You have the power to change...

Firstly, forgive me once more for being a sporadic blogger at best. I have lots to share with you all today though :) oh and happy Easter! My first as a vegan - woo!

The title: You have the power to change...

• your thoughts
• your intentions
• your actions
• your reactions
• your body
• your life.

but you also have the power to change someone else's day. If you are positive, encouraging, compassionate and friendly...you never know just how good that can make someone feel. I hope, lovely readers, that you feel amazing after reading my blogs, training with me or just being my friend because you all make me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile, so cheers :)

One of my friends-slash-lovely-client made me the most DELISH vegan protein slice!

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa flakes
1 cup buckwheat puffs
1/3 cup protein powder
1/4 flax seeds
1/2 dried fruit ( any type you like)
1/2 cup nuts ( any type you like)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
Small block of dark chocolate Melted

1. In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients.
2. Place almond butter and coconut oil in a small saucepan and heat over a medium heat until melted, add vanilla extract and stir.
3. Pour liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well ( if to dry add a bit more melted almond butter)
4. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread mixture out evenly. Pour melted chocolate over the top and spread into a thin layer.
5. Place tray in the freezer for 5-10 minutes or until the chocolate has frozen. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

I've been eating this for morning tea (after work & workout)...too yummy!

Finally I can upload pictures properly! Here is my "Sanity Stash"

This was essential to have by my bedside in that first month or so of hour-long nurse sessions practically each hour! It contains:

•  Bamboo washable nursing pads (I had/have an oversupply so had to have at least three of these plus clean tops whenever I went anywhere!)
• Organic cloth terry squares...for chuck-ups, nappy, instant changing surface, makeshift bib, leaking boob soaker and yes even to wipe my tears. (ecoLinen organic cotton)
• WATER, all mumma's need to stay hydrated, especially when breastfeeding.
• healthy snacks (organic where possible) although I admit at one point I had 7 gingerbread men and 4 freddo frogs in my stash!
• hand sanitiser
• nipple cream, bottom balm, paw paw and other delicious lip balms
• books...oh I made the most of it! I simply LOVE putting my feet up and having a great excuse to read.
• and a notepad to record feedings etc...I was slightly anal about jotting down everything. This lasted a few months and includes notes such as "beautiful bubbah" and "f$%^king over it!"

Today I am also going to include an update about where DS, master Rivvy, is at. He is 10months old and I believe quite on par in terms of crawling (so fast), surfing furniture, standing alone for brief periods, pushing and walking behind things, bashing everything, pointing at everything and saying "mummummum" "da da da da" "bah bah bah" etc.
It is interesting that he is fed on demand (apparently not the "normal way" according to my friend :P) so probably still has 8-10 feeds in any 24hours. I try to feed him immediately before offering any solids as per the BLW guidelines and he eats breakfast of coconut yogurt, blueberries, sometimes quinoa fingers or wheat free toast with nut butter. Lunch is generally cucumber, tomato, carrot (salad type food) and tofu, dinner is varied but usually legumes and veggies are the main component. If I feel he needs snacks he has wheat free crackers with hummus or fruit. So he has a vegan and wheat free  diet (as do I currently) and is thriving. People always comment on how chubby he is!
In terms of EC (Elimination Communication), he wees on the potty each night before our shower/bath. We usually have a good two hours of nappy free time although since Fiji DS has had some tummy trouble and we havent been able to do this indoors. I'm sure he associates the potty with wee's (occasionally poos) and there is no pressure on him so I am confident of our small success. I even purchased his first pair of undies!
Sleeping, ah that old chestnut! Well Riv has finally managed to cut down to two sleeps daily...when they are varies but it seems to be in the morning and early afternoon. He feeds to sleep or falls asleep in the car and can usually be transferred into bed. Since Fiji we have been only co-sleeping as this is the easier option for me when DH is away at work. We will start placing him back in his cot when our schedule become a little more consistent. He wakes 2-5 times a night and can often be cuddled back to sleep or he feeds...to be honest I dont always fully wake up and have little memory of it in the morning. Many of you would be aghast at this sleeping pattern, but as I always say, this suits us at this time so it's not anyone elses place to judge :)
That about raps up my River update!

Training...

Well, I am still loving CrossFit

Over the last few weeks I have had some ripper kickstarts come in, I'm looking forward to taking on some new clients. Some have really challenged me to do homework, others have just been so enjoyable to share my passion with. It's always nice because I tell you what I quite often doubt myself...sometimes I dont even know what I bring to the table. It's hard in an industry where you have the people that come in, can sell PT and not necessarily know anything about training or the lifestyle in encompasses and then the people (like me) that arent natural sales people, dont do this for the money, genuinely want to help people but often times give too much. Unfortunately I am very dependent on validation from others which means I can easily get cut down, spiral into self-doubt and want to give up. But I've also had the pleasure of being complimented on my physique after baby, my honesty and commitment, and I've watched my clients achieve amazing things, feeling and looking better than ever with my help.
Challenge of the week strrrrrrrettttttcccccchhhhhhhh. Go on do it, get off to yoga class, go see a PT, do some stretching with your partner or a girlfriend. Oh, and dont eat too many Easter eggs!!

Cheers & Giggles
xx

NOW is the time to...

Today, I am thankful. We spent the weekend down at Phillip Island with a group of friends and it was lovely. While DS is still out of sorts and I'm surviving on very little sleep, it is bareable and my dear friends made my trip away a fun adventure. I started 2012 by leaping (read:tripping over the BBQ grill) into my bestest girlfriends arms listening to Cher sing "if I could turn back time..." and sighting a few fireworks between the trees...shortly followed by bed snuggled between Riv and his daddy.
This morning after a healthful breakfast, us girlies did some yoga, we cleaned then proceeded to the beach.
Breakfast consisted of crunchola, coconut yogurt (thankyou Amy for introducing us...it's love), and fresh strawberries. For DS I baked quinoa flakes into little finger pieces (his is on the left):

Annette, owner of http://bodyblitzfitness.net/, posted a four part series on goal setting last week which I quite enjoyed completing. The first step was to write down 20 things that we had accomplished in 2011, mine included having a peaceful hypnobirth (despite ending up with an emergency c-sect), getting through 5 subjects at uni, and starting on my writting career. I'm sure that somewhere in Netts 20 achievements would be the success of her PT business (and looking mighty fly whilst working her butt off!). The second step was to name our goal for 2012 and to list the things that may stand between us and said goal...I have quite a few goals for the upcoming year but in terms of my health & fitness my main goal is to get back into size 6 jeans (comfortably!). The obstacles in my way are time, time management and breastfeeding (ok...not really the act itself but the hunger I feel after a cluster feed- Wowee!). Netts' goal is to be in her best shape yet by her birthday and I believe in her 110%. The third step is visualisation. Allocating time to visualise where/who/how we want to be and providing OURSELVES with motivation in the form of a "vision board", see mine here:

Collage is one of my favourite quiet activities! So I had fun putting this bad boy together.

Finally we need to take ACTION. Start working towards your goal NOW. Let nothing stand between you and your goals.

thanks Netty :)

So, I'd like to hear what your goals are...making yourself accountable to someone is a great place to start.

Cheers & Giggles

xx

BLW

Baby led weaning/baby led solids

We were interested in this way of introducing foods as it promotes breastfeeding as the main source of nutrition for the first year. Which, it should be. I have lost count of how many times people have asked me "how long do you have to breastfeed him for?" and it is mostly curiosity from friends who haven't seen littlies raised, I am always confident in my response. The WHO recommends breastfeeding for at LEAST two years and the benefits of extended breastfeeding are becoming common knowledge.
So, the other thing that drew me towards providing finger foods was that it allows the infant to learn hunger and satiety cues. I have struggled with eating issues in my life and the very last thing I want to do is to lead my children down the same path. DS eats what he wants to and he LOVES quinoa, tofu, green veg and berries. In the morning I give him fingers of quinoa flakes with stewed fruit (baked in the oven so he can hold on and gnaw on them), for lunch we usually have cucumber, carrot, mushroom and tomato, though tahini paste/hommus on rice crackers is becoming a hit. Dinner is vegies sometimes mashed, rolled in polenta and baked, sometimes pasta sauce, often tofu or lentils included.
Other benefits of BLW have been the rapid development of his motor skills; fine and gross. He can sit unassisted for short bouts of time, can pick up a pea between his finger and thumb, and has great hand/eye co-ord which he did NOT get from me :)
To answer some other questions I am always asked; yes DS is vegetarian until he decides otherwise, he wont have wheat until 8-9months of age, he wont have dairy until after 12months, and I will not provide any artificial colours, preservatives etc to him where I can avoid it. When DS goes to school, he will be exposed to all kinds of food and I do not believe in denying him anything, just teaching moderation. Until then I would like to keep his innocent system "crap free".
I have heard that there is a fantastic cookbook I would love to get my mits on, but for the moment he just has what I have, minus wheat, dairy and whole nuts. We dont eat much processed food at home which is good for everyone because lord knows I have developed a sweet tooth since late in my pregnancy!
Conceiving a child and breastfeeding have definitely made me consider what I put into my body. Starting him on solids has been a great process and because I control what goes in front of him, he hasn't been exposed to artificial/processed crap. We are both healthier for this.
If there is anything you would like to know, feel free to ask.

Cheers & Giggles
xx

PS things HAVE improved since my last post. DH got home yesterday, I am not the only one finding that my 6.5mo is a testy pain in the butt (thanks mum's group), and I know it will eventually pass :)

I dont know how she does it...

Ok yesterday I read THE most frustrating book ever written. Yes, I read it in a day I am a speed reader and I still managed to have a fantastic yoga session with my beautiful trainer Amy, a clearing session, a birthday lunch for DH bff, and a spray tan. Hmmmm my major problem with the book?

It was incredibly frustrating to watch this woman blatantly choose her work over her family. FULL STOP. No working mother I know is in the slightest bit like this woman. I fully relate to the hustle and bustle of her life, the judgement left-right-centre, the patriotic society within which we live etc ect etc but the way this woman describes her children and spending time with them is just not acceptable. The conclusion I drew from the book was that there can be NO balance between work and motherhood...and I just do not believe that. It particularly pained me how quickly she weaned them from the breast, the constant reference to bottle use and her manipulative nanny.
Rant almost complete...I am going back to work in a week(ish) I thought reading this book might give me insight into how I can create a balance...it failed.


So.  I am extremely lucky that I can work my hours around a feeding & sleeping baby, that I can leave him with family or have him at my workplace, that I can be there for his firsts. My life is always busy but my number one priority is my son.
This morning we indulged in a bowl of fruit salad thanks to DH, and DS is just starting to use a spoon for himself. He adores berries! We love BLW. Will blog about that after my article is on its way to The Birthing Site :)

Ahhhhh the unannounced arrival of my nanna...

Cheers & Giggles
xx



PS if anyone would like to comment on any of my blogs this far please please do :)