Here I Am vs. I'm Here

Last week, I read an e-mail from the Stroller Strides National Fitness Director. In the letter, Farel wrote a very simple phrase that has stuck with me all week. "Here I Am vs. I'm Here"

I had a really good friend in college who wore his watch backwards EVERYDAY! It drove me crazy! Finally, I asked him why and he told me that he wore his watch backwards because it reminded him that his goal in life was to put other's first. Great theory in life, but how did the watch fit in? He simply said, If someone needed to know what time it was he would never have to strain his neck to see. To this day, I still don't get the watch point (why couldn't he just tell them what time it was?), but I commend his selfless actions.

I'd like to think that I'm a "I'm here" person, one that tries to put other's first and listens well. A person that remembers the little things about a person's life, some one who will gladly give you an extra cracker for your child or diaper if you were out. When ever I try to be this person, I always think of Lauren B. from our Stroller Stride's class. She truly is a I'm Here person.

More often than not, I fear that I fall into the trap of a "Here I am" person. It may be inadvertent, but this person always seems to feel that they are the most important thing going on at any given time. This person may have nothing but the best intentions, but almost always serves their needs first. When I think of this person I always envision Eloise from the children's story books. "I am Eloise. I am six." This is not how I want to live me life.

So, are you a Here I Am or a I'm Here kinda girl ?

Too Much?

So, last night my family and I went to see my nephew, Matthew, play his 2nd to last all-star game. He is on the 9 and 10 year old team for San Carlos and they will be playing for the championship tonight.

I was amazed at the excitement in the air. The fans were yelling, the moms and grandmas had on their "team shirts" and photo buttons, heck the game was even being streamed live over the Internet for the "out-of-town friends and family". It was a major deal!

As we drove home, I couldn't help but ask, why? They are 9 and 10 year olds. Is it really that big of a deal? Are we making too much out of it?

It was then that my voice of reason (Andy) snapped me back into reality (aka Motherhood). "Look at this the way their moms would, their kids are doing something really cool and are doing it well."

He was right, it wasn't too much if you were their mom, dad, grandma, etc. After all, I've been known to announce to the whole fire station that Sam was using the "big girl potty" and take her on a mani/pedi day for it. Or march Lanie around the house on my hip for her failed attempts at walking. (yes, in our house, even a failure is an reason to cheer)

I don't think celebrating you or your kid's achievements (however big or small in life) can ever be too much.

Now, if I could only figure out how to make those photo buttons...

If you're happy and you know it...

You’re probably living in Denmark. That’s right, a new survey came out this week that said the happiest nation in the world is Denmark of all places. Ironically, the United States came in at #16. With everything that we have as a nation how did we only rank 16th? Don’t we have more than enough things to make us happy?

This got me thinking, there must be A LOT of people in the US unhappy.

So, here it is, my top 10 reasons that I AM HAPPY (and I know it).

#1) I have a great family. Sam turned 2 last week and is as crazy as ever and Lanie is turning 1 this Saturday. They are great friends and are just beginning to have a good time with each other

#2) I have an amazing Husband that I love to the moon and back. I know, I know, I don’t want to brag, but he really is kinda great. Andy is loving, kind, great with the girls and most importantly, really understanding of me and my crazy life. Not to mention that he’s not too hard on the eyes.

#3) I have a super cool job that I love to do. Stroller Strides is the best job I’ve ever had (don’t tell anyone, but it’s the kind of job that I’d do for free of I had to, that’s how much I love it).

#4) My family is healthy and happy.

#5) There’s always food on our table. In these crazy economic times, you can’t imagine the comfort in that.

#6) My girls are free to grow up and be whatever they want to be in life. I have to give credit where credit is due on this one. This has very little to do with me and Andy’s influence but rather the amazing Americans who came before us. Because of the men and women who have served our country in times of war and peace, Sam and Lanie can grow up to be anything in life, from a President to a stay at home mom.

#7) We have a roof over our heads and a soft bed to sleep in.

#8) The new season of Project Runway is starting. I know that this is shallow, but I really do love this show.

#9) The Lazy days of summer are in full swing at my house. It’s lighter later and that means playing in the yard till my kids fall over with exhaustion. (No more fighting over movies at bed time).

And Last, but not least…

#10) I don’t live in Denmark! I’m sure it’s a great country, but I get to live right here in San Diego where my family is and the weather’s great.

What are you wearing?

I have that child. You know, the one who wears rain boots in the middle of summer and a Princess dress at every chance. Andy and I use to try to change her into "appropriate clothing" but have lost that battle.

Sam wears shoes that are too small simply because they sparkle. She would wear her sun glasses 24 hours a day if I'd let her. She's been known to wear her fairy wings to Sunday morning mass as well as one of her many Princess dresses to Stroller Strides class.

And just last week, she insisted on wearing her Terra, glasses, pink purse and beads to Andy's graduation.

Like I said, Andy and I use to try to curb this behavior. But now it's almost fun. I never now what my daughter will emerge from her bed room wearing.

It's Hot!

This morning I turned on the news just in time to see that it's hot!

What does that have to do with Stroller Strides? Well, a lot. When the mercury jumps up like this there are a few things that we all need to remember...

1) Hydrate! I know that it seems like common sense, but we all have to be reminded to refuel. Just remember the 8 is great motto from school. 8 8oz glasses in 8 hours!

2) EAT! Ever heard the expression "it takes a lot of money to look that cheap"? Well, it takes a lot of energy to stay cool. If you skimp on your food intake, your body wont have any resources to cool you down.

3) Let those babies breathe! And no, I don't mean your personals (although that might feel good as well, but that's a whole other post.). I mean you KIDS! Could you imagine sitting in a canvas box in the sun (think camping, but worse). Now, imagine sitting in a stroller in the sun! As much as we all LOVE our strollers, there like little heat dens. Here are some tips to turning your stroller into a cooler place.

1. Why not allow your kids to try a "big boy cup" at the beginning of class? It's great practice and they'll probably be dry by the time you get into the car.


2. Follow Drea's lead and let your little one bring a squirt gun to class full of water. I know my girls would love to shoot mama, and I'd love to get wet.


3. Place a wash cloth in a zip lock bag full of ice on top of your stroller. By the time class is over, your kids have a ice cold treat.

4) Sunscreen and a hat! Need I say more?

Those are just a few of my ideas to stay cool in this heat. What are your?

Who's your Daddy?

I have been blessed with many great "Dad's" in my life.

My father, "Papa Taco" as he's now called, has been there for EVERYTHING. He's done the girl scout camping thing. He's trucked out into the Borego desert to rescue me from a camping trip gone bad and bring me back home. He went to 6Th grade camp as the "girls counselor" and was a "cheer dad" in High School. He even drove a whole state to be there when a relationship I was in finally self imploded. He's my dreamer. I have crazy ideas in my life and he always believes that I can and will do them. He is a great Dad (and an amazing Papa Taco).

My Father in law, "Papa" as he's known to my girls, is my reality check in life. He's the tough love type of guy who never fails to tell it to me like it is (even if it's not the way I want it to be). I love the fact that he doesn't hide his feelings about life, but rather just lays it all out there (not unlike myself). He loves all the kids in his life and will drop anything for them. He too is a great Dad (and Papa).

Andy is an amazing Dad! He would drop anything for the girls. He has been known, on more than a few occasions, to get nothing done during the day because there was a Lego city being built in the play room. He's ruff and tumble and will roll on the ground with Sam all day long.

He's nothing like me as a parent. He's fine letting the girls have ice cream for dinner and popcorn in bed. For the first year of Sam's life this drove me crazy! At one point Sam called Daddy "fun Daddy". I would spend my time washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning up toys while Andy would play dress-up and tea party. Then Andy said something that has stuck with me "they're only this age once". He was right! They would never remember how clean our house was, but too this day Sam still talks about our "ice cream dinners" in the summer.

As a father, Andy has helped me be a kid again.

This father's day I'm blessed with great Dad's in my life that have helped me be a better mom.

Sex and the City

Tuesday night a group of fellow Stroller Stride moms dared the unthinkable and went to the (gasp) movies for Sex and the City. We meet at a local eatery for dinner and (gasp, again) drinks and then walked over to the theatre for the movie.

The movie was not a disappointment. Staying true to it's HBO roots the film was funny, fashionable, flirtatious, and fabulous! Even better than the movie was watching it with friends. We laughed at the funny spots, giggled at the naughty spots (and there were more than a few of those) and even gasped at the dramatic spots.

As we were leaving the theatre I noticed that sitting in front of us were a group of high school aged girls. These girls were young! Too young! Now I'm normally not the type of Mom to soap box on how other children should be brought up, BUT... The movie has a "R" rating for a reason. It's not called Sex and the city for nothing! There was SEX! Talk of sex, visuals of sex, even the act of sex (heck, at one point I saw a penis!). The phrase "soft porn" was mentioned a few times as we were leaving the movie. How could you let your 14 year old watch that?

With the shock of my prepubescent viewing partners still fresh in my mind, I came across this on the Internet yesterday. Sex among high school students on the rise: 47.8% of high school students had sexual intercourse in 2007, up from 45.6% in 2001 according to the CDC. More teens are also having unprotected sex. Only 61.5% of teens used a condom, down from 63% in 2003.
No wonder sex (unprotected sex at that) is on the rise.

Now, I don't want to sound like I'm a preacher! I've been there too (as have my parents). When I was in high school I had the misfortune of going to see the movie "Threesome" with my parents. Yep, you read that correctly..."Threesome". Somehow I got the idea that It was a fun loving movie about 3 people living together in a college dorm. It was. It just also happened to be that and a WHOLE LOT MORE!. As if watching "soft porn" with your parents isn't bad enough, I was forced to endure the sex talk form my parents, both Mom and Dad for weeks!

The amazing thing is after the weeks of talking about sex and what we saw, with my parents, I was way too embarrassed to ever actually have it!

So, maybe that's the ticket. Send your tweens to see Sex and the City then drive them crazy with sex talk and they wont ever have sex again!