Exercising with baby

Finding it hard to take time out for yourself to exercise since having bub?
Let's face it, as Mums, we are never our top priority =(
I've found a way to have an exercise program and include bubby, and the older kids!Pram=resistance=good for exercise!
If you want to get in shape, get fitter and socialise at the same time, why not start (or join) a pram-fit group!
In some areas there are group classes sometimes called "pram jam" or similar where you have to pay and the class is instructed by a qualified trainer. But if this is not available in your area or you don't want to pay, you can get a few friends together as a casual group and do your own circuit training.
If you go to a sports oval or walking track, you can work out a circuit you can walk between low impact activities.
eg. My Pram-Fit Circuit
A full sized sporting oval, you have to walk close to the outside-no cutting corners!
Have 4 activity stations evenly spaced on the circuit and you have to walk for about 2 minutes between stations. Each station should take about 1-2minutes.
Station 1-lunges, squats and/or stepups
walk 2 minutes to next station. When walking always concentrate on posture (get the most out of the session as you can!) shoulders back, hips forward, standing straight and tall and flex your bum! Your elbows should be close to your side with handle bar around the same height.
Station 2- Dips, using the fence around the oval
walk 2 minutes to next station
Station 3- Crunches and or pelvic raises
walk 2 minutes to next station
Station 4- Standing push ups, again using the fence for support
walk 3 minutes to next station
start again!
I do 3 circuits in one session and I am trying to do 3 sessions a week!
Pushing the pram (especially on grass!) is great resistance. Your baby will love the walk outdoors!
This is a great exercise routine because you can share the experience with you baby and friends, make exercise fun! And if anyone has older children (mine are 8 and 9) they can come along and join in too or play with and occupy the little kids who are too big for the pram and can't keep up with Mum. And everyone can work at their own pace, adjust the activity stations to suit you own individual abilities.
Finish the session off with group stretching and maybe a group soccer game with the kids.
What a great way to spend some fun time with the kids and your baby and getting fit at the same time. So send out an "expression of interest" email out to all your mates or even your playgroups Mums and start a new craze in your area!
Happy Exercising!

Swaddle Bags?

Has anyone used a swaddling bag with their infants? I saw these in the shopping  magazine that came in my Bounty Bag. I have never seen them before but they look awesome! They are like a really tight little sleeping bag that swaddles the baby with their arms close to their body so you don't have to wrap them. Seeing as my next baby will be born in summer and my wrapping skills are not that great (they always come lose) I thought the swaddle bag would be good because the baby won't get too hot. I bought some fabric and zippers today to have a go at making my own design.
I was just wondering if anyone has seen or used one of these, your feedback might help me to better design my own!
Thanks!

Awesome bag bag! Or rag bag!

You can make a really cute and practical bag for all your plastic shopping bags using your old onesies! And yes I know that "plastic bags" are a bit outdated but I still use them for garbage bags, saves you money on bin liners! If are 100% Green, this is also a great idea for a rag bag!
I only recently found out what "onesies" means, if you are not up with the lingo, onesies are those little jump suits that you put on your baby, you know the shirts that do up with studs at your babies crutch, well you can get your toddler who has grown out of them to decorate it with markers and or paint (so cute with little hand prints!), sequins and ribbons or anything can be stuck on. Hang it upside down from a hook, cupboard door handle or anything, they are easy to hang because you just do the studs up around something! Simple, fill it with your plastic bags and they can easily be dispensed out the neck hole!
Great gifts for Grandmas and Aunties too!

  

Kids say the funniest things!

Today I gave my 7 year old daughter a brochure of the Whitsundays and told her to look at where we are going for our next holidays. She yelled out to our neighbour
"Hey, we are going to the Wet Wednesdays!!!!!"

$ave Money- Maintain your washing machine

Instead of using fabric softenner which can build up in your washing machine over time and is not really good for it, use vinegar! Vinegar in your fabric softenner dispenser is cheaper than fabric softenner, it softens clothes and helps clean and kill germs, it acts as a cleaner in your machine helping to break down and remove residue that builds up in you machine over time. You just use like a third to half a cup for a load, same amount as you would softenner. I live in an area with really bad water quality, high concentration of lime and calcium and chlorine and I have a new machine so I definately don't want it building up scum and ceasing up on me! So I just use vinegar in my wash once a week with the towel load. Makes the towels nice and soft and does a service on my new machine at the same time.
And don't worry about the smell, you can't small it at all!

She who has watched over me

You've watched me laugh
And watched me cry,
You've given me
The wings to fly,
Put me back together
When I've fallen apart,
I love you Mother
With all my heart

Happy Mothers Day to all of you!

Toddler in the toilet! Oh No!

My 17 month old son, let's call him "Mr Toddler", cannot be left alone for a minute! Today he sneaked into my bathroom and came out rubbing his little hands together as though washing them. I smelt a distinctive and very strong "cleaning" smell as he strolled past grinning his cheeky and most evil grin. Toilet bowl gel!
You know those new gel plungers that you squirt the gel onto the side of the bowl and it sticks there and cleans the toilet when you flush it? Well apparently they are pretty good and safer than the blue cubes in the toilet bowl baskets because they can't get them out. My cheeky little man couldn't get it out, so he poked it and scratched it and then used it for hand soap! When cleaning him up, I noticed a big blob of it on the top of his head, so I am assuming he has put his whole head in the bowl for it to rub off on there!

At least the gel would have killed any germs he got from the toilet I suppose, and well, he smells pretty fresh!