pregnancy

Caring for your body post-baby and beyond!

I couldn't bring you all to the Blossom Baby Expo this past weekend here on Long Island, so at the last-minute suggestion of my hubby, I recorded my presentation LIVE to bring to YOU!  ;-)

We spoke about nutrition, fitness, sleep, support, and stress - specifically targeted for postpartum women, but these tips will help anyone!  I stopped the video before the Q&A started, for the privacy of our awesome mamas.

Please share this with any of your pregnant or postpartum friends.  This time in your / their lives is simultaneously the most important and yet the most challenging time to turn inward and take care of your own body.  It can be done!  Watch to learn more.

In good health,

Tara

Cake Smash Success! (Jagger Turns ONE)

Well how did THAT happen?  365 days and boom...Jagger-dude is 1 year old.  

He is the most perfect compliment to our crazy family.  His smiles and laughs make strangers smile and laugh everywhere we go.  He loves to be silly and mobile and hi big sister - well, he's a BIG fan of hers.

Some of you already know that our babies came with a little (lot of) help from science.  They were IVF miracles.  They also each survived a terrible pregnancy disease I had both times called Hyperemesis Gravidarum.  All this just to say, we are so. incredibly. BLESSED!

I believe we can find reason in everything we experience.  "If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger." (One of my favorite quotes since I was a kid - from Nietzsche).  Our experiences have brought me to where I am today…I value my family and our health above all else.  I know what it's like to long for each of these.

Well, hello there!  (Jagger-dude - a few months old)

Well, hello there!  (Jagger-dude - a few months old)

To my sweet Jagger Jack, Happy 1st birthday!  We knew we loved you long before you joined us Earth-side.  You've been such a bright star in our lives over the past year.  I have loved every minute of our 365 days together - watching you grow, play, and learn.  I can't wait for more todays and tomorrows with you!

Babywearing has saved me this year!  Having free hands to chase after big sis is always a good idea.

Babywearing has saved me this year!  Having free hands to chase after big sis is always a good idea.

Now on to parties and cake smashes.  Here's what I learned:

  1. January birthday parties in NY need snow dates as a back-up plan.
  2. Using blueberries to color the icing actually makes purple icing, not blue.  Jagger is a very secure little dude, he doesn't mind purple….but, it didn't quite fit into the "Winter One-derland" theme that we were going for.  ;-)
  3. Sometimes the "cake smash" turns out to be more of a cake fondle.  And that's cool!  He enjoyed it, and that's all I was hoping for.
We may have had to reschedule Jagger's party, but at least we got an unexpected day to play in the fluffy white stuff!

We may have had to reschedule Jagger's party, but at least we got an unexpected day to play in the fluffy white stuff!

I started feeling pretty nostalgic as I made this recipe - the same one I created originally for Magnolia's first birthday.  I was a newbie to healthy baking, at that time, and ended up making about 7-10 versions of this one before it was "right".  That was wayyy back in 2014.  ;-)  I've come a long way!  Now I have TWO adorable reasons to keep me on top of my healthy baking (and cooking) game.

Magnolia enjoying her smash cupcake 2+ years ago at her 1st birthday party.  It's incredibly bittersweet to see how much she's grown in body and mind and how fast our memories are piling up as the months fly by.

Magnolia enjoying her smash cupcake 2+ years ago at her 1st birthday party.  It's incredibly bittersweet to see how much she's grown in body and mind and how fast our memories are piling up as the months fly by.

This was also the start of the muffin magic.  What the heck is that muffin magic, you ask?  Well, it's figuring out that muffins can be made of all the healthy stuff you want your kiddos and your whole family to eat!  We're talking veggies, fruit, protein, healthy fats, and fiber.  I don't hide anything in there as I believe it's in the kiddos' best interest to know they are eating veggies and all the good stuff to give them the best foundation of health that you can.  So grab the little ones and let them help measure and mix and get very familiar with these healthy ingredients!

*Note: This recipe is for muffins.  Add the icing and voila - you have cupcakes!

Pumpkin Batter all mixed and ready for the muffin pan.

Pumpkin Batter all mixed and ready for the muffin pan.

"Happy birthday to you…" 

"Happy birthday to you…"

 

 

Pumpkin Carrot Muffins

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1.5 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup sliced carrots (optional)
  • 1 T coconut oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1.5 cups almond flour
  • 1/5 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Blend together all wet ingredients in a blender.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
  4. Slowly pour wet ingredients from blender into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
  5. Fill greased muffin pan (or muffins liners) 2/3 full.
  6. Bake 30 minutes.

*Makes 12 muffins.

"Is the goal to shove as much of this in my mouth as possible, mama?  'Cause that I can do!" 

"Is the goal to shove as much of this in my mouth as possible, mama?  'Cause that I can do!"

 

I switched up the kind of icing I made this time, as I wanted a nice shade of blue to go with our "Winter One-derland" theme.  Hmm.  That didn't work out, but it was a very pretty purple color. Haha.  And it was tasty!

Blueberry Coconut Cream Icing

Ingredients:

  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 2 T coconut oil (not melted)
  • 1 T raw honey
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Directions:

  1. Place can of coconut milk upside down in fridge overnight.
  2. Carefully open can and scoop out the hardened coconut cream.  This is what you will be using for the icing.  Save the watery part to use in other recipes.
  3. Mix all ingredients in a blender (you will need to keep scraping down the sides and blending several times).
  4. If you make in advance, it's ok to refrigerate icing, just be sure to give it a good blend/whipping before you use as it will harden a bit.

 

Jagger seems as surprised as we are that he's ONE already!

Jagger seems as surprised as we are that he's ONE already!

Baby (Jagger) Bicep Curl-Shoulder Press

Have you ever seen a woman in jeans and a sweater doing an arm workout with a 20-ish pound baby as her weight?  Can't say "no" to that anymore!  ;-)

When you work primarily from home with a toddler and baby in-tow, you learn to be ok with getting ready either in 30 seconds or spreading it out over the course of the whole day - dressed now, makeup later, hair…eh. 

So what does this mean?  WelI for one, I got out last night.  Woo hoo!  But, it also meant I was clad in my best sweater-over-tank-top-for-easy-breastfeeding and ripped jeans before we got to shoot this demo video.  And yes, it's totally "we", because let's face it…Magnolia and Jagger steal the show.  ;-)

This bicep curl-shoulder press is a great way to work your upper body in one exercise.  The babies enjoy it too!

*Note: Please look out for low ceilings!  Grab those babies tight and only do this move if your little kiddo has complete head and neck control.  Alternatively, use a gallon of milk, a water bottle, or a dumbbell to add resistance.

Do 3 sets of 10 and feel the burn!  Your muscles will thank you.

Pumpkin Workout

It's November 3rd.  You have pumpkins still out on the stoop in a Halloween-hangover of sorts.  You could throw them out (why?!?!), cook with them, donate them...

…But first, you should get a KILLER workout in (or 2 or 3) before you and your Orange Balls of Autumn-ness part ways.

In this 2.5 minute video (come on now, guys - you do have 2.5 minutes, right?), I show you 3 simple exercises you can do RIGHT NOW to get that blood pumping and endorphins bathing your brain and body.  Don't confuse simple with easy.  Do three sets of these 3 exercises for a QUICK and POWERFUL jolt of energy (and health and toned muscles…blah, blah).  ;-)

Ready?  3….2….1….press play!

SnugBug Fitness - Side Plank into Lateral Leg Lifts

Check out our latest SnugBug Fitness demo video!  A good friend and SnugBug client lent me this beautiful woven wrap and it's true love!  Thank you, Ali.  Aquarious is in good hands this week.

This dynamic exercise gets to the core of the core.  Your obliques will be challenged as well as the outer portion of your glutes (target those hips).

Watch here:

How are these video demos going for you?  What would you like to see more of?  I'd love to hear from you!  In the meantime, enjoy your weekend!

In health,

Tara