family Natasha Chiam family Natasha Chiam

FAST Running!!!

Is what my daughter calls it when she really starts to motor in her new "running" shoes.

It is also what is happening in my brain tonight. So many thoughts and ideas and plans and goals and....well, they are all there and RUNNING very fast through my mind.

So I leave you with this....

...while I catch up with all these crazy, awesome thoughts and ideas FAST RUNNING through my brain!

'Til tomorrow folks,

Natasha~

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Summer Blog Challenge posts for August 29, 2011

 

 

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Natasha Chiam Natasha Chiam

I Am Pooped!

Wake up at 7 AM - Check. Bikram Yoga at 8:15 AM - Check.

Sweat buckets - Check.

Head home and drink yummy berry Vi-Shake and LOTS of water - Check.

Clean and tidy-up the house - Check.

Make lunch (grilled cheese and avocado sandwiches) for family - Check.

Cut up fruit and veggies for party - Check.

Change outfit 4 times for Stella & Dot Trunk show - Check.

Have an awesome afternoon of girlfriends, little princesses, and pretty, sparkly things - Check.

Clean up after said afternoon - Check.

Make dinner for family - Check.

Eat dinner - Check.

Take dog for a walk - Check.

Wash said dog's gunky ears - Ewwww and Check.

Wash hands thoroughly - Check.

Nurse the girl and give cuddles to the boy - Check.

Write Summer Blog Challenge post - Check.

Have long, hot shower and get to bed.......Soon.

♥

Natasha~

P.S. Drool over this awesome necklace that I am SO getting just once more - Check.

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Summer Blog Challenge posts for August 28, 2011

 

 

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healthful living Natasha Chiam healthful living Natasha Chiam

90 Days.

I am on a 90 day journey.

Yes, it is a fitness journey. And a food journey. And a self-esteem journey.

And it is going well so far.

My original goal when I started this journey was to 'fix' my body after the injury and then surgery that I had earlier in the year. To get my strength back and start to feel normal and not in pain every day. And to be able to walk up stairs like a grown-up as opposed to a two-year old. I went for physiotherapy and started a gentle workout regime and slowly started to heal and build up my strength.

I believe I have reasonably accomplished my first goal, but one can always be stronger!

My second goal when I committed in earnest and started working with a personal trainer, the amazing Jessica Zapata of Infinite Fitness, was to be able to fit into THIS bridesmaid's dress for my sister-in-law's wedding in October.

Tonight we had all of Natural Urban Dads siblings over for a BBQ and my SIL brought over the dress (we bought them in Calgary at a lovely little shop called Frocks, check it out if you are there). After everyone left, I tried it dress, fully expecting it to be WAY too tight for me to even do up the zipper.

And....

THE DRESS FITS! 

So what does this mean? Is the journey over? Goal accomplished?

Um, NO.

This 90 Day Challenge is a journey of self-discovery amongst other things. Discovering just how far I can push myself (with the help of someone who does not see the limits I self-impose) and discovering what it means to live, eat and breath a healthy lifestyle.

I am doing things that I did not think possible with my body and my arthritis and my fake, metal hips and my crunchy knees. And maintaining a pretty clean, sugar-booze-pasta-bread-free diet too (with the help of the totally awesome Visalus Vi-Shakes). What kind of things you ask?

Well for one, (and trust me it may not seem like it to most people, but to me this is huge) I can JUMP! And there are some who even think that I can run too. Now I may not be the prettiest site you've ever seen doing these things, but I am moving and my body is moving in ways that it has not in many, many years.

And my body is changing too.

See....the numbers don't lie!

So to sum up...

Goal Number One-get stronger and heal from injuries. CHECK

Goal Number Two-Fit into the dress. CHECK

Now onto Goals 3 and 4...

I have three parts of my body that I really don't like. Underneath my arms (the waving part), my mommy-tummy (I call it the 5-pound breastfeeding burden) and my chubby knees! Goal number three involves the toning and tightening of all three of these areas along with all the rest of me too. Jessica tells me every time we work out that there is no such thing as spot reduction, and so I will continue to plug away and eat clean, workout and keep moving forward! And I know that these results will come with just a little bit more effort on my part.

And for Goal Number 4. I really want this goal to be something BIG. Something beyond fitting into those skinny jeans that have been hiding in the back of my closet for 4 years. I want it to be a challenge. A PHYSICAL challenge. And so far I can't think of what it should be. I am open to suggestions...

I'll let you know when I decide about Goal #4 and keep you updated on the progress I am making. Hopefully not too much or I'll be paying an arm and a leg for alterations! Oh, whatever, it will be SOOO worth it!!

In the mean time. Check me out in THE dress!!

 

Natasha~

P.S. Officially my 90 Day Challenge finishes on October 31. The journey however is one that I am committing to for a lifetime!

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Summer Blog Challenge posts for August 26, 2011

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babywearing, family, Life Lessons Learned, motherhood Natasha Chiam babywearing, family, Life Lessons Learned, motherhood Natasha Chiam

In the moment...

I was about to crap out on a post for tonight!!

You all know it has been a rough week for me (see yesterday's post)!

But, NO, I can't do that to you (and also I hate that Liam YELLS at me in his SBC update posts if I skip a day!!)

Instead I thought I would take a page from a fellow Summer Blog Challenge participant and post about the things that have really made me happy these past few weeks.

One-on-one time with my little girl.

It is not often that I get to have one-on-one time with my kids. We try to have Mommy days and Daddy days with each of them separately, but more often than not they don't want to do anything without each other (they really are that close). So with Little C in Sportball Camp for another week, the Princess and I had some time to just hang out and do whatever we wanted....just us girls!

We hit the playground one day and she was so much more adventurous on her own. Climbing and sliding and spinning on all the different structures. She even made a little friend! And then she spotted the BIG swing and that is where we spent the next half hour! We had fun, she had me all to herself and I got to focus on just one kid for a few hours and I think we both needed that!

Pretty vintage things for me

I was on Facebook one night and saw these beauties and HAD to have them!

A) Because I am a sucker for anything blue and green **Tangent: My British Grandmother used to always tell us that "blue and green shall never be seen, unless there is a monkey in between". I still don't know what that means?  

And B) My hands get cold, especially when I am typing, so they seemed like a perfect solution.

And C) They are locally made and the fabric and the buttons are vintage--do I have to say more?

The two most important dudes in my life.

Natural Urban Dad and Little C really are two of a kind. They look alike, they have the same mannerisms, they have the same crazy obsession with cleanliness (not complaining) and they are my world! There is nothing that makes my heart swell more than seeing them together and how much they love each other. Oh, and the Ferris Wheel idea--totally Little C's! Seems he is a little thrill seeker and on that one note he is VERY different than Natural Urban Dad!

My new Duvet Cover.

Yes. I am very serious. I have been wanting a new duvet cover for months and just haven't found the right one. So I hit up HomeSense once more this past week and buried underneath all the other plain, boring duvet covers, I finally found the ONE!  Now the kicker with this is that I did not inform Natural Urban Dad of my plans, mainly because I knew that he would probably kybosh the whole idea and then we would be stuck with a BIG GIANT CHICKEN at the door kind of mess! So I bought the duvet, washed it and got in on the bed before he got home and had a chance to tell me to take it back! Doesn't it look purdy? And bonus, it makes me want to actually make my bed every morning! (Which is slight consolation for Mr. Tidy Pants!)

Matching my outfit to my baby carrier.

It is true, I do like to match what I am wearing to who I am wearing and this day it worked out perfectly. The kids and I took the dog for a walk and Princess L decided she really needed to go on mama's back. It was the perfect opportunity to use of new "Magic Wrap" Woven from Cosy Baby Happy Mommy. And it matched my hat perfectly!! I promise a more in-depth review and post about this incredible wrap very soon. I want to get some more miles out of it and break it in a bit more before I give the final verdict (which so far is quite awesome!!).

**And PS: The hat the The Princess is wearing is a Woodland Rogue Hat available here.

Summer Days spent with Best friends

Today the kids and I spent the day at the Legislature Grounds with our best friends. We packed a picnic, spread out our blankets and splashed and played in the fountains and wading pools. It really is amazing that my bestie and I have been friends for over 20 years now. We have been through all of the major milestones and events in our grown-up lives together and are about to hit another big one (hint: it's a major birthday). Our kids are growing up together too and nothing makes you step back and take stock of your life and how fast is whizzes by like the realization that our babies are really NOT babies anymore. Today was a great day for us, for ME. It was a day where I felt very Zen. Like all the troubles of this past week could not affect me. I was in a happy place, with my happy people and that was all that mattered.

Today I lived in the moment and it was wonderful!

And now I am going to go to bed!

Natasha~

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Summer Blog Challenge Posts for August 26th, 2011

 

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Just because, my life Natasha Chiam Just because, my life Natasha Chiam

My {much needed} hormone fix... a room full of Incredible Women and one Baby.

I am not going to lie folks. It has been a rough couple of days for me.

I have been "capital G" grouchy!

Just ask my kids. (Poor babies!)

And not just grouchy. I have been irrationally irritable, I have had absolutely NO patience for anything or anyone and I am grinding my teeth almost to the point of lock-jaw.

And I am bloated.

It was this last thing that tipped me off as to what the heck is wrong with me....

I am totally PMS'ing!

Now you maybe wondering why this is making the cut as a blog topic, but to be honest, this realization kind of shocked me. You see, I am not, nor have I ever been a very pre-menstrual kind of gal. No cramps, no crazy moods, no nothing (don't hate me)! And with my current form of birth control (Mirena) I rarely even get a visit from dear Aunt Flo.

So what is a girl to do to get out of this PMS funk??

Why drink some red raspberry tea and then get out of the house and into a room full of amazing women of course!

Which is exactly what I did.

Tonight I attended the first Social Circlet event in Edmonton. This local networking event was arranged by the lovely ladies of Bibagogo and was a great opportunity to meet with a lot of great businesses and business women (and a few men) that I have up until now only "met" online. The setting was perfect, the food and wine was great (props to my girl Amanda from D'lish Wine Bar for the amazing Truffle Mac & Cheese and Leah from The Art of Macaroons for the spectacularly sweet, melt in your mouth macaroons) and the company I was in was simply fantastic.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQRtjt9OqcE&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

A room full of women making it on their own terms, doing what they love and living their passions is a powerful drug and it was just what I needed tonight.

Well, that and some smooshy cuddles from Maureen from Tangible Moments almost two week old daughter!! I love me some new baby pheromones and a sweet little oxytocin fix!!

Thank you so much everyone!

Natasha~

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Summer Blog Challenge posts for August 25, 2011

 

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babywearing Natasha Chiam babywearing Natasha Chiam

Hollywood deserves better Babywearing!

I saw this last night and almost peed my pants!! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4pZjCHjdPQ[/youtube]

 

First because I LOVE Will Arnett!  Umm, hello, Arrested Development is only THE funniest sitcom ever created!

And secondly because he probably just voiced the sentiments of hundreds of parents everywhere who are wearing a Baby Bjorn baby carrier!

Now I don't mean to keep harping on and on about this particular carrier, but it is the one that is seen the most in mainstream media and has the most pop culture references. There has even been a t-shirt made with it based on this:

"The Hangover"

And while this take on babywearing may indeed make for some funny TV and movie moments, it does nothing for new parents who see or know nothing else about baby carriers and wearing their babies.

So hear me Hollywood...Let ME be your Professional Babywearing Consultant. Let me help you incorporate proper, comfortable and well, let's face it, WAY more beautiful babywearing and baby carriers into your sitcoms, movies and TV commercials!

Poor Will deserves better!!

He deserves some Happy Babywearing!!

Natasha~

See the following posts for more info on why the bjorn-type of baby carriers are not ones that I recommend.

Babywearing Myths and Misconceptions: Part One

Babywearing Myths and Misconceptions: Part Two

'A' for Effort...but still an 'F' for Ergonomic.

 

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family, parenting Natasha Chiam family, parenting Natasha Chiam

Schedule, Schmedule!!

I am in full on panic mode.

In three weeks time, BOTH of my babies will be in playschool!

Last year when I was thinking about this it seemed like a no brainer. Lil' C would be in the 4 year old program at our amazing playschool and Princess L would go into the 3 year old program. And I would have 2 mornings a week all to myself!!

Heaven right!?

I am not so sure anymore.

As I sit here and work on what our schedule looks like for the coming school year and figure out how to fit all of our other activities and appointments in to it as well, I am slowly realizing that this may not be the nirvana that I had envisioned.

I try very hard not to over-schedule our lives. I don't believe in having the kids in so many activities that they don't have time to just PLAY and be with me, with Natural Urban Dad and with each other.

But it is getting harder and harder to do this. Lil' C is a very active 4 and a half year old and he NEEDS more physical activity than I can realistically give him. He is starting Gymnastics in a few weeks and will likely continuing with his awesome Hip Hop class (he is kind of a natural).

Princess L is the musical one amongst us (she makes up little songs all the time, mostly to the tune of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) and totally thrives in this kind of environment. So more music classes for her and likely gymnastics too since we will be at the gym already for her brother's class.

And then there is swimming, and Sportball and art classes and martial arts and...and... and....

...and it is enough to drive a Mama batty!

And I have not even tried to fit in the things that I want and need to do for me yet! I have a feeling that I will be living and breathing solely based on whatever iPhone App I decide is the best one to use for scheduling our lives (I am SO open to your suggestions please)!

So, if you will excuse me, I have to get back to figuring out this schedule and see if I can at least fit in a shower for me a couple of times a week!!

Natasha~

How are you managing your 'back to school' and back to activities scheduling? Please Share!! 

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Summer Blog Challenge posts for August 23, 2011

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humour, Just because Natasha Chiam humour, Just because Natasha Chiam

I am kinda PISSED...

What the Freakin' Firetruck is wrong with Hollywood?? Is there not an original idea floating around anywhere in La La Land these days!!

I just heard that Ridley Scott is planning to revisit and remake the world of "Blade Runner". 

This is the icing on the shit cake that includes the overly cheesy Kenny Ortega announcing (and then shamelessly plugging away on So You Think You Can Dance) the remake of "Dirty Dancing".

What is wrong with these people? Why can they just leave the classics alone and let them BE CLASSICS! Especially the classics that they made in the first place!

Blade Runner and Dirty Dancing are two of my favourite movies of all time. The mere thought of someone other than Patrick Swayze playing Johnny is unfathomable to me. And can someone please explain to me who on earth they can get to embody the anguish and yearned-for human existence and memory that was Rutger Hauer's portrayal of the replicant Roy Batty?

And while I am ranting about this, can any of you comic book geeks out there please explain to me why all the super hero movies need to be "re-booted" every few years? The Hulk, Spiderman, Superman and now even Batman? And these are just the so-called 'good ones'....

Maybe I am just a purist. I like things to stay the way they were originally made. I want new generations to appreciate what came before them and see the value and talent and awesomeness that was. I want my kids to watch Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and Back to the Future when they are old enough and know how cool they are in their originality. I want them to appreciate original art and a good movie....

...or a completely cheesy one too!!

Damn it people, NOBODY puts Baby in a corner!

And by "Baby" I mean Jennifer Grey, before the nose job!!

N~

 

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Summer Blog Challenge posts for August 22, 2011

 

 

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