January 2019 / Mainly Marta :: A Motherhood + Lifestyle Blog

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What started as a digital diary to document a newfound journey as a stay at home mom / wife has quickly evolved into my own little corner on the internet where I share all that life brings my way -- the good, the bad, and everything in between. Thanks for stopping by; I hope you stay awhile!

1.31.2019

New Year, Same Me -- With Some Personal Goals


Hi Friends!

If you've kept up with my instagram lately, you know that I've made a few pledges to start off the new year -- one of which is to start eating healthier this year. That means I am on the look out for substitutes and meal alternatives that don't make me feel super guilty afterwards. In essence, I want to eat well and I want to eat yummy foods while I lose the baby weight.

& yes, I am currently pregnant -- but good habits start early, am I right? I'm not trying to lose the baby weight until baby is officially out of my belly, but I feel like there is no harm in starting to eat healthier now especially since baby currently loves raw fruits and veggies.

The Goals 

So, with that, lets talk goals.. I'm taking a different approach to "clean" eating as I am not sticking to one plan, but rather taking inspiration from Keto, Paleo, Whole30, etc. I plan to limit carbohydrates, but not expel them completely. So if after an amazing week of clean eating, I decide to make some pasta, that's okay -- as long as I utilize portion control and don't over eat. I've never been one to ban a whole food group for the sake of weight loss and I don't plan on starting now.

I also plan to start working out, but because I am currently pregnant my goal is to do at least 30 minutes on the stationary bike I have at home or walk a bit more than I usually would. As soon as I give birth, I'll probably up the time and then eventually head on on over to the gym for a more intensive workout.

Another goal of mine is to conquer the need to drink more (or enough) water something that I am terrible at. I made it a goal to drink more water last year and did a pretty good job until I got pregnant. I just didn't want to run to the restroom every five seconds, but now that I am towards the end of my pregnancy, I tend to be doing that anyway, so I might as well be super hydrated while I'm at it. The goal is drink half your body weight in water, so I'm hoping that as soon as I can pop this baby out I can figure out what that number is.

I am wanting to utilize a skincare routine at some point this year too, I just need to figure out the products that I love and use them more frequently -- a blog post in the future will talk about said routine once I've sorted the cycle out.

Last but not least, the biggest goal regarding my spiritual health is to read the Bible -- cover to cover. I've always been a read a book in the Bible and really study it, but I've never sat down and read the whole thing which makes me feel ashamed. It's January 30th as I write this and I'm happy to say that I've kept this resolution for the last 30 days and it feels great to open up the Word of God each day and dwell on His goodness. It's made the days that much sweeter.

Freebies

So with those goals in mind, let's make this new year a great one! But before I close off this post, I just wanted to say thank you to all my readers and give you guys some freebies. Because this a "cultivating healthy habits" post, what better freebies than prints of veggies?!

These prints are for your personal use only -- so please feel free to print them & use them, but remember that they are not for redistribution.

So go ahead and click on the image below to go grab these cute little veggie prints!


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1.02.2019

Dealing With Picky Eaters [ + Nuby Product Review ]

Hi Friends! Happy New Year -- I hope your holiday season was filled with a lot of joy. Now that we've entered 2019, it's back to routines and tackling some resolutions. Since Felix and Marcus are still young and can't vocalize new year resolution, I've decided to make some for them some of which include cleaning up toys after play time, more educational play and being better at eating.

I mean, if we could tackle just one of those it would be better eating. If you don't already know, my Felix is suuuuuuuch a picky eater and that means that I have to go above and beyond when it comes to making sure he's getting all the nutrients he needs. He has lower iron levels due to his pickiness, so I really am trying to make eating more fun and I've turned to Nuby for help with that. 

Here are some of Nuby's products that have assisted in my never ending battle to make meal time more enjoyable and appetizing for my picky little eater. 

No. One ::   Sure Grip Miracle Mat Suction Plate 

This plate is nice because it sticks to his Ikea highchair and makes flinging his plate across the room more difficult. Felix is using the Red Monkey plate in the picture, but we also have this exact plate in a koala version too (also pictured above) -- because options. You can never have to many of those, am I right? 

I let him choose the plate animal / color before I set the table because I want Felix to feel like he has a say. Whenever he has choices, he's more likely to cooperate when it comes to giving the food a try.

I also really love this plate because it makes separating his food so much easier. If he sees that his food is touching, Felix has an instant melt down. He just likes to have everything in its place and who can argue with that?!

No. Two :: Stainless Steel Eating Set

This was the set that Felix responded to when it came to starting using utensils. My picky eater never responded to being fed well. He'd scream and turn away, but as soon as he got his tiny little fingers on this set and I let him do it by himself, it was instant fun. 

I've come to the realization that some kids just want to be independent earlier than others and that's okay. Even though Felix is picky, he's more willing to try things if I pretend that I am not watching or care in the slightest bit. I guess it's too much pressure having mom and dad stare you down as you're trying to eat a meal, so at least I can be assured he has the tools (like this cute little utensil set) as he wings it by himself. 

No. Three :: Sure Grip Suction Bowl

Another suction product because I wasn't kidding about needing things to stick to that high chair. I place soup broth in this bowl, but more than anything else, this is a snack bowl. He loves those pretzels found in Chex Mix and this is the perfect container size to serve those to him because it's made for tiny portions. 

When I do serve him soup in this, I love that the bowl isn't sliding all over the high chair tray. I feel like toddlers have no perception about surroundings and my toddler is no different -- somehow he's always elbowing his bowls and cups, so this suction bowl is and awesome tool. 

What I've Learned About Mothering A Picky Eater

With these tools in the kitchen, I feel more equipped when it comes to getting my picky toddler to eat.   I've found that having the right tools makes me less jumpy and eases my OCD levels when it comes to having him making a mess.

I tend to be super uptight in the feeding process, so if I've learned anything, it's that it's okay to relax. I am okay with Mac and Cheese ending up on the floor and with the fact that two bites is better than no bites. There are days when Felix will try everything I give him and others when he won't even take a bite of his favorite meals and that is okay. I've come to terms with the fact that I am going to win some battles and lose even more battles, but the main thing to remember is to not give up. 

I've lucked out that Marcus is not so picky when it comes to eating, but even if he was, I would still be hopeful. I keep thinking that one day Felix will wake up and LOVE the food I give him and the pickiness will some day cease, but until that day, I'll be over here using my Nuby products to help ease the process. 
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