversations with us.  You often chime in with "me, me, mama, me" in response to whatever we are talking about.  You do NOT want to be left out. You have a couple of 3 word sentences, most frequently, "mama help me." The bond between you and your father is incredible.  You light up when he walks through the door at the end of the day and often want to fall asleep next to him or on him. 

You are active, love to be outside digging in the dirt and are all boy.  But also a boy who LOVES cooking.  I can not make dinner (and often breakfast and lunch) without your "help." You can be found on a stool at the counter trying to contribute in some way or another.  Sometimes you really DO help! Your patience, listening skills, and self-restraint amaze me.  You are generally happy, unless tired, when you become incredibly clingy and want to be held all the time. 

Your greatest loves at the moment are Elmo (and all things Sesame Street), balls, fire trucks (though nothing like Jonah's obsession) and dogs. You just received a dalmation (fire dog) stuffed animal that might end up being your lovie.  You are now using your previous lovie, your bobby (pacifier) just at night because we told you that big boys only use them at night.  You did great with the transition and were only sad for a day or so.  You seem kinda wise beyond your years and you definitely understand SO much more than I would ever imagine a two year old could understand.  I think you are the most grounded and even-handed member of the family and I hope that remains too!

We love you so very much and are grateful every day to be blessed with you in our lives.  The joy you have brought my heart is immense and I am so proud to be your mama.  It only gets more exciting from here and we can't wait to see your fullest, truest, nature emerge. 

With all the love my heart can hold,

Mama

 

Why I want to be a Doula.

I think these videos are so beautiful and moving.  I only hope I can support women in the same way that these women (and their partners!) have been supported.  I'll find out soon enough....my official training is January 2012 with toLabor and I am SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED.

Just Breathe with me at the Wishstudio!

Come check out my monthly column, called Just Breathe at the Wishstudio. I'll be offering my take on yoga, pranayama (breathwork), creativity and inspiration. 

My friend Mindy has created the most amazing, magical and inspirational creative community online (and will soon be doing it in person!) I am so thrilled and honored to be a part of this wonderful network of women who are living their most passionate, creative lives.  Thanks for taking the time to visit me there and let me know what you think! 

Creative Way to Bring on Labor

I love this video!  This well-overdue mama of twins decided to "get her dance on" to help encourage her babies to come out and join the world.  I am simply amazed at how she was able to still move so easily being so far along, and shocked that she wasn't entirely exhausted by the end!  Such an inspiring and funny video for all the pregnant mamas out there. 

P.S. Jared and I walked into our wedding reception to greet our guests to this song! So it's already one of my favorites! ;)

Mid-Week Mindfulness.

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” 
                                                                                                 ― Thich Nhat Hanh

Halloween Happiness.

Some of you may remember last year's Halloween drama when I was unable to get the two boys in the same shot.  Last year it was Eli sitting still with Jonah running around, and this year it was Jonah sitting still with Eli running around.  It gives me hope that next year will either be both sitting still, or more likely, both running around.

We had so much fun last night.  We went trick-or-treating in the early afternoon at our neighborhood stores--it's one main street with about 20 businesses and they were all so generous with the candy.  Jonah had mastered the routine and was sweet enough to remember to get candy for him and for his brother.  Eli mostly hung out in the stroller taking in all the crazy sights.

The boys were, of course, firefighters.  I don't have one single picture of both of them in full gear with helmets, but ah, well.  We ran into the cutest dog while trick-or-treating and when it's owner wasn't looking we almost snatched it.  It would have completed our ensemble perfectly.  The boys loved all the dogs in costume. 

After hitting the stores, we returned home for a delicious and frightening dinner made by daddy.  I can't wait until the boys are older and we can really do some decadent and exciting (and scary!) food ideas. 

The boys loved going out in the dark trick-or-treating and were unfazed by any of the scary stuff.  Eli stayed in the stroller for the first part, but then we decided to return home and just carry him.  He got a second wind and demanded that he "Wahl, wahl" (walk) up to the doors himself where he would then knock on the door and hold up his arms and pumpkin saying "me, me!" He definitely had the art of candy acquisition down. 

At one house, he grabbed fistfuls of those minature chocolate candy bars and I said, "Eli just one". The kind gentleman at the door was like, "Oh, it's okay, he can take more." So Eli did.  And then I was like, "that's enough," whereupon Eli cried out dramatically and nearly threw himself to the ground.  I was about to snatch him up and move on when the gentleman said, "oh it's okay, he can have as much as he wants." Completely recomposed, Eli grabbed 2 more candy bars and then turned around with a huge smile on his face and started walking away.  I was like, "are you kidding me?" He was totally working the system.  He was quite cute though, so they all loved him and he would wave and say bye-bye after he got the goods. 

The boys made out with TONS of candy (which has been sorted and hidden).  What I love though is that Jonah followed the rules so well and did not eat any until we got home.  Even then, his first choice was to eat a package of fruit snacks because he said they looked "so so yummy."  While eating them he looks up in all seriousness at Jared and I and says, "Mama, is this really a choking hazard?"  We laughed so hard, and realized he had been hearing us talk about choking hazards for Eli all night. 

This morning, Eli had to bring his pumpkin container with him when we left the house and he's been playing dress-up all day.  There has been no begging for candy, but I suspect we only really have one more year until that changes.  All in all, it was a GREAT Halloween and so much fun to re-live my own fond memories for the holiday through the eyes of my children.