Chocolate Fudge Calciummm...

Here is one thing I greatly dislike: milk. 

Anchorman anyone??

Let me qualify that statement by saying that I like milk products, and I like milk in things, but I would never ever have a glass of milk on it's own. (O.K. maaaaaayyyyybbbbeee with an Oreo cookie, or a huge slice of double chocolate fudge cake or something...mayyyybeeee)
But ever since I was a little child, my mom would always tell me how important it is to drink milk. It makes your bones and teeth strong, and I MUST drink it. Now that I am a grown woman who knows a thing or two about body chemistry, I know it's because it's an excellent source of calcium, and that a lack of calcium and vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis. As a woman, I am already at a higher risk for it because of my gender...which sucks. Because I really really really dislike drinking milk. Blech. I do eat a lot of cheese though (mmmm...cheese), and I tend to buy the Tropicana orange juice with added calcium and vitamin D, but I just can't shake that small version of my mom inside my head who is chiding me for not drinking milk. 
Here is one thing I looooooove: Chocolate fudge brownies. 
I literally started to drool like Pavlov's dogs just typing that out. Chocolate is definitely one way into my heart. 
So, enter Swiss Natural's Chocolate Fudge Brownie calcium chews.

 A way for me to avoid drinking milk, while appeasing my inner mother-conscience AND my sweet tooth? Score! Each chew has 600mg of calcium, as well as 400 I.U. vitamin D. I was a little skeptical about how well the chews would capture the taste of chocolate fudge brownies. My only experience with chews has been antacids, and they are a chalky experience, that's for sure. I was actually amazed at how great the calcium chews tasted. In fact, they were so tasty that Hubby thought they were candies and I had to stop him from eating more than the recommended amount! I am really bad about remembering to take vitamins, so we have started buying gummies instead of pills in an effort to make it more attractive to take them. We definitely don't forget to take these chews. It feels silly saying this, but they actually are a little sweet treat. The other thing I love about them is that Swiss Natural is 100% Canadian owned (which I never would have guessed. My money would have been on the Swiss!). Oh, and if you are a calorie counter (which I am not), then you will be pleased to know that they are only 15 calories each. Oh! And they are also gluten and gelatin free. Woo hoo! 
So, this puts me one step closer to my goal of being healthier this year. I am a person who loves food, and cannot stick to a diet. It's nice to have the peace of mind knowing that I am getting the right vitamins and nutrients to maintain my body's health. Now I just have to work on that whole weight thing...ahem. 
*disclosure: I was sent a sample of chews so that I could write this review. All views, as always, are truly my own! 

Shame on Jane RemindeRings

Shame on Jane is a cute jewellery line which specializes in RemindeRings. Basically, they are gold or silver coloured bands with a message inscribed in them. The messages range from sassy to practical, and there are some great ones for weddings as well. I absolutely loved the inspirational rings. I think they are such a great idea! It's awesome to have that reminder when you see them on your hand to try and make a step in that direction.

I love that you can wear just one or stack a few for a funky look. The rings are nice and light, which is great as I totally forget I am even wearing them; they are so comfortable. I rarely wear any rings beyond my wedding bands, but these ones are so versatile they match with every outfit. So cute! 
And how about that packaging? When I opened the mail I fell in love...it is soooo pretty! 

Shame on Jane also has personalized monograms, date or zipcode necklaces. I think it would be such a wonderful gift to give a date necklace for someone's wedding, anniversary or the birth date of their child. Hmmm...good idea for Mother's Day! 
Shame on Jane is running a contest right now for Mother's Day where you can come up with the next message for RemindeRings. If your message is chosen, you get a nice little shopping spree, as well as one of the rings that you helped design! 
A note for my readers: I think that it is only open to U.S. residents... :( Sorry fellow Canucks!

Disclosure: I received a set of the inspirational rings so that I could conduct this review, but all opinions, of course, are my own. I received no further compensation. 

What I Wore: Wedding Edition!

So, I had a different post scheduled for today, but just couldn't resist writing this post when Megan from Absolute Mommy posted a Link-up to celebrate her 7th wedding anniversary. 
So, here is my trip down memory lane. I had sooooo much fun at our wedding. Honestly, our vision of a fun party with our family and friends, great food and great music ended up exactly how we envisioned it. We had a rather small budget, so I did a lot of things myself, which ended up being really fun, and I tried to give our wedding a personal touch through those little details. 
All photos are courtesy of the super amazing Kinga of Images By Frost

Dress: Paloma BlancaVeil: unknown...purchased it off Ebay for $10!! Shoes: Nina
Since we met in Thailand, we had our dinner catered by a local Thai restaurant. Oh man, it was so yummy! And Hubby insisted that we have pie at the reception, so we had 9 different flavours of mini-pies! Mmmm...

Ahh! I want to do it all over again! So much fun! 

Happy Anniversary Megan! May your life continue to be filled with love, laughter and adventure! 

9 Months!

At 9 months Peanut:

~ weighs about 20.1 lbs

~ is about 30 inches long

~Has started crawling in full force, very confidently and very swiftly

~Can sit up on his own from a laying down position

~Continues to understand more words and signs everyday, but has not, as yet, signed back or spoke any actual words

~ Still loves to cluck his tongue, and now sticks it out all.the.time

~ Loves food of all kinds. I don't think we have discovered anything he hasn't liked yet. 

~Favourite food at the moment is bananas and cereal puffs

~Claps his hands, which is super adorable 

~Is rather grumbly and growly, carrying on entire monologues with himself

~Uses his feet to pick things up...little monkey

~Loves to play peek-a-boo and to listen to songs that we sing with him

~Favourite books are "That's Not My Penguin" and "That's Not My Baby" (touch-and-feel books) and "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb"

I can't believe he's 9 months old! Time is going by so fast, and he continues to become such a little man. Love him! xoxo

On Becoming a Mom

Becoming a mother is a strange thing. I still don't truly feel that I "am" a mother. I feel I am in a constant state of becoming. Every day I learn new things; new ways to love, new ways to grow. My son is now 9 months old, and he has been around in the real world just as long as he has been around in my body. 
Becoming a mother is the most strange and glorious thing that has ever happened to me. 
It is so strange how much love you can feel for someone you have never met. Someone who doesn't even really exist independently of you at first. No idea if they are a boy or a girl, what they will look like, if they will be healthy, what their personality will be like. It is coupled with the anxiety and the fear of the unknown. It is a strange feeling to be so attached to something so tiny and miraculous, and something which is now so out of your control. 
Then the moment comes when your baby actually breathes. When he is there in front of you, and you embark on the next leg of your amazing journey. All of a sudden there is this new life that you are responsible for. He is small and precious and so incredibly breakable. He relies on you to survive, to give him love, to teach him how to live and learn and grow. It is an unbelievably huge amount of responsibility to lay upon someone. And yet, it is so utterly wonderful that there is no way I could trade it for the world. 
It is impossible to remember my world without him. This was something that crept up on me slowly. It was not like there was an instant switch when he was born. While I was pregnant, it was still so abstract to think of this new life that would be with us soon. After he was born it was so overwhelming. Learning all the things you need to learn in order to care for this new being is all-consuming. Or at least it was for me. I loved him like no other, but he was not entrenched within my life. Within my soul? Yes. Within my heart? Yes. But he was just so new, and the memories of my "old" life were so close. I can't say exactly when this changed. A week? A month? 6 months? But one day I just realized that there was no way I could imagine my life without my son. He is a part of me now; a part of my husband. 
Becoming a mother is a constant struggle. It is hard work. I still have those moments every day when I am amazed that I am actually a Mom. There are nights full of tears, moments of self-doubt, frustrations galore. There are days when I feel like it is impossible, and that things shouldn't be this hard. 
But there are also moments where I feel like my heart will burst with love and happiness. Moments where I look at him and think that there could not be a more perfect being in existence. There are times when my husband and I laugh so hard our tummies hurt at the crazy things he does. We have moments where we are practically exploding with pride and love. 
Becoming a mother is bittersweet. Watching him learn and grow and accomplish amazing things. Watching him discover the world around him and discover all the cool things our bodies can do. Cheering for him as he learns how to sit, how to crawl, how to clap, how to wave. And at the same time feeling the regret that he is growing so fast, and that these moments are passing us by and will never be experienced again. Packing away his little sleepers, his bassinet, his tiny shoes; these are moments that bring tears to your eyes. Tears of happiness and pride for the child he is becoming, and also tears of saying goodbye to the child he once was. 
Becoming a mother is my greatest accomplishment. It is something I long to do again sometime. It is something that I could never imagine not having done. Looking into the eyes of my son, I see what pure love looks like, feel what pure devotion feels like, and know the reason for my existence. 
Becoming. Evolving. Emerging. Growing. Transforming. 
As I watch him accomplish these feats, so do I become a mother.