Happy 2years

My blog is a teeny bit older than TWO!! Happy birthday to my online writing "career"!!

I am writing today with a full heart, a full mind, full arms, a full tummy, (an empty wallet) and a full on year ahead. Each year I tell myself, this is it Sares, just a little more work & you can rest...then another opportunity comes knocking and I just cannot resist! 

With excitement and regret, Eric and I have decided to leave Factory 3 CrossFit to the very capable Gav. We are going out to start a new box in the eastern suburbs looking to open in March 2014. Before then I am off to Byron to complete my level 1 teacher training course. So I am anticipating a very busy jan/feb! 

It came as a shock to most of our clients but we want to assure people that this move is a business move and a change that will serve us all very well in the future. I am quite saddened to leave the place that I poured my heart into but I know that the new space will offer something the eastern suburbs has not yet seen. We have a wonderful support team behind us, and we are going to go full steam ahead in preparation of our opening. 

Here's a quick glance at our timeline:

Continue working at F3.

Have a little road trip to Robe to visit the besty for NYE.

Build all the processes from scratch so they are ready to go when we open.

Make friends with some VIPs that can help us turn an old factory into a State of the art venue for CrossFit & Mobility (if you're reading this, live local & are interested please contact me!).

Pack up our home into cardboard boxes.

Cry eyes out on last day at F3.

Depart to Byron for yoga teacher training.

Road trip home from Byron (omg with two kids!!).

Move house.

Create a new box.

Open 1st March (Chloe's bday).

As most people know, I don't do things by halves...haha!

Raine took her first bottle (of expressed milk after about 3hrs of one side breast refusal...) on Christmas Eve. Yesterday she had her first taste of watermelon & cantaloupe, just shy of 6months. Looking forward to another BLW journey! She is also very chatty & says Dada every day (seriously?! I birthed her!!), as she rolls about trying to plank/fly/crawl.

I'm going to miss spending 24/7 with my babies for the 12day yoga intensive. It was a decision that was hard to make but Byron Yoga have been very helpful in allowing me breaks to breastfeed and pump milk for Raine. And to gain qualification in yoga instruction will be a priceless opportunity. I will keep you posted with this journey!

On a final note, this has been a year of great personal discovery. I have realized who my true friends are, made so many brilliant new ones, and let some go. I've been highly praised and also bullied. I've found a real peace with my past & gained so much excitement for my future thanks to the awesome considerate compassionate people in my life. I'm truly blessed to see the good in people & to be able to let go what no longer serves me. There are a billion people to thank including my family, my circle of friends, my clients who have my back at every turn, my lululemon athletica friends who have been a constant source of support, and those people I have met through CrossFit that I am completely in awe of. 

Thank you for giving me strength to face the day, and thanks to the universe for giving me endless opportunity in making my dreams come true.

I love this quote "The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet" M.N

My message at this time of year is always the same; express gratitude, give love & don't wait for some bulldust date to change your life. Be the person you want to be, be amazing, start NOW. And as the beautiful Amy Coghlan says, Be.Love.Always.

Xxxx

Brahmacharya

Non excess

This has been my focus of the week really. I've been reading & trying to practice "walking with god". 

As I explained in a previous post, I am not a religious woman. But I am a woman of faith and I like the wonder of the universe. Today I took the WHOLE morning off, cleaned in between playing with the babes, made breakfast for the three dudes in my house, picked up an outfit for Riv to wear to my gorgeous clients wedding....the list goes on! When I was out I decided to visit my friends at lululemon athletica Doncaster. Surprisingly enough we ended up modeling some new gear which was snapped by the beautiful Fatima while Letitia held our kids. If you ever want to discuss the Big Picture, spirituality and how yoga can change your life- go visit these girls! Fatima said that the more she photographs people, the more she sees their beauty. It made me smile because I had greasy hair & was not feeling particularly beautiful this morning! We then talked about just allowing ourselves to be our own kind of beautiful.

The point of my post though is wonderful things happen when you just ARE. We weren't looking at the time or rushing around, River had no shoes on & we had no immediate pressure. This pressure is sometimes crippling to me. So home now and I read this passage I wanted to share:

"Whether I take it easy for a day or escape into the woods by myself, it is hard to give this rest to myself...My ego likes to feel important, and it doesn't feel very important when I am resting. My ego also doesn't like the idea that life can go on without me...I like to be where the action is. Besides, in this culture of constant activity, there is always so much that needs to be done."

"It might surprise us to realise how much crazy activity we create in our days just so we can feel important. We wear our busyness like a badge, like our busyness would somehow impress the rest of the world, or impress ourselves...What if we walked off stage altogether and put God there instead. Maybe then we could go to sleep at night, not with a sense of accomplishment, but with a sense of wonder, because all day we had been an attentive audience to the divine play...we aren't embodied in this form to feel dead but to feel alive..."Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.""

I am guilty of living my life in excess! I am guilty of allowing my ego to take centre stage. But that's ok, this is an area I need to work on...to know when enough is and to find pleasure then and there. Excess causes lethargy, balance creates a beautiful harmony of energy. The more I read about the ethical practice of yoga, the more I learn about myself. 

Cheers & Giggles xx

27 Facts about Me

Feeling like I need to touch base with you all...and now as a REAL business owner I don't necessarily have the freedom to let my hair down on social media...before every post I consider: is it Kind? Is it helpful? Is it necessary? So it's not really THAT important to fill you in, but I'd like to be open & honest, and I'd like you all to comment and tell me about yourselves too :)

1. Above all else I value my family. My kids come first, full stop. I try to be really present with my children as these precious moments are fleeting.

2. Dancing has been my lifelong passion and I doubt I will ever stop. I'm not the best and I sometimes find it hard to put myself out there with the movement, but it is my favorite thing to do. I have danced since I was two years old and while currently I only take lyrical classes, I also love ballet & hiphop.

3. My job is the coolest. I always used to say "I can't be a PT forever" and wanted my degree so I could set myself apart with knowledge and expertise...then I found CrossFit and the possibilities are endless! I could coach til my very last breath :) I also found a niche with mums. My favorite aspect of training people is watching people start liking themselves more & caring less what the scales say. Second to that would be when awesome technique "clicks".

4. Having babies taught me how to love myself. I had never treated my body as a temple until I fell pregnant, and I had never ever been kind to myself until I realised that my children would learn from my behavior, and I want them to love themselves without fear!

5. I hate animal cruelty. It makes me feel unwell, I became vegetarian at 12 & after much research decided to go vegan two years ago. So many people have said "it's just a phase" but I cannot tell you how much it distresses me to cause another being harm. I will NEVER go back because I know too much. Even if eating animals was good for your body, I couldn't do it.

6. I try really hard not to push my opinion onto others (my CrossFit athletes may contest this...I am technique queen) but truly, at the end of the day do what serves your hearts desires. Be true to yourself.

7. Yoga teaches me something every day. Patience, strength, to be myself...I am reading "the Yamas & Niyamas" and it has really made me delve into my life, my thoughts and my direction. It's not easy to practice yoga-on the mat or every breath I take, but it has become a part of who I am.

8. I fought tooth and nail to be the person I am today...there was so many years spent not being the best version of myself. Every day I try to be better-a better Mumma, partner, friend, coach, athlete, dancer & health warrior!

9. I am quite easily influenced!!! Seems I am a people-pleaser and truly take to heart what people think of me, even silly salesgirls selling me very overpriced things!

10. Writing makes me happy. When things are out of balance I can tell as I don't write. I prefer writing in my journal or lists on paper. I am very excited to begin my goals journal, gifted to me by my beautiful friends at lululemon athletica Doncaster!

11. I'm a little obsessive compulsive. I like straight lines and things have to be done a certain way and in a certain order. Blame my parents and Nanna for this one!

12. My favorite foods include avocado, mango, berries, mushrooms, broccoli and Vegemite toast.

13. I've never eaten a banana though this year we discovered that I enjoy banana cake and will drink banana in delicious smoothies.

14. My favorite colour is blue.

15. I believe in karma, fate, an afterlife, the universe, ghosts, love at first sight (my kids) & that everything happens for a reason. I believe in mermaids and faeries. 

16. I used to be a devout Christian, that is how I was raised. I still believe in a concept of God (the universe), and I don't think humans evolved from monkeys.

17. I want to live by the sea.

18. My favorite exercise is a deadlift. I love that it's hard to do perfectly and that (dare I say) I come very damn close every time.

19. My best mate is Will. He's a lovely handsome (single) dude with a very open heart. He will hate me pimping him out like this!! He's been my "person" since the day we met though I sometimes wish he was a girl so we could take selfies and share clothes.

20. My dance idol is my teacher Kim, my yoga inspiration is a woman from Byron named Sydoni whom I really connected with, my CrossFit aspiration is Christmas Abbot though I kind of adore Amy Alessi & Morgan Wardropa! I truly admire Megan Small, Beverley Henderson & Kacey Bennett. 

21. I just realised I really dig some awesome women! (Usually girls scare me!)

22. Marli, my beautiful Lab will always be my first baby. And while he drives me bonkers I love our new baby Lincoln. One day we will get another puppy & name him Rich The Beast.

23. I love coffee. The way it smells, the way it tastes & the way it doesn't talk back to me. I prefer my soy latte with one from a cafe that uses BonSoy. I also love my barristers, anyone that brings me coffee is a dear friend for life.

24. My sense of humor is very dry and sarcastic. I think I'm witty...others would disagree. And I cannot tell jokes to save myself.

25. I'm not very stylish, nor do I care about fashion. Give me a bikini on the beach, a cute maxi, some jeans & lululemon attire for work/yoga/dance and I am set.

26. Most of you know I'm a lactivist, intactivist, co sleeping, baby wearing, cloth nappy-ing, non-vaccining, EC-ing, Baby-Led-Weaning Mumma. This works for me and my family. I will promote these things because I believe they make happier, healthier babies. Breastfeeding is the hardest most selfless thing I've ever done and out of all the above I will promote it, normalize it and do it on demand as long as I can because we live in a society that views breasts as purely sexual and that leads women to believe that formula is just as good.

27. Health & Functionality along with saving the planet one small step at a time is my aim. That's why I love my job, parent like this, became vegan & am a pretty massive "hippy". 

Cheers & Giggles

Xxx

Procrastinating...

Hey lovelies!!

Just needed a little vent...this is what my Monday consists of;

• up at 4am to feed Miss Raine (this goes on/off until 6.30am where I am woken to a huge poo & lots of smiles)

• get up & get breakfast happening

• get to work by 7.30am, finish at 9 get home 9.30am

• review 4 lectures material

• get posters printed

• organise 30 WODs of CrossFit

• sort out merchandise issue

• pump milk

• take two clients calls

• print admin sheets

• hang wash out & bring wash in

• get in a quick WOD at home

• head back to work at 4.30

• finish at 6.30 get home by 7.15ish

• walk dogs

In this time I feed Raine, wrap her, play with River...nick is around so that's helpful though he has a big day of sorting stuff out too. Eric had to fix our flat tire, sort out an issue with Telstra, fix our new GHD, cook meals & do some housework plus he worked this am from 6-7.30am.

This is just Monday! 

There are 10days left for me to study for my exam, things will ease off quite abit after that. 

Some days I want to quit...some days I feel like throwing in the towel, leaving work, giving Raine a bottle, putting Riv in daycare, going out every weekend, trashing my body, ignoring my children's needs, my clients needs, our athletes needs...but I know that even though I have chosen a harder path, even though I choose to put others needs above my own, at the end of the day I have done EVERYTHING with good intent, honesty & love. 

To everyone of you reading this, thank you for giving me space to be who I am...I hope I can inspire you to keep going or that I can stand as something you don't ever want to be. Long as you stay true to YOU.

Our perfect healing homebirth

Ok, it has once again been far too long between posts...and here we are three months after the most magical experience a family can have, bringing a baby earthside.

Here is the story from the incredible birth of our baby Raine Lee.

We ROCKED it, like we actually effing ROCKED the homebirth. Our baby girl was born healthy and naturally in our lounge room with only her parents, her aunty, her photographer friend, her midwives and her grandmother watching over us.

Tuesday 25th June I woke up with some strong pre-labour, was checked by Juliana and encouraged to wait and see...by nightfall all signs had ceased. This was one day past our estimated due date and I felt so down in the dumps about it...thinking I would be pregnant forever! Mentally I had prepared for an early baby and to be "late" was just not in my plan. So I treated myself to Bowen therapy and reflexology and then spent my time fighting off Rivers cold. I got sick and wasn't sure if I could breathe through labour or have the stamina to endure the long labour I was expecting. 

Saturday 29th began with mild sporadic "tightening" that I was mostly able to ignore, I made no mention of them and a normal day progressed. After going to bed at 7.30pm, I was woken at 9.30 with full on contractions lasting 30-45seconds every 3minutes, they were so intense that River was woken and not being able to comfort him distressed us both. My sister Loz, was called to the rescue as was Juliana...things were chaos for a while until it was decided that Nick would pick River up which worked out really well. I don't remember the timing of things too clearly but Donna (our photographer) was called at some stage and stayed with us from about 12.30pm!

I remember being examined by Juliana and she was so kind and gentle and it was nothing like my experience at the hospital. It was one of only two vaginal exams performed, and I never knew how dilated I was during labour until afterwards.

On the couch I worked through contractions with music and holding my sisters hands, Eric was stroking my hair when my waters broke BY ITSELF during a contraction, I squealed and celebrated, what an amazing feeling of achievement, this was the first time I knew I could do it myself, that my body wasn't broken. Soon after we hopped in the birth pool, I think we all believed baby was very very close. This was good in a way as my team stayed really present with me the whole time. I panicked when I felt like I needed to poo. This turned out to be the biggest issue for me - I was literally a tight arse the whole labour!! 

Nothing was happening so we rugged up and headed off for our first walk. Juliana and Eric held me as we marched up and down my hilly street in the dark of night, I even managed to walk through a contraction or two. Helen then arrived and while Jules and the others took turns resting we decided to kick it up a notch. I had spent most of my contractions on all fours or leaning on Loz or Eric, but Helen ordered skin to skin...even started tearing off Erics' jacket!!! We were smooching and cuddling though I was very vocal during contractions, and Helen was actually jiggling my butt to get me to relax my nether regions, it started to work!

When Juliana examined me again she found that my bladder was full, too full, and I couldn't pee. This happened during Rivers birth no no no!!!! A catheter was offered and sent me into despair...this was NOT going to be the same experience. Juliana calmed me down by explaining that they could put it in, relieve me and immediately take it out again. What a game changer. A short time was spent in discomfort and then we were back into it, though my urine showed ketosis, where liver glycogen stores are depleted. I had had nothing to eat during labour and was vomiting quite a lot but I adamantly refused an IV drip. In that case I had some serious work to do! "Sarah, we need to see some progress in the next two hours or we have to talk about transferring to the hospital" frick frick frick, what more could I do? I tried to eat and drink some and Eric suggested another walk. We left the house just after 8.30am, personal trainer Eric came on the scene to have me marching THROUGH contractions. Juliana was reminding me of all the physical feats my body has overcome while Helen force fed me cold vegemite toast. It was so hard.

Back at home Eric and I jumped in the shower, he ommed with me through contractions, shielded me from the cold water (filling the pool up again), and we knew it would not be too long. We got back in the tub despite the fact it was freezing cold, everyone was writing notes or filling the pool with hot water. Helen was telling me to poo on Eric, Loz was whispering encouragement holding my hands and Eric was trying once again to get me to relax my butt.I was getting grunty and could feel the intensity change. It was probably around this time that 'transition' occurred but I could not have told you if it did at all. I was reassured that we WERE in fact doing this. Nick and River popped in to get Rivs clothes and it refocused me. Noone would cut me open again, nonone would rob me of this. My baby would be born NORMALLY, I would ROAR my baby out of my VAGINA because I had WORKED for this.

Pushing took so long I was actually sleeping between contractions. It was really frustrating to feel her head coming down during contractions and then return in between them. Eric had moved in front of me and I was literally using him to get me through, pushing against him or relaxing on his shoulder. There was snot everywhere and yeah it hurt but I didn't care. I was listening to the loving voices around me, Jules talking me through the pushing, Helen smiling at me and feeding me gatorade, Loz telling me how strong I was and Eric riding it out with me. After about three hours her head came out in one push, her body came out in the next. "Reach down and grab your baby" said Juliana, as Eric and I both grabbed her to my chest. 

We named her in the pool as we waited for the placenta, a beautiful name in honour of her grandmother.

The most emotional moment came when we were lying on the couch afterwards, feeding and snuggling, as I exclaimed "I can feel my legs!". I cried for what I had lost with Rivers birth, I cried because Nick had missed out on a beautiful birth for his son, I cried because we did it; an unplanned pregnancy after the trauma of her grandmother passing, after a sad divorce and a very new relationship. The hurdles we jumped to have a HBAC, the doubt I faced, the pressure I put on myself, the changes made mentally, spiritually and physically. We chose the BEST team to support us and we gave birth with LOVE around us.

A happy update

Because a Facebook post is never enough...

We were blessed to welcome baby Raine Lee Blyth earth side on June 30th at 1pm. It was a beautiful healing home birth that lasted 16 hours of hard work. I was supported every step of the way by Eric, my sister Lozzie, our friend/photographer/client Donna, and our two amazing brilliant midwives. I never once felt like a client, I felt nothing but love in our space. Nick & River had some daddy/son time as it was abit intense for Riv & I really needed to focus on the labour. I'm writing my birth story to share at a later date. I don't feel like a super hero for doing what I believe is normal and natural. But I am so proud that we researched the best option for us to bring Raine into the world & we ROCKED it. We've even been asked to be guest speakers at a talk on vbac later in the year.

So she is a beautiful peaceful addition to our family. We haven't swaddled her once, she has fed really well without shields (I had to use them for Riv for 9weeks & had all sorts of issues afterward). I cried so hard after her birth because I could feel my legs...but I have no resentment left about Rivers birth. The issue was NOT my body, it was NOT Rivers size...it was the time frames & the system that I don't fit into. 

So big thankyou to anyone that followed this journey, that believed in me, that supported me. I am so thankful ❤ 

Here are some sneaky snaps, I will blog again soon. 

Cheers & Giggles xx

Any minute now...

The clock is ticking...haha I actually cannot believe I've made it to full term but that's ok babies come when they're ready! I'm very trusting of the whole birth process which is helping me with patience. As I lay here trying to feed River to sleep (hello practice contractions) I'm finding myself antsy...I would like to get up for a drink and I would love for my dog to stop effing barking. It's annoying having Riv squirm & fight sleep. It's also annoying that I have to lay on my left side. It's even more annoying that this baby isn't here yet!!! 

Some of you know I am reading "Buddhism for Mothers", not so I can become a Buddhist but so that I can apply the principles to my daily life. I do feel more peaceful, more patient and more compassionate. I do feel less attached to things that will make me happy...allowing myself to accept life as it is. Of course this did not apply when our psycho neighbor threw cat shit at Eric (yes it was probably our cat) & threatened to kill Raf. It also doesn't apply when people get too big for their boots, when arrogant people act like they are SO much better than you. Buddhism teaches us to view each situation with fresh eyes and compassion, for some reason despite knowing it is probably insecurity that causes people to act a certain way, I still see red (cue area to work on!).

So I thought I would let you know what I'm eating at the moment. My measurements are good & I've set some realistic goals for my post partum figure. When I wake up I make oats for River and a giant cup of raspberry leaf tea for myself. I have my B12 supplement and usually clean up the kitchen or read while Riv eats. Sometimes I eat toast with Vegemite or days like this morning I enjoy quinoa porridge. Then I usually make a juice sometime in the morning with Kale, oranges, apple & whatever else is in the fridge or fruitbowl. This is to mix my iron supplement and evening primrose oil in. Lunch is usually soup in winter I made delicious broad bean and wild rice soup this weekend. And in these last few weeks I have been baking & consuming some delicious chocolate or vanilla vegan cupcakes. Dinner is always varied at our house the standout meals over the past week have been hearty winter meals like pasta with vegetables & grilled corn, pan fried gnocchi, pizza made from scratch (thanks Loz) and quinoa/tofu bake. I then usually have magnesium with iron again, another B12 tab & raspberry tea before bed.

I am a huge believer that our babies come when they're ready which is why I am annoyed at myself for being so impatient to meet our little Be. I truly thought I would have an early bub and that is what everyone around me also assumed. It scared me that I may labor like I did with Riv but out of everything I'm very confident that Be's labor & delivery will be so very different. 

Our gym is affiliated and almost good to start advertising, I could not be more excited for Gav, Eric & myself. I'm also so proud that we didn't give up. I am looking forward to going back to work because I feel like winter has delivered us some very sooky athletes who may just need a Saresy kick-up-the-ass! It'll be good to provide some competition & hopefully inspire everyone to keep pushing hard despite the cold weather. The clients that are training with Eric or having some time off PT are keeping in touch & they are all doing SO well. This is cause for celebration & praise, my girls have worked so hard, come so far and are STILL not giving up, you know who you are.

To the night crew at Crossy I've been hearing great things. It makes me excited to watch all of your PB & smash your goals when I come back.

Anyway things are good, send me all your hurry-up-baby vibes and I will keep you all posted. Thankyou for coming on this journey with me :)

Cheers & Giggles xxx