Candace Walsh » Uncategorized

New Book Giveaway: Lisa Kogan’s Someone Will Be With You Shortly

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:00:02 +0000

Lisa Kogan is probably most well-known for writing a monthly column on her “perfectly imperfect life” (single motherhood, writing, friendships and family) for O Magazine. I have her new book in front of me, a copy provided by Harper Collins as a reader giveaway.

So, leave a comment telling us who your favorite mama author is and why, and I will enter your name in a drawing and pick the lucky winner on Monday, March 22.

Guest Blogger Brenda Strong (Mary Alice Young on Desperate Housewives) on Yoga for Fertility

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:35:10 +0000

Brenda Strong

Taking life just as it is may sound easy. Doing it? Now that’s hard, but also necessary and ultimately liberating. There are gifts embedded in the accidents of fate that give existence its shape, meaning and richness – as the old adage goes, make your mess your message. In my case, the mess was secondary infertility. The message became my ability to help others heal through Yoga, mindfulness and acceptance. Mothering and nurturing myself was part of my journey.

I was a 26-year-old actress making it happen in Los Angeles. Motherhood? Uh, no. Not just yet. My eyes were fixed on my career.

A few years later, I was married and a veteran step-mom, now yearning for a child of my own. I went off birth control during my stepdaughter’s high school years, confident I’d get pregnant. I did. Just not on my schedule. It took a lot longer than I reckoned.

Still, motherhood-by-marriage and the birth of my son lulled me into assuming another child would come easy.

When I decided it was time, I hit a brick wall. Between my fast-forward film and TV career, my family, and my yoga teaching, I was living pedal-to-the-metal, overworked and over-stressed. I had lost a lot of weight for a film role and stopped ovulating. I was out of balance. I went to a reproductive endocrinologist, and he ran some tests. He told me I was suffering from “secondary infertility.” I wanted to take more aggressive measures to get pregnant as my clock was ticking. I wanted to try IUI or IVF.

My husband felt differently. He had two children and didn’t need more, if we had them naturally he was fine, but he didn’t want to push. Because of his resistance, I had been researching how to balance my hormones with yoga. It was on me to heal my own body and I plunged headlong into a self-prescribed treatment of acupuncture and yoga postures to balance my hormone cycle and reduce my own stress. I developed a proprietary approach to yoga for fertility for myself. I stayed with it, and I started to calm down in my mind and my body.

Out of my mess came my message. I created Strong Yoga4Fertility and worked with women just like me. I taught them how to breathe. To open their bodies and to receive life as it comes because that’s what I had to do. Women who couldn’t get pregnant were suddenly getting pregnant. It turns out that yoga combined with their medical protocols was potent.
Perhaps even more significantly, irrespective of the outcome, the women working with me found how much they’d been suffering from fear and shame around fertility issues. By learning to connect to themselves and others on the fertility journey, they learned that they weren’t alone, and that everyone’s path is different.

In my parallel journey, my husband and I produced both a “Yoga for Fertility” and “Yoga for Partners” DVD. After we packaged them, I got pregnant. My pregnancy lasted the first trimester. There was no heartbeat. I had to have a D&C and I was devastated. However, through time, I realized that the second child we were supposed to have was my birthing this important work – helping women through fertility issues. It was meant to be this way.

With the practice of yoga comes transformation. I’m blown away by how much women evolve as they build a deep and loving connection to themselves through this work. I also teach them about nutrition, greening their homes, and removing toxins from their environment. They learn to integrate their thoughts, feelings, bodies and energy. They become more conscious parents through this work.

I learned the first step toward being a mother was to nurture myself, honor my feelings and learn self-care. How can we possibly honor a child when we aren’t honoring ourselves?

Being a mother is the biggest gift I’ve ever been given. I love my son. He teaches me every day how to be a consistent and caring human being. I’ve also learned that being a mother is to breathe in whatever life offers. The foundation of yoga is the breath. The challenge for women is to learn to breathe and receive.

Brenda Strong offers 3 DVDs; Strong Yoga4Fertility, Partners and Pregnancy and is the creator of the Fertility Ball and the Strong Fertility Ball Yoga Method. She also trains yoga teachers her Strong Yoga4Fertiity through ongoing education at Yoga Works. For more info visit: www.yoga4women.com or www.yoga4fertiity.com

Some of the softest prefolds IMAGINABLE; giveaway…

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:15:28 +0000

We were just plotzing over prefolds at Mothering HQ.

I received a 4-pack of organic cotton “Giggle Better Basics” prefolds–an Under the Nile exclusive. Dooood. I used to cloth-diaper my boy (and now he’s almost 6) and the prefolds were…fine..you know…the broken-in white t-shirts of my diaper selection. They were great everyday staples. And I also had other favorites that had the cutest print, or the sweetest design, or were incredibly reliable. But these prefolds are like the ultra-high-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets one would encounter in a super-fancy hotel.

Kane and Dian, photographed in Mothering t-shirts for our Resources page

Simone’s husband Kane began rubbing his face with one, a dreamy look in his eye. “Maybe I could wear this,” he mused, fully kidding but also…maybe imagining it in the form of a sweatshirt. I can’t speak for him, I’m only editorializing. And then Dian let out a squeal and pointed–like, “Change me! Even though I’m dry! I want to take that honey for a ride!”

Kane and Dian went home with their prefold. I have three left–and want to give them away to our awesome Mothering readers. Times are tight–and these are a bit of a splurge, as prefolds go. So subscribe to my blog, leave a comment–the first three responders will receive one luscious, softy, fair trade, primo prefold from Giggle Better Basics. And then come back and comment to let us know how you like it!

Spring Chocolate Giveaway from SJAAK’S.

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:13:00 +0000

I am sitting here, in total bliss, as I have just sampled organic Sjaak’s chocolate. People. I ate a dark-chocolate lavender truffle in the shape of a heart, wrapped in purple shiny foil. And I really can’t spell. You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve had to fix errors. My brain does not want to bother itself with SPELLING right now. Someone should run tests on how chocolate interferes with other comparatively dreary brain functions.

I am giving away a Sjaak’s Vegan, Organic “Limited Edition Bunny Truffle Gift Box.” Nine chocolates. One each of the following: dark chocolate, milk pecan cinnamon, milk almond, dark coconut & ginger, dark cherry, dark orange maté, dark pistachio, milk cappuccino, and milk hazelnut.

I’m sorry the picture’s so small–check it out at the website to get a better gander.

After the chocolates are eaten, you can keep the beautiful box for future springtime decorating.

In order to be eligible to win, share your favorite springtime holiday tradition (or just a favorite springtime thing) of yours. Mine is to make baked eggs with mascarpone cheese and thyme, wrapped in bacon–in ramekins. Then the grownups enjoy Bellinis (made of champagne and peach puree). I love going to the farmers’ market and buying a dozen eggs in natural varying shades of blues, yellows, tans..especially in March and April. The variations in colors, and the speckled shells just thrill me. Come to think of it, the living room in my house has blue and green walls that wouldn’t look out of place on eggshells. [oh my god…ingesting that lavender has turned me into a free-associating, crackpotty Martha).

I will gather all of the names and pull them out of a hat, and then I’ll contact the lucky winner and send this treat your way! Deadline for comments/entrants is March 25th.

Hey! This would be a good time to subscribe to my blog as I will soon be featuring a series of awesome cloth diaper giveaways, in conjunction with our upcoming May/June issue, which features Jennifer Margulis’ fabulous article on cloth diapering, a cloth diapering guide, and Jennifer Gross-Loh’s feature on elimination communication.

Elementary School, Musical

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:27:13 +0000

My daughter loves Miley Cyrus. She’s eight. I guess it’s that time.

First, my dad gave her a Hannah Montana doll when we were at my brother’s wedding rehearsal dinner.

Then the kids got to watch the Disney channel (the kids have next to zero screen time at home) while we were in Ojai on our family vacation. There were just times…when I needed a break…and there were a lot of back-to-back Hannah Montana episodes on.

“Mom, I just LOVE her,” she said. “She’s just so COOL.” Is she? Is she?

On the one hand, I want to hand-pick/curate all of my daughter’s role models. On the other hand, I know that’s crazy talk. Kids dig who they dig. I had a giant affinity for Olivia Newton-John at her age, but my mom freaked out and said she was a “loose woman, a temptress,” due to her “Let’s Get Physical” song, which I actually thought was just about working out. I didn’t need to be disabused of that notion…but I was.

So I decided to be neutral. And inside, I thrilled a little–she’s getting older! She used to love The Little Mermaid’s Ariel, and now she grooves on a different Disney chica. I just hope Miley doesn’t flame out like Britney and Lindsay. Those Disney princesses tend to pay a stiff price for their renown. If she starts dancing on tables and getting arrested, Honorée does not need to know.

The last time Honorée did some substantial laundry folding in exchange for chore money, she asked me if we could download Miley Cyrus songs as her payment. She sat on my lap and we earnestly evaluated different music samples. She chose four: “Party in the USA,” “Fly on the Wall” (which has a satisfying Joan Jett vibe), “Hoedown Throwdown” (learning those dance steps would be fun), and another one I can’t recall. She and Nathaniel have dedicated dance parties now…it’s darn cute.

At her dad’s house, she gets a steady diet of opera, classical, and musical theater. At my house, it’s Miley, Regina Spektor, Feist, and the Black Eyed Peas. And “Party in the USA” has found its way onto my running playlist. I highly recommend it.

Free “Couples Retreat” DVD Valentines Giveaway

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:34:51 +0000

I have 5 Couples Retreat DVD movies to give away. All you have to do is be one of the first five commenters who answers the following question: What is your romantic relationship tip? It can be in the category of “the secret to my successful relationship” or in the loved and lost category: “I learned this the hard way and hindsight is 20/20″ .

COUPLES RETREAT IS ON BLU-RAY HI DEF & DVD FEBRUARY 9!

Lunch for MOMS (thanks to Jodi Miller, the Feral Cook)

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:20:49 +0000

linky-loo

Slings and Arrows

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:50:05 +0000

Off the topic of Valentine’s Day, my poor friend Kathy Pape received this anonymous note today. She lives in a place where it was 64 degrees and she was holding her son in her arms the whole time. Oh, the in-humanity!

Valentine Craft Ideas

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:37:54 +0000

So I was wandering around the arts and crafts store yesterday, trying to come up with a valentine craft for Honoree, my second grader. Last year, I thought we were pretty darn fancy with our valentines made out of paper doilies. Each kid got a wee heart-shaped eraser, too. But H. came home with an assortment of valentines and a bit of a long face. There was the felted valentine, the quilted valentine, the knitted valentine, the fired-ceramic valentine. I may be exaggerating a little bit, but…you get the picture. Normally I would say, “Hey, kid, we’re not getting into a competitive craft-off with the rest of your class.” But I actually do like to come up with fun creative projects (if I have five minutes to think about it), and so I vowed to give it a little more attention next time.

Fast forward to yesterday. Wandering the aisles. I didn’t want to purchase any foam sheets. What are they made out of? There was so much merchandising space taken up with foamy stuff. I guess it sells.

I don’t have a sewing machine. We’re not hand-sewing 19 anythings. Um…

I came across small square white glass mosaic tiles, red glass hearts with flat backs, and small round magnets. We glued them together: magnet, tile, red heart on top. Then H. rubber-stamped tracing paper with a heart stamp, using red ink–as simple wrapping paper. Cute, inexpensive, and we have lots of leftover white tiles and magnets for other crafting opportunities.

{Wait a minute. Do they look like tampons, or what? Not so much in real life. It’s a scale thing. “And then mom sent me to school with tampon valentines for the whole class…”}

My friend Pat Chapman, an amazing assemblage artist, gave me another idea: cut lots of printed paper (mostly red and pink) into random small shapes. Glue it on card stock, in an overlapping way, and then cut hearts out of the card stock after it dries. Write your valentine message on the solid side.

My kindergardener, Nathaniel, would LOVE to cut up a bunch of paper. He is my in-house confetti factory…however, he and his classmates are each making one valentine craft and bringing it home. So I dodged a bullet there–I’ll save that idea for next year.

My high school pal is having a baby! And he had a question.

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:07:39 +0000

I am so happy when people take advantage of the fact that they know a Mothering editor. Pepper me with questions, y’all! And I am always happy to get even more advice and suggestions for the Q-ers in the form of comments. Spencer went to high school with me, and had really great cast parties after our school plays. As a contextual element, I have included my high school senior portrait.

Here goes:

Hi Candace,

My how time flies, how are you and your kids? Molly and I are expecting our first in early April. Needless to say we are really excited, we are having a home birth so we have been busy! We have an amazing midwife, and are waiting to meet the little one and find out if it’s a girl or boy. We are in the process of updating our Cambridge flat, mostly moving old crap out and baby stuff in!!! We are knees deep with sewing bamboo cloth diapers/inserts, rubbing the belly and taking cold cold walks.

We have a fairly small nursery, 6 feet by 7 feet so we are thinking of a hammock, a changing table and a dresser but was wondering if you had any ideas or links to small-space baby makeovers etc… We will probably not get a crib right away since the baby will be sleeping with us for a while. Also I am opposed, because I think they look like a jail cell but mostly, we have traveled the globe and in many cultures they use hammocks or co-sleep because of spine development etc.

I hope 2010 will be as special for you as for us.

Spencer

Dear Spencer,

Oh, congratulations! My son was born on April 8th : ) . I’m so happy to hear that you’re having a homebirth. The baby hammocks that I’ve seen are nice but I have heard that they only work for a short amount of time because the baby grows out of it–so best to try to get one second-hand. I love the idea of getting an organic cotton single-mattress-size futon to put right on the floor. That way your wife can nurse him or her to sleep there during the day if she wants to be able to do stuff in the bedroom and get the baby accustomed to the space. When the baby grows to be a toddler or preschooler and transitions to the bed, it’s nice and low so there will be no “falling out of bed” adventures. And it’s an extra place for a houseguest to sleep in case you need it. Most regular mattresses are loaded with PBDEs (flame retardant) that get into everyone’s bodies, so that’s why I say go for the futon. They usually have a polyester layer that is naturally flame retardant. But ask around–there should be a cool groovy place in Boston.

I would love 2010 to be half as special as it is going to be for you! Lots of love and blessings to you and your family.
Candace

Anyone else have advice for Spencer? Comment below.