31 for 21

I have been blogging for about four years now. In my first year my friend Michelle at Big Blueberry Eyes began hosting the 31 for 21 challenge. Although Boo doesn't have Down Syndrome she has a lot of friends that do.  I have participated for the past three years and will do so again this year. 

And this year I am starting on time, so bonus points!

My Challenge: Jessica

I introduced you to my friend "J" about two years ago. She was Boo's Yogi before life got too crazy to keep up with it. I am happy to officially introduce Jessica, the mother of four beautiful daughters. She practices and teaches Yoga for the Special Child. In her "spare" time she organizes The South Shore Buddy Walk  and Co-Founded a non-profit Heart Beats for Down Syndrome. 

Her challenge?

Filing under what the heck was I thinking?

Attention: Anyone in your 20's this might not be the post for you. See, right now you have a rockin' bod. A bod to die for that you don't have to do any real work to maintain. Oh you also have time for the gym. 

Anyway, I am  22 years past the prime of the 20-year old. And I put on a bathing suit for the first time this year. It was not pretty. I am sure that the pasty white skin didn't help the image. And yes, I could use a little self-empathy.

I asked the always reliable husband: Do I look fat? Ladies, especially, those in your 20's do not in your 40's ask a man you have been with for too long to remember for his "honest" opinion. He will give it to you.

"Well," he said without a moment's hesitation, "If you are asking me if you have put on weight in the past 3 or 4 years, yes. But you are not fat you just have a pouch and flabby legs".


Yes he lived. Because, well, he was right. I haven't run in over a year and the only aerobic activity I have done since Boo's birth look like this:

Now friends, in the interest of honesty, I know I am not fat. I do not really have a weight issue. Things just aren't where they used to be. I am in no way trying to be dismissive of those who struggle with their weight on a daily basis. But I am not happy with the "pouch". So I did two things...

I signed up for a 5K with only 2 weeks to train. I'm an idiot like that. I outted myself on Facebook for accountability and I asked my nephews if they thought that was time enough to train. One replied, of course. The other one said: sure if you put down the wine. Guess which one is my new favorite?

Next, I contacted the always reliable and exercise-aholic Tia. She agreed that the 40's have not been kind to our bodies. She then recommended the on-demand videos that are 10 minute work-outs. Surely I can find 10 minutes, right?

Well, the last time I tried a video workout I ended up watching it on the couch with some Gelato and a glass of wine. But this time I was going to do it. I could find 10 minutes,  I will, I will.

The other night I picked Allie up from school, ran errands and made it home before Boo and hubs (he had therapy duty, yay him). Started dinner and said, hey wait I have 10 minutes now.

Choose the cardiac dance video and proved once again why Allie thinks I cannot dance. Marching, I did that step perfect. The slide, yup got that down. Then they moved onto something and I, well, mis-stepped. I have no idea what move I was trying to make but I landed on the floor. Then with perfect timing, Allie comes in...

Allie: Mom what are you doing?

Me: I am exercising

Allie: I don't think that is what exercising is supposed to look like.

Yes, she lived. Because she was right. But I got up and finished the last 7 minutes of the workout. Yes, friends, I fell in minute 3. As soon as you stop snorting wine you can finish reading....

Oh you are back!

This morning I got up and found another 10 minutes. So I did the Thin-in-10 core work out. Twelve years ago I did Pilates and Yoga 3 times a week. This should be a breeze. Let's forget that the last Pilates/Yoga work out was 12 years ago.

I could not do a sit-up. Not one without heaving my legs off the floor for momentum. I did manage to some of the other torture moves. Thankfully there were no witnesses.

But I am determined to carry on. I will find 10 minutes every morning/evening and find time to train for the 5k.

Because I will wear a bathing suit this summer and I want to tan my pasty white skin.

And if you haven't had a chance yet and feel bad for me and my pouch please take a moment to "like" me! I am nominated for the Best of the Blogs. Just visit this link and "like" with Facebook.

http://www.babble.com/mom/a-letter-to-new-special-moms/

You can only like me once, though. So thanks to everyone who already likes me!

 

Boo and Yoga

We are incredibly lucky to have found Jessica, Boo's Yogi. I have written before about Yoga for the Special Child. But for a quick update for those new to this blog, we started Yoga with Jessica about a nine months ago. It was truly an act of Fate that we met, her daughter is a 'peer' classmate in Boo's integrated preschool.

Jessica is an absolute treasure. On top of running a husband and a house with five children, she is also a co-founder of Heartbeats for Down Syndrome. In her "spare" time she teaches yoga for children like Boo. She does both private (for children like Boo who would not be able to concentrate) and small-group glasses for young children.

I have seen Jessica teach a group class with a mix of typical and not-so-typical children. But, biased here, I like the solo lessons. Boo cannot follow directions. Most times Jessica has to move Boo into the position. What we have found is if Jessica's older daughter does the lesson with Boo the results are beyond terrific.

I started Boo in Yoga for the Special Child to help with Boo's frustration at being non-verbal. That didn't happen. What did happen is a significant change in Boo's bowel issues, a language explosion and a willingness to do the Yoga on her own.

Today in hydrotherapy, her PT was concerned about the toe-walking and a tendency for her right leg to turn inward. To demonstrate she asked Boo to stand on one leg. Boo didn't understand. But when we said, Boo tree pose...viola! Boo stood on one leg in an almost perfect tree pose.

Hey huge milestone there!

It is difficult, between Jessica's commitments and my own life we tend to interfere with Boo's Yoga schedule. One of my goals (and Jessica's) is to make her lessons more routine. I have noticed, when I put the extra time in (between homework, life and everything else) Yoga for the Special Child works.

Honestly, we should probably go 3-4 times a week. But between work, school, therapies and life it just isn't possible.

But Yoga isn't for just the "Special Child". Allie loves Yoga. Because I am not a Yogi nor one who can mediate I am not the best mentor for the girls. But before bedtime when we put Boo through her poses, Allie joins in.

And we all relax, if just for a moment.

To learn more about Jessica's story please visit Heartbeats For Down Syndrome or the National Down Syndrome Society.


This post was inspired by Rachel Tao of Poop who shared a story of childhood yoga and then recommended I post Boo's experience. Rachel is one of the calmest bloggers I have "met". She always sees the message in the little things. Something I need to learn how to do. Thanks, Rachel!

To find a Yoga program for the Special Child look here (I really recommend finding someone on this site and not just anyone.) for Yoga just for the child I found this site but cannot totally endorse it since I found Jessica simply by putting out a cry on Facebook.

Namaste!