Momo Design House Ring Sling

We rang in the New Years with Style this year!! My community hosts an annul fireworks and BBQ in the park for the kids. This was Aiden's first year, and he got toted around in style in his Momo Design House Sling. I got many compliments and many wow I wish I had one of those when my kids were babies. I also received a phone call after the event a parent asking me where She could purchase such a carrier. Now mind you Aiden was fully dressed for the weather in a fleece snow suit and yet he was very comfy in the sling. I was able to adjust the sling for his comfort and my own.

What I love the most about Momo Design House Ring Sling is the COMFORT.. Seriously this sling is the Cadillac of designs. The Fabric is beautiful, The embellished material is just enough to add a bit of class to the sling.. Absolutely beautiful..

When asked where to purchase such a sling. I was very obliged to guide the parent to the Momo Design House website. There are many colour options take a stop by and get your own today..

Kim at Momo Design House was kind enough to offer Judson family readers a chance to win one of two organic cotton Monkey Onsies..

Mandatory Entry...

Head on over to Momo Design House.. and tell me what item you would purchase from their site.

Additional Entries

Grab My Wear Your Babies Button 1 Entry

Grab the Judson Family Button 1 Entry

Follow Judson Family 1 Entry

Tell me what benefit you have experienced first hand from Wearing Your Baby.. 2 Entries

Contest will End February 3rd 2009.

Wear Your Babies

Body After Baby Week #4

It is true that getting in shape and staying there is a combination of many things. You have to want it, you have to have the desire to follow through until your new lifestyle becomes habit. You have to appreciate what you have accomplished and not return to your old ways. You have to make activity and nutrition part of your lifestyle, and you have to do it in a way where you look forward to it. It may not happen the first few weeks, but stick with it and it will fall into place.

I am a day late posting.. My Wednesday was more like a Monday Hectic, but I got a late work out done at the Gym. I find that if i miss a work out and I do try to get to the gym 6 days a week, that my body is craving for the challenge. I love it!!! I feel that by breaking old habits and making new ones that I am making a permanent change in my lifestyle. We were out and about the other day and a lunch I stopped at subway with the kids, I ordered a turkey on Whole Wheat, topped with yummy veggies, for the sauce I asked for light on the light mayo...big mistake, I could not eat the sub, I knew I should not have chose the mayo.. I am really strict with myself, I have this no fail attitude...I am going to loose this unwanted weight once and for all... I am staying positive and I know I can do it.

This Wednesday my weight was 189lbs....that's a 4lb loss. I have really busted my butt in the gym this week. I do a combination of weight training and cardio.. every other day I alternate between upper body weight training, and lower body weight training, along with cardio, then the other day I do only Cardio, and try to get in another physical activity...playing wii fit with the kids, Skiing, sledding, water aerobics, swimming, walking.. I am tyring to incorporate a new lifestyle. I want to be active with the kids... not just sitting on the side lines... The kids are really benefiting from this as well, they are active kids and love that I am up for Playing with them.. Seamus who is in grade two, wrote a sentence in school for spelling the word to use was "Mom". The sentence he choose to write was " My mom goes to the gym." They see the change not in weight but in energy level..

My goal for this week is to continue the work out schedule from the previous week. In weight training I am working on a pyramid system where we go from a lighter weight with 12 reps, adding weight as I go from 10, 8, 6 reps then drop the weights down to do a final 12 rep... My gym is offering a Biggest Looser Challenge in February.. I am going to sign up this week.. I like being accountable for my weight loss..

I want to add a few more varieties of foods to my diet. As I become more comfortable with what I am supposed to be eating, I want to add more food choices to keep it interesting.

Healthy Snacks... My eating schedule : 3 meals and 3 snacks..

My favorite snacks are

• Yogurt
• Almonds ( This post work out snack)
• Apples ( tons of variety of apples)
• Banana's
• Dry Cereal (Kashi GO Lean, Special K Almond)
• Tangerines

I will be adding some other snaking options and foods from the other Body After Baby Participants.. I especially want to try the baked pita bread with Salsa, and Banana Cream Pie Yogurt.. If you want to learn more about the Body After Baby Challenge, head on over to Mama Notes and Samantha will fill you in.. There is still time to participate and help get you motivated to start your weight loss Journey!!!

New Year, New Rear!!

Benefits of Babywearing

Benefits of Babywearing

• Eases transition from womb to world. 9 months in 9 months out...
• Babywearing helps babies feel safe and secure Worn babies cried 40-50% less than babies who are not worn
• Babywearing is convenient for outings. Wearing your baby eliminates the need to lug around a heavy awkward stroller.
• Babywearing encourages language development. Placing baby on the level of adult conversation and eye contact is a perfect spot for learning
• Promotes bonding with your baby. Allows you to satisfy your babies need for human contact.
• Keeps your hands free. Seriously Hands Free you are able to care for older children and do things like grocery shopping.
• Reinforces parenting skills. When you become more in tune with your baby you become confident in your parenting skills.
• Makes breast feeding easier. A nursing mother is able to breast feed discreetly with the use of a baby carrier
• Keeps your baby safe and secure. Keeps your baby close to mom away from the dangers in the world.
• Helps put your baby to sleep.

Some Benefits that I have experienced first hand from Babywearing

Keeping baby safe and secure.. I am not particularity fond of having strangers touch Aiden.. In a carrier I am able to keep him away from baby loving strangers.. There are soo many germs that it is calming to know that I am able to keep them away from Aiden

Bonding, I am more in tuned to Aiden than any of my other children and I credit this to babywearing. I know his cues and am able to soothe him in a moment.

What benefits have you seen first hand from wearing your baby?

Wear Your Babies

Aloha Friday # 5

It is all about taking it easy on Friday... I will choose a Question to ask my readers and look forward to reading your answers.. Then I get to stop by other blogs to answer Questions.. Want more details or want to participate head on over to An Island life....

This weeks Question?

If you made a New Years Resolution... Are you still sticking to it?

My Answer..

Yes I made a New Years Resolution... I actually made the resolution on December 19th to follow through with it well into the new year.. I am living healthier, losing weight and getting into shape. I have lost 18lbs since December 19th and am pretty proud and determined to loose more....

Body After Baby Week 3

Well it is week 3 for Body After Baby.. Thanks to Samantha at Mama Notes for Bringing Body After Baby to us.. Want to know more stop by her blog to get the details...

This weeks Question
Why do you want to loose weight and or get healthier? What is your Motivation?
Basically my motivation is I want to be able to run and play with my boys.. I do not want to be the mom sitting on the side lines.. Since beginning this healthy lifestyle, I find myself with more energy and I am wanting to do more with the boys, We are going Skiing this Friday, Skating on Sunday, Swimming at the pool.... That is my motivation..



This weight loss business can be confusing to a first timer.. Do you cut calories, count them, total them up... Do you only focus on portion control and eating healthier foods.. I feel like I am at a crossroads trying to figure out my plan of attack against my Muffin top and Love Handles.. not to mention my ASS.. I want to loose weight the Healthy way.. I just don't want to commit to this regiment for the next 5 weeks.. I am making a lifestyle change. I have been watching all calories taken in and trying to stay with in a "safety zone" and you know what it is working.. but is it the right way !! I went to an information meeting for the Body for life at my gym...only to find out that there were not enough people participating so the BFL was cancelled at that location.. but on the positive side the owner of the Gym suggested that we spend some time together to get a fitness plan/ schedule to fit my goals for weight loss.. He also gave me some tips on Nutrition.. and stressed that I should be eating 6 times a day to keep my blood sugar levels stable.. That makes sense, Breakfast, snack, Lunch, snack, Supper, snack.... So I have a plan of attack... Watch out muffin top ...I am coming for you!!!!

I feel like this week went great.. I am staying positive about weight loss, I have exercised every day this week except Sunday.. Most evenings I am in the gym, but on the off night, like Monday night where getting to the gym was physically impossible. I spent 30 min on the wii fit.. I am determined to get this weight off and get fit. Now having a plan for my work out I am super excited to get back to the gym with my plan... This morning my Weight is 193lbs.. That's 4 lbs this week.. which is over and above my expectations!!! I feel confident that the weight is coming off in a healthy way.. So total weight loss during BAB is 9lbs.. My weight loss Journey began on December 19th and since then I have lost 18lbs...

Confessions.. I have been 100% been able to stay away from Pepsi, My confession is.. on Monday I picked up Pizza for the kids for supper and I bought them some Root Beer to drink... when we got home the kids ate their pizza, had their pop, and when I was cleaning up after supper I went to put things in the fridge the pop that was left in the bottle.. well I had a laps of judgement and poured a glass of this root beer.. I took a drink... came to my senses and dumped out the glass.. put the pop in the fridge.. left the kitchen, then immediately turned around and took the pop out of the fridge and dumped it out!!! Good Riddance...

Also there were about two days where I did not write down what I was eating... Big mistake.... it is easy to get into the routine but once you stop it is hard to continue to do it.. I have to write down everything, I eat and drink.... I need to be held accountable..


This weeks plan...

Wednesday.
30 min Aerobics/Cardio

Thursday:
Upper Body Weight Training

Friday:
30 min Aerobics/Cardio

Saturday:
Lower Body Weight Training

Sunday:
Free Day... But will probably be taking the boys skating so Physical Activity

Monday:
Upper Body Weight Training

Tuesday:
30 min Aerobics/Cardio
(Water Aerobics)

Wednesday:.
Lower Body Weight Training

For my meals this week I am going to have 1 protein(Chicken, fish, ect) and 1 Carbohydrate(Baked potato, brown rice, whole wheat bread, ect) and a serving of veggies to at least two of my meals... I am also going to drink 10 glasses of water each day..

New Year, New Rear!!

Get Carried Away Baby!

When I contact Dorit at Get Carried Away baby, I was intrigued by this Momma!! Dorit is spending time is in Senegal, West Africa working on a line of Wax Print Slings.... Here handcrafted Ring Slings are BEAUTIFUL.. The fabric is top Quality.

I was so excited to receive the sling I Had to put little Aiden in it right away and he loved it.. the fabric gets more comfy as you wash and use it.. The prints are bold and bright and we loved it. We used The Get Carried Away Baby... Ring Sling.. for an outing at the farmers market this past weekend and we got alot of comments.. Positive comments... usually I may get he odd comment here and there and of course I love to tell people all about babywearing.. but this weekend I was delighted to draw so much attention... I love being able to share my passion for babywearing with people.... and of course Aiden was snug and secure without being touched by anyone... and my hands were free to pry my other two wonderful well behaved boys away from the Giant Cookie stand.....

Get Carried Away Baby Ring slings are a top quality Ring Sling.. Attention to detail, fabric, colours... How do you choose ... Dorit has offered Judson Family Readers 20% off her Beautiful Get Carried Away Baby Ring slings... Stop by her Etsy Shop to Browse, Shop, and Save!!!! Just use the code`` carry me away``

Thanks Dorit for giving me the opportunity to review such a beautiful Sling.. Aiden thanks you too!!!

Wear your Babies!!!

Body After Baby Challenge Week 2

I am participating in The Body After Baby Challenge, Hosted by Mama Notes, stop by to find out what its all about!!!

Week 2... and still going strong..

"What is your favorite part of your work out?" My favorite part is the feeling of accomplishment knowing that every work out I do is like money in the bank. It's an investment in myself... I also like playing the Wii Fit with my four year old.. I am looking forward to doing more active activities with my boys....

As far as my diet I am doing great... We had my birthday and my sons birthday this past week and I resisted the Cake.. I read a quote on one of the participating blogs.."Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"... although I had to repeat this many times while turning down the birthday cake... It feels great to know that I am in Control... I am writing down everything that I eat.. I am counting calories... paying attention to portion size and learning how to make myself eat 3 meals a day breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as incorporating snacks.. while staying in the Calorie safety zone...

Cereal is a great food for me High Fibre ....low in calories.. here is one of the cereals that I have been eating.. Kashi GO LEAN...

And of course the label..

Water, water every where,in the fridge, in the freezer, in the car, trunk of the car, gym bag, bedroom... Seriously It has been a challenge to drink more water.. I am trying desperately to make this a habit... I do not drink any other beverages.. Water it is.... How much water should a person drink in a day?

I have signed up at the local gym, and have also signed up for the Body For Life which is a 12 week program that starts soon... Looking forward to it and I will keep you updated. I have been doing a work out pretty much everyday. If I don't get to the gym I do Wii Fit..

My weight today is 197lbs.. That is 3 lbs lost this week..

Total weight loss since starting Body after Baby is 5 lbs....

New Year, New Rear!!

Babywearing Do's and Don'ts ~Guest Post~

Babywearing mama, Jillian has a lot to say about babywearing and natural parenting! She is a busy mommy to 5 kids under 7, and WAHM(work at home mom) of PAXbaby.com & SproutSoup.com. Usually she lives in Southern California, but right now,she and her tribe are in Australia, soaking up summer sunshine & working long distance.

"I carried my first 3 babies in slings, but it wasn't until I was pregnant with baby#4 that I really started to research the different types of carriers. I discovered that the babywearing world was MUCH bigger than the 2 Maya Wrap Ring Slings that had been handed down to us and the 1 DIY Ring Sling that my mom had made for me. This discovery was life changing since it meant that I could truly be hands free with my new babe while continuing the attachment parenting style that I know is important in raising healthy kids. By the time Baby #4 arrived,my stash had quadrupled in size, I had watched every YouTube video available, and I was ready to WEAR my baby! Babywearing wasn't very prevalent in my town, and I saw the perfect opportunity to share my passion with moms who relied on the Bjorn to make it through their baby's first few months. I celebrated my 4th baby's 1st birthday by opening my store PAXbaby, bringing my favorite ergonomic yet stylish baby carriers to the attachment moms in the Santa Barbara. Little did I know that my online store would be a hit also, resulting in my partnership with Alissa Derouchie in Columbus, Ohio, and a new store SproutSoup was added to my resume in time for my 5th baby's 1st birthday in 2009! You may be wondering, how does she manage all this? 5 kids and 2 businesses? The answer is easy! Babywearing:)

Babywearing Do's and Don'ts

Do wear your baby everyday!

Don't worry that it will spoil your baby!

Do Shop until you drop to find the perfect carrier!

Don't worry about spending too much! It's worth it!

Do choose a pattern that you LOVE and colors that match your wardrobe!

Don't assume that babywearing will come naturally to you or your baby!

Do practice, before baby is born, with baby, in the mirror, watching online tutorials!

Don't worry if you don't get it right away!

Do practice, practice & practice again!

Don't take it personally if you get weird comments or stares!

Do take it the weird comments or stares as compliments!

Don't forget to take your baby carrier everywhere you go!

Do encourage your husband to wear the baby as well!

Don't worry if he doesn't get it right away! He will!

Do talk to other babywearers you see out & about!

Don't be mean to them if they are using a Bjorn!

Do chat about the virtues of your (more comfortable) baby carrier!

Don't stop wearing your baby until they are too heavy to wear on your back!

Do keep your carrier as a keepsake, or hand it down to a new mom!

Don't be sad when your babywearing career is over!

Do encourage other moms you know to give babywearing a try!

Be a voice for good, and spread the babywearing love!

Jillian

Sleepy Wrap

I was so thrilled to hear that Sleepy Wrap was going to be a part of our Babywearing Event. I was even more excited to learn that I would be receiving an Organic Sleepy Wrap to review. I received the wrap just before we left for the Christmas Holidays.. There was so much to do and so little time to get it all done. With the aid of the Sleepy Wrap we got in and out of the malls Aiden in tow with out a hitch...

I am very comfortable wrapping Aiden up in a wrap... I was always under the impression that once you've seen a wrap you've seen em all...Wrong.. you can tell the difference between the wraps. The feel and weight of the fabric.. The Sleepy Wrap definitely stands out. I love that you can choose the organic fabric and the neutral tones that you can choose from.. You can tell the difference when wearing material that is organic. You can feel the difference. It is comforting to know that your precious little one is so snug and secure.

I really enjoyed using the Sleepy Wrap the quality is top notch. Customer service is top notch and the prices on these wraps are affordable.. Top Quality at an affordable price. What more can a Babywearing mama ask for? One in blue... or green....Check out the Sleepy Wrap Site and order your very own Sleepy Wrap for you...and your baby of course.. Sleepy Wrap has offered Judson Family Readers 10 % off simply use the Coupon Code "Family" this code is valid instill February 6th, 2010..

Not all the benefits from Babywearing benefit baby..there are great benefits for moms too... Babywearing creates confident parents there is no better feeling than when your baby is calm and content because you have met all their needs.

This carrier held it`s own through the duration of the review.. Being at my parents with my sisters brothers and their partners I was able to get a few of the aunts and uncles in on the Babywearing extravaganza.. The Sleepy Wrap was a great success and definitely gets my recommendation. It would make a great gift for the soon to be mom, a wonderful surprise for the mom that needs to be hands free, for dads who want to be involved and connect with their little one..

Wear Your Babies.. with a Sleepy Wrap!!

Body After Baby Challenge Week 1

I feel like I have been doing great with this challenge. I am so freaking serious about loosing this weight and being able to run and play with my boys..

What I have accomplished this week..

• Being more aware of food labels.. one thing that has bothered me since New years Eve.. The do not post nutritional labels on alcohol beverages.. seriously.. I had a few drinks to ring in the new year.. Mikes Hard Lemonade X 3... there are 22o calories in each one...That is 660 calories... I really only found out this morning that was what is in them... I had to look it up.. I new that they obviously had calories I was just shocked to realize how many..
• Writing down everything that I eat, along with watching portion and serving sizes, and jotting down the calories and watching my calorie intake. I am doing great with this and It is really making me think about what I eat.. I bite it I write it...
• Wii Fit Everyday for 30 minuets and then I usually end up playing it with the kids for a few minuets just to give them a challenge.. I love it
• I go into the local Gym Thursday to sign up for a gym membership.. for 3 months here it will cost me $93 very reasonable.. Also the gym is starting a Body for Life Challenge within the next two weeks.. I am registered it is a 12 week program... I want to try to get to the gym....let me rephrase that I Will get to the Gym 3 times a week.. more if it is physically possible with the challenge of having someone watch the boys..
• Cereal is my new best friend. take a look at the labels.. High fibre, and low calories..
• I have almost beat my Pop Pepsi addiction.. They say ( not sure who They are...but this is what they say) it takes 30 days to break a habit... almost there I have cut out Pepsi 100% out of my life...although I have to leave a room if someone else is drinking it...I am very proud of myself.

What I need to work on..

• Water...Water....Water... I am drinking about 1.5 litres of water daily I need to drink more than that.. I have to keep the water bottle with me at all times..
• Getting my butt into the gym and burning off calories..This is what I am working on this week.. I need a fitness plan.
• Oh I realized this week that I eat way to fast.. I think I have Clean your Plate on the brain... I have to take my time eating drink water after each bite maybe,, I have to slow down...
• Also I have to work on planning in advance the three meals a day and having snack as well to keep my metabolism from dropping down.... and keeping it within the calorie intake plan.
• I also want to pick up a copy of The Biggest looser book that has been mentioned.. for anyone who has this book..Do you find it helpful?

My Current weight is 200lbs even.. yah!! that's what I am talking about...

New Year...New Rear. I hope to stay this positive throughout the challenge... I especially love the fact that by participating in the Body after Baby Challenge that I am being accountable.. Head on over to Mama Notes to check it out and to visit the other Body after Baby Challenge participants..

Say Wrap Winner

What a great turn out for our Babyweaing Event here at Judson Family. I would like to announce the winner of The wrap from Say Wrap.. With comment # 29 Wendi and Matt are the first winner!! Thank you to everyone who entered to win.. Stay tuned later today a product review on Sleepy Wrap.

And that's a WRAP.. Wear Your Babies!!