2009/07/31

Night owl

MO:

Phew.
After another tough evening with an inconsolable Robin between 20.00-00.30, P and I stayed up until 2.30am packing boxes and putting away the kitchen & bathroom.
Lucky for us, the rest of the night was calm and Robin both ate and slept well (as he normally does, its the beginning of the night that´s difficult).
Funny though, when you wake up for the morning feed and watch his pretty little (well, quite round now, actually) face and look into his dark, beautiful eyes all worries are washed away...

Our move doesn´t happen until Tuesday - it should have happened tomorrow, its a long story - but we only stay in the apartment until Monday (a separate story). Tomorrow the new tenant is moving in his things into our old living room, whilst our stuff will be stored in the old bedroom (stuff from 120sqm cramped into 40sqm...).
I hate moving. Meaning, I hate the preparation, the actual move and the unpacking of boxes in the new place. It really stresses me out. Few things do, but moving is one of them...

Depending on what kind of evening Robin will have we might go and see U2 tonight. I´ll let you know tomorrow how the night turned out...


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2009/07/30

Hahahahah

I don't think you get it, Johanna...

We celebrate your courage every single day.

To the conga line... "Hey!"
The Universe


Just yesterday a new arrival was asking for directions, Johanna, so we told her, "Continue going down Johanna Andersson Street until you get to Johanna Andersson Boulevard. Make a left and proceed to Johanna Andersson Avenue. Turn right and walk just past the Johanna Andersson statue, and then on your right again, next to the Johanna Andersson Stadium and in front of the Johanna Andersson Library, is the store where you can buy Johanna Andersson figurines." And would you believe she had to ask, "Which Johanna Andersson Stadium?"

Hahaha SIMPLY THE BEST!!
You have to have a UNIVERSE account - it really rocks my days :)

Jo



Lengths and Breaths


Just got of the phone with one of my yogis, we meet in Cranston during the Ana Forrest Advanced TT. It's amazing how the yoga community hooks you up with interesting people. I guess it happens in other communities as well but I have never feelt it as deep and real as in the yoga community!


He just started a blog, I read it this morning and spot on!
He puts my feelings into words - the way I put them into motion/asanas!
He is my poetic Guru!

Enjoy!!


"Ana Forrest stands in all her shit and, like a lotus flower, rises above it. The depth and darkness of her story frames the context in which the use of the word “shit” is appropriate. Against her story, that word carries sweetness in the images that she has passed through. Forrest Yoga is flavored in a way that’s more like my time studying theatre; sharing the commonality of feeling. Ana’s mantra is “mending the hoop of the people”. To heal we must surrender to the disease, and the discomfort would not be pretty, in fact the demons inside of us are dark. How do you make come to terms with your monster? By creating a safe space, and believing in its ability to heal its hoop. It’s not swatting the cockroach but surrendering to its quirkiness.

In the book, Dan Millman’s journey has him striving for an opening beyond the third chakra, into the heart. It is said that the journey from the third to the fourth chakra is the biggest leap any individual can take. The shift from manipurna to anahata is as huge as if you’re taking off on a long haul flight to JFK, it’s like flying. Or like in the movie The Matrix, where Neo had the ability to leap like superman, but still had parts of his identity to let go of before he was ready to feel the depth of his ability. That giant’s leap, that was the shift; that was my shift!!!

Ana’s hoop imagery is inspiring to me, so much that I recognized it in Leonard Cohen lyrics-

"Ring the Bell that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."

Healing is the ultimate acceptance of the monster, and the monster when looked at through the eyes of possibility, through the fourth chakra, Anahata, is the window to the light. The crack is nature finding an artery to shine the light in. Mending the hoop doesn’t need to look like a car with a brand new body, as it’s perfect already as it is, as a vehicle with a dent in the fender and a rope holding the door closed. In these creative moments we discover character, grit and authenticity. This is the seed of Freedom Yoga."

Won't be around a computer until Monday - But then I'll tell you all about my weekend adventures!

Thank you all Amazing YOGIS and YOGINIS for coming into my life. I carry so much love and grattitude towards you (and some of you might not even recognize yourselves as yogis yet - but YES I am talking to YOU;)

Jo


2009/07/29

Cry me a river

MO:

This is day 3 with Semper/Biogaia´s "Magdroppar" since Robin has showed signs of mild colic in the last 2 weeks. I found this treatment after surfing the net for a few hours, finally coming across a great study about probiotics and its successful use in treating colic in infants.

This evening was a good evening - few signs of distress and pain... Listening to your baby in agony must be one of the most stressful and disheartening experiences a parent could have.
It´s like having a knife stabbed violently into your heart.

Tomorrow we have another round at BVC, to check weight, height, etc at the grand ol´age of 1 month. :)

.

To you my LOVE



For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

SHIVA SHAKTI Jo


2009/07/28

No worries

MO:

Check out picture no 1. Closely. Yes, that is my belly sticking out at the front. Impressive, eh? The photograph is taken on June 20. Pregnant in week 38 - 11 days before delivery.



Picture no 2 is taken today after my run. 27 days after the birth of Robin:


Picture no 3 is taken from the package of my new best friend: The Nike Revolutionary Control Bra. Sizes start with a D cup(!) and goes on to E... Wearing it makes me feel like I´m an extra in Matrix (in a sort of comical way), but I swear it works wonders for my "milk-machines" (even for more vigorous workouts).




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2009/07/27

I carried a water melon...


Story of my life :)


Well, not all the time (but still there are moments and they always occur around the same person :)

BUT this MOVIE has had a deep impact on my life! I remember the first time watching it - Me, mom and dad were in the store, I wanted to rent a movie and locked at the usual "kid/youth" movies, I guess I was around 9-10 years old. Then mom showed me Dirty Dancing. I looked at it and thought - Uh an OLD MOVIE, how fun can that be...?!

3 hours later I WAS in LOVE with Patrick Swayze!!!
And 1 month later I knew al the lines, songs and moves :)

This weekend I saw the Musical in London - and yes I CRIED. Don't know if it's the memories from growing up, the music or the story itself but it is rooted deep deep in my heart!!! And the little girl inside of me wants the fairy tale...

These are my favourites:


  • Look, spaghetti arms. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don't go into yours, you don't go into mine. - Oh la la ... I could join let's dance if I had a partner who said that ;)
  • I carried a water melon - Yep, you know the feeling! Do we ever stop with this nonsens and tell the truth i.e what we're actually feeling? Or is that to intimidating?
  • Nobady puts baby in a corner - Love being an indipendatn woman but it is also nice to have someone who stands up for you!
  • And most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you. - Love is a scary thing!
  • Baby: So I did it for nothing. I hurt my family, you lost your job anyway, I did it for *nothing*!
  • Johnny: No, no, not for nothin', Baby! Nobody has ever done anything like that for me before.
  • Baby: You were right, Johnny. You can't win no matter what you do!
  • Johnny: You listen to me. I don't wanna hear that from you. *You* can!
  • Baby: [pause] I used to think so. - I used to think so to !!
And THE song is MY FAV :)

Sweet Hollywood Dreams ;)

Jo




2009/07/26

Baby love, my baby love

MO:

It´s lucky you don´t REALLY understand the responsibility that comes with a child-until you actually have the child. You might THINK that you do. You don´t. You might grasp a lot of things, but the full extent of the change in your life won´t hit you until a couple of weeks after the precious little creature has landed on your doorstep. And that is only the beginning...

Little things that reminds me about the change in my life:

* I sing. Normally, 1000.000 dollars would not get me to sing out loud. Now, I sing every night. Lullabies. I´ve even found a website with only lullaby lyrics.
* I love. In a new way. In a different way. Deep and full. It´s scary. It´s beautiful.
* I worry. OMG, I worry. About his health, about his surroundings, about known and unknown dangers, about his future, about...just about everything! I´m normally NOT a worrier! I refuse to become a hen mum! The worrying has to stop! I´m thinking it´s because it´s early days and I will get better... (Will I?)



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2009/07/25

HOT HOT HOT

.....

Well it isn't the weather thats HOT here but pretty much everything else :)

Such as the YOGA - Today it was HOTTER than ever, isn't that weird how it can feel so different from day to day - when you know for sure that the temperature is the SAME! ... Hmm? 

It's ALL in your mind, isn't it:?

THE SHOPPING = HOT

Right now it looks like I'm about to buy 3 pair of shoes (and they're not even on sale...)
+ some other very very important stuff!

I am not a shopaholic, far from it!

I function like this; Most of the time I'm in a studio or out somewhere training\working, so I am not exposed to the stores - if I buy a magazine it is most likely a training\fitness\art\science magazine! BUT the times that I DO go enter the stores I totally fall in LOVE and realize that GOSH I CAN NOT LIVE WITHOUT THIS ... bla bla bla

I guess the phrase - What you don't know won't hurt you applies perfectly well to me :)

So tomorrow the plan is: 
  • JIVAMUKTI YOGA
  • Brunch at the Electric
  • Shopping at Selfridges, Liberty, Shu Uemura, Khiels
  • Bikram Class
  • Dirty Dancing - The Musical
  • Dinner and Drinks 

Wohoo - I Work Hard but I do Play Hard to :)

Because you're worth it ;)

Love Jo


2009/07/24

Killing you softly

MO:

I went to the gym yesterday afternoon. Did a short, but effective session. Met a couple of my clients on the way out. They were lovely and asked about the birth and Robin. They were very happy to see that I had recovered well.

When I got to the door, I bumped into a man who goes to my spinning classes now and again. He said hello and asked how I was. I told him life was great and that I became a mother 3 weeks ago.

He looked mortified and said: "Oh. I hope you are not over-taxing yourself now! Be careful, it can be very dangerous!...." Me: "Don´t worry, I know my body very well and I´m not pushing myself. It´s actually good for the body to move a bit if possible..." Him, interrupting: "Well, you know, maybe I shouldn´t say, but you know, you should be taking it easy and rest and..." Me, now interrupting him (and note: said with a SMILE, which took a bit of an effort...): "You know, if all women had done nothing but sitting still after given birth, mankind would have been eaten by lions and bears a long time ago...got to go! Have a nice evening! Bye bye now!"


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2009/07/23

Working out?!


I LOVE my job, I really really do!
But sometimes I do it so much that I have to question it... Do you feel me?
Like yesterday when we did 5000 repetitions of ballet leg variations pulling on a string in a machine... I kinda start thinking... WHAT'S THE POINT?

I guess that's why I'm so in love with the YOGA - It never brings forth feelings like that!

But hey - Who knows, I might become the President of England one day (if the Queen would get tired!)

Of to BIKRAM now and then 6hours of pulling on strings :)

LOVE Jo

2009/07/22

At war

The chaos that is our apartment right now...


MO:

I´m fighting an incredibly uneven fight. It goes on during most of my waking hours.
I´ve declared war against milk & puke-stains, masses of laundry, unwashed dishes, things thrown all over the apartment, not to mention unpainted toe nails and bushy eyebrows.

Having a little one means that there is a 2h (if you´re lucky 2 1/2h) window, when he is asleep and you have some time to see to your surroundings (and yourself). This time is for eating, showering, answering and/or returning phone calls, checking your email plus all the other things mentioned above.

I´m not trying to be a perfect Super-Mum or a glam "Latte-Mum", but I know that if I feel good (about myself and my living space), Robin will feel good too. Wearing stained clothing or seeing mountains of laundry on the bathroom floor certainly won´t bring a smile to my face.

It´s hard to know where to draw the line. Being content vs. Being Anal.
I´m still working on it. In the meantime I´m dreaming about wearing my favourite shoes again...


Favourite shoes...



Ps. Felt faboulous yesterday! Went out for a run in the forrest and my body felt great!


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2009/07/20

Love of my life... in my life?



Pros and Cons of having a gorgeous best male friend:

Pro
  • You look GOOD together
  • He knows you better than you know yourself 
  • You can sing strolling down the streets
  • You can go to bed together and wake up as happy or happier
  • He can give you GREAT advise on what to wear when and how
  • You can talk in swedish to each-other out loud in the class about what you like/not like and NO one else understands
  • You can share FAB breakfast/lunch/dinner over and over and over and still enjoy it
  • He can FLY you
  • You can borrow his big comfy T-shirts and jackets
  • You can talk to him about all those qt, stupid, hot guys that you are dating/wanting to date/thinking about dating

Con
  • Other people (read HOT Guys) don't dare to flirt or talk to you cause they think that gorgeous man is YOUR MAN MAN...........................

What do you think? 

Keep him or ditch him:?

LOVE Jo




BALANCE






MO:


How to find BALANCE in life?
I´m trying to plan my autumn, work wise and family wise. It´s not easy.
I´m having July & August completely off, but then I´m starting to work part time from September. I´m booked for a number of educations, events & conventions until X-mas and this is definitely not a problem, since Robin will be with his dad during working weekends.

The big question is: What about during the week? How much is too much and how little is too little?

Robin will be hanging with me most of the time Monday-Friday, which has led me to postpone the decision to move my office outside of my home. I will keep a home office until 2010 to make it easier being a working mother.
I will be teaching classes Mondays & Wednesdays and I will try to do my own training either "early" morning or in the evening.

This is when the puzzle of life really starts. Everything is easy when you only answer to yourself (and then when you meet the right person - your partner). The fun really begins when there´s suddenly 3 of you. Especially when one of the three has no possibility to look after themselves. This autumn will be a true test of multi-tasking... :)


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2009/07/19

Being grateful

MO:

It took 2 weeks and 3 days to get back to the gym.
Jeeez, it felt incredible!

I did a full body strength workout at about 70% capacity...at least that´s something good that age brings - experience... No need to kill yourself when you try to come back from injury, illness or pregnancy. Better to start slow and be able to do it more often and then progress over time.

Next on the list: Go for a run.


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2009/07/18

KNACKERED

Wow really!
It's only our second day but I/We are EXHAUSTED hahha

Probably cause we have so much fun together and we are learning SO MANY NEW things / cool, uber exciting stuff that I can't wait to share with you! 

But for now I have to experiment with it more myself, play with it, get to know it and master it. And THEN loved ones - I'll bring it TO YOU :)

My Hamstrings are LONG and talking to me, my ass is 10cm higher up and my shoulders could carry the world / and it's still just the 2nd day ...

Our teacher's motto: DIE AND CONTINUE!!!

Apart from playing inside a studio all day I've also managed to eat lovely Lebanese food, see BRUNO :) do a Bikram Yoga class and shop at NIKE town!

Life in London is GOOD - 8 more days to play with

Jihaaa

Love Jo


Mum´s the word

MO:

What is life with a baby like after 2 weeks and 3 days? The best way to sum it up: sleep deprivation and unconditional love...

Yesterday I got 40min to myself in the early evening, grabbing a powerwalk in the woods. The feeling was bliss, although I did miss my little family whilst out.

With just over 2 weeks until we are moving apartments there are some "busy" weeks ahead. A quite different challenge moving house with a 1 month old baby in the house.

It´s still amusing/unbelievable/wonderful/unimaginable/fantastic to be able to say that I am somebody´s mum. I wonder how long it will take until it has sunk in properly?




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2009/07/16

A Strong Comeback

MO:

I made a second comeback today.
Day 2 fever free. Feeling stronger.
Bring on the high heels and one of the 3 cardigans(!), with boob warmers (looking like satellite dishes!) from Apoteket underneath (which meant I could finally ditch the down vest).

Robin had his first appointment at BVC-he has put on quite some weight-great!- and now sports 4.2kg.


Comeback mum out on the town...


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TRAINING THE STARS

erhmm ... bullshit... erhmm

I am so so sorry, but I don't care if you train Madonna and Gwyneth and the rest but I don't buy it!

Fortunately I'm of to London in a couple of hours to train with the man who REALLY transformed Madonna's body! And HE is AMAZING. I am so grateful to be able to take part of his knowledge. Been training and working with him before and each time I've been amazed over how light and spacious I feel after our workouts!

If your lucky you might be able to try his method in Gothenburg sometime soon ;)

Of to LONDON Darlings

La la LOVE Jo


2009/07/14

An Ordinary blog as well

So today I rescued our house from murgröna, took a swim in the garden hose (cause there were so many hitch hikers in the murgröna), and I just came back from playing tennis at the world famous


ANNELÖV Tennis stadium in my

eating


lösgodis!




Life is good :)

JO

Fever

MO:

Where should I start?
I felt fine until lunchtime yesterday. My left breast was sore, hot and swollen and it hurt whilst breastfeeding on it, but my intention was to get out on a short family walk and get a few errands done. Turns out my body wanted something else. Early afternoon I went down shivering and shaking with a fever, immense joint pain and exhaustion.
Mastitis (mjölkstockning
).
I was under 2 down duvets with my fleece robe on - still shaking. I hardly had any energy to go to the bathroom. P put me on huge amounts of pomegranate, cranberries+various vitamins, I also took hot, hot, hot showers and used the hairdryer on my breasts (thanks for that tip S.B!), continued to breastfeed (just short of crying) - I did EVERYTHING I could to get rid of the mastitis, because I knew that the alternative would be antibiotics and I really wanted to avoid that. I told myself to ride the night out and if the fever wasn´t gone by the morning, I would have to go and see a doctor.

When I woke up this morning the fever was gone. My breast was still a bit swollen and sore, but MUCH better than the day before.
I even got out for that short walk. Which was a kinda bizarre experience. When suffering from various breastfeeding conditions, the last thing you want is your breasts to get cold. And trust me, they get cold really easily. This meant that for my walk today, I was wearing: a scarf, a cotton vest, a jumper AND a down-vest body warmer - in 25 degrees celsius!


What I bought? 3 cardigans. To keep my breasts warm. I didn´t even own one cardigan before, since I´ve always thought that they (cardigans) are a waste of good wardrobe space. I mean, where is the sparkle and glamour in a cardigan?!


Please slap me HARD if I start mentioning "walking friendly" shoes, such as loafers, Birkenstocks, etc...




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SUCKERS...


Did you know that you could BLOCK your IPhone!!
I mean - when it got stolen - I gave them 24hours to return it, sending them (me) texts saying:

Plz - I really really really need my Iphone and all the info that's on it. I will give you a GRAND reward if you return it. If you don't - I WILL....

and so on...

After 24 hours I blocked the SIM card - for the first time ever TELIA was FAB and within 2min I had a new sim card for FREE :)

Yesterday I went to the store to sorte things out - and guesse what, the qt guy KILLED my SHAKTI IPhone just like that, from his computer!

I am not a person containing a lot of EVIL or ANGER but I did find myself smiling like a miniature devil thinking SOO LONG SUUUCKERS :))))

Revenge can be sweet

Jo

2009/07/13

I'm BLUE

And the fact is that I don't bruise easily ... under any circumstances, but this gotta stop.

Just landed in the couch that sits in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a dog, two cats and fields, fields, fields. A big contrast to the last 4,5 days - but that's how I like it. Either you do it or you don't! I don't swim in lukewarm water, it just doesn't appeal to me.

I've learned a lot the last couple of days (unfortunately I seem to have forgotten most of it already, but I'll try to share some of it):

  • Partying is like playing Golf - If you think that you're gonna lose something - you will! (Like golf - if you focus on the bunker that's where she'll land!). Last year I didn't loose anything during the 4 days of rosé and I was AMAZED! This year (note that I am 1 year older (read Wiser)), I thought - I'll leave my bag and creditcards and just go with cash + IPhone cause I might misplace it. And WHAT happened? This year I lost my IPhone, all Cash and MY SHOES.....
  • You DO get used to things FAST - Loosing my IPhone was the hardest one to get over (I don't care about the things you can BUY back, but this contained my LIFE - contacts, playlists, photos, notes, classes, films, memories! Still I wouldn't take it as far as Caroline Winberg; Quote - What can't you live without? - My Blackberry and Friends!!!! Eh?! I'm still standing, human beings adopt easilly - that's why we still rule the planet, even after all this time fucking up!
  • BÅSTAD Tennis Veckan vs LANDSKRONA Karnevalen - Wen't from one extreme to the other. But you know what - it's still the same. People screaming - Du du du du du duuuu du (white stripes) and walking in randome circles.
  • Being CHEAP won't get you anywhere - Argued with the taxi driver at 3.30am in Båstad, determined to pay 80sek and NOT 100sek!!! Telling him that I would NEVER EVER go with him for that amount - 30sec later the sky opened up, he burned his rubber and I stod there like a wet cat...
  • Doing YOGA; on the bar, in the harbour, on the boat in HIGH HIGH Heels is apparently MY thing - hmm does that explain the bruises? - Anyhow it DOES mean that I DO LOVE MY JOB :) Since I keep on doing it 24/7 inside/out, upside/down!

Till next time...

SHANTI Jo

2009/07/12

One step forward, two steps back..

MO:

...that´s what it felt like this morning...
Some areas of my body have healed really well by now and feel like they are on their way back to normal, however I noticed already last night that my left breast was starting to feel incredibly sore whilst breastfeeding.
After a tough night - Robin didn´t fall asleep until 2am, the poor soul had the hickups, threw up twice and was therefore hungry and agitated most of the evening - I woke up this morning with a throbbing, sore and very hot left breast. A plugged milk duct.
I cried my way through the first feeding of the day. And not the silent kind of still crying. We´re talking full on crying with sound effects included. The pain was undescribable. A 10 out of 10. Just to put it into perspective: the delivery of Robin went up to a 9 at the most - on the same pain scale...

I´ve treated the breast all day with alternating heat and ice. I´ve also continued breastfeeding on the sore side and it´s slowly gotten a little bit better...

It sort of gives a whole new meaning to the saying: "Pain is temporary" (and I´ve added my own ending: "...and the reward lasts forever...")



Robin - the Reward that lasts forever...

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2009/07/10

Starting to heal

MO:

WOW.
Today was the first day that I didn´t feel like a road kill!
How do I know?
Well, except from the fact that my body didn´t hurt like mad (it just hurt) in various places, I also:

* Walked in a faster pace than an 85yr old with a crutch.
* Read the new number of Elle-magazine and saw myself wearing tight fitting black leather trousers this winter.
* Enjoyed the fact that P got tickets for us to go and see U2 live in concert on July 31! Yes!

Today was the turn around day, I could so feel it.
I´ve said it before, but the body is truly amazing.


.

Axwell and Me = NIKE :)


Lost my IPhone last night...
The comment from my bedmate kinda says it all - I went to the birthday party in Halmstad Wed at 6pm and woke up now (fri 11am Båstad)

You only live once

CARPE

Jo

2009/07/08

Crouching mother, hidden danger

Robin, 1 week today...

MO:

5 sun salutations ("mama"-adjusted), some slow, deep ujjayi-breathing coupled with 2-3 more poses and my body feels almost alive again.
The breast feeding is doing my body in. I´m not sure I have ever felt this stiff in so many weird places. Since I cannot sit properly (don´t ask) and especially not for long periods of time-but I do anyway, since I´ve got a son that needs minimum 1h at a time(!) when feeding-I end up with a broken body after each breast feeding session... Yoga (and P´s treatments) will keep my body from falling apart during the next few weeks.

Reflections of the day:

1) Sanitary towels should be free of charge for all new mothers.
2) Yes. Pelvic floor exercises... NOW I get the point.
3) Breast feeding nazis. They are everywhere. They should get a grip of themselves. If they were a religion they would be orthodox-something-something, following the script by the book word by word. I breast feed, (did the propaganda get to me?) but I am also brought up on infant formula myself and I turned out quite alright (most of the time).



.

2009/07/07

Mama said

MO:

This mama thing is fascinating.
I am extremely grateful that P is here to share the parenting with me 24/7 - I cannot even begin to think what it what it would be like trying to do this on my own. It´s exciting, daunting, emotional and scary becoming a mother. Probably the biggest CHALLENGE of my life, since it is ongoing and never ending...
The days are flying past and I had no idea that breastfeeding, changing nappies, etc makes time warp into a black hole.

6 days since he was born and I still have moments where I´m like: "Help! There´s a toddler in my house! What am I supposed to do with him? How will I know that I´m doing the right thing???"

Yet, at the same time. How difficult can it be? If it was, the human race would be extinct a long, long time ago.

Ps. GO JO! We are so proud of you, Robin and I. Go conquer and tell us all about it when you get back home, girlfriend. Love you.



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2009/07/06

Knock myself down so I can get up!


In situations where things get tough I tell myself: This is what you been trained for! As I put on my RAY BAN PILOT glasses (in my mind:)

Today wasn't such a day but it came pretty close!

You know how sometimes when you actually have less to do you get less done!
You follow me?
You have 3 e-mails that you need to answer and perhaps the laundry but still by the end of the day you haven't completed your tasks...
Well it happens to me. The more things I have on my TO-DO list the more efficient I get and vice versa.



BUT - Today I choose to change that :) Or well, I fooled myself hihi
I took EVERYTHING that I needed to do (like the smallest stuff... take a shower for example) and wrote a long list. That way my mind turned into effective/speed/let's get things done mode and I actually completed about 86% of the list JIHAA

(That's an efficiency increase of about 500%!!)

What do you know :) I fooled myself, sucker YES!

Inspiration in Amsterdam at NIKE from Chris Angel - Great Coach!!

Of to Stockholm in the morning (6am...) to do some exciting work with NIKE. I designed a full body OUTDOOR workout that we are shooting tomorrow. And not claiming to be SUPERWOMAN but it actually ROCKS! Tried it today and it was so much fun + short + effective!

It will be yours in SEPTEMBER!

Left on my list this week is:
  • Work in Sthlm
  • Happy Birthday Party in Halmstad
  • Axwell AfterBeach in Båstad
  • All night Dancing (for at least 48h) in Båstad
  • Chilling with my DOG in Skåne
  • Packing for exciting tripp to LONDON
Did I miss anything?

Let's Rock n Roll Guys ;)

Jo

2009/07/05

Pants.... (som tusan oxå på brittiska:)

... MO!

I wanted to sell the first pics of Robin to People's Magazine.... what are my chances of getting rich now?!

;)

Meet my, what is he to me? Nephew? I suck at these family tradition things. I can't even tell which one comes first Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?!

Anyhow - I meet the GOLDEN CHILD today and it still feels so unreal. I mean there are flowers out there older than him. And like his father said: - I've been wearing the same T-shirt longer!
He is so tiny, but still takes people's breath away! AMAZING :)

I am preparing for a PR trip to Sthlm - the last job before ONE WEEK VACATION (without any official yoga/sport). This week will be focusing on family, friends and PARTY :)

Jihaaa Bring it on

La la love jo

Lost in the bubble of the baby

MO:

Yes. I admit it. I´m lost in the baby bubble...

BUT, we did manage to get out to the countryside yesterday to see mum and dad, and we went for our first family walk today, buggy and all, meeting up with darling JO, (or as of now: "Plast-moster").
Robin is 4 days old today and he´s getting cuter by the minute. Sleeping is not on the menu, but hey, who cares? I used to do 9h per night for years, so I guess it´s payback time.

A few questions and thoughts raised by a new mum:

1) Breastfeeding. Could someone have told me it feels like cutting off your nipples with a very dull knife for the first 15-20 suctions each time you breastfeed, (at least for the first days)???

2) I expected my glands in the breasts to get swollen. Hence, to my surprise, when I wake up yesterday morning with an extra breast in my ARMPIT! Charming. Yes, it was a swollen gland. And yes, it HURT. And no, it unfortunately did not have the function of a 3rd breast. Luckily, P could treat this condition (yes, he is like Jesus), so it was better already this morning.

3) I had no idea what my stomach would look like straight after giving birth, but I think I expected it to be wrinkly and saggy. Obviously this trick is saved for later. Right after giving birth (24h), I just still looked pregnant, but 6months or so. 48h later I was down to the 4months pregnant look and today, 4 days later, I have something that resembles a (big) loaf at the front of my belly...

I learn new things every day. Can´t wait to see what tomorrow will bring! :)

.

I'm a PLASTIC

.....MOSTER :)
It does not read MONSTER peeps, it's Swedish for AUNT!!!!

Jihaaaa WELCOME ROBIN!

I was having a swell dinner in Amsterdam when I received the message from MO that Robin had arrived - and OMG! Jo - the not desperately child loving - did not know where to or how to handle herself!!

As I saw the pic of R for the first time and read Mo's story I actually started crying with love, joy and amazement!

I haven't known MO for forever but the last couple of years she has become one of my closest and best friends and to see her go through this transformation has been and is one of the most fascinating and beautiful processes I have ever witnessed - and when she finished by writing I love you -MUM!!!! I was sobbing in front of my computer (not like me at all!!)

So what has Dirty Diana to do with it?!
Well Robin, as I got back to my hotel room the night that you were born, this was the first song to be played on Dutch TV - and it is ONE OF THE GREATEST - Just like you!

WELCOME - I promise to teach you all I got and can ;)

I LOVE YOU - Jo

2009/07/03

The Story of Robin

Not a story for the faint hearted or those of you who feel weak to the stomach by blood and gore and other bodily fluids….

Tuesday 30/6 04.00am – 22.30pm

I have contractions every 6 min, so I wake P up for us to prepare to go to Varberg Hospital.

We eat, pack our last things and go. By the time we arrive at the hospital around 6am, my contractions are regular at 5min.

We get a beautiful, state of the art, delivery room.

When I am hooked up to the CTG, my contractions are suddenly more irregular both in time intervals and strength. Some are weaker but some are really painful. When the the first midwife examines me, I´m surprised and disappointed to hear that I´m only just open. (3cm are needed for a patient to be considered “in labour”). How can it hurt so much (like a knife in my belly) at this early stage? Why is there so much pain that all I want to do is be sick? I´m definitely not superwoman, but I´m no cry-baby either... I get the answer about 1h later. After a particularly strong contraction I look at P: “I need to be sick!” I throw up. And throw up. And throw up. Another contraction. I throw up again. And another one. The room is starting to run out of sick bags. I RUN to the bathroom. Let´s just say that I have “an upset stomach”. It suddenly dawns on me. I´ve got food poisoning. Something that I ate that morning had not been 100% and I have the most sensitive digestive system.

From 8am – 8pm, I´m throwing my guts out on average twice an hour. Even swallowing my own saliva makes me throw up. One of my lowest points of the day is finding myself in the bathroom (after being carried there by P) with an upset stomach, placed on the toilet seat, with a monster contraction going on, whilst puking huge amounts of bile down a sick bag...

My body refuses to let the delivery continue, so despite all the pain and long hours, I´m not open more than 1.5-2cm. At 9pm the new midwife and the doctor decides to halt the process. “Thank God”, is the only thing I can think when the morfin starts to work, followed by a shot of Bricanyl (to ease off the contractions).

I get to rest during the night and when I wake up the next morning, it´s more 28h ago since I had something to eat, and more than 24h since I had something to drink.

Wednesday 01/07, 09.00am – onwards

P and I are both awake. It´s just before the doctor and midwife are meant to come and see us.

I´m crying. I´m EXHAUSTED, both physically and mentally. I suspect that they will recommend me to return home (until the regular contractions come back), something that does not exist in my world,,,. I can feel when I stand up and walk to the bathroom, that the contractions are somewhere just around the corner and I know the reason WHY it never “happened” yesterday, my body was too busy trying to get well and was not prioritizing having a baby at that point. It could-it would be different today! At the same time, I´m so empty on energy and fighting spirit, not having eaten in such a long time, that thinking about another day in pain-for hours!-is scaring the living daylights out of me. It´s not possible! What should I do?!

P is so cool...I love this man so much... He goes: “You make the call. If you are too tired and run down, of course we go home and let you rest. If you want to stay and deliver today, and have the energy to do so, I give you a treatment to start you up again, I promise”

As suspected the doctor wants to send me home (although she puts it slightly more delicatly...”busy time of the year-lots of deliveries, not so many available beds, bla bla bla”), whilst the midwife, who is back on her second shift, so we met already Tuesday, is more encouraging...”you choose what you want to do, if you want to stay, you can stay in this room, or if you want to go home, or away for a drive....?” I tell her I need 1h to think about it, but that most probably we´ll go outside the hospital “for a walk” and check if that could set anything off.

What actually happened is that I asked P for that treatment. He worked on pressure points and did his osteopatic magic. Less than 40min later I find myself with regular contractions every 4 minutes, with each contraction being incredibly strong. The difference being that without the food poisoning, I can concentrate on my breathing and actually relaxing my pelvic floor rather than to hold everything back in survival mode.

In less than 90min I´m open 3cm and moved back into a delivery room. I´m in labour. According to Elisabeth, who will be the forth or fifth midwife that I meet at Varberg and who is also the one who gets to do “the honours”, I go from 3-10cm super-fast.

During this time I take the laughing gas (which at one point sets me back to the day before when I suddenly throw up violently. Luckily, this only happens once) and I have an epidural.

I get stuck when the baby´s head is 1cm from the opening. They give me contraction strengthening drip. I remember thinking: “If he is not delivered within the next 30min, they will have to cut me open. I really am empty of any energy or strength soon...” I had had 2 cheese sandwiches at 9.00am that morning – and kept them. That was all the food I´d had in the last 35h.

Elisabeth is amazing. I´m so high on drugs. I´m screaming into the mask. I´m making the epidural needle get stuck in my back because I´m too wasted to have the energy to tell the narcs doctor that I have a major contraction coming right when he is about to puncture me. Elisabeth keeps her cool. She gives me calm, clear directives. She ends all she says with: “Monika, did you hear that/understand that/clear on that?” Although she knows and sees how my energy level is just starting to completely die out, she doesn´t rush. She says: “Monika, give me your hand” Me: “Huh?” I give her my hand. Elisabeth: “This is Robin´s head” Oh, my God, I could FEEL his head! Elisabeth: “Just stay focused a little bit longer, can you do that, Monika?” I hear myself answering: “YES. Just tell me what I need to do”

Moments later it is real. It is true. It is happening. (Without one single rip, or one single stitch needed! Elisabeth, you are such a pro!)

He is sooo warm! He is soooo big! He is purple! And he is out.

He is gorgeous and it was worth it all. All.

The wait.

The heavy, heavy belly.

The sleepless nights.

The wait.

The swollen body.

The hormonal tears.

The weirdness of being pregnant.

The 9 months.

The wait.

The pain.

The wait.

The PAIN.

Because finally, in the end, the prize, the gain, the fruit of the labour took my breath away so hard and with such impact, that the tears streaming down my face and the growing heat of love in my heart is still not enough to describe what it was like to suddenly be there, after all that wait, face to face with my son.

Robin, I love you.

Mum




.

2009/07/02

Welcome ROBIN - Välkommen ROBIN

Mo:

On July 1, 19.30 he finally arrived. Our prince, our treasure, our son:
ROBIN.


50cm tall & 3.640g "heavy" weight he took us by storm and swept us away with the feelings of love that he immediately installed in our hearts.

The full horror story of the labour will be revealed tomorrow. Not for the faint-hearted.

Thanks to ALL for your well-wishes and congratulations!

Love Mo


.

2009/07/01

I Suck....

... I know!!!

How do people do it?
BLOGG when they're away?!

1. I don't open my computer because
2. There's soo much going on and when you end the day you try to get SOME sleep
3. I haven't figured out how to blogg from my Iphone, that sucks!!

Anyhow - MO, What a trouper!!! Giving birth to a kid + blogging.
Guess my excuses are quiet lame in comparison to that!

So I'm in Amsterdam at the NIKE head office here. AMAZING place, feel like I'm in college again in Santa Monica, CA hahah.
They even have their own Starbucks (would you work here Krull:)

After the AMAZING Yogic Midsummers Dream in South of Skåne I flew straight to Amsterdam to work with the NIKE WOMEN Fall 09 concepts.

And let me tell you - IT IS EXCITING!!!
I have been training hard the last couple of days and it will all be available to you in SEPTEMBER :) Yeahh! Clothes, concepts, classes all ROCKS!

Prepare to have a BLASTING second half of the year!

I have one more day here in Amsterdam so I'm gonna spend it in the best way possible.
Dinner toninght with a lovelly canadian (or so I think, an expert in the Shoe area, and hopefully he knows a thing or two about Amsterdam :) and tomorow sightseeing and FIKA with long lost friends.

Back in Sweden friday morning

Perhaps I'm a PLASTMOSTER then...... crossing my fingers that I get to see putte då!!

NIKE LOVE Jo