I have come to realize how much Mia loves to move! and play! and create! I have had these thoughts that she is nothing like her mommy - this semi-loner/quiet artist wanna-be - yes that is how I actually describe myself. I tinker - with everything - never really making a life choice, skipping from one thought to another, one idea to the next - much like a bee. My friends from University appropriately nicknamed me "EllaBee". I like honey too - so maybe I am a bee! buzz.
Well Mia's my butterfly. Her Godmother & I have always thought that. She flits about - and is always on the move. She does not like being tied down. She was never a fully swaddled newborn - always had to have one arm out - freedom. So in a different way, she is a lot like me.
Last night, our funny international student tenant was asking me about Yoga. It seems as though there may be something wrong with his hip - so he is very interested in becoming more flexible and strong. I showed him a few of my favourite beginner poses. Well the entire time Mia followed along - proving to be quite adept and bendy!
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Monday, 19 March 2012
Post #3
I don't know if I should be blaming pregnancy hormones or what!? Yesterday & today however were complete failures. I flunked in the mommy-be-patient moments!
Yesterday:
Mia has been attempting to put on her own shoes - awesome right!? Well, she had a tendency to put them on the wrong feet - which of course makes her limp and whine. I calmly bent down on to my knees - our "let's put our shoes on" pose. She stood at me, glaring (something she has inherited from her Nana - sorry Mom, but it's true) Then her eyes welled up with big warm tears and one by one they fell to the floor. I hugged her, and told her how proud I was of her still. More tears. I am starting to hate these shoes - the thought flies through my head. I sit her down. Try to take the right one off the left foot - she collapses to the ground. Face first loud screams are muffled poorly by the hardwood floor. I pick her up and move her onto the comfy chair. One shoe off, one shoe on. Why is she so emotional about this??
I tell her to breathe. She glares at me - more tears, more screams. "Breathe Mia." - in my most rational calm voice I can muster up. "Breathe Mia!" - not so calm. "BREATHE MIA!!" That's when I flung the soother in her direction. (something I've been trying to let go of for 3 months now) She suckled immediately - lungs heaving, face tear streaked, shirt wet, sweating.
I tried. I tried to stay as calm as I could - but then I realized - I wasn't breathing either. The entire fiasco was being fed my own irrational emotions (hormones??). I hugged her again and hid the shoes.
Today:
Our lovely international student loves to pan-fry. Fine. The smoke alarm however seems to ignore this hazardous cooking. I bought new batteries for it - thinking this MUST be the problem!
I replaced them - the stupid thing BEEEEEEEPED!
Loud noises & Mia are NOT friends! Ever since birth - she has conniption fits when there's a loud, sudden noise (including laughter, alarms, knocks on the front door) Well, smoke detectors are among that list of loud things to be afraid of.
She wailed!! She wailed! At nothing - at a small sudden beep! Okay, yes she was tired. Yes I have a wicked headache which cannot be cured by regular Tylenol, so I may be over sensitive here. I picked her up. "You're okay - it's just a loud noise. Calm calm now." Even our student was shocked at her reactions.
Then BEEEEEEP! (stupid alarm!) More wailing. Okay - enough! the thing is dismantled on the kitchen counter now. I fly upstairs Mia in my arms still crying. She is now soaked to the bone! A freshly cleaned diaper only 40 minutes before is now wet as the Atlantic ocean. She was that scared. She was trembling.
I put her down (frustrated though - as this is something she is going to have to become more accustomed to - as the world is a rather noisy place to live) I strip her down - she is shaking. I put a new diaper on her, put her in clean warm pjs (more frustrated as she is resisting me and not co-operating in the least) Zip the zipper and then place her in her bed. She lies down. Limp as a noodle.
I try to hug her, but she won't have it. She looks away. I am annoyed! I just saved you, and you hate me?!?! Fine! I leave the room - huffing and puffing. I wait a minute until I can hear that she is starting to sob again. I re-enter the room - it's dark. She's now sitting up. I come to the edge of the bed, and she reaches out for me. I hug her and kiss her and explain why I cannot always be okay about her tears and irrational fears. (yes I actually used the word irrational with a 20 month old)
I lay down beside her and said my sorry - through my own salty tears. I remind her of the Mexican adventures only she and I had - how she was my travel buddy. How I dreamed of so many things we would do together. I promised her that I would try harder to calm myself first.
This is where I was awoken to the issue - I have to calm ME first in order to calm her. I have to. as they say, 'Practice what I preach'. It is a thousand times more difficult than I though it would be. I cannot use pregnancy as an excuse though - as one day I will have my period, or go through menopause (the joys of womanhood) and I want her to be as calm during those moments as she possibly can be. So I must learn too. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
Tomorrow is a new day. I really need to start with some stretches ... and more water - which is what I think caused the awful headache today.
Breathe.
Yesterday:
Mia has been attempting to put on her own shoes - awesome right!? Well, she had a tendency to put them on the wrong feet - which of course makes her limp and whine. I calmly bent down on to my knees - our "let's put our shoes on" pose. She stood at me, glaring (something she has inherited from her Nana - sorry Mom, but it's true) Then her eyes welled up with big warm tears and one by one they fell to the floor. I hugged her, and told her how proud I was of her still. More tears. I am starting to hate these shoes - the thought flies through my head. I sit her down. Try to take the right one off the left foot - she collapses to the ground. Face first loud screams are muffled poorly by the hardwood floor. I pick her up and move her onto the comfy chair. One shoe off, one shoe on. Why is she so emotional about this??
I tell her to breathe. She glares at me - more tears, more screams. "Breathe Mia." - in my most rational calm voice I can muster up. "Breathe Mia!" - not so calm. "BREATHE MIA!!" That's when I flung the soother in her direction. (something I've been trying to let go of for 3 months now) She suckled immediately - lungs heaving, face tear streaked, shirt wet, sweating.
I tried. I tried to stay as calm as I could - but then I realized - I wasn't breathing either. The entire fiasco was being fed my own irrational emotions (hormones??). I hugged her again and hid the shoes.
Today:
Our lovely international student loves to pan-fry. Fine. The smoke alarm however seems to ignore this hazardous cooking. I bought new batteries for it - thinking this MUST be the problem!
I replaced them - the stupid thing BEEEEEEEPED!
Loud noises & Mia are NOT friends! Ever since birth - she has conniption fits when there's a loud, sudden noise (including laughter, alarms, knocks on the front door) Well, smoke detectors are among that list of loud things to be afraid of.
She wailed!! She wailed! At nothing - at a small sudden beep! Okay, yes she was tired. Yes I have a wicked headache which cannot be cured by regular Tylenol, so I may be over sensitive here. I picked her up. "You're okay - it's just a loud noise. Calm calm now." Even our student was shocked at her reactions.
Then BEEEEEEP! (stupid alarm!) More wailing. Okay - enough! the thing is dismantled on the kitchen counter now. I fly upstairs Mia in my arms still crying. She is now soaked to the bone! A freshly cleaned diaper only 40 minutes before is now wet as the Atlantic ocean. She was that scared. She was trembling.
I put her down (frustrated though - as this is something she is going to have to become more accustomed to - as the world is a rather noisy place to live) I strip her down - she is shaking. I put a new diaper on her, put her in clean warm pjs (more frustrated as she is resisting me and not co-operating in the least) Zip the zipper and then place her in her bed. She lies down. Limp as a noodle.
I try to hug her, but she won't have it. She looks away. I am annoyed! I just saved you, and you hate me?!?! Fine! I leave the room - huffing and puffing. I wait a minute until I can hear that she is starting to sob again. I re-enter the room - it's dark. She's now sitting up. I come to the edge of the bed, and she reaches out for me. I hug her and kiss her and explain why I cannot always be okay about her tears and irrational fears. (yes I actually used the word irrational with a 20 month old)
I lay down beside her and said my sorry - through my own salty tears. I remind her of the Mexican adventures only she and I had - how she was my travel buddy. How I dreamed of so many things we would do together. I promised her that I would try harder to calm myself first.
This is where I was awoken to the issue - I have to calm ME first in order to calm her. I have to. as they say, 'Practice what I preach'. It is a thousand times more difficult than I though it would be. I cannot use pregnancy as an excuse though - as one day I will have my period, or go through menopause (the joys of womanhood) and I want her to be as calm during those moments as she possibly can be. So I must learn too. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
Tomorrow is a new day. I really need to start with some stretches ... and more water - which is what I think caused the awful headache today.
Breathe.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Post #2
Why this?
We have one 20 month old little girl, named Mia. Mia is a perfect peach. She is sweet, gentle (for the most part), loving & caring. She is extremely emotionally sensitive though. She buckles at the word 'no'. Quick, regular daily changes send her into a whirlwind of tears and cries. The Dr. simply calling her name makes her melt down to the point where a check up is simply watching her turn bright pink while the Dr. attempts to weigh her. Now some may feel this is a regular toddler we're dealing with - and in most probability she is a regular toddler. But when you can't switch her from one shopping buggy to another because the first one was broken without her completely flipping out, something has to change!
We are expecting our second child soon - 8 weeks soon! The emotional stress is causing me to stop gaining a sufficient amount of weight for a baby. Something had to change.
I was watching Anderson Cooper's new show. He was interviewing mothers and fathers who chose not to medicate their ADHD children, in lieu of home schooling, relaxation techniques and other non-medical treatments to help them cope with their emotions and actions.
I was also lead to Pinterest's time out glitter jars - where a woman's blog suggested that you could use these jars not only for time outs for being naughty, but also for emotional down time, and even anger.
Children are very visual, and these jars filled with glitter & water soothe the child into a more rational place where they can think clearer about their actions and emotions.
So where does Yoga come in? I have been practicing Yoga before Lulu Lemon was popular. I was inspired by a magazine article about a girl who suffered SAD. I also suffer from SAD many winters, so I decided to try her Yoga Sun Salute each morning to see if it made a difference in my moods. It helped and so I continued to practice Yoga on and off, both in studio and alone at home.
Years later I still practice at home, and even used that amazing belly breath (Pranayama) in labour and delivery - going sans pain relievers or epidurals.
I went to baby & mama Yoga (which frankly I found conflicted with any type of sleep pattern Mia had) but I did enjoy the time and breathing and easy stretching.
Now I practice at home, again as it is easier than dragging a toddler out and finding a place where she will be happy while I try to relax! I am finding though, Mia loves doing Yoga with me! She follows the arm movements, whips my butt at Downward Doggy and loves to listen to the, albeit cheesy, music I play to soothe myself into that deep(ish) meditation.
Hopefully I will be able to convince us to keep calm, relax when we're feeling overwhelmed and this will be a start for both of us to a newer heights in life.
We have one 20 month old little girl, named Mia. Mia is a perfect peach. She is sweet, gentle (for the most part), loving & caring. She is extremely emotionally sensitive though. She buckles at the word 'no'. Quick, regular daily changes send her into a whirlwind of tears and cries. The Dr. simply calling her name makes her melt down to the point where a check up is simply watching her turn bright pink while the Dr. attempts to weigh her. Now some may feel this is a regular toddler we're dealing with - and in most probability she is a regular toddler. But when you can't switch her from one shopping buggy to another because the first one was broken without her completely flipping out, something has to change!
We are expecting our second child soon - 8 weeks soon! The emotional stress is causing me to stop gaining a sufficient amount of weight for a baby. Something had to change.
I was watching Anderson Cooper's new show. He was interviewing mothers and fathers who chose not to medicate their ADHD children, in lieu of home schooling, relaxation techniques and other non-medical treatments to help them cope with their emotions and actions.
I was also lead to Pinterest's time out glitter jars - where a woman's blog suggested that you could use these jars not only for time outs for being naughty, but also for emotional down time, and even anger.
Children are very visual, and these jars filled with glitter & water soothe the child into a more rational place where they can think clearer about their actions and emotions.
So where does Yoga come in? I have been practicing Yoga before Lulu Lemon was popular. I was inspired by a magazine article about a girl who suffered SAD. I also suffer from SAD many winters, so I decided to try her Yoga Sun Salute each morning to see if it made a difference in my moods. It helped and so I continued to practice Yoga on and off, both in studio and alone at home.
Years later I still practice at home, and even used that amazing belly breath (Pranayama) in labour and delivery - going sans pain relievers or epidurals.
I went to baby & mama Yoga (which frankly I found conflicted with any type of sleep pattern Mia had) but I did enjoy the time and breathing and easy stretching.
Now I practice at home, again as it is easier than dragging a toddler out and finding a place where she will be happy while I try to relax! I am finding though, Mia loves doing Yoga with me! She follows the arm movements, whips my butt at Downward Doggy and loves to listen to the, albeit cheesy, music I play to soothe myself into that deep(ish) meditation.
Hopefully I will be able to convince us to keep calm, relax when we're feeling overwhelmed and this will be a start for both of us to a newer heights in life.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Post #1
I do not want to come across as this 'expert' Yoga master - because I am far far far from that. I have found though, through the fluid movements and breathing of Yoga my life has become more simplified, quieter and more peaceful.
I want to keep this blog, both as a way to share my 'expertise', but also to share my journey as I work with my inner struggles as a work-from-home mama to one very emotionally charged little girl. (Plus we're expecting #2 in about 8 weeks - which I know, giving the stubborn stock they come from will have a similar personality as their big sister.)
I welcome any questions you may have - I may not have immediate answers, but I will look them up, and find solutions along with you. If you feel you may have some valuable advice, please do not keep it to yourself - I would love to know. Life is after all, all about learning.
I promise to share my frustrations, the times when I want to give up, and revert back to something much easier. This is my journey of Yoga Parenting; a method derived for teaching toddlers, children & teens to handle their complex emotions through routine exercise (inside & outdoors), methodical breathing together, and Art Therapy techniques. Yes - I am crazy enough to make my 20 month old daughter practice Downward Facing Dog during the late sunrise. She loves it! I swear.
Tomorrow I will write the why - why am I doing this along with everything else I attempt to do in 24 hours.
- Nameste or as Mia says it Nanananana
I want to keep this blog, both as a way to share my 'expertise', but also to share my journey as I work with my inner struggles as a work-from-home mama to one very emotionally charged little girl. (Plus we're expecting #2 in about 8 weeks - which I know, giving the stubborn stock they come from will have a similar personality as their big sister.)
I welcome any questions you may have - I may not have immediate answers, but I will look them up, and find solutions along with you. If you feel you may have some valuable advice, please do not keep it to yourself - I would love to know. Life is after all, all about learning.
I promise to share my frustrations, the times when I want to give up, and revert back to something much easier. This is my journey of Yoga Parenting; a method derived for teaching toddlers, children & teens to handle their complex emotions through routine exercise (inside & outdoors), methodical breathing together, and Art Therapy techniques. Yes - I am crazy enough to make my 20 month old daughter practice Downward Facing Dog during the late sunrise. She loves it! I swear.
Tomorrow I will write the why - why am I doing this along with everything else I attempt to do in 24 hours.
- Nameste or as Mia says it Nanananana
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