"Real Sweat, Real People"

Have you seen this guy?

His name is Tony Horton, and I have a crush on him.  He's the creator of P90X (I'm sure you've seen the infomercials like a million times during 3 am feedings).  As per the www.beachbody.com website, P90X is described as follows:

P90X® is a revolutionary system of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. You'll also receive a comprehensive 3-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide, a calendar to track your progress, online peer support, and much more. Your personal trainer, Tony Horton, will keep you engaged every step of the way, and you won't believe your results!

I simply call it TORTURE, but in the nicest sense of the word.  Tony , (I like to think we are on a first name basis) has kicked my ASS from here to next Tuesday.  While I'm not following his program exactly as prescribed (I mean, really, I did have a baby only 3 1/2 months ago) - I'm using the individual videos as cardio and weight training workouts.  I believe that Tony is one of the major reasons I have  been able to accomplish as much as I have in these past few months.  I am only 8 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight--which is HUGE, given the fact that it took me over a year and a half to lose my "baby" weight the first time around. 

I do, however, have to give much credit to my hubby, Ray, (who also has a crush on Tony).  Ray has vowed to make us "HOT" again...just like we were in 2001! Ahhhh, those were the days--when I could eat black and white cookies as a snack and not gain an ounce.  Oh well, two kids, and 8 years later, this is not the case.  Anyway, Ray has been by my side, preparing and organizing our food plan (we don't like to call it a diet, per se -- it makes us feel deprived) and has been my biggest cheerleader!  He's run 2 miles by my side, while pushing our two girls in the double stroller-- no easy task.  As I run, I can hear him say to Giuliana - "Gi, look at mommy, she's doing great right??"  I couldn't have dreamed up a more wonderful man.  So thank you honey, for all of your support and dedication to making us "HOT" again. 

Here are some of the tools we are using to get "HOT":

• Daily log ins to the best weight loss website on the planet:  www.sparkpeople.com  (Please check this site out, you can literally track all your food, activities, calorie intake, output, make friends, join support groups, get recipes, and on and on and on and on...it truly is fabulous)
• A library full of cook books--our faves are:
•  Weight Watchers, Simply Delicious
•  Weight Watchers, Cook it Quick
•  The Eat Clean Diet, Tosca Reno
•  The Food You Crave, Ellie Krieger
  
• My cooler (to transport my daily rations to work)
• Healthy and easy snacks (fruits, veggies, string cheese, almonds and peanut butter)
  
• P90X
• A great pair of running sneakers
  
• A food scale
  
• Bob's Revolution Duaille Stroller
• My mother (who watches the girls on the weekend while we run (thanks mom!)

I've realized that if you really want something and equip yourself with the right tools, you will and can achieve anything!  


As my new crush says in his videos, "Real Sweat, Real People" (I have no idea what that really means, but I  love the sound of it and say it like 100 times a day-- simply because I think it applies to pretty much any situation...I'm a loser, I know).

Happy Hump Day

So I've made it to day three of my first week back to work.  As you can tell from my post on Monday, I was pretty down in the dumps about leaving my girls. While I still would love to spend every waking second with them, there is something to be said about heading into the business world and being able to have conversations that don't involve the phrase "hi pretty girl, who loves you? mama does! who loves you pretty girl?"  BUT most of all....I absolutely love being able to sit at my desk and sip my hot cup of coffee without any interruption. Really, it's a slice of heaven.

In planning my return, I have managed to turn my house upside down and put it back together again in an effort to organize, find a place for everything and put everything in its place.  This state of order lasted about forty-seven seconds.  Clearly, order and organization are both unrealistic and unattainable goals when you live with the following creatures:

(A) a husband;

(B) a three year old, high maintenance, high heel and crown wearing, pre-schooler;

(C) a newborn; oh yeah, and that thingy that I wanted so badly, because he was so darn cute...

(D) a crazy, psycho, pee on the rug, bark at the mailman, dog named Vegas.

EXHIBIT B

 EXHIBIT C & D

Take a look again at Exhibit C.  If you can get past the large, pink crown on her head, you'll notice that Giuliana is posing very proudly in front of a brightly colored hanging board. Well, at the recommendation of one of my best girlfriends, Shannon, we purchased the Melissa and Doug - "My Responsibility Chart".  And let me tell you, it is worth the $15 you'll pay for it.

It comes with the following  responsibility magnets:  get ready for bed, get dressed, take bath, clear table, put toys away, keep hands to self, share, brush teeth, stop whining, apologize to someone, say please and thank you, help with indoor/outdoor chores, no teasing, show respect, load/empty dishwasher, put clothes in wash, don't use bad language, set table, take care of pet, do homework, make bed, clean room, take out trash, keep hands to self, plus two blank to write your own.  Also included are plenty of reward magnets (i.e. "good job",  "awesome", "super") to give when the tasks are completed.

 

If you squint your left eye and look at the last responsibility on our chart, you'll see I've used my P-Touch label maker to make a "Princess Points" category for miscellaneous good acts -- earn 5 princess points and Giuliana gets a prize! How much fun is that??   But this leaves me wondering, when does mommy get a prize, because lord knows, we mamas deserve them like every three days or so!

 

It Doesn't Get Any Easier

I've been staring at my computer trying to figure out some great tip to give out on how to make going back to work easier after maternity leave.  I have nothing for you ladies--nothing! 

Today was my first day back after spending three months with my new little girl, Sofia.  I thought that because I had done this once before, (albeit three years ago) that I was going to get up, get dressed, give her a kiss goodbye and skip out the door.  I was either delusional or in serious denial, or maybe just a bit of both.

My morning, however, definitely went smoother than I expected.  And by that, I mean, I was able to take a shower, shave my legs and straighten my hair.  Impressive, I know.  I then frantically scanned my closet for something to wear.  Preferably something without buttons or zippers.  Alas, I came upon a black dress that required nothing other than slipping it on over my head.  Much to my credit, I avoided both, muffin top and camel toe.

Somehow, Giuliana knew that I was fragile this morning.  Was it the extra hugs and kisses I required from her? Was it the fact I was staring at her in the mirror when I brushed her hair? Whatever it was, she sensed it, and she fully cooperated. She didn't fight me on getting dressed and slipped her petite self into a pair of skinny jeans.  She ate breakfast, gave me a big hug and kiss and left to go to school with my hubby.  For some reason she looked 18 years old this morning.  She might as well been heading off to college.  As I closed the door behind her, my vision became blurred by all of the tears welling up in my eyes. I missed her a little more than usual today.

Sofia was just getting up as they left.  I fed her, holding her just a bit tighter..  Suddenly,  I found myself lost in her blue eyes. Would time pass as fast as it did with Giuliana? If I blinked, would Sofia soon be 3 years old too? How do I make time stop? How do I freeze this moment? How do I bottle her baby smell?

The doorbell breaks the silence.  It is my Aunt Maria, ready to spend the day with Sofia while I go to work.  I hand her the "Soares Family House Manual" (a three ring binder, which contains all contact numbers, emergency information and sheets to record all of Sofia's feedings, naps and poops).  I pack my lunch, give Sofia one last kiss and get in the car.  I sit in the driveway one last moment, and watch as my Aunt Maria waves Sofia's hand to "say goodbye to mommy".  My heart breaks.

I take a deep breath, back out of the driveway and head to work. 

My tips:  Stock your closet with Kleenex for your tears and duct tape to mend your broken heart.

"The Laurie Berkner Band"

Moms: You love her, (you even may hate her for brief moments), but she is undeniably the most entertaining children's recording artist out there and she's coming to NY!

You may already have heard, but if not, The Laurie Berkner Band will be live, in concert, at The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College on October 24, 2009 at 1pm.  (The show runs about 1 hour and 25 minutes)

The theme:  Pajama Party!  That means, kids come in pjs with their fave stuffed animal. Too cute!   

Here's the link to Laurie Berkner Bank:

http://www.laurieberkner.com/site/

And here's the link to the Performing Arts Center to order your tickets:

http://www.artscenter.org/tickets/production.aspx?performanceNumber=3094

If you want to go, I would call for tickets immediately, as I heard through the grapevine that they are selling like hotcakes!

An Apple A Day....

Fall is one of my favorite seasons for so many reasons.  I love to watch the leaves turn gorgeous colors.  I love to wear soft snugly sweaters in the crisp, but not yet cold air.  I love apple pies.  But most of all, I have come to love and look forward to my family's annual pilgrimage to The Applewood Orchard and Winery  in Warwick, NY, for apple and pumpkin picking, wine tasting, music, apple cider donuts, Apple Dave and you guessed it, a picnic.   

www.applewoodorchards.com
  

This will be my family's 4th annual outing to Applewood and we have come to love the orchard.  

So here are our tips and suggestions, compiled over the past three years:

 1. Picnic:  Pack your cooler with snacks, beverages and lunch.  There are plenty of picnic tables at the orchard, but my suggestion is to arrive early and set up your space.  You can leave your stuff at the picnic table all day while you head into the orchard or go wine tasting.

Mommy Note:  For those of you following my blog, you already know that I am obsessed with packing your own food wherever you go.  I personally think its a great way to: (a) save money (b) save time (c) always ensure that you have you and your childrens' fave snacks on hand and (d) make an ordinary day special.  There's something about picnics that just makes me smile.

2.  Photo Op:  Take a picture of your child/children in front of the Applewood Winery - "How Tall This Fall?" sign.  See Giuliana in front of the sign in 2006, 2007 and 2008.  (Scrapbook gold! Now, only if I could bring myself to actually scrapbook.)

 

  













3.  Wine Tasting:  Pay the $5-$7 bucks for wine tasting in the small, but cute winery on the premises.  Delicious, refreshing wine that are all available for purchase.  You can bring some of fall home with you in a bottle!

4.  Sugar Loaf Fall Festival:  For an extra bonus, you can visit the orchard on Columbus Day Weekend, which coincides with the Sugar Loaf Fall Festival.  Sugar Loaf is a small arts and crafts village that you must drive through to get to the orchard--it is totally adorable and has a ton of really cute shops full of unique things!   

5. Bring a Wagon:  We take our Radio Flyer with us every year and load it up with kids, apples and pumpkins.  It is so convenient! If you don't have one, invest in one--it will save you hundreds of dollars on chiropractors!

6.  Boots:  If it is raining or has rained within a few days of your visit, chances are the orchard will be muddy, so leave your Christian Loubitans at home and pack some boots or old sneakers. 

7.  Baby Wipes/Hand Sanitizer:  While the Port-o-Pottys are plentiful, they are far from clean.  Bring your own baby wipes, hand sanitizer, seat covers--whatever you may need to make your potty experience a little bit cleaner and neater.  

Mommy Note:  There are tons of apple orchards at our fingertips here in NY and while I personally can't attest to any of the following, you should check them out, pick one, and start your own family tradition.

www.weedorchards.com 

www.maskers.com

www.outhouseorchards.info

www.wilkensfarm.com

Happy Apple Picking!

It's 10pm! -- Do you know where your child's Baby Book is?

Like every other mother, when I was expecting (both times), I had extremely high hopes of filling out the girls respective baby books with every little detail of their lives.  You know, the basics, like first smile, first giggle, first step, first tooth, oh and for fun, I was going to note every time they took a bath (Secretly, I lay awake at night wondering how many times I've actually bathe in my life, it's just a random wacky fact that I'd like to know about myself and of course, I blame my mother for not counting before I could).  

Anyway, you know how it goes....you give birth to this beautiful baby - and then realized that WOW, admist the every 2 1/2 hour feedings and dirty diaper changes, you don't have time to write ANYTHING down, let alone neatly fill out a baby book that will be passed down for generations.  OH God - the PRESSURE!

So, here's the tip:  instead of stressing yourself out and running to the baby book every single time something momentous happens, keep a small note pad nearby (like post-it note size without the sticky part) and write the date and event on the note paper.  Take that note paper and place it into a clear shoe box or any other decorative box that you have.  Once a month or when you have uninterrupted time- take all of your notes out and transfer them into the baby book.  This allows you to take the time to do it neatly without missing any important moment.

My fave baby book is Carter's Sweet Baby Girl Record Book (you can find it on Amazon).  You can also find it at Target, but it will have a slightly different cover simply because it is produced by Just One Year (Carter's brand for Target)

The book has a very simple layout. It prompts you with questions and provides a place for all the important information- no thinking involved (something very useful when you're suffering from a bad case of "mommy brain").   Also, there are plenty of blank pages at the end to fill in with your own ideas and memories. 

Isn't it nice to know that you can hand your kids a fully executed, neatly written baby book, even if you haven't noted every bath?

"Baby Loves Disco"

Ahhh, do you remember the days when you used to go clubbing, dancing to awesome music, staying out until 6am? Well, those days may be over, and you may have traded in coming home at 6am for getting up at 6am with your kids! But, you can still enjoy the atmosphere of a real night club while hanging out with your kids! How?

"BABY LOVES DISCO"  -   http://www.babylovesdisco.com/
(check out the website for locations and dates near you)

In a nutshell, "Baby Loves Disco" transforms nightclubs across the country into child proof discos!  Yes, I said NIGHTCLUBS!  How brilliant!

I went last summer with my then 2 year old daughter and I cannot say enough about it. She had an absolute blast dancing to the music, checking out the random toys spread around the club, chasing bubbles and getting her very first tattoo, albeit, temporary.  Nicely displayed on the bar was a full spread of the most glorious healthy snacks like cheese, crackers, carrots, celery, pretzels, and organic juice boxes! Needless to say, this spread made this very health conscious mother very happy!  Most importantly however, is the fact that they play actual real music, not kiddie stuff (I still love you Laurie Berkner, but there's only so many times I can sing "We are the dinosaurs...marching marching"!).

This is just an amazing way to spend time with your kids-doing something fun and out of the box! 

And...if you close your eyes tight enough you may be able to envision yourself a few years back in those tight pants and low cut shirt hanging out at the club! (Oh wait, is that spit up on your low cut shirt? Sorry...back to reality!)