Miss Melia's Run for Rett

I have this friend who is an incredible mom. Actually I have many friends who are incredible moms, but I want to tell you about one specific incredible mom. I have known Tanis since I was really young; in fact, I thought she was my cousin until I was about 10. No joke. Now that Tanis and I have both grown up sort of we've started families of our own and become Mama's to our little "mini-me's." Our stories, while much the same - in that we do school runs, grocery shops, clean house, and drive minivans - differ incredibly. Tanis' oldest, her daughter Melia, has Rett's Syndrome. Now if you're like me, you read that and had no clue what it meant. Cause I didn't when I heard the diagnosis a couple years ago. But I've been learning. And what I've been learning isn't great news. Here's a brief summary, courtesy of wikipedia:

       "Rett syndrome, originally termed as cerebroatrophic hyperammonemia,^[1] is a neurodevelopmental disorder of the grey matter of the brain^[2] that almost exclusively affects females but has also been found in male patients. The clinical features include small hands and feet and a deceleration of the rate of head growth (including microcephaly in some). Repetitivestereotyped hand movements, such as wringing and/or repeatedly putting hands into the mouth, are also noted.^[3] People with Rett syndrome are prone to gastrointestinal disorders and up to 80% have seizures.^[4] They typically have no verbal skills, and about 50% of individuals affected do not walk. Scoliosis, growth failure, and constipation are very common and can be problematic."

Melia and friends at one of the Rett Syndrome conferences this year

Melia is one of many girls facing this condition with no cure. Yet. This is where you come in ;) Being that Melia has an amazing Mama who doesn't take 'no cure' for an answer, Tanis does fundraising year round to help research take place. October is Rett Syndrome awareness month, and in honor of that Tanis has organized a virtual 5 km race called "Miss Melia's Run for Rett." How this works is you go HERE and register [at $25 this is a steal of a deal!] Then, Tanis sends you a race bib, you run/walk/crawl 5km[whatever you are able to do to cross off those km's!] sometime during October and take a picture of yourself in your race bib and gear. Send that awesomely sweaty photo to Tanis, and she'll send you a medal! All the proceeds from "Miss Melia's Run for Rett" will benefit Team Miss Melia - Girl Power 2 Cure [(www.girlpower2cure.org), a 501c3 nonprofit organization.]

Tanis ran the "Disney Princess Half Marathon" this past February to raise funds and awareness

One of the best parts of this run is that it can be done ANYWHERE in the world on ANY day in October! You decide when you race - then do it:) So who wants to do something good for their bodies, while helping find a cure? If there is interest in running as a group, contact me and I'll set something up!

Race Recap [sort of]

This past Sunday September 8th was the Canmore half marathon. While I'd love to report that I hit a PB, ran like the wind, and left it all on the course, I can't. In fact, I can't even report that I ran.
Two weeks ago I started noticing pain in both of my knees after I would run. I would stop and walk for a while, then get back at it. Eventually I wasn't able to run at all due to the pain. So I stopped running. Completely. On Friday I headed to my chiropractor to get an assessment and find out if I could run without causing damage. After checking the mobility of the joints, the muscles around them, and the location of the pain, he found that it was a "tracking" issue. In my case this means that my knee caps are pulling up and to the side as I move, instead of the straight up and down that they are suppose to do. This particular problem is being caused by severe tightness in the outside quadriceps muscles.
  And so, instead of running a half marathon, I've been stretching, icing, walking, and resting. No running, no weight lifting, no carrying anything other than Audrey for the next two weeks. As he laid the diagnosis and prescription on me, I knew I had two options: 1) I could take this as a major buzz kill, get super disappointed, and pout about not being able to run my goal race. Or 2) I could take this as a wake up call to put more of a priority on stretching and joint health, and be grateful for all that my body does let me do. I chose the second.
My knees have visible bruising all around the knee caps, I spend more time icing them than I have ever done with an injury before, and I've been doing targeted stretching, as well as yoga for full body flexibility.
 So yes, I missed my goal race this past weekend, but I am healing instead of hurting my body, which is a big win in my books.

Let Them Eat Cake!

I married into a pretty fabulous family. It's a fact. My husbands maternal grandma was a woman of many talents whom I grew to love quickly as we would sit and talk. She lived at my in-laws for a couple of years before she passed, and during that time she was grieving the loss of her husband, the love of her life. She would talk for hours about the past, recounting details of her time she spent living with her Nanny, her job at the telephone office, and the ins and outs of raising TEN children. Yes, that says ten. I learnt many valuable lessons from Grandma through her stories, and one of them came rushing back to me as I prepared to send my sweet first born off to school this week.
Grandma and Grandpa were not wealthy, and to make financial matters even more tight they added ten children to the mix. So while they may have been raising their brood during the dawning of 'convenience' food, Grandma made every meal from scratch. Between caring for the children still at home, cleaning the home, tending the garden, and making supper, Grandma took the time every weekday to prepare an after school snack. Her snack of choice for ten children [plus friends] was usually cake. Grandma had many reasons for the after school cake tradition, from the fact that she knew everyone enjoyed cake, to ensuring that all her children would be making a bee-line for her kitchen after school - and not someone else's. 
And so it was a given that today, being Darius' first full day of kindergarten, that I needed cake waiting on the counter for him when he returned home. The sweet aroma of vanilla and butter cream drifted through our home after school as Darius came bursting in the door. His excitement was evident as he recounted his first day of school, and his eyes sparkled as he enjoyed the cupcake in front of him. He sat only long enough to devour his cupcake, then he was off to the backyard, running, laughing and playing with his little brother. And it was in that moment that Grandma's wisdom sunk in. It is that moment of laughing, sharing, and filling me in on his wonderful day while he enjoyed something I had lovingly made him, that makes the cake magical. So while I won't always have cupcakes waiting for him [sorry Grandma, but cake is a special occasion treat in our house], Darius will always find something delicious to linger over and spend time with him Mama after school. 

Enduring Love

As a young girl I dreamed of the prince that would sweep me off my feet. I dreamed about Sunday afternoon walks as a family, my prince and I walking hand in hand while the kids laughed and played around us. I dreamed about a real love story, in which my prince and I would have the starring roles. 

Now, firmly planted in adulthood, and living my childhood dream, I continue to appreciate the love stories of others. Take a moment and head over to vimeo to watch this video about Fred and his sweet Lorraine. Pure love is something to be celebrated, cherished, and sought after - and these two definitely had it. I hope this inspires you as much as it has inspired me.

Giving the Good

Earlier I shared my top tips for being a great visitor of a Mama with a new baby; if you missed it you can find it here. If you're looking to arrive bearing gifts here are some things you can do or bring that would be helpful to the new Mama you love so much!

 gifts for a new mom

1. Meals for the family - sometimes meal time slips through during the early days of having a new baby at home. Adjusting to the new normal takes time and practice, and helping out with meals really is a great service!

2. Babysitting/play dates with older kids - this would be best at someone else's house so mom can just sleep when baby sleeps


3. A big water bottle - there are no words to express how thirsty a nursing Mama is, but then throw in recovery from birth and you have one parched beauty!

4. Smoothies - make it green and choke full of healthy goodness! 

5. Chocolate and magazines - recovery takes resting, and resting needs entertainment. And chocolate. 

6. A rice bag for sore muscles - so wonderful!

7. diapers and wipes - have you ever seen the mountain of diapers a newborn produces? 

8. baby clothes/items - or better yet, offer to host a baby shower for her at a later date!


Take the time to know what would be most helpful, and do it. But remember to be mindful of the pointers here and here so that you are being as helpful as possible without holding back Mama from sleeping and recovering.

Four Months Ago...

...I had a few hours old baby snuggled up next to me. Audrey was born at 6:28am, and laid awake in my arms for a couple of hours soaking in her surroundings before we both went to sleep. Through the first week of Audrey's life I made a list of all the wonderful things people did that made bringing this sweet little girl into the world. I was reminded of this list when I saw this article posted by a friend on facebook yesterday. It's so important to celebrate each special spirit joining our lives, but here are some pointers on how to make the celebrations easier on both momma and baby.

how to help mamma with a new baby

1. When you visit over a meal time, bring the meal to share with the mom and her family. **Update: And, bring the meal in disposable containers so the new Mama isn't trying to figure out whose Tupperware is sitting on her counter a month later. Thanks Tanis for the tip!**

2.Don't overstay your welcome. 30 minutes is a long enough visit


3.Don't pick up baby without washing your hands and asking mom first


4.Ask what needs to be done around the house, then do it


5.Pay attention to the older kiddos - the baby only really wants its mother, and the older kids are hurt by the lack of attention


6.New moms need rest; if you're monopolizing those helping her, then she's not getting the rest she needs. Pay attention, and again don't stay long


7.Call before you head over - it may not be a good time after all, or there may be something that is needed and you could pick it up on the way


8.Space out visitors. Even if they're staying for a short amount of time, if mom isn't getting enough time to rest in between its not good


9. AND For goodness sakes, don't bounce the baby! They're newborns; snuggle them don't jiggle them

One to Three

When I had one child I was over whelmed. The screaming, the constant demands, the screaming. Oh my the screaming. Darius likes to remind me often that he was my first baby, a badge of honor he wears with pride. His status as first born almost earned him the "Only Child" badge as well, but after much thought, prayer, and negotiations we agreed to have a second. Both my Hottie Husband and I knew that if we had another screamer we were done at two. My sanity barely scraped through with Darius, and well, we weren't too sure that either of us could handle a repeat of the screaming we had already endured. 

Low and behold, Eli was a golden baby who slept through the night after six weeks, crying really wasn't his thing, and he napped without having to be pushed in a stroller. Eli restored my faith in myself. I believed I could do this motherhood thing again, and when we started thinking about having another baby I was fully on board - in fact I was down right excited! 

Audrey is now three months old, closing in on four months if I'm being honest with myself. Having three kiddos is far different than having one, not only in a logistics way, but in a mentality. Logistically I'm out numbered, often pulled in three directions, and have three very different children all with different needs to be met. My attitude as a mother has changed from rigid to more flexible, and go with the flow. We still have a schedule, but I no longer feel like a bad mother when I don't get the kids into bed right at 7pm. We still eat healthy foods, but I no longer cringe if the boys have the infrequent hot dog. We still have toilets, but I no longer worry when my boys pee on the rocks outside instead. Somewhere along the way, my kids have taught me to enjoy the moment instead of thinking of how it could be better. They've taught me to slow down, enjoy the sun on my skin and the smiles looking up at me. Somehow, my kids have taught me that being out numbered is a wonderful feeling. 

Today was a busy go go go day of cleaning, van shopping [yes, you read that right, VAN shopping]and cousins arriving for a weekend of playing. I've been up since before 4:30 when Eli decided it was time to get up. Scrubbing toilets, stripping beds, vacuuming, all with a baby in tow and little men helpers. All five of us test drove and looked at vans at the dealership. And now, with three sleeping kiddos and myself headed that direction I'm looking forward to seeing three big smiles looking at their cousins across the breakfast table, scrabbling about the beach all day, and running wild in the summer sun. 

Life is definitely busier with three kids [especially with cousins in the mix:) ] but I can't imagine life any other way.