Coconut Milk Ice Cream

I was inspired by this post at the Mother Huddle blog. (The photo is hers too.) This dessert was so beautiful and had dairy-free potential. For those of you who don't know, I went dairy-free a couple of months ago in attempts to figure out the cause of Kai's hives and excema. ANYWAY- the coconut ice cream was awesome. We used this recipe for the ice cream, and then topped with fruits and piled everthing in the cinnamon-sugar tortilla bowls. Simple and delicious summer treat!

Wah-Pow!

I follow a few religious blogs, non-Mo and Mo. On Faith, a blog on religion hosted by the Washington Post, periodically has guest posts from Michael Otterson, who is the head of public affairs for the LDS church. Check out his response to an evangelist's concerns about voting a Mormon into the presidential office.Otterson's article is not an endorsement of Mitt Romney, neither is this post. Simply a reasonable response to attempts to enforce a religious test on those running for public office. Check out this gem:

"What it seems you would like me and six million other Mormons in the U.S. to do is concede a fundamental right granted to all Americans because we don’t fit within your definition of what is theologically acceptable. Fortunately, that’s not what the Constitution says, and it’s not what America teaches. I should hope that I can sit one of my grandchildren on my knee and tell them that in our religiously diverse society they are as good as anyone else, and that they will be judged by the fruits of their lives and not by discriminatory interpretations of their faith."

My Brest Friend

Not a Freudian slip, but a type of breastfeeding pillow...much like the famous boppy, shaped and contoured to fit around your waist and to support baby's little body. I never had a brest friend pillow, but I think they name is hilarious and its a nice segway for an update on the world of nursing:

I love it.

9 months ago I NEVER thought I would ever say that. Mastering breastfeeding was the second hardest event of my life. Constant stress, constant frustration, constant pain. How did I not get that memo? It took Kai and me about 6 weeks to get it down- longest 6 weeks of my life! But we made it. I gritted my teeth, cried, got lots of support, and pushed through. I now completely understand the urge and pressure to formula feed – if you remember, we did use forumla to supplement our weight-losing baby at the advice of our peds team. Based solely on my instincts and my support system, I decided to wean Kai off the formula at one month old...against the advice of his pediatricians. It worked, rather easily. Nature came through! I felt as though we stepped out of a cave and into the light. Big change to go from lack of confidence in my abilities to empowerment after our adapatation and strength.

Now, my little guy and me are in a great routine. I feel like breastfeeding is magical, a bit hard to believe superfood comes from me so easily and often. Nursing is our bonding time, and I cherish those sweet moments. I feel so grateful to those who support me and Kai. Thank you!

Om Shanti

Kai and me in exalted warrior pose

Today, I reached my target post-baby weight! This is huge. I never knew it would be so hard to lose weight. Nearly ten months of off-and-on dieting, running, yoga, zumba, weight lifting, and resistance training put me here (more than I was doing before I was pregnant). I no longer wonder why folks lose motivation while trying to lose weight. IT IS SO HARD! New mommies pack on maternal fat stores, which are perfectly healthy and normal, in order to create fat needed for breastmilk (in cow's milk terms, think heavy cream). The baby gains weight and nutrients from this. Some lucky LUCKY ladies lose all their pregnancy weight just by breastfeeding. Some don't. I am one of the latter - I stayed exactly the same until I started moving and dieting. Today, I'm proud of myself and happy that I lost weight in a healthy and sustainable way.

In related news, I'm participating in a 3-week total yoga immersion in Carrboro next month. I'm stoked! I've been wanting to do an immersion for a few years, but never had time nor money to do it. After months of researching trainings, I decided to take one with Stephanie Keach, founder of the Asheville Yoga Center. I took a couple of classes at her studio (one of those with her) and adored them. I have heard her called the mama bear of yoga in the south. :) The training will teach me a ton about yoga, mostly focusing on Vinyasa Flow style, but also delving into Kundalini and Iyengar. I'll be set up to teach and adjust others, with a 200-hour level certification and the letters RYT behind my name. Wow! I'm a little nervous since I've been nursing a few injuries this year, but I am mentally prepared (or so I think). It'll be intense - 8 hrs in the studio M-Sat, with reading, writing, and home practice at night. Thank goodness for my awesome parents' help during this time!

The immersion really motivated me to get healthy again these past 10 months. It also brought me back to self-care and self-love. After Kai came into our lives, he was the center of all my thoughts and time. Slowly, I have learned how to take time for myself and still feel that I am giving him all the love and time he needs too. I belive realizing this life-goal will help me continue to strike that balance.

I've been practicing yoga for 10 years now, originally an student of Bikram Hot Yoga, later moving into Power Flow Yoga, now a little of everything. It strikes me the same way that dance used to: self-actualization, moving into beautiful shapes, imagery of the mind being played out by the body, healing hurts, having fun. It has a lovely spiritual aspect too - truly as heavy as you'd like. As most of you know, yoga involves feeling at one with/honoring those people and things around you and being at peace with yourself.

I'll keep you posted on the outcomes. Until then - Om Shanti, meaning a prayer for peace.

So you think you can dance?

image from here

Well, I did. Then I started a fast-paced high-intensity Zumba class on Wednesday nights at Ninth Street for the last 10 weeks.

I sauntered into the first class thinking I would do well, with a dance background (albeit from high school and college - EONS AGO). Then, the first song started and everyone started dancing! No instruction, no slowing down, no counting the steps out. These were GOOD dancers, the teacher was a GREAT dancer, and most of the students were REPEATS to her class. Everyone knew all the moves already. Yikes! Quite the learning curve.

But, I loved it. I loved the challenge, and I love the sensuality of latin dance. It provides much-needed balance to my mundance desk job and totally unsexy life of mommy. Last week, after 9 weeks, I FINALLY felt like I was getting it. I can sway my hips correctly, pop and lock, put in a little flair. Oh, how I missed dancing!!!!!!

After that satisfying realization, I think I got owned by a Samba song. You see, the Samba still gets me everytime. I just can't do it fast; Brazilian carnaval queen I will never be. Sigh.