Celebrate Family this Thanksgiving with Disney-Pixar's COCO

Photos by LilyRo

Earlier this month we had the opportunity to watch Disney-Pixar’s COCO along with a few very lucky Super Mamas! The film premiered in Mexico on the Day of the Dead to much acclaim and celebration. The film opens today in the United States and we give it enthusiastic Super Mama thumbs up! 

The movie has an amazing Latino cast that includes Gael-Garcia Bernal, Edward James Olmos, and Anthony Gonzalez. It is full of Mexican folklore and depicts the Day of the Dead a tradition that is very special to many of us in a beautiful way. Director Lee Unrich delivered a visual masterpiece of color and beauty that evokes memories of our childhood celebrating the day of the dead. The story written by Adrian Molina who was also a co-director tells a story that honors the history and importance of the holiday for families like ours.

The film tells the story of Miguel Rivera, a boy growing up in the town of Santa Cecilia, Mexico who wants to play the guitar and sing but is part of a family who has banned music. His ancestor Mama Imelda instituted a ban on music because of a great-great-grandfather who abandoned the family to be a musician. The name of the film “COCO” comes from Miguel’s great grandmother Coco who is elderly and increasingly losing her memory, except for when she speaks of her father.

But Miguel is keeping a secret from his family. Despite the family ban on music, he longs to sing and perform, he teaches himself with the music of deceased singer Ernesto de La Cruz and learns some of his greatest hits, including the song that frames the movie, “Remember Me.” He longs to be a musician like his idol despite his family's objections.

He develops a plan to sing at the plaza on the day of the dead but when his family finds out they destroy his guitar. It is then he sneaks into the mausoleum of his idol Ernesto and steals his guitar. On the day of the dead you are supposed to give to the dead not take away from them and so his actions set off a curse that sends him to the land of the dead.

This is when the movie gets even better. 

He takes us to the land of the dead where we are treated to a visual treat filled with color, animation and vivid imagery. Miguel is soon reunited with his deceased ancestors including the family matriarch Mama Imelda, it is here he learns more about the history of his family and the ban on music. 

Eventually, Miguel teams up with Hector a man who cannot cross over into the land of the living on the day of the dead because no one is displaying his photo. Hector pledges to help Miguel lift the curse so he can return to the land of the living and in exchange Miguel promises to bring his picture with him and display it in his altar. They set off on a musical adventure that will mesmerize kids and adults alike! The featured song, “Remember Me” ties together the central theme of the movie, that those who have left us live on in our memories. They even run into characters you might recognize like Frida Kahlo, Pedro Infante, and even Miguel’s idol Ernesto De La Cruz!

The original music and renditions of classics like La Llorona transported us back to our childhood’s in Oaxaca and we could not be more proud of this movie. Seeing our culture highlighted in this way was a moving experience for us and for the Super Mamas who joined us at our screening in Los Angeles.

Anyone will relate to the tale of piecing together their family history while trying to find their own way in the world. Bring tissues, bring abuelita and bring your kids. This has already sparked some beautiful conversations with our own family about love and honoring our ancestors.

Thank You Disney-Pixar for this film. We can’t think of a better way to spend Thanksgiving.

Thank you to all the Super Mamas who attended our special screening!

Tells us your favorite part of the movie in the comment section below!

Disney-Pixar's COCO: A Love Story to Mexico and Day of the Dead

Getty's Images used with Permission from Disney-Pixar

We were invited to attend the Global Press Conference for Disney-Pixar's 'Coco' at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. We were so blessed to be there and hear directly from the cast and makers including living legend, Edward James Olmos, and Super Papacitos Gael Garcia Bernal and Benjamin Bratt It was an emotional event that began with traditional folklorico dancers and a mariachi performance.

The film’s director Lee Unkrich called the movie “a love letter to Mexico.” He addressed the extensive research that went into making sure that they treated the film topic with respect by traveling to Mexico numerous times and spending time with families that celebrate the Day of the Dead. Care was taken into every element of the film from set designs, to the depiction of the Day of Dead celebrations and even the music that accompanies the film. Benjamin Bratt who lends his voice to one of the main characters of the film talked about referencing Mexican legends like Pedro Infante, and Jorge Negrete for his larger than life character Ernesto De La Cruz.

Getty's Images used with Permission from Disney-Pixar

Edward James Olmos expressed that when he first met with Unkrich,  Producer Darla Anderson, and writer Adrian Molina he wasn’t sure what to expect but that as a Mexican man he felt that they were treating the theme and culture with the respect it deserved. He added, “I could not be more proud of the film which I know is going to have impact around the world and make people of all cultures reflect on how they honor the memory of those who came before them.” Edward’s character (insert name) has a brief but important appearance as it is through him that we learn the true significance of “Dia de Muertos.” For Olmos he said this one scene is, “one of his proudest moments in the art form.”

Members of the press asked about what message they felt they wanted the film to give young kids. Alanna Ubach who plays the role of the matriarch, Miguel’s great-great-grandmother Mamá Imelda explained that she is so excited to share this film with her own child one day. (Her baby is just a few weeks old now) “I am excited to give my child this perspective on death that isn’t about sadness but about celebrating life and honoring our ancestors by keeping their memory alive.”

Gael Garcia-Bernal who lent his voice to "Hector" chimed and mentioned that to him this is an important film for children growing up in a political climate where they can hear people in power say negative things about people who look like them and that he hopes this film “empowers them to see beyond that narrative and be proud of who they are.”

The film opens nationwide on November 21st. Check for theater times and purchase tickets here. 

8 Binge Worthy Television Shows To Watch this Holiday Season

Now that the weather is a little cloudy, it’s the perfect time to cozy up with a blanket for some rest and relaxation and some good television! We encourage you to take advantage of the short days and put the kids to bed a little early to catch these binge worthy shows. Just remember don't stay up too late because the kids will get up early no matter what!  

There is something for everyone on this list.

Handmaid’s Tale: This one had us the edge of our seats the whole time! Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, this show has been one of Hulu’s biggest hits this year. It tells the story of a totalitarian society that takes over the United States through the eyes of a woman forced into living life as a “handmaid.” Season 2 is coming in the Spring of 2018 but you can catch Season 1 on Hulu.

Game of Thrones: It might take you a while to watch all 7 seasons of this HBO medieval fantasy filled with intrigue, and drama but it is well worth your while. Sure there’s lots of names to remember but the story and cinematics will capture you immediately. The last season is coming sometime in 2018 so you have plenty of time to catch up!

Pretty Little Lies: This show gives us a great glimpse of the life of some interesting Super Mamas but it also has a big mystery at the heart of it that comes with some surprising twists. We love seeing a show with so many cool women at the forefront. We love seeing complicated women trying to figure out motherhood, love and careers. Get ready for some playground drama with this one. Catch Season 1 on HBO

El Chapo: If you liked Narcos you will love this series which is dramatization of the real rise and fall of Mexico’s most notorious drug lord El Chapo Guzman. This biographical thriller co-produced by Univision released a second season earlier this year. You can catch it on Netlfix.

Club de Cuervos: This was Netflix’s first Spanish language show and it’s like the novelas we grew up watching except you can’t watch it with the kids are around. It tells the story of two siblings who inherit a soccer team after the death of their father. It has intrigue, soccer rivalries and so much more fun. Catch all 3 seasons on Netflix.

The Defiant Ones: If you need some inspiration to get out there and build your dreams this is for you! This HBO mini-series tells the series of the unexpected partnership between Dr. Dre and and Producer Jimmy Iovine. They take us from their beginnings with some of music legends like NWA, and Patty Smith to their ground breaking partnership with Apple. Seriously, this was one of our favorite things and we might just watch it again to get us pumped for 2018.

Veep: Politics lately can be quite depressing and so we like to balance our hard reality with some political fun courtesy of this HBO hit. The show tells the story of Selina Meyer who becomes VP and later the first female president of the United States. Her staff is hilarious and show us a side of politics we don’t often see. Get ready to LOL.

This Is Us: Unless you have been living under a rock lately you have definitely heard of this show. We haven’t stopped crying since the show started. It’s just a perfect watch for those of us deep in the trenches of motherhood and life. It shows the up’s and down’s of the Pearson triplets as they go through various stages of their lives. We won’t tell you more because we really want you to watch it! The second season is currently airing weekly NBC and you can catch the replays on Hulu.

Tell us your favorite shows in the comment section!

SISTER SPOTLIGHT: MODERN FIESTA, THAISHA PEREZ

Photos Courtesy of Thaisha Perez

Welcome to our monthly Sister Spotlight! We are excited to share with you the stories of the inspiring women who make up our Super Mama Squad! If you would like to be featured or would like to nominate someone to be featured please email us at hello@supermamas.com

Thaisha Perez is the founder of Modern Fiesta an online party supply store which features a curated selection of party decor. Thaisha is also a non-profit professional in the education field. She is raising her family in Oceanside, California. Her life is very busy these days as she works her job during the day, spends time with her daughter in the evenings and works on her business after her daughter falls asleep.

“I would listen to the Super Mamas podcast every morning and hearing from all these women who started their own business while being moms helped me know that I could do it too! “

Many great business begin when people find a gap in the market and this one is no exception. The shop was born when Thaisha started planning parties for her own baby girl. She found that stores were missing cute and curated pieces. She realized that many moms wanted unique decor that couldn’t be found in most online and brick and mortar shops.

Never underestimate the power of a Super Mama on a mission! She started her business with $1000.00. She bought her domain, set up a website, and bought products from all over the world to sell in her U.S based store.

She told us, "It’s important to celebrate, even if it’s only day, the memories are going to last forever. The person you are celebrating will appreciate that special day." 

"With everything going on in the world it’s important that we carve out opportunities for joy."

Her goal is to open a brick and mortar shop and expand her online store in the near future.

Of course, we also had to talk about parties!

Her daughter’s birthday parties always inspire Thaisha to create beautiful things and purchase amazing party decor and supplies! For her daughter’s second birthday she chose a Safari Theme complete with pony rides, and reptiles! She’s already deep into planning her daughter’s 4th birthday next January. 

She shared with us her best tips for a successful birthday:

1. Pick A Theme: Pick ideas from Pinterest but don’t feel like you have to do it all. Think about the child and their unique preferences. Don’t be afraid to get creative.

2. Budget: Pick featured items to splurge on. Thaisha likes to splurge on cake and centerpieces and tables.

3. Decor Trends: Unicorns are huge for children's birthdays, Boho theme is big for baby showers

4. Use color. Purple and gold are huge, so you can make a theme out of colors too.

Check out Thaisha’s online store at ModernFiesta.Com and on social @modernfiesta. 

We are always so inspired by our amazing Super Mamas! Don't forget to nominate your favorite Super Mama to be featured by emailing us at hello@supermamas.com. 

Simple Emergency Preparedness

Emergency preparedness has been on everyone’s minds lately. But it can be hard to know where to start. It’s essential that parents have emergency kits, and plans in place in case the worst occurs. We put together a list of quick tips to be ready in case of an earthquake, hurricane, or other disaster.

 We also want to incorporate our kiddos into our plans. Prioritize establishing a communication plan for your family. If you are not at home when the emergency hits, where will you meet after? Explain to your kids what will happen if something happens while they are at school or with their babysitter. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends establishing a family communication plan and talk to your children about what will happen during an earthquake, or another disaster. You can download their kit here.

Once you have that out of the way, we recommend you put together an emergency kit, for your home and a portable one for your car.

Lucky for you, one of our amazing listeners, photographer Alejandra Rodriguez did all the hard work for you!

Here is her list of emergency kit essentials:

• Water - Bottles, pouches of water, or gallons (3 gallons per person) and or a LifeStraw which is a purification straw you can drink water through.

• Food - three days’ worth of nonperishable food: ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and a can opener, protein or fruit bars, dry cereal or granola, peanut butter, dried fruit, canned juices, non-perishable pasteurized milk, high energy foods, food for infants, more food tips here

• Light - Wind-resistant matches, flashlight with extra batteries, tea candles, or Black Diamond Headlamp

• Whistle - a basic whistle will do or this HEIMDALL Safety Whistle

• Dust mask - you can buy a pack

• First aid kit - this one is for 50 people

• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities - something you can easily find in your garage

• Moist towelettes

• Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

• Paper maps of your area

• Scissors

• Duct tape

• Cash in all ones to easily pay for things since ATMs will not be working and people probably won't be able to make change

• Jackets, ponchos, and blankets

• Medications/ extra glasses or contact lenses/ Epi Pens for kids with allergies  

Tips:

• Always keep shoes near your bed so you can put them on during an earthquake to avoid stepping on broken glass and other objects.

• Have a pack in your homes and another in your cars.

• Have copies of important documents in your emergency kit or other safe place.

• Always have your car at at least half a tank. Gas stations shut down during these kind of emergencies.

• Develop a map of resources around where you live and work.

• Communicate with others about what you each will do to support one another in an emergency.

• Make sure you have access to important documents and if you trust the cloud, store copies there.

• Always keep your gas tank full in case you need to evacuate or if a long term emergency affects gasoline supplies. 

• You can also just order emergency kit on Amazon or Costco!

Follow Alejandra on Instagram @junesoulbyali and check out her amazing photography here www.junesoulbyali.com

Tips for A Healthy Halloween from America's ToothFairy!

Halloween is a time of fun and celebration but momma’s can get a little anxious about the amount of sweets that kids consume this time of year. And with good reason, did you know that children between the ages of 2-8 consume the most candy on Halloween? 

While we want to definitely enjoy the holiday with our kids, we want to make sure they have healthy teeth for years to come. Tooth decay affects many children in our community. Not only is this a painful condition, but in many cases, it also affects their lifestyle and school performance (children with poor oral health are 3 times more likely to miss school as a result of dental pain).

We reached out to America’s ToothFairy to get the scoop on how to set healthy boundaries with our kids. She wasn’t available, as she has a lot of children to visit, so we spoke with her official representative, Madeleine Ritchey, America's ToothFairy's spokesperson and dental hygienist. She has partnered with America's ToothFairy: National Children's Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) an organization that works to increase access to oral health care by supporting non-profit clinics and community partners delivering education, prevention and treatment services for underserved children.  

She answered a few of parent's top concerns below! 

1. How can parents set healthy boundaries around Halloween candy consumption?

Balance is key! Instead of denying treats at Halloween, we recommend parents to teach their children about moderation. For example, parents can limit the consumption of candy to once a day during the Halloween season, as well as the number of sweets to one – instead of many at the same time.

2. How should we set limits at various ages?  The younger your children are, the more you should teach them about moderation and positive oral health behaviors for a lifetime healthy smile. We've found that the majority of parents (87%) do not limit candy consumption at home and, as a result, two-to eight-year old kids are the ones that consume most candies on Halloween.

3. The majority of our listeners have children who are in the toddler and preschool phase, how much candy should kids be allotted at this age?

For a healthy smile, I’d recommend replacing candy for sugar-free snacks, fruit, cheese or yogurt. For those parents that would like to treat their children with candies we suggest:

• Choosing dark chocolate which contains less sugar than other candies and has health benefits - such as being a wonderful antioxidant.

• Having their kids drink water while eating candy. Water will keep them hydrated and help remove food residues from the mouth, preventing the proliferation of bacteria that can cause cavities.

• Encouraging their children to eat some cheese or drink milk after eating candy will help neutralize the acids left by food and prevent cavities and tooth erosion.

• And of course brushing their teeth and flossing is the best advice.

4. How do we politely address friends/family on the subject of candy limits?

At America’s ToothFairy, we know that children want delicious, while parents want to provide what’s good for them. For that reason, we encourage them to promote moderation at home, regardless of their age.  Today, there are also many alternative, healthy options for our teeth that parents can choose to satisfy their kids preferences, such as sugar-free lollipops or gums, no sugar added applesauce, prepacked snacks, among others. Products made with natural sugar, such as Xylitol, are also good options for your children’s smiles.

Sharing this information with family and friends will be beneficial to our kids and will help creating more awareness about oral health in our community.

We are so grateful to America's ToothFairy for sharing her tips with us!

Below you can find more information about NCOHF! 

About the Organization: Founded in 2006, America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) Work hard to educate families about dental health and increase access to dental services. The America’s ToothFairy Southern California Oral Health Zone (SoCal OHZ) program focuses on improving children’s oral health outcomes through education and community engagement initiatives in Los Angeles and Orange County. The SoCal OHZ program supports more than 300,000 children and caregivers in the area with oral health education and resources every year.

Check out their website, Instagram, and Facebook to learn more!

Photo: Shutterstock

 

How To Start A Podcast

The Super Mamas Guide to launching your own podcast in 8 easy steps. 

When we started Super Mamas back in 2015, we didn’t know much about podcasting, but we loved the idea of being able to share our stories about parenting, and womanhood with people from all walks of life. Two years later, we are so happy we took on this adventure.  We've received many emails asking us for our own tips on how to start their one podcast.   We know it can seem overwhelming, so we put together our tips to how you too can create your own podcast.  So great ready to press record and begin this wonderful podcasting journey with us!

Prep Work-

Develop a concept for your show. What topics do you want to cover? Are you doing an interview show? Will you have local guests or remote guests? How often will you release an episode? What is the length of your show? We are big advocates of doing a weekly show since this helps you create rapport with your audience, and gets you into the groove of recording. This is like a new mini-job you are taking on so make sure that you adjust your schedule accordingly. We recommend you pick a day of the week to release your episodes and be consistent about that schedule. This is also a good time to find background, or theme music for your show. Here is a site where you can free music to download.

Step 1- Name & Artwork

Whatever image you choose needs to be about 1,400 x 1,400 pixels (3,000 x 3,000 pixels maximum). We suggest you find a local designer who could help you with the design and branding of your podcast. You can find helpful info regarding artwork here. We suggest is that you don’t use the word ‘podcast’ in your name. Like us, our show is called “Super Mamas” the word ‘podcast’ isn’t on the title.  It just seems a bit redundant given that it is already listed on a podcasting app. I mean, it’s not like Television shows have the word “show” at the end of every tittle, right?

Step 2- Equipment 

Sound quality is one of the most important elements of your podcast. Your content can be amazing but if your sound quality is poor, it makes it less likely that they will come back for more.

Here are the essentials:

• MICROPHONE: This is the one we like that is also affordable for most podcasters and is a great option that even major podcasters use. But you can also invest in other microphones like this one that we purchased for our guests.  The microphones we use for Super Mamas is this one

• HEADPHONES: We highly recommend you invest in a good pair of headphones and don’t just use your regular Iphone buds. Why? Because these will help you listen to the quality of sound when you record. They will also help you listen any echo, or noise pollution that will affect your final product. They will also be useful for editing. These are the ones we use HD 280 Pro.

• LAPTOP: You will need a computer to edit, and upload your episode to a host, and set up your podcast.

Things That Are Nice to Have But Not Required:

MIXER: A mixer is not required but this is how we combine audio when we are recording multiple people. Higher quality microphones can be plugged directly into your mixer. Here’s a site that explains other reasons to consider a mixer.

POP-FILTER -A pop filter is just as the name implies, something that you place in front of your microphone to prevent harsh sounds from penetrating your audio. Here is the one we use.

DIGITAL RECORDER-You can use this to record at events or to record guest when traveling. Here is the one we use.  

Here is a video where one of the experts we like talks about equipment: Watch here

Mixer and pop-filter seen here

Step 3- Record! 

If possible, choose a quiet environment to record. Large spaces and high ceilings can create an echo. Test your sound before doing a full recording. Be patient, you got this! 

We use garageband to record. We suggest you get a USB microphone that can plug directly into your computer or if you have a mixer your microphones will connect to your mixer, which you will then connect to your computer through the USB outlet. Think about the format of your show and how many microphones you will need. Here is a really good YouTube video that explains more about recording on Garageband and putting your show together:

How To Record TUTORIAL: Watch here

Step 4- Edit 

Garageband allows you to edit your recording and listen to any things you might want to erase. For example, long pauses, or background noises. You can also mix in music at this time and create your introduction. Again, don’t overthink this! It’s okay if your first episode isn’t perfect. In terms of editing and production. Be patient. It will take some time, but once you get the hang of it you will wonder why you didn’t start sooner. Here are some tips to get you started with editing.

Step 5- Choose A Podcast Host

Think of this as the place where your podcast lives. From here it will stream on places like Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others. We chose to host ours with a Soundcloud account but you can choose other services like Podomatic. With Soundcloud we recommend you start with a free account and upgrade to “Pro” once you see a need for more stats and upload time. Remember that the most important piece of information here is the RSS Feed.  Don’t get scared by the name. It’s basically just a URL you need to copy and paste in iTunes. 

*EDIT* - Most recently, we have migrated our hosting to Libsyn. Their customer service is superb and they can help in getting your show published in Youtube, Spotify and even iHeartRadio! 

This link is your RSS feed. Make sure to also check privacy settings to make sure your RSS is public that's how it will update with Itunes and other streaming services.

Step 6- Open your account on iTunes

On the main Podcast iTunes page you will see a link that says “submit podcast”.  It will take you 3 minutes to do this.  It is so easy.  All it will ask you for is your Apple ID, some basic info about your show and the RSS feed code  (you will get this from Soundcloud).  However, it does take up to 7 days for iTunes to approve your podcast link.  But just be patient.  

This is where you enter your RSS feed to have your podcast stream on Itunes.

Step 7- Upload  

We suggest you upload your first episode on soundcloud prior to you getting your account approved on iTunes.  That way once it is approved, you already have an episode published.  BUT, don’t promote it until it is already on iTunes. it will just be easier for people to find you that way. You can stream it on various places like Spotify and Stitcher.

Step 8- Promote Your Episode

Tell your friends and family about your new project. Use your social media channels to promote. Encourage people who do listen to leave you a review and subscribe. Create social media channels for your podcast, and if you want to go the extra step, purchase the domain for it.

If you have more questions don’t hesitate to ask! We are always here to support our sisters in making their dreams come true.

Turn your Baby Food into your own Breakfast & Lunch

When you have a baby at home, the last thing you may want to do is cook. The lack of sleep from a newborn makes it very hard to get creative in the kitchen. When I was at home with baby Eddie, I began to realize that I would make food for him and totally forget the fact that I needed to nourish myself as well.

One of my kitchen saviors quickly became avocados, since Eddie became obsessed with them at an early age. I always had them handy and they were a perfect food we both could share for breakfast and lunch. Actually, one of his first foods was a mix of avocados and bananas. Not only was it smooth and creamy, but extremely versatile.  I could serve it alone or mash it up with fruits like bananas or mangos.

Though Eddie is already 2½ years old, avocados are still one of his favorite foods (and mine too, I mean, who doesn’t like a good avocado toast?), but now I don’t have to mash them up. He loves to eat them in chunks over salads, pastas, tacos, dips or in a smoothie.

Being conscious of nourishing our babies and of course, ourselves, is a challenge any super mamá can overcome. With having high nutritional value and being super versatile, it’s easy to incorporate avocados into our everyday diets.

Here are three recipes in partnership with Aguacates Frescos – Saborea Uno Hoy® that can help you turn your baby’s food into your very own breakfast and lunch (so you don’t forget about yourself when prepping for your baby). And please remember to check your pediatrician before introducing any new foods.

This post sponsored by Aguacates Frescos – Saborea Uno Hoy®

AVOCADO MANGO BABY

Nutrition Tip: 

• For infants: If desired, add breastmilk or formula to reach desired consistency based on age and caregiver’s comfort level. Nutritional information will vary.

• For older babies and toddlers:

  • Mash ingredients with a fork instead of pureeing.

  • Serve in reusable baby food pouches for maximum portability, or freeze in ice pop trays to make homemade popsicles.

  • Add Greek yogurt and use as dip for your favorite fruits and vegetables.

Note: Speak to your child’s pediatrician before adding solid foods to your infant’s diet.

Ingredients: 

1 ripe, fresh avocado, cut in half, peeled and seeded

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced

Instructions 

1. Puree avocado and mango in a blender or in a baby masher until desired consistency is reached.

2. Serve baby 1 to 2 tablespoons mixture. Freeze remainder in 1 ounce ice cube trays.

*Recipe adapted from SaboreaUnoHoy.com

AVOCADO AND MANGO KICK-STARTER SMOOTHIE

Instructions 

1. In a blender, add avocado, mango, pineapple, pineapple juice, almond milk, and ice.

2. Blend until smooth.

3. Serve immediately.

*Note: Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados, adjust the quantity accordingly.

*Recipe adapted from SaboreaUnoHoy.com

Ingredients 

1 ripe, fresh avocado*, halved, pitted, peeled and diced

1 large ripe mango (about 1 cup), pitted, peeled and cubed, or 1 cup frozen

1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple, chopped

3 Tbsp.pineapple juice

1 cup almond milk

1 cup ice

MANGO AND AVOCADO SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 mangos, cubed

• 2 avocados, diced

• 1/2 small red onion, diced

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a large serving bowl, whisk together vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in oil. Toss in mangoes, avocado and red onion to coat. Serve immediately.

*Recipe adapted from SaboreaUnoHoy.com

The Baby Shower of my Dreams

My mom is the go-to person whenever we plan parties in my family. With my previous baby showers, I would just decide on the theme, the food and she would do everything from start to finish. I didn't realize how much work it took until now.

This being my last baby, I decided to have a more hands-on approach and do it myself. Truth be told, I ended up needing lots of help. I couldn't have pulled it off without my mom, sisters, friends and it was just what I wanted. It was the perfect celebration for my baby with the people I love, my favorite food and in a beautiful setting that gave us beautiful pictures to share with her when she gets older.

We may make it look easy, but we all know it's not. I learned a few lessons from this experience and I decided to put some tips together, so you too can fully enjoy your celebration. Don’t feel guilty and just go for it. You deserve it, Super Mamá!

Ask for help

Yes! As much as you want to take over and do things yourself, you're growing a human inside of you. Enlist your family members and friends and give them a task.  My sister Elizabeth was in charge of all the games and activities, Bricia put together my vision and helped with final touches, and my mom helped with the flowers, decorations and dessert table. She also came with me on my multiple shopping trips (you know me). I had many other tasks that I spread around to a few family members and friends and they were so much help!

Don't get caught up with having the ‘perfect’ theme

Nowadays with the pressure of social media we all want the prettiest theme and believe me, I did too. I wanted a 'chic cacti and pastel colored Mexican baby fiesta' party. I know! It was complicated and it was born from a picture I saw a while ago on Pinterest. I was so stressed that I spent hours searching online for the prettiest things, but as time went by, I couldn't find anything. At the end, I let go of that idea and opened myself up to finding things I loved organically. So, start with a general idea and be open to change! It’s easier and stress-free.

Support small businesses

Every vendor at my baby shower were contacts from social media.  From my delicious cake, to my catering, to my deserts. There are so many growing small businesses and people with side hustles who are incredibly talented. You already follow these people, so why not support them in a real way? We also all have that one friend (or many) who loves baking, making flower arrangements or taking amazing pictures. I bet if you look closely in your address book you will find a lot of people that can make your life easier.  Plus, your budget will thank you! Also, don’t forget to visit your local dollar store. You will be surprised at all the things you will find for a super cheap price!

Choose what YOU like

Yes!! It's your party and you will cry if you want to. This party is about you! So what do YOU want to eat, drink, experience and take away from your party? You’re never going to make everyone happy, and haters will hate no matter what (so, don’t invite haters). What really matters is that you enjoy your own party! If you want to have a special food, dessert, music, or treat, go for it and have it! Believe me, the people who are really there for you will have a blast no matter what you give them and at the end of the day, you’ll be much more satisfied.

Rely on technology to make things easier

Its 2017 ladies! There are so many things we can take advantage of. Websites like Evite and Paperless Post will do most of the invitation and guest list work for you. People can RSVP, get up-to-date information, get maps, directions, etc. After many birthday parties for the kids, I’ve learned to rely on other people to do most of the ‘cute stuff’. I downloaded clip art from Etsy and designed my own invitations with the Over app. For my baby registry, BabyList was super helpful. I put all my favorite items from different stores in one place and people had the option of either buying straight from the website or purchasing on their own (Plus - you can link it to you invitation). And for music, I used Spotify to create my playlist. There is an app for everything nowadays!

Take lots of pictures

Taking photos is a way of putting special moments in a time bubble. It gives me a chance to see how blessed I am and how much we have changed and grown as a family. Your baby will look back and see how much she or he was loved before being born. My kids get super excited to see themselves inside of me.  Believe me, these are the best moments!

Have fun!

This is the most important tip of all. This is YOUR party. You are the queen, you are growing life inside of you and deserve to be celebrated and pampered. This is not the time to take care of others, it's about you!! Once your little baby is with you, you’ll have plenty to do. Things will not be 100% perfect, but if you enjoy yourself those little things won't matter.  

Go ahead! Give yourself permission to have fun and enjoy!

Special shout-out and THANK YOU to all of the amazing vendors/ friends that made my day so special:

My amazing mom

Chichen Itza Restaurant

I Love Micheladas

Guelaguetza Restaurant

Pastel Cake & Confections

Twisted Cotton Candy

Harlow Planning & Design

Ly Baker Floral Design

Annie Vovan Photography

Vaya Con Fashion

#TalkReadSing Moments

During the month of August, we asked our Super Mamas to share with us their Talk.Read.Sing moments for our August campaign in partnership with First 5 California!

First 5 California is an organization that educates parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers about the critical role they play during a child’s first five years. Since their creation in 1998, they’ve supported millions of families with programs and services designed to help more California kids grow up healthy and ready to succeed in school – and in life!

We know that talking, reading, and singing with young children every day and throughout the day helps build important connections in the brain that can change their lives forever. 

Thank you to everyone who submitted a post using #talkreadsing. We enjoyed learning all about how you are nurturing your little ones’ minds in everyday life.

Below is a sample of some of the tips we loved! But really, we thought they were all fantastic.

Image by: @raisinglilhumans

@Raisinglilhumans is a #supermama who makes amazing eats for her babies and she showed us how everyday activities can be a perfect time to engage with your kids. She said, "Homemade baby food at its finest. Get your kids involved. Talk to them about what they are eating. Have fun with it!" #talkreadsing

Image by @capturingcultura

Nadia Hernandez @capturingcultura. “It’s #Nationalbooklovers today and I just had to share this photo. If you’ve met my daughter, you will know that she loves books. This was my daughter’s genuine reaction when she saw these Lil Libros books. She’ll say wow to everything she likes so I knew that these will become some of her favorites. I have been reading to her since the womb. I have #talkreadsing to her I have seen how this has helped her development.”  Nadia even shared a blog post with helpful tips on how to start your reading journey with your children. Check that out here!

Image by @lifeoftorres

Nessa from @lifeoftorres shared how they spent their time this summer singing along to their favorite Disney Jr. songs and listening to the storytelling of Snow White and Brave!

Image by @veronica.rmrz

Veronica @veronica.rmrz shared all about how her daughter Ximena is choosing her own books and they happen to include little books with cute images that teach her about accomplished women like Maya Angelou, Amelia Earhart and Frida Kahlo. What an amazing way to #talkreadsing and learn about #girlpower at the same time.  

Image by: @brendah21_

Brenda aka: @brendah21_ told us how she started to #talkreadsing to her son Elijah during her pregnancy. She says, “It feels good, when we get to witness Elijah responding or repeating something we have been teaching him.” Here he is practicing doodles while momma reads to him! 

During the month of August our Super Mama guests also shared with us their favorite #talkreadsing moments! You can visit our show notes to see more of their tips. Miriam Carrillo of Episode 115 shared how she sings to her infant during diaper changes, and other guests shared their favorite books or apps they use to encourage talking, reading, or singing. 

We were so happy to partner with First 5 California for this campaign! We hope you learned as much as we did. 

Visit www.first5california.com for more information! 

You can also find more tips and resources on First 5 California's social media channels: Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and listen to their Pandora station.

SISTER SPOTLIGHT: REDEFINING MODERN FATHERHOOD WI/ MICHELLE OLVERA

LatinoDad.Co offering a special discount code for our Super Mama listeners. Enter Supermamas_Rock at checkout - 25% off the ticket price. They are also asking for donations -to pay the way for other fathers to attend, and exhibitor booths are still available. Visit Latinodad.co for more details! 

Michelle Olvera is the founder of LatinoDad.co a culturally-relevant, trusted source and digital media platform for Latino fathers that seeks to provide support to modern dad’s.

The idea for this platform started when Michelle realized that the Latinx/multicultural father was not being addressed at-all, especially the younger millennial father. She told us,

"Somehow the GQs, Esquires don’t cut it after you become a father, right? There is a lack of ‘modern’ parental resources that speak to Latino men/fathers. I did my due diligence, found an underserved market gap, surveyed about 50 fathers on their pains, problems and wishes, then built the minimum viable product platform myself using a simple Wordpress theme and my own design, technical skills and knowledge of lean startup application. It’s not perfect yet LatinoDad.co a parental resource and content platform was born and has been well-received so far."

In countless with conversations with young fathers Michelle realized that what they wanted was tips and knowledge on how to adapt fatherhood by breaking away from being generational, traditional father approaches that tend to emphasize a rigid father figure. This is why as part of their launch, they are putting on a first-ever LatinoDad Summit 2017 on September 9th in Los Angeles that will cover topics ranging from race, toxic masculinity to wellness. 

"Men as caregivers are the real game changers in our community.”

Michelle is a serial entrepreneur and this work is closely aligned to her path in life. She believes her mission on this earth is to solve problems in our community. She is also the founder of SupaDaily.com a site that celebrates the individual & collective power of Latinas and multicultural women as feminists & culture makers. They cover politics via commentary and journalism, race/identity, pop culture and personal ‘brown girl’ narratives from influential writers, to help readers make sense of the world around them. She believes that we cannot change conditions for women without including men and their role in the conversation. 

“if I can change hearts and minds through the power of storytelling, mind shifting content products and user experience - then I found the problem I was meant to solve.”

One of Michelle’s main motivations is being a SuperTia to three Latino nephews. She helped raise two nephews, now young men 18 and 20 years old. She is now, helping to raise Joshua, the youngest at 8 months old. I have a small immediate family - so the nephews are the next generation - all boys!

She believes many factors indicate that the timing is here for LatinoDad.co. First, from a marketing perspective Latino male spending is increasing as dads become more hands on in their role as caregivers. She also alludes to an important crisis of masculinity. She explained:

 “Globally, there is a crisis of violence, manhood, gender politics - a renewed feminist movement for gender equality has triggered more men into growing in their capacity to support women, but there is still a lot of work to do with men of color.”   

She is excited about bringing the conversation to “real life" with their first offline event in Los Angeles next month, LatinoDAD Summit 2017. LatinoDad.co wants to give fathers the space to explore offline and online what it means to be a father today and of course, work in synergy with the trusted brands who align with LatinoDad.Co’s mission that want to reach them.

Michelle believes a paradigm shifting happening and that we can move the needle by supporting Latino men as fathers and caregivers to raise the next generation of children with gender quality. She believes if we do that, "we will see more liberation in them and therefore, in us as females." 

We couldn’t agree more!

You can follow the conversation on Latinx fatherhood on social media:

• Twitter: @joinlatinodad

• Facebook: LatinoDads

• Insta: LatinoDad_Media

• You can sign up for their newsletter

SISTER SPOTLIGHT: SARA QUINTANAR, MUSIC WITH SARA

Welcome to our monthly Sister Spotlight! We are excited to share with you the stories of the inspiring women who make up our Super Mama Squad! If you would like to be featured or would like to nominate someone to be featured please email us at info@supermamas.la

Sara Quintanar is the founder of Music with Sara, her mission is to make early childhood music education accessible to more families and educators. She is a bilingual early childhood music educator based in Los Angeles, California. She teaches music in Spanish to hundreds of children each week. She is also a mother of 3 children ages 12,10 and 5. Her family comes from East Los Angeles, and from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, México. Her husband is from Zacatecas and Jalisco. 

Sara Quintanar started “Music With Sara” after her first child Celia was born. After trying various mommy and me classes around LA, she wanted to have a class with music in Spanish and music parents could really vibe to. So after attending a few, she decided to start “Music With Sara”, bilingual ‘grown up and me’ classes for children. She told us, “I saw a direct need for early childhood music classes AND music in Spanish.”

When her oldest started school at a Dual Language Magnet, Sara started teaching in her classroom. By then she had a broad understanding of how music impacted learning, and how it facilitated learning a second language and improved fluency. A parent, who she now considers a great friend recorded her so the kids could practice, and that recording became her first album “Canciones en español”. She now has 4 albums of music in Spanish. Her latest collection of songs was published by Scholastic for First 5 CA as a bilingual songbook.

“Children learn through whole body activities how to move, make music, follow rhythm patterns, and explore. In my classes children learn to share, make friends, listen, and improvise. I had no idea what a huge impact these classes would have on the families or my own career. “

Currently, she teaches music in pre-schools, Head Start and Childcare Programs, and at the Elementary level. She has published 2 books for children and makes bilingual videos and music for children.

She wants parents to know how each rhyme they learned as a child helped them grow. She told us,“sometimes as parents we forget the simple things our parents and grandparents did for us, like sing those little songs, playing games like “A la riki ran”, or “papas papas para mamá” These are so important to a developing brain.”

In fact, she shared that children who enter kindergarten knowing at least 5 rhymes tend to have higher literacy levels. Those rhymes connect our children to their traditions and culture and are their first forms of storytelling. They build a child’s vocabulary and creativity.

Music has now become a family affair. Her children have been learning music along the way and her daughters play Latin Percussion. Her oldest learned to play violin, guitar, and drums but now plays mostly clarinet and vibraphone. She believes learning to play music is like learning a language. She shared, "It just takes practice but anyone can do it!"

While entrepreneurship found her, now she is grateful for the opportunity to know that she didn’t have to follow someone else’s footsteps. “My parents worked pretty much in the same jobs for their entire working careers. I look up to them. They showed me what it was to have a very strong work ethic and to work hard. But I wasn’t always that good at following rules, so doing my own thing suits me.” She wants to share with others now that you can make your own way too. She was candid in sharing that is still trying to figure things out too.

Since she is musician we asked her about her musical inspirations. Her favorites include René Colato Lainez, a children’s author from El Salvador that has inspired her to continue to create while continuing to teach. Other influences have been José Luis Orozco, whose music has been so influential in the world of bilingual music for kids, and Ella Jenkins. More than anything she is continually inspired by the children she teaches. “They push me to do better, be funnier, and keep going,” she added.  

Sara is not done maximizing her impact! She is hoping to reach more people by creating more content and working with parents and teachers. She wants to empower parents and educators too.

“We ARE creating the future based on how we treat children in our society. So we have to give them our best.”

As her business has expanded Sara has also expanded her giving. In the Fall, Music With Sara classes will be part of family activities at Ascensia in Glendale, which offers transitional housing and homeless services. 

You can connect with Sara online and on her website. 

• @musicwithsara – instagram

• @itsmusictime – Twitter

• facebook.com/musicwithsara

• Musicwithsara.com

Thank you for sharing your story with us! 

How To Get Stuff Done As A New Mom

Life after a newborn can be filled with beautiful moments, and endless hours of taking in that new baby smell. But it also means learning a whole new way to balance our time.

We’ve often wondered what we used to do with our time before kids!

This week’s guest Rachel Gomez talked to us about how she managed to keep her business going after having a baby! She told us how she would work when the baby sleeps! She said,“You’ll be surprised how much you can get done during those one-hour spaces.”  

We know that staying active is another way to keep our brains sharp and focused, we still remember our previous guest Ana Guerrero’s tip, “I wake up early to work out. I teach a spin class at 5:30AM. If you get it done before the day starts you won’t have to worry about fitting it into your day.”

Here’a few things we recommend to make some time in your day:

Take In Inventory of Your Day: Often we will say that we don’t have time for something. But sometimes what it means is that we aren’t making it a priority. Think about how much time you spend scrolling social media or other ways in which you spend your time on things that are not of highest priority. It is definitely harder to get things done after a child but you can always carve out pockets if you set goals about what you want to prioritize. Don’t fixate on the limitations on your time but on how you can maximize 10 minute intervals.

Make “Me” Time A Part of Your Routine: Whether it’s waking up early or having time for yourself after the kids are asleep make time to decompress a part of your life. You’ll be surprised how much more you can accomplish if you give yourself time to refuel and be more relaxed. You can also use this time to nurture your next big idea!

Spend Time With Friends In a New Way: Another thing we like is the idea of having phone dates with friends if you need a session to vent, laugh or cry. (All normal emotions after having a baby). Just because you can’t meet for happy-hour like you used to ,doesn’t mean you can’t foster your friendships. These friendships are important for your mental health and will keep you emotionally strong for your kids and your life.

Encourage Your Kids to Play Independently: We are big proponents of teaching kids to play on their own and foster their imaginations. Recently, we talked about creating spaces for our kids to play. Paulina even created a space for the girls to play “dress up.”

Say No To Mom Guilt: One of the biggest reasons why we have a hard time getting things done after a baby is that we feel guilty to carve out time for ourselves or things we are passionate about. We believe that children are happy when mom is happy so our biggest tip is to always make time to keep your dreams going!

Tweet: Dream bigger than your ancestors

SISTER SPOTLIGHT: SONIA SMITH-KANG, MIXED UP CLOTHING

Sonia Smith-Kang is the founder of Mixed Up Clothing a line for kids that aims to build friendships through fabrics. They encourage the exploration of culture and family through fabrics from around the World! Her mission is to showcase and celebrate cultural diversity.

Her clothing has been seen on the Today show, The Real, NPR, Huff Post and the clothes have been worn by celeb children including Modern Family’s Lily, Zoey from The Little Couple, Tia and Tamera’s little ones and many others.”

Sonia was born to an Afican-American father, and Mexican-American mother in Puerto Rico, and spent much of her childhood in Hawaii.

The idea for her business stemmed from her own mixed-race background and her multicultural family. Her husband is Korean-American and together they have 4 children (2 boys & 2 girls) ages 9,11,18 and 25. She told us about how her clothing line started. 

“Clothes struck an emotional chord with people. There was a need for them to have a piece of their culture that they could wear daily and not just during cultural ceremonies or special occasions. They wanted to represent who they were in a mainstream way but didn’t know how?

She told us that she thinks of her kids as “mini global citizens” because they represent the changing face of America.

“We teach them that just like being ambidextrous is using both hands, they can be ambi-cultural in that they can straddle all of their cultures without having to assimilate or lose out on any one culture.”

Her children are being taught children English, Korean and Spanish. They eat all foods and listen to diverse music. They code switch like champs and they understand the benefits of being multi-cultural.

But her life could have gone a very different way. She went to the University of San Francisco and became a critical care registered nurse. Even then she used her multicultural background to become an RN that brought a holistic, cultural and family-centered philosophy to nursing and she made sure she took patients and their caregivers’ religion and cultural needs into account while patients were in her unit. For instance, she would move hospital beds toward Mecca, have prayer rugs available, bring in Chaplains, have translators on hand all in hopes of improving the family’s stay, "which (hopefully) in turn helped the patient get better care." 

Being a RN was stressful and a hobby was encouraged for self-care. This is how she started first sewing clothes for her children finding ethnic fabrics sourced from around the world that represented their cultures.Then she started mixing and matching prints and silhouettes in a fun way that would have folks stopping her on the streets to ask what culture was represented on the fabric and where they could buy the clothes.

She noticed that in their exchanges people loved sharing their cultural stories as well. She was fascinated listening to them and learning about other cultures.

She was also building friendships and using the clothing as a vehicle to teach about culture and diversity through the fabrics. It was a comfortable way to discuss topics that can be difficult to talk about, especially in our current climate.

Then the proverbial light bulb went off!

After 15 years as a RN, she took a leap of faith, resigned from nursing, borrowed and took out her savings, took an entrepreneurial business class, got all the necessary licenses and permits, made a payment on a downtown LA studio, sourced fabric and contractors to help get my clothes from idea to distribution and voilà, Mixed Up Clothing was born.

Her children are her motivation each day. She herself struggled with my identity and grew up feeling that she wasn’t Black enough, Latina enough or American enough.

She promised herself then that her children (and multicultural children like them) would not have the same experience. She works hard everyday to dispel the cultural myths and breakdown the barriers that prevent inclusion.

Her kids are not only her motivation; they help her package, sort, take inventory, and ship each clothing season. They make public appearances with her too!

“It’s all hands on deck and they know that they may not always want to but family jumps in and we are there to help each other succeed. It’s a family thing!”

But her greatest success was leaving the comforts of a regular career as a RN in exchange for one that is unknown and she considers herself a small business owner living her dream.

Being an entrepreneur has allowed her to be the mama, wife, daughter, amiga, granddaughter, sister, tia, nina, etc. she wants to be.

With so many projects and things to keep track of she plans her day the night before so that when she starts the morning after morning kid/school drop-offs, she can just hop on the treadmill without wasting time looking over my calendar. While on the treadmill she listen to the news and read emails that have come in overnight and looks over social media accounts and puts out fires as needed.

But behind every great woman is another great woman! She counts her mom as one of her greatest inspiration. And her abuelos who taught her about her “Mexican cultura.” and to respect everyone whether they are a CEO or anyone else.

One of her tips is to “culture-proof” a home is by having toys/dolls/books/movies that LOOK like your kids and reflect their reality.

She lives and breathes diversity in her numerous projects aside from Mixed-Up Clothing that include: MultiCulti Corner: a community group that explores the ethnic enclaves here in Los Angeles to bring cultural awareness to children, Mixed Heritage Day: which a day (9/23/17) where she partners with the LA Dodgers to celebrate those of mixed heritage, in interracial relationships, or are transracially adopted.  This is a day of community and celebration held at Dodger Stadium. She also volunteers as Vice President of a non-profit organization called Multiracial Americans of Southern California (MASC). It is a 501c3 that advocates and educates for the multiracial community.

“I wanted to be the change that I wanted from this world.I needed to be a part of it. So I jumped without a parachute.”

Her commitment to shedding light on multiculturalism has led her to contribute to major websites like Babble, Huff Post, Medium, Mash Up Americans and The Mixed Up Blog and as a multicultural expert who has spoken on different panels about race and identity around the country. She also still uses her medical knowledge as an advisor to a non-profit organization called Mixed Marrow which helps encourage and sign up more bone marrow donors or color and multiracial heritage to become donors on the bone marrow registry.

We are in awe of Sonia and all that she is doing to create a better world for all children. You find her clothing on her website, www.mixedupclothing.com and on Amazon. You can learn more about Mixed Heritage Day on her site.

You find her on social media @mixedupclothing.

Scoring Goals with McDonalds

This week, us and a couple of super mamas had the pleasure of taking our kids to the McDonalds Soccer Clinic at the StubHub Center to practice their skills before the 2017 International Champion Cup between Manchester City and Real Madrid. The experience is one we will always remember.

As we arrived, we were surprised with two things: the coolest and cutest McDonalds soccer uniforms and the one and ONLY Ronald McDonald. Luckily, the kids had the opportunity to practice with him before the event started. 

To kick off the event, Ronald gathered us up and introduced the official soccer coaches and emcee of the day, Piolin (who need no introduction). Then the fun began!

The kids were divided into different teams, each with their own soccer coach. Max (@nardasarit), Krista, Sabina, Eduardo, Benny (@mommyinlosangeles), Xavier(@scillasticks) and Ji (@lamamacitablog) eagerly waited their turn to kick the ball. While the handsome little Kai (@thepennycloset) cheered from the sidelines with his mama. On right field,  Alexander (@pattyrodriguez), Mia (@ themotheroverload), Nia and Knox(@momdutyblog) scored some serious goals

As the session went on, we noticed a huge group of kids gathered around someone in the distance. It was non-other than the legend himself, Jared Borgetti! Everyone was freaking out (especially the husbands). Seriously. He’s a huge deal! Paulina’s husband can tell you every single detail of his famous goal against Italy in the 2002 World Cup. Basically, every major soccer fan knows who Borgetti is.

Borgetti visited every team and made the effort to interact with every single child on the field. He encouraged them to be brave and gave them confidence to go for the goal. Borgetti and Piolin were the best goalkeeper and coach any child could ask for, the perfect dynamic duo. 

Not only did the soccer clinic give our kids the opportunity to play outside, but also a once-in-a-lifetime experience to practice with a world-renowned player and further connect with a sport that plays a major role in their culture. Thank you for the amazing experience, McDonalds! Now, it’s time for us to get ready for the ICC game tonight at the Los Angeles Coliseum!  Who are you guys rooting for?

Paulina's Must-Have Pregnancy Products

By: Paulina Lopez-Velazquez

Pregnancy comes with many wonderful things, but let’s face it, not everything is great, we all go through different weird changes in our body, for me it has been the same in all three pregnancies:  Skin issues, swollenness, and breathing problems.  By now I have a pretty set routine down to tackle each issue and a few products that are my Must Haves that I wanted to share with you if you are having the same issues! Hopefully you find something useful for you. Ok here we go!  

Skin Issues:

Itching much?  This has been a constant issue with every pregnancy, and it kills me! Towards the end of the day I just simply cannot stand my breasts, this is the area it hits the most as well as my thighs.   I try to avoid scratching as much as I can but I have woken up with marks all over my breasts because I do it over night without noticing.  The only thing that has worked for me is the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Soothing Oil, I have used it since the first pregnancy and it’s a life saver for me! as soon as I found out I was pregnant I ordered it right away, I apply it through the day on my breast and my belly or as soon as I feel the itch start, it’s very soothing and it helps me with the scratching, plus it also helps avoiding major stretch marks. Whenever I run out I have also used some natural coconut oil, soothes me but the soothing oil works better for my skin.

Let’s talk Stretchmarks! Ever since I was young I had lots of weight issues (that’s a whole other blog post I should write about later) so my weight was up and down a lot from a very young age which caused some stretchmarks on my butt (can I say butt? Haha) So, since my first pregnancy I have been very mindful of taking care of my skin, I tried different things but my favorite so far is the Bio-Oil.  I am very happy to report that I have almost no additional stretchmarks from pregnancy, plus applying it on my skin gives me such a relief and It feels good! My only advise would be to put it at night right before going to bed because it might rub off on your clothes depending on the fabric.

My skin is cracking! And not in a good way, mainly my feet due to the swelling and since I have been pregnant over the summer I tend to use lots of sandals.  This has been the biggest struggle, I mean who wants to see some cracked up dry feet? Not cute, right? Well, this time around I found the perfect solution! I have tried over 8 different types of foot creams (seriously!) and none have worked better than the O’Keeffes Healthy Feet, I apply this cream daily in the morning and at night and my feet are looking and feeling great (ok, except for the swelling) I will definitely continue to use this cream beyond my pregnancy to keep my feet smooth.  They also have a Working Hands cream that my husband has been using for his psoriasis and that one is just as great! 

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Swelling and Sleeping

Let’s move on to swelling, which has been the biggest struggle for me, I mean I am now only wearing size 11 man sandals! I mean I’m only 5’4 so that’s a bit huge for me.  My feet start kind of normal (haha) but as the day progresses my feet just keep getting bigger and bigger, my biggest tips are taking lots of water, putting your feet up as much as you can (but when you have multiple children, a job, a home and a husband, how much can you do this, really?) And what has worked wonders for me is the Epson Salt, if I don’t have a whole lot of time to sit on the tub, I simply put ½ cup in a container with warm water and I put my feet there for 20 minutes, maybe while checking my phone, or catching up on some reading (multitasking at its finest) at the end of the day, I found some that have lavender added to them, so that also helps me relax and have a good night sleep.  You can find different ones on your favorite stores!

And talking about sleeping, I am now in the third trimester and sleeping is starting to be a challenge, I bought a nursing pillow recently which has made my nights SO much more comfortable but it does take a big chunk of space and my husband refers to it as “the barrier between us” so, sometimes I opt for using the regular pillows which still make me feel very comfortable.  However, my main problem is that when I lay down my nose gets really congested and it gets hard to breath. This causes me to breathe through my mouth overnight which at the same time causes mouth dryness, thirstiness and makes me wake up constantly and not get enough sleep, a never-ending circle that I had to end! Luckily I found the life changing essential oils, they have made a HUGE difference for me, I use the Doterra brand and add a few drops of lavender, peppermint and the Breath blend to my diffuser every night.  What a difference! I have been able to sleep with no problems ever since, I am able to breath and relax and just get a much better night sleep waking up in a much better mood! I carry the breath blend with me and I breath it through the day which has helped me with the daily congestion as well.  I have personally found so many benefits to using oils during pregnancy I would totally recommend for you to do some research and see if you can apply it to any particular problems you might be experiencing .

I know a lot of us experience a lot of different crazy side effects during pregnancy and I can only speak from my personal experience but I hope that if you are going through a similar experience as me you can find this products to helpful! 

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and share with me some of your own favorite products! I always like to hear and try new things.  Hang in there Mama! This is only temporary and by the time your baby arrives this will all be nothing but a blur.  

Love, Paulina

5 Birthing Methods You Should Know About

If you are an expectant mother it can be overwhelming to sort through the numerous birth options available to you. Below you will find a few of the options and methods available!

We are strong advocates of women taking charge of their births in consultation with their health care providers, midwives and doulas. 

Read on to learn more! 

Bradley Method:This is a 12 week course in which expectant parents learn how to give birth without the use of epidurals and with minimal interventions. A doula or midwife will normally deliver the classes, and create a plan for you. This method focuses on the wellness of the mother, baby and partner. Please note these classes should begin around your 5th month of pregnancy. Learn more here.

Hypnotherapy Method: As the name implies, this method teaches mothers a form of self-hypnosis that reduces pain and stress during labor. Think of it as meditating through labor. It helps mothers learn how to reduce anxiety in your mind and your body and how to get through painful contractions. Learn more here.

Lamaze Method: This method was commonly taught by hospitals and includes pain management techniques as well as breathing and relaxation methods to help women during delivery. The Lamaze approach and birth classes aim to“increase women’s confidence in their ability to give birth.” Lamaze classes also provide information about unmedicated and medicated births. Learn more here.  

Water Birth: Water births are known as the “gentlest of births.” Mom’s are immersed in water during delivery. This environment replicates what babies experience in utero. The warm water also helps moms manage pain. However, Parents Magazine cautioned that “if your baby is breech, if you've been diagnosed with excessive bleeding or maternal infection, if you're having multiples, or if preterm labor is expected, you'll have to discuss with your healthcare provider whether you're a candidate for a water birth.” While not many hospitals offer the use tubs, you can find a birthing center, or rent one for use in your own home. Learn more here.

Home Birth: This method allows you to deliver your baby in the comfort of your home with midwives and doulas on-site to support you. Home births are mostly recommended for women with low-risk healthy pregnancies. Decide if this plan is for you only after consulting with medical professionals, midwives and discuss it with your partner too! Learn more here. An alternative option is to use a birthing center that has a homelike environment.

For more discussion on this topic check out these episodes that focus on birth and delivery.

• Together in Birth With Marisol Garcia- All about doulas

• Homebirths With Pear Mama- One mother’s experience with hospital and home births

• Midwifery with Madre Luz- All about midwives

• Bricia’s Birth Story - Relive how Bricia’s baby made his debut!

• Paulina’s Birth Story- Paulina tells us about her labor and about what she put in her hospital bag!

Labor and delivery are joyous occasions for families. However you choose to experience them, you should feel supported and respected! Don’t be afraid to speak out and assemble a team that makes you feel empowered!

Happy Labor Day!

HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO NAVIGATE DIFFICULT EMOTIONS

This week on the show our guest Lesley Yadon, talked to us about how meditation and mindfulness can be great tools to become more calm and peaceful mothers. But mindfulness isn't just for adults. Mindfulness is a skill you can start teaching kids from a young age to help them develop resilience and the ability to deal with their emotions. But it can be hard to know where to start. Which is why are so excited to share an amazing resource that can help you.

Stop, Breathe and Think is a mindful games app designed specifically for children ages 5 - 10. With this app kids can check in to how they are feeling using fun emojis and try recommended mindful missions tuned to those emotions. Stickers reward their progress and keep the activities engaging.

Mindfulness and meditation are tools to help children better deal with the variety of emotions they experience. It develops coping mechanisms and strengthens their emotional intelligence, which helps them avoid being overwhelmed by their emotions.

.The app was created by two moms, Julie Campiston and Jamie Price who wanted to address what they feel is an "emotional crisis with younger generations."

"Stress and anxiety are on the rise, and are more prevalent with 18-34 year olds than any other generation. Suicide is the #2 cause of death for that age group. "

They are big advocates of having an "emotional wellness hygiene" and taking 5 minutes to Stop, Breathe & Think. They are excited to extend their mission to younger kids.

The meditations and mindful missions in Stop, Breathe & Think Kids were developed in collaboration with activity-based mindfulness expert Susan Kaiser Greenland, creator of the Inner Kids program and author of Mindful Games and The Mindful Child.

STOP, BREATHE & THINK KIDS FEATURES:

• Meditation & mindfulness for kids:

• 15 free mindful activities for every situation

• Fun video animations

• Stickers to reward progress

Julie and Jamie have the following tip to create an emotional hygiene routine. 

"Pick a time in the day, like right when you wake up or at bedtime, when you take a few minutes to Stop, Breathe & Think. It helps create a positive routine for the whole family and integrate mindfulness in your daily life. "

The app is super interactive and includes mindful missions to deal with common emotions like: sleep, over excitement, stress & worry, disappointment & sadness, caring & connecting.

"We want to raise our kids to be able to handle whatever comes their way. Whether they need to mellow out before bed, develop positive relationships or simply have a peaceful moment, Stop, Breathe & Think Kids offers children a fun and easy way to identify and process their emotions.

From counting breaths to friendly wishes or frog jumps, each activity brings fun rewards to keep them engaged. The activities in the app are a great way for grown ups to spend time with their children and create a positive daily routine.

Jamie and Julie are both mothers themselves and hope to inspire other moms to know, "they can take on risky and demanding adventures like founding a startup." 

They are both excited that they have had overwhelming support for their venture and even won the People’s Voice Webby Award for Best Health App this year.

Keeping true to their vision for a more peaceful world they donate 10 percent of their proceeds to a non-profit. 

We are happy to highlight them and their mission to lead a mindfulness revolution that will result in happier kids and moms! 

Learn more about them by visiting their site. You can also download the app! 

You can also follow them on Instagram. @SBTbreathe

Tips to Overcome Obstacles & Reach Your Goals

This week our guest Cristela Alonzo the voice of Cruz Ramirez in Cars 3 gave us valuable insights on how to overcome obstacles. We’ve been feeling so inspired after the movie that we wanted to share some tips that previous guests have shared with us about how to push through and make your dreams come true, and how to deal with setbacks and sorrow.

• Deal with bullies by proving them wrong. Cristela tells a powerful story of how she dealt with her high school bully. Don’t forget that success is the best revenge. Keep focused on what you want.  

• Be Grateful Everyday. Even when things are very difficult you can always find something to be grateful for. Our guest Mary Carrillo taught us valuable lessons on how she has found gratitude in the midst of losing her son to cancer. You can listen to that episode here.

• Understand the some people will not be supportive of your dreams. Accept that it has nothing to do with you and more to do with them and where they are in their life and mindset. Cristela also shared that is how she deal with online bullies or people who weren’t supportive of her pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.

• Surround Yourself With Positive People. The people who you surround yourself will play a tremendous role in the person you become. Tony Robbins who we love often talks about how your group informs the expectations and beliefs you have about yourself. Check out our experience with him here.  

• Understand that Mistakes Are Normal. It’s ok to not know everything all the time. Don’t pressure yourself to be perfect. If you talk bad about yourself to yourself then you will start to believe it. Forgive yourself for having a bad day. If you know someone who has a resources or information that can help you don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many of our Super Mamas Guests have shared with us how their biggest projects began with them making mistakes and building things as they went along. Beatriz Acevedo from Mi Tu, was a perfect example. Check out her episode here.

• Choose Happiness Everyday. Jacqui Saldana of Baby Boy Bakery shared with us all about how she has learned to choose happiness after losing her son. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t have grief or sadness but she tries not to let that overpower every element of her life.

There you have it! Tell us a piece of advice that has helped you overcome obstacles or difficult times in your life!

CARS 3: If you want to Dream, DO IT! I will be there for you

By: Paulina Lopez @iampaulinalopez

Today was the official release of Cars 3, the latest addition to the Cars Franchise. I have enjoyed and loved all the Cars movies, but this one is by far my favorite!  It may be the fact that this time around there is such a strong female presence in the film. As a #Super Mama of two girls and a third one on the way, I was so happy to see a character that doesn’t have to be a princess, and that proves that with hard work and dedication you can accomplish anything you desire even in an environment that is considered “only for boys”, just as Cristela Alonzo has done.

The movie is still based on our beloved Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), and we see all the familiar characters from the previous films, but it’s amazing to see how they came out with a whole new story, a new perspective according to the “stage of life” he is going through.  That means that if your kids still haven’t seen the previous movies, they will understand and love the story just the same.  This time around we see McQueen struggling with the fact that he might no longer be the king of the race tracks, as a new generation of “younger” more advanced and modern race cars like Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) are ready to take his place. After a devastating accident, he is faced with the tough decision of giving up or proving himself once again to his fans. 

The movie takes us along on his journey as he decides to get his throne back, but we learn many lessons along the way, like the fact that a relationship between a boy and a girl doesn’t necessarily have to become romantic.  Cruz meets McQueen’s at the super modern and technologically advanced Rust-eze Racing Center, where she is assigned as his trainer. At the beginning he resists her,  but they eventually become friends and each other’s support and inspiration on the tracks.  While trying to find his way back, Mcqueen reflects on the ones that have come behind him, his teachers and mentors, and he knows that without their knowledge and advice he wouldn’t have gotten as far as he did

In the movie, we also see a hard reality that we confront every day, where women must work extra hard to prove themselves in a male dominant environment and though at times she doubts herself, Cruz finds out who she is meant to be and becomes an inspiration for McQueen himself.

Cruz Ramirez ends up showcasing her skills leaving everyone around astonished, including those of us watching the movie, I know I was surprised because I was not expecting this ending at all! It’s a huge deal for girls all over and for the Latino community that Pixar made Cruz Ramirez such an important part of this story. She's had a life long dream, and we learn that Dreaming might be uncomfortable to outsiders, but its something that we should all do! As parents it is important to know that we HAVE to support our children's dreams even if at times they sound crazy, because being there for them is the one thing they should alway count on.  

This is a movie you don’t want to miss, look for the nearest theater and check it out!

If you want to read a more about the people behind the movie, read the Movie Junket piece I wrote and check out this super cool trailer featuring Cruz and McQueen!