Party Time // Kojiro's Wolf Party

At Home // Baby Kenzo's Nursery

Crib / Crib Sheet / The Whale Art Print Society 6 / Animal Prints by MissMalagata / Rocking Chair / Changing Table Cover 

Hard to believe we welcomed baby Kenzo into this world 7 weeks ago! It's been everything we expected...busy, exhausting and totally awesome all at the same time. Everyday is an adventure to be thankful for.

My Yoga Practice // 36 weeks

As I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy, nights are shorter and pains are stronger but I've found that when I am in yoga class, I feel my best. Yoga has given me both physical and mental strength through out my pregnancy and I'm really hoping it will do the same for labor!

I actually haven't taken one prenatal yoga class this entire time...Through teacher training at Core Power, I learned how to modify poses like twisting and abdominal compressing so that I can continue to practice in a normal setting. The most important thing is to become in tune with your body, which as mommies we can learn to do easily if we just listen. Your body is and your intuition tell you exactly where you should be and the practice of yoga in itself helps to develop an even deeper capability to understand when both speak to you.

“The success of Yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures but in how it positively changes the way we live our life and our relationships.”

― T.K.V. Desikachar

When I first started the training program (7 months pregnant) I felt weak and at times down on myself for being limited by my own body but as time went on I realized it became an advantage for me. I no longer put so much emphasis on the depth of my poses and flexibility but rather I focused from within. Focusing on the mental and spiritual aspect as opposed to the physical, helped transform my practice and myself. Soon the physical changes came anyway. I only hope to be able to teach and inspire others to find this in their own practice in the future.

Favorite preggo yoga poses

Reverse Warrior / Viparita Virabhadrasana - anything that stretches out my rib cage is like magic and this also is a great quad burner. 

Camel Pose / Ustrasana- Energizes and awakens.

Triangle Pose / Trikonasana - Opens up my chest but most importantly my hips which become tight and achy with a growing baby pushing on them. 

Bridge Pose / Setu Bandhasana & Wheel Pose / Urdhva Dhanurasana - 2 words: RIB RELIEF.

Tree Pose / Vriksasana - some days I can't get my leg up but some days I can and it helps me build focus and balance. Keep that belly in check!

Dancer's Pose / Natarajasana - not even close to the full expression but I feel good when I can just hold this pose. This is a great opener for my lower back and leg strengthener. 

Frequency

5x per week

Current Favorite Class

Hot Power Fusion (click to learn more)

"Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self."

– The Bhagavad Gita

Party Time // Woodland Creatures Baby Shower

One lucky boy we are welcoming into this world! Thank you to my sister, mama and amazing friends Daryn &  Jenn for throwing such a lovely party held at Nook in Tucson, Arizona. Flowers by Soiree Girls.

That Mom Life // 34 Weeks

Hitting 34 weeks this weekend and I still can't believe we will be holding our baby boy #2 very soon! I'm starting to feel the effects of a giant belly much more these days which means less sleep and more pain in my ribs but it's nice to know in a few short weeks I will be relaxing and the only thing on my to do list will be preparing for our bundle of joy.
Dressing this growing belly isn't always the easiest since I refuse to wear maternity clothing so I've resorted to cheap Forever 21 and Target tanks, stretchy pants and low-rise jeans. The rubber band is my best friend these days.

Wearing...
Gap Denim Jacket
Forever 21 Tank (similar here)
Bell Bottom Pants
Free People Clutch

Currently Obsessed

Yoga Essentials by asenda34 featuring Evian

SHOP HERE:

1. Manduka eQua® Yoga Mat Towel - Standard - Save 21% / 2. Heathered Knit Tank | Forever 21 /
3. Teeki yoga activewear / 4. Bkr glass perfume, / 5. Manduka The Black Mat  /  6. Evian Facial Spray

I have 3 weeks left of yoga teacher training and am that much closer to becoming a certified instructor so today I'm sharing my favorite yoga must-haves and wishlist items. Click above to shop any of these!

1. Yogitoes Towel - I never really used a slip-resistant towel in the past but now it seems mandatory at many of the hot yoga studios. With all the recent humidity and heat in LA, I've noticed some hot classes can be extra sweaty which does wonders to detoxify but can also be a hazard. I love this peachy color too.
2. Forever 21 Heathered Knit Tank - My fave workout tank and it's only $5.90. Doing hot yoga frequently means tons of laundry and repeat outfits so this tank makes it easy to stock up! Runs a little big so stick to your size for a looser fit and size down for a tighter fit.
3.  Teeki Yoga Pants - stretchy, lightweight and made from a recycled bottle blend fabrics.
4. BKR Waterbottle - I mean...why not.
5. Manduka Yoga Mat - Just bought my first one, the LiveON 5mm to start. It's made from 100% reclaimable and recyclable foam. It's super lightweight which is great for my current status but I plan on getting a heavier grade one once baby arrives!
6. Evian Facial Spray - I just received a sample to review of this stuff and I love! This spray is perfect for re-hydrating after a lot of hot yoga. A quick spray on the face a couple times a day is perfect for busy days on and off the mat. Can't wait to try it after plane rides too. Wanna try? Enter below to win your own sample of this stuff!

 *Financial compensation was not received for this post. A sample product was gifted via Brandbacker. Opinions expressed here are my own.

Mom Life // 28 weeks + My truths about being pregnant

I’m always a little shocked when I hear about women who love being pregnant, even more so now that I’m going through a second pregnancy. To be honest, I think they are all lying or omitting some truth. And if they are not, well then I'm just extremely envious. Growing up I always wanted to be a mom and at one point I wanted to have lots of children! Today, I feel much differently. As I head into my third trimester, I've been reflecting on my truths which I realized when I was pregnant the first time and am validating once again: I hate being pregnant. This has nothing to do with the end result because my son has far surpassed all expectations of what I thought he would bring to my life but I struggle with the process of getting there. Nothing in this life is easy and I would never expect that receiving the greatest thing in life would be easy, but that’s not a reason to be uninformed or even misinformed about the reality which I don’t ever remember learning about. The truth is, for me, it is a difficult challenge but I’m learning as I go to not only accept certain things and not view them as weaknesses, but also to be comfortable with pushing the limits society has put on me to make this truly my own experience. 

The Struggle 

Besides the obvious ailments such as breathing like a 400-pound man, peeing 35 times a day and feeling like I’ve broken every rib on the left side of my body, my biggest gripe with pregnancy is an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. As someone who likes to go full force 100% of the time, I find it difficult to be so limited in what I can do, lift, eat, DRINK. What the fuck is a mocktail?! No thank you. I struggle with the inconsistencies in the information that is available (or unavailable, for that matter) regarding what really is OK to consume during pregnancy because I know for a fact there are women in Japan getting down on some sushi yet I feel an overwhelming sense of fear and guilt if I dare eat a piece of raw salmon. That’s not to say that I don’t. The exhaustion has also been very limiting to me since I hate being tired but it seems no matter how long I sleep, I'M ALWAYS TIRED. Luckily, I only have a couple more months of eye-prying at work left.

For a control freak who has lost much control, the struggle is real. Between months 3 and 6, the struggle to control my emotions was very real. I now understand the complete meaning of the term “hormonal” and unfortunately so does my husband. I would consider my normal self pretty even-keeled and although I can be outspoken and have a slight temper, at least I know my reactions are validated by deep rooted beliefs and principles. Being pregnant, however, releases a full blown range of unjustifiable emotional outbreaks that even I can't understand! I'm talking 13-year old, crying in my room over chubby thighs emotional. 

The Coping

Luckily the hormonal rave party has ended and now I am just feeling like a blimp, but a calm one at least. I was lucky enough to discover yoga in my life before my pregnancy and I do feel this has been a source of strength and relief for me for many reasons. Staying fit has been important to me throughout this journey. Can you image having these 99 problems plus an extra 50 pounds? I would die. Yoga has helped me to stay fit, strong and on good days that physical strength is enough to overcome any feelings of emotional weakness. Pushing myself (safely, of course) has actually helped me feel more capable on and off the mat. With all the research I've done regarding what is safe and what is not, I've come up with a set of my own rules which helps me keep my sanity. I don't restrain from everything at all times and I don't read every cheese label but this moderation, in moderation shall keep me content.

And no, I do not want to get pregnant again nor will I ever retreat my statement that I hate being pregnant but I see the light and it’s only three months away and this makes me feel okay.