By Heather Ledeboer | Category: The Journey of Motherhood | Posted Monday, July 30, 2007
I did something a little out of character last week Wednesday. I wore a tutu all day (with jeans). Not just in the house with my kids, I had a hair appointment in town and wore it there as well. Why? It was my social experiment. I wanted to see how I would feel and how those around me would react to this type of attire.
My daughter has a tutu and whenever she wears it, lookout, because everyone has something to say about it. "Ohhh she is so cute!" "Oh what a little princess" and so on. So how about a 28 year old mom of 2? Would I get the same response?
To give you a little more background, I will explain that this tutu was lovingly made for me by Anneke, our Mom 4 Life customer service assistant at my request. This experiment was planned and not just random. I even had some super cute Prima Crocs on to complete the ensemble!
After I got dressed and my daughter had some fun playing in the tulle, I started about my day. My son took some notice but didn’t really have much to say until my husband said, "Hunter doesn’t mommy look pretty today?" "Oh yes!" he then replied. My assistants were not too surprised to see my outfit because they knew Anneke had been making it for me and had even helped me choose the best length (we had decided on mid-thigh). It felt a little strange to be fairly like in my appearance but I will admit it was fun. The tricky part for me was leaving my house and wearing this outfit in public. As I walked down the street to my hair appointment I was pretty self conscious. I felt like everyone must be looking at me and wondering what the heck I was wearing and why. OR perhaps they were all caught up in the beauty of the fairy princess passing them by, either way I felt I had an audience. I was so sure that everyone was looking at me that, for my own sake, had to walk with a lot of confidence so that at least they would guess I must have it on for a reason. After all, someone that carries herself with confidence can get away with a lot more than someone timid it seems. Once in the salon, my hair dresser (whom I had never met before) greeted me warmly and asked something to the effect of if I was a dance instructor (he he). I filled her in on the story and she was very sweet and said she felt I could pull the look off:). I will also mention that my hair appointment was to get "fashion red" (I had no idea there was a term for this kind of color) highlights similar to my blogging friend here. This is also slightly "untypical" for be but something I had been wanting to try for fun for a while (nothing like doing it all on the same day LOL!)
By the end of the day, I retired my tutu to my closet for the time being. It can be tiring as a fairy princess. I realized in retrospect I should have taken someone with me to town to follow behind and really watch to see how people reacted to it. I was so busy looking confident I couldn’t tell LOL. Who knows, maybe they never even noticed!
As a parent isn’t it great how we get the "freedom" to enjoy the fun fancy free parts of life again without worrying about what others think? Don’t we think it is cute if a mom is dancing in the store with her toddler? If we see a dad racing he son to the car, don’t we smile? If I (wearing a tutu) was walking with my daughter (also in a tutu), wouldn’t you think we were both so cute (and likely doing it for some fun reason)? What a blessing that God grants parents a "free ticket to revisit childhood". It is so much harder to visit it on our own (without feeling silly).
As a side note, I would love to hear your feedback. What would your (honest) thoughts be if you had seen me walking down the road in my tutu? Or, tell us about something out of character that you have done just to challenge yourself and the way you think or feel about life?
P.S. Just for the record, I do think my outfit was pretty stylish:). If you want to start a new trend with me and get your own tutu, just let me know:)!
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By Heather Ledeboer | Category: Hot New Finds | Posted Sunday, July 29, 2007
I found a product that is a HUGE help to busy Moms and Dads on the go! Not on only is it extremely helpful, but it is stylish as well! It is a personal calling card from Doodlebug Prints for parents on the go, that has all of the parent’s contact information including pictures of their kids on it. Information such as allergies, medical conditions, and even doctor’s phone numbers can be added too, as they are all fully customizable for no extra fee.
Being the size of a business card, you can easily carry it around and pass it out when needed, and they are stylish too! These can easily be distributed to teachers, coaches, baby sitters, and other parents.
Here is the best part, Doodlebug Prints is offering Mom 4 Life readers 20% off their order! Simply use the code MOM20 when you checkout for the discount. Now that’s something to write (I mean call) home about:)!
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By jennylee | Category: Recipes & Kitchen Tips | Posted Sunday, July 29, 2007
Welcome to a new series called ‘Bee-Z Foods for Bee-Z Kidz’©. As a certified nutrition specialist and inventor of the Bee-Z Snack Shop™, I know about the importance of having kids eat healthy foods and snacks but as a mom of two, a 5 and 2 year old, I also understand the struggle we as moms face in having them chose to eat foods that are good for them.
Through this blog and many more to come, I will share childrens nutritional information as well as fun and easy healthy recipes and fun food ideas for you and your child. To understand nutrition we must first start at the beginning with the food pyramid and what it means to our kids. Did you know that the food pyramid’s servings differ from children to adults? When it comes to kids, the food pyramid is divided into 5 categories: Grain, Vegetable, Fruit, Milk and Meat Groups.
Grain Group (6 servings)
Grain Group foods help give us carbohydrates which is very important for all of us but not as important as it is to our kids. Carbohydrates give our children the energy they need to play, learn, sleep and keep their bodies running 24-7, as we all know so well! Grain Group Foods, such as bread, muffins, bagels, cereals, rice, pasta, tortillas, crackers and pancakes, come from many different grain plants: "Whole-grains" like whole-wheat bread, also provide fiber and other substances that help keep them healthy.
Vegetable (3 servings) & Fruit Groups (2 servings)
Vegetables and fruits provide our kids with many different vitamins that result in many different ways that help their bodies grow big and strong. For example, Vitamin C, helps heal their cuts and fight infections, Fiber, helps them digest their food and Phytochemicals that help our children prevent disease. While Vitamin A help our children’s vision and keep their skin healthy.
Milk Group (2 servings)
Did you know our bodies have 206 bones that are alive and growing? Believe it or not, your kids will eventually have 32 permanent teeth! Milk Group foods provide calcium that helps build strong bones and teeth as well as stop bleeding if you get cut or bruised. They also provide other important nutrients for our children, including protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, and B vitamins.
Meat Group ( 2 servings) Meat Group foods help kids build strong muscles. Foods in this group provide protein and iron as well as carry oxygen to all parts of their bodies. Protein also makes energy to help get your child through busy days!
So why is understanding the food pyramid important for your child’s health? It can help us, as parents, become more aware of what guidelines to follow for our children nutritional needs but most importantly it helps us realize that the most important information one can take away from the food pyramid, specially when it comes to picky eaters like mine, is moderation. I personally would have a hard time to make my child eat 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit a day, every day! So knowing what the recommended servings are, help me become creative in how my little picky eaters can take it in. For example, I buy only 100 % juice with no added sugars or preservatives and offer it along with their lunch or snack.
Did you know 1 cup of orange juice, for example, is equal to two servings of fruit? Or if I serve broccoli, I sprinkle some cheese on top, covering one vegetable and one milk serving in one shot. The bottom line is that if my kids eat at least some veggies and fruit a day or during the week, and not necessarily meet the recommend servings every day, I feel like I still have accomplished a lot! Remember they are kids and we must willing to work with them and encourage food in a positive way and not as a punishment. In doing so, our kids will slowly want to try different types of food by themselves!
Jenny Lee
Proud mommy, certified nutrition specialist and founder of the Bee-Z Snack Shop™
www.Beezsnackshop.com
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By Heather Ledeboer | Category: Mom 4 Life News & Giveaways | Posted Friday, July 27, 2007
Kelly H is our winner of the MoBoleez Breastfeeding Bonnet! Congratulatons Kelly:). It was a lot of fun choosing our winner this week. Watch the video to see how a brown egg helped us choose our winner!
This week our free giveaway is for three pair of super cute socks from Monkey Toes They are size 0-12
months and you get the frog, pig and ladybug styles (watch the video to see them up close). These are really cute and are sure to bring a smile to your little one or would make a great gift!
To win, simply post a comment below including a personal review for ANY product offered on Mom 4 Life that I could post on our site. You do not have to have purchased the product on our site to qualify. I simply want to have some more personal reivews that I can add to aid others in deciding if a product is right for them. SImply include your name, the product name and your review. All entries must be posted by Wednesday, August 1 at 9:00 PM PST. The winner will be chosen at random and announced the following Friday, good luck!
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By rosemaryanthony | Category: Healthy Living | Posted Thursday, July 26, 2007
As a parent, you only want the best for your children. You feed them the right foods, make sure they get exercise, read books to them and spend most of your time and energy helping them become the best people they can be. But what you may not know is that you may also be putting them at risk for rashes or allergic reactions as a result of the simple use of lotions, shampoos, and diaper creams used on a daily basis.
We all know that babies have delicate skin, but did you know that a baby’s skin is five times thinner than that of an adult? As a result, their skin (the largest organ in the entire body) is at much higher a risk for irritation by harsh chemicals found in many skincare products, even by those targeted to children. While irritation can occur from synthetic fragrances, humectants, and surfactants in the products (used to create lather in soaps and shampoos), the real danger may lurk in the preservatives.
Preservatives are a necessary part of any product and play an important role in limiting the growth of bacteria that could harm delicate skin. Some such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are relatively safe since they are mostly salt, but can irritate a baby’s skin. However, many baby products contain a class of preservatives called parabens (methyl, ethyl, propel and butylparaben), which act like hormones and disrupt the body’s immune system.
This hormonal link may be the most cause for concern. Parabens, used as food preservatives, are flushed out of the body during the digestive process, making them less harmful. However, when parabens are applied to the skin in a cream or lotion, they are absorbed directly into the body. I have had the pleasure of interviewing, British researcher, Dr. Phillipa Darbre, on one of my radio shows…(you may visit: www.lovemebabyme.com/previousshows.php to hear this “enlightening” interview…on January 28, 2007)! Dr. Darbre conducted a study on samples of 20 breast tumors and found traces of parabens in eighteen of them, suggesting that parabens applied to the skin were absorbed and remained in breast tissue. This danger is not limited to girls and women. Recent studies in China and Japan have linked parabens to low sperm count and decreased testosterone levels.
Although it is not yet proven that parabens are the sole culprits in this health crisis, A NEW GENERATION OF AWARE PARENTS™ is opting not to take the risk with their children. These parents are looking for a safer, gentler alternative to the synthetic preservatives found in most baby products (both name brand products and those found in the local health food stores). Remember, not all ‘natural’ products are created equal. I invite you to join this quest, by committing to read each and every label of skincare products BEFORE you apply it to your child’s skin.
Parents owe it to themselves and their children to know all about the products they use. Whatever you choose for your children’s skincare, make sure you understand the benefits and any potential risks. Knowledge is Power, and Aware Parents make all the difference in happy, healthy children!!
Until next time….”Happy Parenting!!”
Rosemary Anthony
Owner of Love Me Baby Me
(All Love Me Baby Me products are also available on Mom 4 Life and are Paraben Free, Propylene Glycol Free, Tear Free, Pure and Natural, Pediatrician Tested, Hypoallergenic and Vegan Friendly)
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