The Ever Changing....

Nothing is permanent. Eventually this life we cherish so comes to an end and all of our worldly possessions no longer matter. My father always says, "Kid, you can't take it with you". He was never upset with me for unintentionally destroying something or if a family member obsessed over a material item or money.. he would kindly remind me by reciting this line.

Recently, I opted for a change in my career and left my employment of 11 years for a new adventure. While in the same industry, this change will move my husband and two children... oh, and did I mention that I left my job of 11 years?

There had been days leading up to my last day at my beloved job that I wondered, "Will I ever be as happy as I am here?" or "Will I enjoy the people at the new job as much as I do this one?". And here I am typing in my hotel room, 80 miles from my husband and children (sleeping away from home a couple nights a week until the move), and somehow I feel like it is all perfect.

My children are moving to a beautiful part of Upstate New York, to a town where the earth and health are top priorities. I recently learned that the daycare around the corner from the hotel I manage has a vegetarian menu. Oh! And the local yoga studio is across the street.

And, btw, the people here are just as caring and human as the people there. While I couldn't take it with me, the comfort that is, all I had to do was let go of it for a short while... and here I am again, nice and comfy.

babybe Summer 2009

The Summer Line for babybe is sooo yummy. The new designs for the summer are:

Sweet Peace, a cupcake is our symbol for each baby being a Sweet Peace of the world.

Om, this lime green design on bark fabric is eye catching and artistic. The sanskrit mantra, "Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu (May all beings be happy and at peace)" is exactly what we all want to instill in our babies.

So Hum, the sanskrit mantra that means " I am you... you are me". This can be interpreted many ways; as mamas we are literally one with our babies during our pregnancies and we are all part of the universe and infinitely connected to each other.

Love + Bliss, two elephants link their trunks to form a heart , while Love + Bliss dance behind them.

See the collection at babybe.etsy.com

INK + WIT for your Baby and Child

Everything Counts and Animal A-Z posters by INK + WIT are absolutely inspirational for mommy and daddy, educational for baby, and good for the environment to boot!

16x20, offset, 100% post consumer recycled paper, soy inks, packaged in a recycled kraft tube mailer. There is only 1 Earth indeed.

PS. Tara Hogan, owner of INK + WIT, is babybe's chief artist and partner in design.

The Shifts in Our Lives

So, I know I speak to so many when I write about shifts in our lives. We have babies, we take on new challenges, maybe we experience changes in our physical bodies (pregnancy, disease, new or chronic pain). We all move on with daily life despite these changes, because... well, life moves on.

If you're like me, you try really hard to move on and put the effects of those shifts on the back burner. You don't have time for it, right? The kids need their breakfast, your office is having a change in their computer system and the world will stop if you don't help with that, you have an ill family member that needs your ever positive disposition... time to sit and deal with your needs??? Not today.

And then something happens. Someone says or looks at you funny. Someone cuts you off on the highway. All of a sudden you are a blubbering mess or yelling at your partner for no real reason, except you don't realize it.

So, now you must deal with it.

Enter, the Chakras. A brief explanation from Wikipedia, I could not dream of explaining it better myself:

Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices's which, according to traditional Indian medicine, are believed to exist in the surface of the etheric double of man.[1] The Chakras are said to be "force centers" or whorls of energy permeating, from a point on the physical body, the layers of the subtle bodies in an ever-increasing fan-shaped formation (the fans make the shape of a love heart). Rotating vortices's of subtle matter, they are considered the focal points for the reception and transmission of energies.

Let's focus on Muladhara Chakra. The first chakra, also known as the Root Chakra, which is located at the perineum. When your respective world has "shifted", Muladhara Chakra may become unbalanced.

A couple of yoga poses that help bring Muladhara Chakra back into balance are; Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) and Janu Sirsansana (Head-to Knee Pose). Balancing the first chakra can bring benefits such as; a sense of calm and the enabling of the mind to be more tolerant of change and more willing to remain content in one place.

Overall, the most significant gift that I've received from from my yoga practice is the understanding that control is an illusion. The idea that you can control the outcome of a situation or control loved ones is ultimately maddening. I have to say, it's kind of nice to surrender to what is.

lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu

may all beings everywhere be happy and free from suffering... that includes YOU.

Little Yoga

My two year old dances around mimicking poses from this book. A beautiful introduction to yoga.

Next week look for babybe's latest toddler tee titled, "Sweet Peace".

Little Yoga is available on Amazon and through the publisher, http://us.macmillan.com/littleyoga

Blessings for a sweet and peaceful week. Namaste.

Organic Foods... How do I choose?

So, as a mama and householder... I know 100% organic all the time isn't always practical. And there is something to be said for providing a little challenge for your family's immune system.
I am constantly reminded in daily life of how fast our children are maturing physically. Much of that is the result of the growth hormone that is injected into the food supply. Although it hasn't been proven scientifically... it is thought that girls are getting their menstrual cycles, breasts, and adult hair sooner due to the heavy additives to our food supply. I'm also always reminded when visiting my teenage sister that hormones in the food supply can't help the violent mood swings of today's teenage girls!
So, how do you choose? Which foods have more impact on your child's body?
A good place to begin is with the foods your children and family ingest the most of. Milk is one that instantly comes to mind. Maybe peanut butter? Eggs... your kid's favorite fruit... and so on.
Here's a list of foods that are the most contaminated by pesticides. Buy these foods organic as much as possible; Peaches * Apples* Sweet bell peppers* Celery * Nectarines * Strawberries* Cherries * Lettuce* Grapes (imported)* Pears * Spinach* Potatoes .
Here's to happy and healthy children and a bit more peace of mind in the lunch box.
Namaste.

YJ NYC 2009

babybe organics will join INK + WIT for babybe's retail debut in Manhattan at Yoga Journal's Conference in May. The Spring/Summer line will be available along with the addition of babybe's first sling and baby blankets.