Any Time is a Good Time to Stretch...

Anytime is a good time to break into a stretch. I've wondered about the look on the faces of those that have walked into a room where I was stretching. It's one of those things that are so important and we often forget or just pass up. Then we tighten up to a point of rigidity that can cause us to easily break, strain or pull something out of place. Stretch your entire body piece by piece starting with your fingers, hand, wrist, forearm, triceps, shoulders, neck, rib cage, waist, hips, sown to your thighs, legs, calves, ankles and toes. A nice full stretch to feel throughout your being.
With one method I use I start on my hands and knees and with wide open hands I place them in front of me, leaning forward towards them until my toes have lifted and my weight is being balanced solely on my fingers and wrist feeling it all the way up my forearms. You can also use your forehead to support you a bit as you lean forward to get a good top stretch on your fingers. Then you continue feeling the stretch down the rest of your body by resting your hands on your hips and letting your shoulders drop you'll get a nice stretch all the way up to your neck. It'll even stretch your back out some. Once I get a good stretch going I just close my eyes and roll into different areas of my muscles and body parts. This way you can stretch body areas you didn't even know existed or even needed attention. I also find that this focus allows me to work on sensitive areas without hurting myself or overdoing it. Peace and quiet are essential so you can really go deep into a stretch without the worry of going too far. Make sure you breathe deeply. It's so worth it, mornings, noon and night. Stretch to your delight. You can and should also meditate and breathe deeply in order to incorporate a complete approach to this most awesome therapy! Photos to come...

Trashing the Bottle!

Time to find better methods.

Today March 14th 2012 is the official day my kids and I leave the "bottle" behind. We tried many things before this in order to help my wife, my kids and I stop using the bottle. It was only being used for milk anyhow, but the bottle as we have been told by the powers that be (before us) would soon become the contributor to cavities, bad teeth and very bad habits that I was aware of. Mainly those that were already formed and starting to solidify like always wanting the bottle or "leche" prior to every nap and sleep time as well as filling up on the dairy produce instead of other nutritional foods. Also it just looks plain ugly in my opinion when a grown child just won't let go of something like that. Like the child being pushed in a stroller while literally dragging their feet, which they use as their own brakes.
Now I add my wife and myself into the group of folks releasing the use of the bottle because it quickly became an easy way to just give the kids what they wanted and ultimately quiet them down. Our sons' favorite word had become that request for "leche". Interestingly though that our daughter took up the English word "milk" instead of its Spanish translation "leche". Even when we thought we were just too busy to take the time to think through something to make them to eat we knew if we offered milk they would appreciate it, drink it and usually just fall asleep. Mostly they would deny the foods that were offered knowing or simply waiting for the milky substance. It was automatic every night and the easiest way to get the kids to bed, but too easy come to find out.
What we didn't notice until now was the real reason behind the attachment to what they called leche and milk. It was and is simply the sucking aspect of it. Not what was IN the bottle. It was comforting to them. Just like the famous nipple pacifiers and I thought they were actually hungry for milk. Our kids hardly used the pacifiers and stopped totally using them at around 8 months, but they simply transferred their sucking comforting actions onto the bottle nipple. This is how I found out.
First we started using just one bottle and making the kids share. I figured this would give me some time to analyze their reactions while the other drank from the bottle. Also I could see if maybe they would just get bored waiting for it and just fall asleep. I was right. This helped us slow down their milk drinking habits since often they would ask for a second serving but instead I would then offer my other child the bottle making the first wait for their second serving often resulting in snores. We also attempted to give the kids milk in their favorite cup when they asked for leche, but as soon as they tasted their sippy cup of milk it was quickly put down with a face of disgust. Interesting I thought. We tried the more rubber tipped sippy cup, which the kids could easily lean back and suck down like they do the bottle, but for some reason they were never comfortable with it either. Then after learning more about rBST and the overall treatment and non-grass fed diets of cows I switched my children to Almond milk. Yummy! I love it and the kids didn't even notice. They gulped it down in their bottle without care. Then recently when our son was on his 4th day of 100+ fever and not eating much I resorted to adding oats to the milk, ultimately I had to cut a slit in the bottle nipple opening to allow the oats through and something hit me. Man that hole was small! The kids had been sucking their milk down through that tiny whole, which really acted more like a pacifier since they had to pull so hard. Ahaa! Well, the big Ahaa moment didn't come until later when neither child would drink their milk out of this bottle. First I thought it was that somehow they figured out it was almond milk. As if they had some sort of board meeting and came to the conclusion all on their own, but that wasn't it...here it comes Big Ahaa! They no longer had the comfort of sucking on the nipple since the fluid was now pouring out after I had cut a slit in it. The best part was that my son two nights in a row tried this new adapted bottle of milk, quickly handed it right back to me as if saying, "this is not going to work," and then covered himself and went to sleep. Here we were thinking they were hungry and allowing ourselves to believe that they would go hungry through the night and so abiding by the nightly routine.
Well I'm glad we're over it. Conquered. Finito! No mas! Now I just have to come up with a few more favorite recipes in order to make sure their little tummies actually are full before bed as to not worry Mom and Dad. I detest going to sleep hungry and wouldn't wish it upon them either. Onto the next battle and learn some new stuff. I love being around to raise my kids! I Love these little chickadees so much that I make sure I instill what's good for them even though at the moment they can make it seem like its torture, but we as parents know best. We just have to make sure we're effectively putting our teachings into effect.

Breathe.

There's always more I have to do and more I want to do. My brain never stops going and there lies the value and reason for my meditation. I know it so well because that silence is priceless and unforgettable. It's not often that anyone raising two preschoolers gets to hear...silence.
But then again like a swarm of ants quickly vibrating to culminate into that burst of energy that jerks me into action with my mind and body active there's no sense of spirit. Just thrive thrive thrive, hustle hustle hustle and get it done get it done get it done. I even get annoyed at being hungry and having to put time aside for making something to eat even though I Love the science and nature of cooking, but the time seems so valuable specially when I'm on a roll "getting it done". I really enjoy the feeling of achieving. A natural high you can say like no other. The last thing I would ever want would be to end up in a situation where if I would have invested more energy and effort into "it" whatever "it" may have been then I could have avoided some negative or unfortunate situation or feeling. I won't let it happen!
There will never be enough time for me, but as long as I focus, breathe and concentrate well enough then I can stay on track and complete every task and effort that is initiated.
It had been so difficult to convince myself that raising my kids and spending a large portion of my days caring for them is really a job as they say. No one is paying me for it, no one really cares, but our family and the kids themselves. I feel that it is more of an inherent responsibility. Like brushing my own teeth in the morning, but it is how I have always wanted to spend my Life Energy. It is a huge struggle in our capitalistic society and the luxury of spending my Life Energy with my children, Educating them and watching them grow makes me feel like a real wealthy man. In every way. I'm paying my bills. I'm good. More money more problems they say. No thanks, say I! There is NOTHING that I have now that I would give up in order to have "money".
Thank you to the authors of "Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence" (By Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin) Thank you Energies that be! Thank you for everything.

Having Children: The Ultimate Training Opportunity

So many inspiring things in Life make you want to change your ways for the better, but not many do you the favor of sticking with you through it all, constantly reminding you that THEY LOVE YOU & WILL be there for you no matter what.
The Right Mental Preparation
It takes the right mentality in order to take full advantage of these opportunities. Mainly the fact that having kids is not a burden or hindrance on your achievements or progress. Too often we associate having children as such a negative endeavor that we ourselves start to believe it.
Also being able to recognize the value of your Time, Life Energy and How and Where you spend it. Rethinking that "job" if you "hate" going to work everyday. That hate becomes venom inside of you creating opportunities for more negative occurrences. I try to remember and you should too that "Nothing Positive will come out of Negativity". Plus it equals less time being with those you Love and/or Doing what you Love.
Enter The Heavy Weights
Then if you are fortunate enough as I have been to actually spend more than 4 hours a day with your offspring you'll feel the pressures of (for example in my situation): Anger or Annoyance, Countless Responsibilities and Tasks, Impatience, Low Energy, etc. Things we all naturally go through as we cycle Round & Round through Emotions, Chemical/Hormonal Reactions, but in this scenario you have an added incentive to continue Striving, marching forward Playfully, Optimistically and Enthusiastically. I have learned from my children to flex my brain muscles, emotional strength and energies. I continue working on and enjoying "Being" rather than "Doing" all the time, more "Listening" and less "Talking", "Understanding" rather than trying to be "Understood" and just as importantly Not just "Reacting" to Life, but applying a well thought out response to each situation, which goes along with Patience, Patience, Patience! The heaviest of my personal weights and most difficult to lift off of my chest. Check out my trainers below!

Breathing techniques Daddy. Breathe.

Stretch and Exercise like this and like that.

Remember Science of Breath by Yogi Ramacharaka. Breathe.