DC Metro Mom

Restoration Hardware Baby & Child

DC Metro Mom: As a style and wardrobe consultant, can you tell us what will be the new trends for Spring 2012?  What is the new "it" item?

Waltie loves playing with these two specific toys.  It's a Sophie giraffe from France, and some Manhatten Toy beads (top picture).  He loves them!  He got them for his 1st birthday.  

Grammy-award winning performer and activist Peter Yarrow (best known as part of the trio Peter, Paul & Mary), brings his family-oriented performance to the Hylton Performing Arts Center on Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. as part of the Hylton Family Series.

By — MaryFrances Gonzalez, MA CCC-SLP

For more information visit http://www.oldtownboutiquedistrict.com/.

I am in complete shock that my littlest baby is 1 today!  I am in deep emotional disbelief.  It seems like just yesterday that he was being born.  I'll never forget that day.  I had been on bed rest for 2 weeks for high blood pressure.  I was at home, my mom was visiting and helping take care of the kids, Kenneth was at work.  I got a call from my obstetrician.  The actual doctor called.  Not the nurse.  It was important, I got that quickly.  He told me that my last blood work came back with elevated levels and they were going to have to do the c-section TODAY!!!  I couldn't believe it.  He asked if I had eaten anything and luckily I hadn't because he scheduled it right then, over the phone. The next thing I did was call Kenneth at work.  This would be the most unplanned birth that we have had. All the other kids were just walk into the hospital, sign up, wait at the triage, get a room, have the csection... None of this "OH MY Goodness, we're having a baby today! What???"  But, I have to admit it was fun.  We got ourselves together and proceeded to the hospital.  Even though he was only 36.5 weeks, I really hoped he wouldn't go to the NICU.  I was scared, excited, scared, and hopeful.  And scared, yes mostly scared.  They rushed us in pretty quickly and very soon, Walter had been born!  The first thing that I noticed was that he was a little blue.  My worst fear was coming true again.  There was going to be another NICU visit.  My next realization was that his toe was overlapping the others.  I don't know why I noticed that, but I did.  I honestly hoped it was just a temporary thing and happened because of his position in the belly.  I hate that I had that thought.  But, really, it was the beginning of bad thoughts for me.  Not too long after that we discovered that Walt had a genetic disorder.  He was missing part of his 4th chromosome.  While I wish he had that missing part (because it would make things easier for him), it's made him who he is today. One year later and I love his toe.  I love his pinky that won't bend.  I love his overbite smile.  I love his recessed jaw and small chin.  He is perfect.  God made him perfect for us. I am so blessed to be his mom.

 By — Liz

Guest Blog by Jennifer Hodges Kozlow

Guest Blog by Tamara Tarasova

It's heavy. It's slow and it's really not pretty.
ME- back out there on the sidewalks of DC, jogging (walking quickly), trying to run, trying to MOVE my body! AGH!!!!

I love to run. I love to run outside, but these days...it's just not coming so easily...I always have the jogging stroller out and there is always someone attached to it (our dog, Miller, the car seat with Milo) or Saylor inside reading a book, singing me a song or yelling "run mama run" ... I tell her "I'm trying". She says "go faster" ... I tell her "I'm trying!!"

The thing is ...I was NOT always a runner, by any means. As a child, I was overweight and very tall. Growing up, sports were not my thing. Meaning... I WAS ALWAYS LAST! Last to be picked, last to run the 600 on field day and then later in life, last for the timed mile. All of that made me very, very sad, and really hate running. Embarrassed really.

Fast forward many years... and I find yoga, I quit the gym and all the sudden I have this ENORMOUS desire to run outside. Shortly after that I signed up for my first half marathon and started training. I took it very seriously and I "learned" to run and ever since then, I have enjoyed outdoor jogging. I don't compete with anyone, I just enjoy my breath and movement linked, the outdoor air... it's really great without a jogging stroller as well... but I have not done that in so long I don't even remember!

Now, I am working on getting this baby weight off. It's really tough. I feel like EVERYONE I know who has had their 2nd (or 3rd) baby looks amazing right after the baby, and looses all the weight SO FAST. I am really struggling with the extra pounds b/c it's making my jogging MUCH slower, much heavier and hurting my knee,  not to mention the extra pounds in my yoga practice...plow pose is VERY interesting.

I know in time, it will pass, the weight will come off, and I will feel like myself, in my body again... "9 months on , 9 months off" they say...