Sunday, January 31, 2010

We Are Going With Cloth!

We have decided that our little man will be the proud wearer of cloth diapers. Dearest Husband and I both are aware of the benefits of cloth diapering, including but not limited to the environmental awareness and cost savings. If you are not yet on the cloth diapering band wagon I suggest you read the most recent blog post recently posted by the Extraordinary Baby Shoppe (www.extraordinarybabyshoppe.com) The blog post will inform you of all the benefits of cloth diapering, and you can even find their blog post showing the cost savings. You can find it here: http://extraordinarybabyshoppe.blogspot.com

For me the idea of having chemicals against my little guys skin all day long for the first few years is not appealing. I have worked with enough children and have seen the intense rashes that can come forth on their sensitive bottoms. Cloth diapering has come a long way in the past years and there are way too many cute cloth diaper options to pass up on. The choice can be overwhelming to those who have never used cloth diapers before, but their are great resources and trial programs available to those who would like to try them out. I have had the opportunity to work with a cloth diapered baby in the past and found absolutely no inconvenience to using cloth diapers, even while on outings.

We have had a few people think we are crazy for going the cloth diaper route and all I have to say is poo poo on you! We have weighed the pros and cons and have decided that cloth diapering is what is best for our child. I am not saying that we are going to be all or nothing. There will be outings and overnights, and possible vacation trips where we decide to use disposable diapers. However, when and where possible we will be a cloth diapering family.

So to those family members who are skeptical, yes Uncle Justin you too, we will get you on the cloth diapering band wagon sooner or later. In the meantime we will continue to send our little man to you with disposable & cloth diapers in the hope that one day you may bring him back in a cloth diaper :)

Huge thanks to Shannon from http://pictureimperfect.ca for answering all the endless questions I have about cloth diapering and sharing her experience and expertise. Also hugs to Arwen for sharing in her cloth diapering experiences with her two sweet little ones and for encouraging me at the times I may be a little apprehensive about pushing this child out naturally!

So its back to folding all the cute little cloth diapers we have accumulated so far, and continue to show the lovely husband the differences between what I have choosen so far and when we will be using the various kinds!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Fatigue....Fatigue....Fatigue

The business ideas fly through my head, I continue to teach my yummy yoga classes, take the kids from here and there and ensure they are well taken care of, and I continue to wake several times a night to pee. I have been going to bed around 10pm most nights but am finding its taking a bit of time to wind down and prepare my mind and body for sleep. Or taking time to turn off the fingers from skimming around on the blackberry and actually disconnect from the virtual world! By the time I read and feel tired enough to sleep its usually around 11 or 12. Then begins the 2 hour sleep, then bathroom break, back to bed and take back my body pillow from my husband who has somehow while sleeping taken over MY body pillow!

Weekends are when I tend to catch up on my sleep and usually end up having a nap on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Saturday's are still an early rise for me as we have a Little Lotus class that starts at 8:30am, followed by two more throughout the day.

I thought the intention would be to sleep continually now in preparation for little Dominic to make his arrival, however it seems baby has a different plan as he continues to be most active at night and loves punching my bladder.

So I guess for now I will embrace the fatigue as I enter into motherhood and take the no sleeping as early preparation.....possibly even boot camp!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

New Beginings, New Goals, New to Motherhood

Many of you may already know that I started my first company at the age of 16 and have always thoroughly enjoyed being an entrepreuner. My mind constantly spins and moves with new ideas, full of passion, yet over excitement and passion can overtake my diretion at times. Starfish Swimming ran successfully for 4+ years, running Red Cross & Lifesaving Society swim lessons and leadership programs to those within Eastern Ontario with specific emphasis in the Smiths Falls area. It came to the point after being in University for 2 years, working almost full time at aquatic centres throughout the City of Ottawa and teaching fitness classes, travelling across Canada training and presenting at fitness workshops, conferences and events, that it was too challenging for me to manage a company that was based out of Smiths Falls and find confident staff that were mature enough to run the programs without direct supervision. Problem #2 being that I had built Starfish Swimming from the ground up depending on me being there every step of the way. People came to the programs for my instruction and my leadership. It was challenging to step out of this role when I built a business basically relying on my sole participation at all times.

Since my passion in the Wellness & Lifestyle industry was greatly expanding it only seemed fit to begin my current company DeGrace Energetics. Again my passion and excitement took over, along with the word spreading fast that I was still available for trainings, teaching and events. DeGrace Energetics expanded quickly, yet again relying on myself (I think there is a constant here...that would be me liking to micro manage....) and the ideas kept sprouting with little time to fully expand and complete each goal that I had for specific programs. DeGrace Energetics is now comprised of the following:

1. Safe Parent- I developed this program to fill the gap and need of a first aid, CPR and safety program for parents. Training parents in home safety, first aid and CPR is a strong passion as I have always worked with families that have young children and have seen the need first hand for quick reaction to various first aid situations. With my background as an Instructor, Examiner and Instructor Trainer with the Lifesaving Society in First Aid, AED & Airway Management this course felt very natural to me. However, of course I felt the need to create a top of the line manual, which continues to expand and I am yet to be happy with a "finished" version. Courses were ran monthly throughout the area or could be booked privately to be done in your home. Again it was challenging to find a course conductor or leader who had solid leadership skills, qualifications to suit the oourse and I trusted thoroughly to represent the company with its values and morals in place. hmmm...once again here is the issue of finding competent staff and contractors. One goal is to create a manual for Staff with policies and procdures, but to do so in a motivating manner that people come knocking on my door to conduct our courses and want to work with us.

2. Little Lotus Yoga- this program expanded way faster than I ever thought there would be a need to. LLY is made up of a program for 2-5 year olds (the only un-parented yoga program available to date within the area that is strictly for preschoolers) and 6-12 year olds. I started off with 2 classes in New Edinburgh and quickly expanded to Rockcliffe Park, Walter Baker, Glebe Community Centre and many private contracts with schools and camps. My goal with this program in the future is to create contacts with solid and well established instructors, who are willing to teach children's classes. There are a growing number of yoga instructors in the Ottawa area (there is a need for more as well!) but many tend to shy away from teaching such young age groups. It takes a dynamic individual who has knowledge in teh development of children and is willing to take on the possiblity of having 6 2-year olds all crying at the same time (for most its their first program on their own), or having children share their booger germs with you, along with their sweet smiles and love.

3. Fitness Workshops, Conferences & Trainings- I continue to have the privilege of being offered contracts to present at fitness conferences nationally as well as training fitness instructor for certiication organizations. At this time I have slowed down due to the pregnancy and the fact that I spent the first 4 months being sick all day every day even on prescribed meds! I am unsure what direction I will take with this in the future as these contracts tend to take me far from home. I have always thoroughly enjoyed being able to escape for a weekend, or even a week at a time to various parts in Canada and meet absolutely wonderful and enthusiastic fitness professionals. However, once my precious bundle of joy arrives, I do not expect to be travelling far from him within at least the first year. Dearest husband is extremely hands on and would be willing to be a single parent for those times, but I think it will be too challenging to leave for long periods of time. Who knows, in a few years I may be saying I need to get the hell away from here for a night or two!!

4. Childcare Consulting- I have continued to work one on one with families who require part time and full time childcare solutions. To date I am working with 2 young children on a daily basis, being an intricate part of their life and the family household dynamic. DeGrace Energetics has also consulted with families in assisting them to find the childcare solution that works best for them, should it be home daycare, nanny, etc. In the past I have also consulted with parents who required assistance in moving forward and creating solutions to deal with their children's behaviour, creating routines, sleep behaviours, etc.

5. Personal Training- I have always thoroughly enjoyed the one on one training sessions, whether it be dry land training or aquatic personal training & aquatic post-rehab. I have trained clients in community gyms, their personal homes (some have access to fitness equipment, others have none but want to learn how to workout using their body and environment around them), private facilities and outdoor spaces. I have always found clients strictly through word of mouth and enjoy personal training sessions with my clients. However, this can be time consuming travelling from client to client with several other ventures on the go. I would like to look at this in the future and how I can continue to incorporate this aspect of training into the company, but in a more time efficient manner.

I could go on and on with the ideas that have been brewing in my head, but in all honesty have enough going on with the above 5 business areas I have been working on and growing.

As I embrace my first pregnancy and look forward to the new beginnings of motherhood I have decided it is finally time to make the jump and really put my full attention and care into specific aspects of my company that will invite it to grow and expand above and beyond my dreams and aspirations.

How am I going do do that? I am joining the Entrepreunerial Moms Ottawa chapter that is launching this week. I have always wanted to join a network, but have been extremely hesistant. Feeling my business wasn't "big or successful" enough to swim along companies that are part of other local entrepreuner and business chapters. Entrepreunerial Moms appeals to me with the aspect being of all female members, who are also juggling their businesses and family lives at the same time. Not only do I look forward to meeting a dynamic group of inspiring women, but meeting women who I may create everlasting bonds with as we move through motherhood together.

So here is to new beginnings, new goals, and looking forward to the joys of motherhood (as soon as this little guy is done cooking, boy 40 weeks is a long time!)

~A

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Dear Placenta

Dear Placenta,

It has been brought to our attention from our last ultrasound that you originally decided to implant yourself anterior and very low. Not too low in that you are already covering my cervix, but enough that you really need to move.

So here I am now praying to the placenta gods, should you be listening, to get freakin moving. Yes, I know I may sound a little nutty speaking to a placenta, and no I will not be bringing my placenta home from the hospital. If we were having a home birth I know we would of had to bury it and would of had it somewhere in our yard (I am sure our condo neighbours & our condo board would of loved this idea) but thats for another time and another birth.

My goal is to continue thinking positively with the hope that the placenta will indeed decide to travel up a little as our little man continues to grow. Statistics show that most of the time as the baby grows the placenta will travel upwards, however there is a small chance that it may not.

So, dear placenta, my dear placenta, I do NOT want to have a C-section. Our goal is for the most natural birth possible. I strongly believe that one medical intervention will just lead to another. I am a strong women, have a supportive husband and a doula extraordinaire. I know natural birth is a strong possibility for us.

Placenta, if you hear me, GET MOVING!!!

Thank You
A

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Will I Really Need All This?!

Those who know me know that I am a list fanatic, and always have been. Everything has to be organized and be in its proper place at all times, yes I have admitted its probably a bit OCD. Even more I understand that with a little one on the way things in their proper place may never really happen again for a long time, but I am still willing to try.

I have compiled a list of things that have been recommended in various books and sites I have read with respect to what to pack in our hospital bag. I like to be prepared for anything, and know that if we have a quick delivery and are out of the hospital quickly then I will not need everything, but its possible I could be there for a few days (fingers crossed this is not the case and Baby Boy comes gliding out with no hiccups along the way!)and I want to be prepared.

Here is what I have compiled to date:

toothpaste
toothbrush (and one for DH)
deodorant
shampoo
conditioner
soap
comb

nightgown (should I bring more than 1, and will they let me wear my own...yes I know it will be ruined, or will I have to wear the yucky hospital ones?)
bathrobe
flip flops
extra underwear
extra socks
comfy go home clothes

bottles of water
camera
stopwatch

sanitary pads (so should I go and buy the big thick overnight ones that have yet to step foot in my house?!)

nursing bra
nursing pads

baby blankets
baby clothes
baby diapers
baby hat
baby mittens- no scratch

magazines (for me & DH)
books

phone numbers
quarters or calling card

pillow
lip balm
massage oil / lotion

birth plan
hospital pre-registration card
health card
hospital card

snacks for me & DH (and our wonderful Doula!)
gum
lollipops

bathing suit and flip flops for DH in case he needs to get into shower to help me
extra clothes for DH (in case he doesn't end up passing out and holds the baby when he comes out all gooey, or we are at hospital for long time)

car seat

Okay, so that's what I have for now. If you think I have missed anything PLEASE help this yummy mummy to be out! Also, if there is something there is no way in hell you ever would of used or think I may not please share!!

~A