Where Do Babies Come From?

"Mommy, do you remember when I lived in your tummy?"

I must get this question at least once a week. It probably doesn't help that my husband still has a  belly shot hanging in our room, it's his favorite (he took it). I don't mind at all, I love recalling each of my pregnancies. I was one of those obnoxious women who enjoyed everything about being pregnant. At least that's what I hear whenever I hear the war stories being exchanged in waiting rooms. I simply loved everything about it, I was not in a rush for it to end, and I was never ready to kick them out. In fact, with each I went full term (40 weeks) and the day I gave birth  I was still reluctant to give up this bliss.

Sure, each person is different and not all pregnancies are created equal. I just never understood the rush to get it over with or send the "eviction notice" to these tiny passengers. Besides, they are easier to handle on the inside anyway. Am I right?

So each time I get this question I tell him the story of how much I loved every kick and used to sing to him nightly. He usually follows with how he had the chunkiest cheeks we'd ever seen (still does), and bright red curly hair. He's adopted our memories as his own, it's so sweet and he lights up every time we talk about it.

This time was different though, he was rubbing my stomach and mentioned his previous residence with love and affection as if he really does remember life in the womb. Then he hits me with it. "Mommy, how did I come out of your belly?" BOOM. Did I just get hit with the "Where do babies come from" question???

I wasn't really prepared for this. He's only four! Sunflower Creative Arts has awesome Parent Toolbox meetings on how to have the death or sex talks with kids, but I haven't been to one yet.

Suddenly I wondered, is this conversation easier since I've had two cesarean births? He quite literally pointed to my scar and asked, his concern was that he was trapped with "no door" to get out. So I told him that is where the doctor opened me up and helped him come out. He immediately followed up with a question as to how the doctor put me back together, which I answered easily. That was it! Off to play in the playroom without another thought about it.

This got me thinking, could it be that this conversation is much easier for those of us who had to go under the knife? Is it really that (excuse the pun) cut and dry? Is it possible that something stemming from this major surgery could be simple? A procedure which took six weeks to recover from as opposed to the much simpler one to three day recovery from a vaginal birth. Is it some cosmic trade-off?

So I wonder, how have you all handled this line of questioning? How did you go about explaining "Where Babies Come From?"


Essentially Yours,

Erika

Spotlight On: Aura Strands Aromatherapy Jewelry

I've just about seen all there is to see when it comes to Aromatherapy jewelry, but when I came across the Love Note Locket from Aura Strands I absolutely had to try it! Lockets bring aromatherapy jewelry to a whole new level!

Gold & Garnet
 Dreamcatcher

This unique Etsy shop is filled with beautifully hand crafted aromatherapy lockets that provide you with soothing aromas throughout your busy day. They even have men's cuffs! I haven't seen that before!

The locket feature allows for the tiniest piece of leather to sit inside with whichever essential oil blend you choose. My favorite calming blend is Balance with Wild Orange. It really helps take the edge off the tough days and provides me with the clarity I need.

You can keep up with Aura Strands on Facebook and Instagram to see any new items and sales.
Here's what sets Aura Strands apart from the rest, they do custom orders! You heard me, not only do they do them, but they LOVE making custom orders. Any pieces you see in the shop can be tailored to fit your needs.

Bethany, the creative genius behind this adorable shop has been kind enough to offer a coupon code for $5 off of any $25 purchase until March 14th. Just enter the code ESSENTIAL5 at checkout (custom orders excluded) to redeem. In the meantime check out her awesome shop and get started on your custom order!


Essentially Yours,

Erika


Disclosure: Essentially Erika was provided with a complimentary necklace featured in this article in exchange for a product review. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own and not influenced in any way by the sponsor.

Essential Oils: Healthy Hair Tips

After the birth of my second son, to say I had experienced a bit of hair loss is the understatement of the year. My hair line receded two full inches and it would not stop falling out! I even experienced thinning eyelashes. It's a tough balance, trying to enjoy your new bundle of joy, yet wondering when your hair is going to stop falling out so you can put away the baseball caps. I was afraid to even brush my hair at times, the amount that would fall out was alarming to say the least. I've had some success with essential oils (shocker), so I decided to share what worked for me.

Rosemary Essential Oil: Rosemary oil has a reputation for stimulating hair growth and has been used for centuries by many cultures for this very purpose. Adding Rosemairy Oil to your shampoo bottle can improve hair growth, add to thicker fuller hair. It can be helpful in hindering hair loss, a few drops inside my shampoo bottle helped bring back my thick locks. You can also add a few drops to your tube of mascara for thicker, fuller lashes.

Melaleuca Essential Oil: Also known as Tea tree oil, Melaleuca has many uses. I use it in my Homemade Toilet Cleaner. It's all natural anti-fungal properties can help with a dry, itchy scalp. In order to promote healthy hair growth you need to get your scalp in good shape. There are many shampoos with tons of chemicals claiming to have tea tree oil in them. Why not go to the source? I add ten to twenty drops in my shampoo bottle depending on ow serious the condition. This can help relieve the side effects of dandruff or psoriasis of the scalp.

You can find out more about these essential oils here.

If you are interested in an Essential Oil Education class, you can attend our online class this Thursday February 26th at 2pm. You can sign on to the webinar by clicking on this link. Hope to see you there!

Essentially Yours,

Erika

Green Planet Festival - Ticket Giveaway!

I'm just coming off of the heels of the #MindBodyExpo, if you follow me on Instagram, then you know you how much fun we had!

It's time to gear up and get ready for the Green Planet Festival! THIS sounds like a really good time! The first of it's kind, the Green Planet Festival is rounding up a ton of local and national eco-friendly vendors with a variety of sustainable goods. Partnerships whose reach go way beyond supply and demand, they invest in a better tomorrow. 

This incredible festival is being held this Saturday, February 28th at the Broward County Convention Center. Doors open at 9am and close at 9pm.

Of course organic food and beverages will be served as you enjoy shopping and experiencing all this event has to offer.

There will be be live performances. I personally am looking forward to the jazz show!

There are a list of over twenty experts on the panel who will be speaking throughout the event. You can check out the schedule of events in all the different classrooms here.


Just when you think you've seen it all at these festivals... There will be a GREEN MARKET available! I'm officially going to be in heaven. I'm convinced they must read my blog and follow me on Facebook and tailored this event to my interests! Only kidding..

I can't wait to attend this event! Annnnnd..... If you need a pair of tickets, then you've come to the right place! Lizzy's Garden, the local homemade baby food company who was featured in last month's Spotlight Series will be there AND is donating two tickets to a lucky winner. All you have to do is enter by clicking the link below, winners will be announced Wednesday, February 25th and tickets will be available at registration.

If you don't win, no worries you can order tickets here. Good Luck! Hope to see you there!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Essentially Yours,

Erika

Homemade Birthday Breakfast Cupcakes

A new and growing trend online are these "Funfetti Birthday Pancakes" parents are making for their children the morning of their birthday. I'm all for cooking my little guys a special breakfast and indulging a bit on their birthday, like any parent I want to mark the occasion and make them feel as special as possible. Still, I'm having a hard time rationalizing feeding my kids cake batter (essentially) in the morning. 

Perhaps it's because I don't make a habit of filling them with sugar and hydrogenated oils on ANY morning that makes this breakfast hard to swallow (pun totally intended). Maybe it's because I've worked hard to show our children food doesn't come from boxes or cans, and I've tried to instill a real sense of what they are putting into their bodies. I've seen parents go so far as to feed their kids cupcakes first thing in the morning on birthdays. Hey, I'm no party pooper. I love celebrating life as much as the next stay-at-home mom (we really know how to let the freak flag fly, don't let the yoga pants and minivans fool you).

I feel bad for the children, really. I couldn't imagine being able to function properly after dumping that into my stomach. Let alone a developing brain trying to cope with a "sugar coma." Sure they get a moment of pleasure off of this sugar high, which also sends them spiraling into a terrible sugar crash. As always, I was on the hunt for an alternative to this "dessert-fast." 

I usually do not have to stray very far when looking for creative and fun ways to keep our kids interested in food. Weelicious has a ton of awesome recipes for kids and toddlers. Sure enough I came across this wonderful recipe for Breakfast Cupcakes. These cupcakes are "pancake fluffy" AND made using actual ingredients. I personally substituted the cream cheese with plain greek yogurt and I used applesauce instead of sugar and.... Voila! Birthday Breakfast Cupcakes for my boys and I to enjoy!

What's your favorite birthday recipe?

Essentially Yours,

Erika

Spotlight on Malu Organic

This week's spotlight  is on a new favorite Etsy shop, MALU ORGANIC. I've long been obsessed with sustainable clothing and I've finally found my go-to for stylish toddler duds that I'm in love with!

A friend of mine recently brought back some awesome patchwork harem pants straight from Bali (yes, she met Ketut!), and I absolutely adore them. I wear them EVERY chance I get. When I found these adorable toddler harem pants, I just about died!

Mali & Kalen Allmandinger, stole my heart as  former NYC residents turned California transplants. MALU Organic was born shortly after the birth of their daughter Marnie.
She wanted to create baby/toddler apparel that would convey their laid back Malibu beach lifestyle with a free-spirit undertone. They hit it right on the money, my son not only felt incredibly comfortable (I've seriously never felt a softer, more breathable fabric), but it had plenty of give allowing him to "fly free."

If you follow my blog you know that I try my best to be a conscious buyer and sustainable wear has long been on my radar for my boys. It can be tough with how much wear and tear they put on clothes and how active they are.  Malu Organic's 100% organic fair trade cotton isn't only the softest cotton I've ever felt but it will surely stand the test of time. It's #ToddlerApproved! I couldn't feel better knowing that this sustainable wear isn't wreaking havoc on our planet and it was made by workers who are treated well and paid fair wages. #IntentionIsEverything

In their own words:

We’ve created an ethical brand that is fully eco-friendly, using the softest, most comfortable fair-trade organic cotton and hemp fabrics, and environmentally friendly, solvent-free inks and natural dyes. We strive to be sustainable and to have a small footprint, sourcing our materials from as close to home as possible. The creative part is done in Malibu. We design and print everything in our home and then we manufacture in downtown LA, using fabrics made in the USA.

As if it couldn't get any better,  5% of every purchase is donated to the "Every Mother Counts" organization. An incredible program providing transportation, education and supplies to pregnant mothers in need all over the world.

You can follow MALU Organic on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. When ordering don't forget to use coupon code ESSENTIALLYORGANIC for 10% off!

Be Well, Be Green, Be Malu!


Essentially Yours,

Erika



Disclosure: Essentially Erika was provided with complimentary apparel featured in this article in exchange for a product review. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own and not influenced in any way by the sponsor.

Mind Body Expo 2015

What are you up to this weekend?

Why don't you stop by the Mind Body Expo Sunday, February 22nd at the Delray Beach Marketplace from 10am - 6pm. Mind Body Expo, is a grassroots event founded by Holistic Health Coach and Social Entrepreneur Sandra Tribioli. The event will feature local conscious vendors and a panel of industry experts, all with a common goal of the ultimate mind-body connection and creating a positive impact in our community. The even is set to facilitate great opportunities and valuable connections, providing break-through education and information on the importance of connection, self-care, nutrition, physical activity and living a sustainable lifestyle.

A portion of the proceeds will fund Local Public School's enrichment programs and Caring Centers. With an all-star lineup of doctors, energy consultants, and local medium Sunnie Brooks taking the stage as expert speakers. Click here to view the event schedule. You don't want to miss this! Attendees will be given the opportunity to enhance their experience with VIP Passes that can be purchased here.

Yours truly will be there with an Essential Oil Education booth offering some Aromatherapy and an assortment of essential oil blends for purchase, so stop by and see us!  Come and join the fun, join the movement. I hope you'll join us, in Planting Seeds of Greatness...

For more information on the Mind Body Expo you can visit their website. Hope to see you there!

Essentially Yours,

Erika