UrbanMamaSong

The Year of the Vibrant Mama, Day 2: Joy

2012-01-26T13:04:00.003-05:00

I found one of my book s that I haven’t read in a long timecalled, “All the Joy You Can Stand” by Debrena Jackson Gandy, I bought thisbook many years ago. As I embark of this experiment in vibrant living, I flippedthrough the pages and landed on the chapter, “Know what brings you joy.” Ithought about that for a while and realized it had been too long since I hadallowed myself to think about what brings me joy. I can go on and on about whatI DON’T like or what gets on my nerves. But joy? I’m still contemplating it!

Today, my Vibrant Mama Practice is to create a joy list formyself, list of things that bring my joy. These could be people who inspire to experience joy,experiences I’ve had or experiences I want to have. My “Joy list” will be therefor me to reference when I am slipping into a joyless space. I invite you to dothe same.

What brings you joy?

Postings

I will post my Vibrant Mama posting here about 3 times aweek. So, check back here again on Saturday or subscribe to the blog and pleaseleave comments!

The Year of The Vibrant Mama--day 1: Choice

2012-01-25T14:06:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I declared this next year of my life, "The Year of The Vibrant Mama." I plan to transform my habits of being, doing and living one day at a time. I intend to up level my creativity, juiciness, and sense of adventure and possibility. Last year was about thinking planning, dreaming, visioning. This year is about doing, manifesting, birthing. Sharing with you my discoveries and insights long the way.

Today is day 1 of the Year of The Vibrant Mama. Today I have been contemplating the word "Choice." What am I choosing to think about? What inner seeds am I watering? What's blossoming in my life? In the morning I usually feel overwhelmed and tense by the monotony of our mornings. Sometimes I yell at the people in my family and I end up not having a good day. Today, I made a different choice. Yes, we were late getting out of the house, but I did not beat up on myself with negative self-talk. Sometimes things will not go the way I plan, but I can choose to continue to curse the situation or I can bless, laugh and move on. Today I am choosing to be light hearted and gentle with myself. What choices are you making that are adding VIBRANCE to your life?

Today's Vibrant Mama Practice: I spend time with a good friend listening to her talk about the brave and life affirming choices she's making in her life. Yay!

Who wants to come with me? Please feel free to leave ways that you are living vibrant and juicy lives in the comments.

My 33rd trip around the sun!

2012-01-24T10:51:00.001-05:00

Today is my birthday. Yesterday, my sistah-friend came over to drop off a gift to me. The plan was that she would just drop off and go. We ended up hanging out the entire day. We always end up having very deep and often life-changing conversations. I shared with her my feelings of disconnection with my art and myself. I told her I thought that maybe I didn’t have the “right” vision. She told me, “Gabe, it’s not that you don’t have a vision, it’s that you’re not moving. You’re not taking much action.” I sat with that for a minute. She was right.

This past year, I have been in a very cerebral space when it comes to my art. Thinking, planning, thinking, planning and “doing” very little. Well, I’m a mama, so I’m always doing a lot for my family. But creatively, I have been stuck in the planning phase of my creative process. My energy and care for my creative aspirations and myself has fallen to the wayside. My girl had just what I needed. She helped me to remember times in my life where I was more action oriented. Where I stood in my power and moved from that space. Lately, I feel as If I’ve been thinking so much, I think myself out of moving.

Yesterday was the new moon and the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. Talking with my girl helped me remember the part of myself that is juicy, creative, open, spontaneous and to remember that she is always there. It was a great conversation and a great way to enter my 33^rd year around the sun!

I brainstormed a short list of things to do when I am feeling disconnected and less than juicy.

10 ways to get back to YOU

1. Laugh with a friend.

2. Sing

3. Dance.

4. Remember a time when you felt in your power.

5. Get out of your head and do something

6. Take a long, hot bubble bath

7. Share a meal with someone you love.

8. Give a hug

9. Feed your dream

10. Eat a cookie!!!

With the exception of eating a cookie everyday (replace it with a succulent fruit—mango perhaps?), doing one or all of these everyday would make a HUGE difference in our lives. I intend to do at least one each day, starting with feeding my dreams.

Thank you so much for coming by on my birthday. If these words helped you in any way, please pass them on.

2012!!!

2012-01-02T15:23:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!!!

Wow 2012 is here! 2011 was a FULL year for my family and me. It was more full on the familyend, than on the music and creative end, but all good nonetheless. In 2011,we:

o Welcomedthe newest member of our family, Sayida Mudrika Ballard-Thakore

o Ileft my job to pursue my music and creative dreams full time.

o Myhusband found an amazing job that he loves.

o Ourson completed a full year at his school.

o Idebuted my band, The Bloodline, in Boston

o Myhusband was hospitalized for his back

o TheUrban Mamasong Project moved into our first space.

o Myhusband and I launched Just Eats.

o Istarted crocheting again

o Ourhome started feeling like home

o Iplayed cajon publically for the first time (more of that coming soon)

o Icollaborated with an amazing musician

o Wesaid goodbye to our dog of 14 years.

As I enter 2012, I am entering with the intention of performingmore; collaborating more and creating/co-creating unique ways of sharing mymusic with the world. I welcome your comments, ideas and feedback on how I/weas artists can best share what comes through us.

Some of my creative goals

o Performat open mics weekly

o Writesongs or beginning of songs weekly

o HouseConcerts!!!

o Bloggingher more often

o Releasenew music!!!

o Performin Canada

What are some of your creative goals for the new year?

November is Magic month!!!

2011-11-09T11:13:00.000-05:00

I have been away from the blog for a while. As we begin to feel the winter moving in,things have picked up in our household and in my creative life. In September, our son started anotheryear of school, my husband and I performed together as a featured act, for thefirst time and last month I will be debuted with my band, the Bloodline. We also debuted two of the smoothies from our forthcoming food catering and wellness company! Lots happening.

I amdeclaring November as Magic month! Last night I hosted my first webinar, "Mama-beliefs: Creating Empowering Beliefs to Transform Your Life." After much trepidation, I was able to breathe and move forward with it and I am so happy I did. Doing something new and outside of your comfort zone can be extremely intimidating, but once you've done it, you find that you can do it again and again.

I am looking forward to part 2 of Mama-beliefs coming in the next couple of weeks. In part 2 we will examine our self-talk and actions. These webinars are all in preparation for the launch of my e-book, the Urban Mamafesto, 12 Motivating Practices For Mamas Who Want To Live Their Creative Dreams, then the launch of my e-course at the beginning of the year.

If you are a mama, please take a few minutes to fill out this survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NJYS5FM

Thank you so much for your continued love and support.

I hope this finds you well.

Video clip from Saturday's show

2011-09-15T09:45:00.000-04:00

As promised, I have uploaded a video clip of from Saturday night's show at Peña Rebelde. My husband, Maanav Thakore is on the cajon and played bass on some other songs as well. We hope to see you at the next show. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-14T14:22:00.001-04:00

A must-have for artists, musicians and other independent business folk

2011-09-12T10:44:00.000-04:00

Saturday night I sold CD's at my show. Usually, I accept only cash and maybe checks (but not usually), but Saturday night I was able to accept Credit/debit cards because of this genius little device called "Square".

I can't say enough about this little plug-in. It's easy to use, convenient and the percentage that "Square" takes is very small (2.75%). In the past I've used other methods, which take a long time and take more money."Square" is also green--no paper involved. The customers sign with their finger and you can either text or email their receipt. The only downside was that I had to swipe cards a few times before it would read, but overall it works pretty well.

I highly recommend "Square" for artists, musicians and independent business folk who want to sell their merchandise, but don't have those expensive credit card machines and don't want to have to mail in your receipts to get your money.

Photos from Yesterday

2011-09-11T11:42:00.001-04:00

Here are some photos from yesterday. I will post a video of one of my songs sometime this week, as well as a show reflection. I hope this finds you all well.

How a mama gets ready for a gig

2011-09-10T20:18:00.001-04:00

1. Wake up at 9 AM to get ready to bring 6-year-old to a 10:00 birthday party
2. Take 7-month-old and 6-year-old to party so husband can rehearse music I recorded the night before
3. Enjoy myself at party with other cool parents from 6-year-old's school
4. Leave party
5. Return home
6. Nurse and change 7-month-old
7. Eat
8. Label CD's while 7-month-old sits beside me
9. Pick up screaming 7-month-old
10. Rehearse with husband for an hour with 7 -month-old strapped to my back and 6-year-old watching TV in the living room
11. Shower
12. Get dressed
13. Get must-takes for show: guitar, cajon, mailing list, capo, batteries, phone, cash, pens
14. Pump milk for 7-month-old
15. Pack diaper bag
16. Yell at 6-year-old to get his shoes on
17. Apologize to 6-year-old for yelling at him
18. Watch husband load car
19. Put kids in car seats
20. Forget milk in fridge
21. Sends husband back inside to get milk ( a serious must have)
22. Small talk with neighbor
23. Call in-laws
24. Drive to in-laws
25. Review set list in car
26. Remember to get something to eat
27. Do lip drills( I warmed up earlier)
28. Make mental note to create marketing schedule for future gigs
29. Blog from the car (husband driving)
30. Listen to Coultraine ( non John Coltrane) in the car
31. Get stuck behind someone driving 40 mph on the interstate
32. Arrive at in-laws
33. Catch up with in-laws
34. 7-month-old shows off her crawling skills
35. Drive to venue
36. Set up for sound check
37. Contemplate getting veggie fried rice from Gourmet Dumpling House
38. Decide to wait until after gig
39. Sound check
40. Set up CD table
41. Hide away to quiet pre-performance gitters.

Pictures and a video this coming week! Time to go sing!

Friday Link Love

2011-08-26T09:30:00.000-04:00

(photo by GB)

Artistry:

A serious must have in the collection.
For writers.

Motherhood:

School’s starting soon. Here’s some great lunch ideas
I laughed out loud
Be Positive

Wellness:

Bless others
Well put
A Great Resource

Love:

What love means to a child
I LOVE this human being.
Say YES!

Enjoy your day!

Hurricane Irene--getting ready...just in case

2011-08-24T13:05:00.007-04:00

I'm from New Orleans. We track hurricanes. When a storm in "out there" we pay attention to the sky and the news station more often than usual. We are "lay-meteorologists." I remember my family having a tracking map every Hurricane season and writing the current storm's coordinates out until it hit land. Even though we now have the Internet and sophisticated technology, my mother still has her tracking map.

So with Hurricane Irene tracked to strike my new home in the Northeast, my Hurricane tracking tendencies are in full gear.

Hurricanes aren't a yearly occurrence here, as they are back home. But I know better. I still regard Hurricanes with the same level of hyper vigilance, awe and respect--you just don't play with 'em. If you're from a place that get Hurricanes on a regular basis, when a storm is heading your way, there's an internal shift that happens. You can't really explain what the feeling is, but you know some thing's coming. You know to start getting ready as soon as you can.

My mother's Hurricane tracking tendencies have kicked in too. She called me this morning, asking me about our preparations. I explained to her that we are on top of it. I am busy doing laundry, cleaning out old stuff from the fridge, getting all of our important papers together and things that we would not want to be without if Irene hits hard and if we need to evacuate (which we will definitely do.)

From today's Boston.com

But one thing is certain, said Bill Simpson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton.

“We’re not getting out of this without some significant weather one way or the other,” he said. “This is not, like, ‘There it goes! Near miss.’"

Storms are unpredictable. The best thing to do is not underestimate mother nature, not get caught "halfsteppin" and be prepared.

Irene is days out and could possibly show what's left of her face sometime on Sunday. Yes, I know that's a while off, but I know better. Send us your love and well wishes. My folk in the Northeast--don't wait until Saturday to get ready--do it now.

That being said, here are a few links that my New England folks should check out.

FEMA
National Hurricane Center
Bob Breck: The meteorologist I've watch my entire life!

The winds are already picking up outside. I hear the blinds banging against the window. The animals are chillin' out. I'm paying attention to my dreams in a different way. I know it's Thursday, but like I said--I'm from New Orleans.

Other news:
Friday Link love tomorrow. Ya'll come on back, ya hear?

Wordless Wednesdays

2011-08-24T10:51:00.003-04:00

No words, only images, color, and contrast. A space where I share a small piece of my view from here.

Stuff you might like

2011-08-23T09:30:00.001-04:00

Beginning this today, I will weekly post "stuff" (books, products, websites and places) that I like that I think you might like as well in the areas of artistry, motherhood, wellness, and love. If you have a product, book or website that you would like me to consider posting, feel free to let me know in the comment section. Enjoy!

Green toys “My first stacker”

Long before our daughter was old enough to start playing with toys, I decided to buy them. I heard about Green Toys from writer A. Breeze Harper through her blog. She bought her young son a toy truck by the same company. Green Toys makes all of their toys from recycled milk jugs. We have been limiting the amount of plastic toys that Sayida has, so this was a great find.

Super Natural Every Day:

I stumbled upon Heidi Swanson’s website after hearing about her book from many blogs that I read. I have to say that I am in love with her site and her book. It has delicious and healthy recipes that don’t require you being in the kitchen all day. I highly recommend it.

Playful Learning:

Omer has been home the past few weeks and I have been wanting to incorporate more activities into his day to get him prepared for school. I have been highly awaiting this book. It is chock full of activities that allow children to explore in ways that allow them to engage their whole selves. I am glad to have it as a part of our ever growing book collection.

Street Etiquette

This is a website about men’s style, but I LOVE what their doing. This is partly because there’s something about men’s clothes that I simply love. I grab a lot of ideas from here and put a nice twist on my own outfits.

Enjoy your day!

Hey mama, It’s not your focus—it’s your self-care!

2011-08-22T09:30:00.000-04:00

A lot of you may be walking around wondering if the reasons you are not getting things done, as you’d like, have to do with a lack of focus. I have wondered the same thing myself. I can be highly motivated, but sometimes, I can’t seem to get motivated to do much of anything. I thought about what could be behind this feeling of blah that I can be immersed in.

I thought it was my focus—that if I willed myself enough, then I would get things done. There are sometimes we have to push ourselves during those times when we’d rather surf the net or watch TV, than work. But sometimes it’s something else going on. Sometimes it’s about how we are caring for ourselves that keeps us from being able to move forward with our work. So when I began making slight changes in my life and how I cared for myself, I came to the conclusion that my inability to focus was about how I was caring for self and not because I wasn’t motivated or ready.

If you are trying to figure out why things seem to not be clicking into place for you, here are few suggestions I have incorporated into my day that have made a dramatic difference in my level of productivity.

Get more sleep:

Sleep is essential for our health and well-being. Being a breastfeeding mother of a baby, this can be a challenge. So sometimes I rest when she’s asleep or I pump so that my husband can wake up in the middle of the night while I sleep.

If you have older children, you may want to ask them to play quietly while you take a short nap or incorporate a “Family quiet time.” Try getting everyone in bed early, including yourself. Getting more sleep will make a world of difference in your mood.

Go for a walk, run or bike ride

You’d be surprised what 15 minutes of fresh air can do for you. Having

children makes getting outside easier because if they are life our son, they will be eager to run around and play. If you don’t want to take your children with you, go while they re either in school or being cared for by someone else.

Have someone take care of the kids

My husband is one of my biggest advocates for taking care of myself and is always willing to take the kids provided I’ve left him milk for the baby. Check in with your partner or family member about supporting you in taking care of yourself or try doing a timeshare with friends.

Take time for yourself daily---make this a non-negotiable

Many of us make sure to schedule in play dates and the needs of other members of our family. Make sure to squeeze some time in there for yourself, even if it’s fifteen minutes.

Drink more water:

Reading this, you may think it is a no brainer, but many of us do not get enough water. Dehydration can make us feel sluggish, unwell and is dangerous. Many of us are dehydrated and may not know it. Staying hydrated makes a world of difference in how you feel. Sometimes when I am feeling low energy, a glass of water helps to bring things back into balance.

Make a green smoothie:

This is one of my favorite ways to get my energy up. When I discovered green smoothies many years, I fell in love with them. Everyone in this house drinks them!!! It is great way to get the vital minerals greens provide in a quick and delicious way.

Here’s a simple starter recipes for those of you who are new to green smoothies:

1 handful of Organic spinach greens

1 cup frozen mango

1 banana

1-2 cups water

honey or agave nectar to sweeten (optional)

If none of these suggestions work, check in with your health care provider to make sure there isn’t any underlying issue causing your feelings of exhaustion.

What are some of the things that you do for your body/mind and spirit that help you feel energized?

Friday Link Love

2011-08-19T10:00:00.001-04:00

(Photo by GaBrilla Ballard)

On Artisty:

For those of your looking for music for your projects, this looks like a great resource

Ever inspired by this man
Always a favorite of mine:

Motherhood:

Trying to master the science of this with our little one.
During last school year, I would leave little notes for Omer in his lunchbox, so really love this idea.
I still can't get over this.

Wellness:

A great way to start your day.
Smile to your insides.

and Love:

What are the deeper questions you must ask? And answer?
Get closer to go deeper.
I was deeply moved and uplifted by reading this.

What extraordinary thing will you do today?

Enjoy your weekend!

Wordless Wednesdays

2011-08-17T11:14:00.002-04:00

No words, only images, color, and contrast. A space where I share a small piece of my view from here.

10 things to do when your child is home

2011-08-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

For many of you, summer camp is over and there are still a few weeks left before school. I currently have both our children home and have been thinking about ways to keep Omer occupied until school starts.

Years ago, when Omer was about two-years-old and into EVERYTHING, and I was working from home and homeschooling, I learned to be very mindful of the things that I could work on while he was awake---writing, checking email, sending out newsletters and vocal exercises. Things like recording, meetings, rehearsing, and performing had to wait until he was either asleep or being cared for by someone else.

I am, once again revisiting a similar Since I recently started working from home, we decided that hiring a babysitter, or putting Omer in summer camp is not the best use of our money right now. So for the next four weeks, Omer will be home with Sayida and me. To give Omer structure as well make sure I get work done, I have incorporated a set of practices into your day so that things can run smoother without any meltdowns (from him or me)

If you work from home and homeschool or if your child is out of school (summer, winter/spring vacations), here are a few practices that you can incorporate into your day that may make things run a little bit smoother.

1- Create a list of things for your child to do:
It might be helpful for you to make this list with your child. Children are more willing to do things they had a part in creating.

2- Let your child work beside you:
Gather crayons, markers, scissors and other art supplies and place your little one right next to you as you work. If you are a writer, it will only take you few seconds to look over to make sure that your child are not trying to cut their hair. You'd be surprised how much work you can get done with them sitting near you.

3- Create an agreement about when you will do what you will do and make sure your child is clear:
When children know what is about to happen and when it will happen, it is easier to get a few hours of work in without answering the same question a hundred times. I find that if I keep telling my son " We'll do it later," rather than give him a specific time, he will continue asking me about it. Being about what's happening and when it's happening will save you lots of time and energy.

4- If you have older children, let them help out:
Do you have packages that need to be stamped or labeled? If you are a chef or baker, children love measuring and pouring. Involving your children in your work will make them feel good knowing that they are helping. I find that children LOVE being able to contribute. If age is a concern, find age-appropriate things for them to do. A child as young as two-years-old can contribute!

5- Incorporate quiet time into the day:
I often encourage parents to get a nap in while their children are asleep, but I myself struggle with lying down when I know there is some extra word I could be doing in a quiet house. Try to resist the urge to work and take a nap. If not, try a 15 minute power nap--it can make a huge difference in your productivity.

6- Prep the night before:
I find that if I have meals and activities planned the night before, my day runs a lot more smoothly with Omer. It also gives me an idea about what works and what doesn't.

7- Work/play in 15 minute intervals:
If your child is not being posted in front of the TV (as Omer sometimes is) it may make sense to work for 15 minutes and play with them for 5-15 minutes. Most times, if you spend about five minutes playing with or cuddling with your child, they usually want to go off and do something else anyway. Who doesn't love a cuddle break?

8- Take your work away from home:
Sometimes getting out the house is a way to freshen up your perspective. I love the library. It is an endless resource for me and I can work easily while Omer browses and reads books in the children's section. It is also a nice quiet space for Sayida to nap when we're out.

9- Create a schedule that includes time with your children—step away from work for a while:
When you create your "to-do" list or your routine for the day, make sure to include some uninterrupted time with the little ones. That undivided attention will make their day and they will always look back at this time as a happy one. The worst things in the world is for kids to look back and see that you were home, but always on your computer or not with "them."

10-If all else fails, seek support from your family (or hire a babysitter if you live far away from them):
Sometimes nothing works and the best thing you can do is have someone to be with your child(ren) while you work. Three hours of time to do ONLY your work is a gold mine for mamas (or any parent working from home)Don't feel bad about this. Be realistic about what you can handle and move forward with love and care. You and your children will benefit from you making healthy choices.

Transitions and Updates!

2011-08-10T17:56:00.007-04:00

Greetings friends,

This post has been long past due (two months or so), but I needed to allow some time for me and my family to settle into the transitions we have been in. Since our move to the East coast, it has been one transition after the other (job, school, marriage, new baby), but we always end up in a beautiful space. And now, with this new transition in our lives, I feel very much the way I felt when I decided to move to to the Northeast-- that it was one necessary for my me and my family’s growth.

I recently resigned from my job as Co-Director of a youth program at an Environmental Justice organization. After having long discussions with my husband, we decided that it is the best decision for myself, my family and the program. My children will never be young again and the youth I worked with deserve someone who can be fully present with the work.

I will be focusing on my family, working from home ( music, urbanmamasong, writing, coaching) and school.

Coming soon...

I have been and am currently in the “almost finished” revisions of the newest edition of The Urban Mamafesto: 12 practices for mamas who want to live their creative dreams (aka the Urban Mamasong Mamafesto) set to be re-released mid September.

In addition to the re-release of the e-book, I am creating a 12-week e-course(based on the e-book) that you don’t want to miss out on--it is chock full of goodies! This is truly a labor of love, passion and vision. I am so excited to share it with you. More details on start date, cost as well as a sample chapter from the e-book!!!

A Return to song

I have played two or three times since I have moved to the East coast. Two or three times! That’s unbelievable considering I performed that much every week when I lived in New Orleans. My husband has been my sounding board and will be co-managing (with me) my re-emerging music career as well as playing in my band from time to time. When we met 11 years ago with the intention to create music together. Back then it didn't happen. 11 yrs, a wedding and 2 kids later, we are finally making music together.

I have two exciting gigs coming up very soon, so If you’re interested in coming out to see me perform as well as other Urban Mamsong goodies, sign up for my newsletter by clicking the link below.

Mamas making moves: Georgia Anne Muldrow

2011-06-02T12:52:00.001-04:00

FULL SCREEN
The Sounds of VTech / Georgia Anne Muldrow Remix: Untitled/Fantastic

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T19:10:00.002-04:00

How can you be of service?

2011-05-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

Beginning anew-Part 2

2011-05-18T09:50:00.005-04:00

Here are a few more pics of my creative workspace as promised. This space will continue to be a work in progress, but I am happy with what I have thus far.

Sayida refused to be still for the photo :)

Beginning next week (and for the next few weeks) I will begin a daily photo series called "morning, noon, night," inspired by a blog that I visit from time to time. This will give me time to update the look of my blog and finish revising my e-book as well as finishing up my e-course that will be offered this summer.

I hope this finds you well.

Beginning anew-Part 1

2011-05-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

This weekend I began the process of moving out of my creative workspace, affectionately named "Wombajacavuh" by my husband. When we first moved to Boston, we agreed that I could convert our kitchen pantry into a creative workspace. It was a challenge to fit all of my things in the space, but I made it work. I needed a place to create, study and write.

Once Sayida was born, I found it challenging to have both she and Omer in such a cramped space. Omer would often be saddened that he could not fit with Sayida's chair and everything else being in the space. There was also a need for space to put our dried goods and pots.

Soooo....my creative workspace is now housed in a room in our house. This room has historically functioned as a clothes room, sometimes guestroom and TV room. Ultimately it had become a neglected space in our home that we had often talked about doing something with, but never did.

Now, it will serve as my workspace, a music room (our piano is in here), a guestroom (when they are in town) and a meditation space for the family. It is currently still a work in progress, but my I am able to work until everything is organized.

I deeply appreciated having Wombajacavuh for almost a year, but there are other needs that we have right now and it feels good to be able to have the entire clan in my workspace if need be.

Later on this week, I will post pictures of the finished process as well as other goodies. Time to get back to work.

Updates and news

2011-04-27T22:27:00.004-04:00

It has been over a month since I last posted on my blog. My family and I have been getting into a rhythm with Sayida. She is now 3 months old and just as plump and playful as she wants to be. It is amazing how so quickly you adjust to a new presence in your life. It’s hard to imagine what life was like without them.

This time off has given me time to put energy into both supporting Sayida and in bringing parts of my vision into the world. I have been re-writing my e-book, The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto: 12 Motivating practices for mamas who want to live their creative dreams, designing an e-course and website based on the e-book, which will launch in June and developing workshops designed to support mamas in bringing their dreams to light. I am very excited about this and hope that you will come along for this exciting journey.

Another bit of exciting news-- instead of performing at the Mamapalooza Festival (as I had thought), I will performing and presenting at the M.O.M. Conference on May 25 at the Marymount Manhattan College. I will record a snippet from the presentation and upload it later this month.

I hope this finds you well.

GaBrilla

Motivational Monday: Adjustments

2011-03-07T11:47:00.004-05:00

My mother left town this morning after being here with us for a month. I am already feeling her absence. Both my children were born outside of my hometown and my mother has flown in and been with us for the first month of each of their lives. Each time the departure and absence is sharp. This time is no different.

The two weeks prior to Sayida's birth were very stressful. I was in the hospital on bed rest for pre-eclampsia. Maanav's parents were out of town, so we were blessed to have friends who were willing to be care for Omer when Maanav was with me at the hospital. Two days before Sayida's birth my mother was able to come and care for Omer and ultimately all of us once I was released from the hospital.

It is the little things that become apparent when your mother leaves. When Maanav brings Omer to school or to swimming classes, my mother has been here to be with Sayida if I needed an extra hour of sleep or if I need to take a shower or cook. This is my second child, so I know certain things from the first, but having my mother there to reference has been a godsend. And just having another adult to talk to has made all the difference in the world. On my first night home after being released from the hospital, I had a meltdown from exhaustion and hormones. My mother intervened in a way that was invaluable.

We will make the necessary adjustments. We have to. But there’s nothing like having your mother there to take things out of your hands when you need it. We are deeply appreciative to her for her love and generosity.

Here are some links for your Monday. Enjoy!

I would love one of these for Omer and Sayida
Something to think about
A great post to read at the start of your week!
Contemplate this...
and this.
More happiness...
Take a deep breath!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T19:14:00.004-05:00

No words, only images, color, and contrast. A space where I share a small piece of my view from here.

Motivational Monday: until Spring...

2011-02-28T09:43:00.007-05:00

From now until Spring, while I get caught up on blog content and preparing for my upcoming Spring e-course, I will be sharing some cool and inspiring links with you at the beginning of the week.

Enjoy your day!

21 habits of happy people
I will be trying this after my 6 week visit...
I love this sister's work
It's been circulating for a while now, but I LOVE this video!
Really looking forward to Spring
If you have some spare time, check one of these out...
A deeply moving story about the power of a mother’s love
Love…
Stunning!

Motivational Mondays: Do what you love…whether the money follows or not

2011-02-14T14:17:00.003-05:00

At 3 AM this morning, after nursing Sayida and putting her back to bed, I was up thinking about my art. I was not trying to keep myself awake, but “Do what you love, whether the money follows or not” kept coming to my mind. Lately, I have been really “feeling” (rather than thinking about) like making music, sometimes even painting. I don’t know if my birth experience has anything to do with it (although I’m sure it does)but I feel similar to how I felt when I first picked up the guitar and started writing songs.

When I began writing poetry over 15 years ago, I wrote from a space of love. Loving the power of the written word. Whenever I showed up to the page, there was always this sense of wanting and needing to express myself. Because of this love, I joined a writing workshop to help strengthen my craft and assist my growth as a writer. I faithfully went every week for years because of this deep desire and love for the written word. Because of this love, I religiously attended poetry readings multiple times a week for many years and above all, I created all the time. Just creating was enough to satisfy my soul. With this same quality of love, I picked up the guitar and developed a love for songwriting. It felt like a natural progression since I was already writing and always had a deep relationship with music. Shortly thereafter, I moved to I moved to California and began my career as a singer/songwriter on the Bay Area music scene.

Now I often struggle to pick up my guitar or write because I am caught in “How can I make money/ support my family/ be insured/buy a house, doing what I love?” Once I began focusing on how I can make a living from what I was doing something got lost. I became more focused on “the hustle” than on enjoying the process, the state of love that I am in when I am creating. Making a living became the motivation rather than creating something to be shared, allowing myself be used, or building community.

This is not to say that making money is a problem, or that we as artist should not market our work or ourselves. It is however a call to stay connected to why we started creating in the first place. This is a call to keep creating and expressing ourselves, whether the money comes or not. I would like to be able to make money doing what I love (who wouldn’t?) but I will not give up on what I love because it is not bringing in the bucks. Many of us work part time, some of us full time jobs because we have families to support and don’t plan on leaving those jobs anytime soon. If that is the case, the residual income that comes in as a result of your art is a nice little treat, but that money made should not be the motivation. That is where I am. We end up sacrificing when we spend all your energy trying to squeeze a dollar out of every aspect of our art.

As artists, mothers and people in general, if we love doing something, we have to do it whether the money follows or not. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. We have to ride the economic ebb and flow and continue to be open to abundance in its many manifestations.

Somehow in writing this piece, I feel as if I have given myself permission to re-enter a new relationship with my art--one that is based on love and pure joy. Today, let's remember the reason/s why we create. If we make money—great! If not, that’s okay too. The key is to continue feeding our dreams and art whether we're making money or not.

Motivational Mondays: Finally home!

2011-02-07T23:02:00.005-05:00

Greetings all,

I have been both off from my motivational Mondays for about two weeks now and in the hospital for the past 11 days. SO much has happened since the last posting--my birthday, being admitted to the hospital, but the best thing by far has been the birth of our daughter, Sayida Mudrika Ballard-Thakore on Feb, 3, 2011. She is absolutely wonderful!

I plan to share the story of her birth with you sometime in the near future.

In the meantime, enjoy these links:

As a mother, giving birth for the second time, I was deeply moved by this piece:
On love: something to think about and practice
Some things to share with my children one day:
I am always looking for more ways of doing this:
For Sayida

I hope this finds you well and that you enjoy your week. I am so happy to be home!

What a mama needs...

2011-01-21T09:43:00.005-05:00

I missed last week's entry and to make up for that, I am including both links and a juice mix that I made with Omer this morning. For the past three days I have been back on my green smoothies--so far I've had kale, spinach and today I will be drinking collards. I was introduced to Green smoothies a few years ago when I stumbled upon a blog posting entitled, "Ode to the Green Smoothie." I remember going to the store and buying up every green that I could. After a few weeks of green smoothies, I found a copy of "Green for life, " by Victoria Boutenko, which I read in one day. This book changed my life. This past year, I have had them off and on, but for some reason this week, I felt a needed to start drinking them again.

One of the things that I know we as mamas (and babas) needs is healthy and nutritious food. I will be giving birth in about a month or so and how best to pass on healing habits and legacies to our children than to consume healthy foods.

Here is my blend for this morning's juice. I also plan to make a green smoothie for the rest of my day. I usually drink about a quart of green smoothie a day and I make it a habit to rotate my greens.

This morning's blend:
3-5 Kale leaves (please use organic!)
1 apple
1 pear
1 stalk of celery
1 cucumber (peeled if non-organic)
small piece of ginger

Put in juicer and Enjoy!

Here are few links for your health and continuous wellness:

- For more on Green smoothies!
- For those of you who are interested in eating more raw foods, but think that it is not possible because of finances, check out my sista-friend Brandi Rollins, she's brilliant!
- This site is a storehouse of information on health and wellness.
- For my pregnant mamas, she is a magnificent resource and all around beautiful woman!

May this find you well!

Motivational Mondays: Will we get there?

2011-01-17T11:12:00.002-05:00

21 fifteen-minute practices on journey back to my music

2011-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Twenty-one 15-minute practices on journey back to music

In honoring my commitment to reconnect with my music, I have decided to create a list of twenty-one 15-minute musical practices for 21 days to assist me in getting back into the habit of working on and connecting with my music daily. 15 minutes-- minimum. I will put on the timer and go. If I go over 15 minutes—that’s fine, but I must do a no less than 15 minutes. Thursdays will be the days when I share what’s going on with my music. Here is the list of some of the practices. I have crossed out what I have done so far. Enjoy.

1. ~~Playing instrumentals for 3 or 4 of my songs~~

2. Play one song repeatedly

3. Sing 3 songs acapella

4. Sing 3 songs with music

5. ~~Breathing exercises~~

6. Play three new chords

7. Find a quote that I like and improvise with it

8. Play a different instrument

9. Play scales

10. Being learning a new song

11. Record a song

12. Hum

13. Write new lyrics to I’ve already written

14. Create a new melody from chords of a song you’ve written

15. Play a different instrument (whether I know how to play it or not- we have a bass, guitar and piano in our home)

16. Work on an old song htat I never finished writing

17. Revise an old song

18. Sing one of my favorite songs by another artist

19. Write a rap

20. Sing/improv an affirmation

21. Begin learning a song in another language

*If you are in trying to reconnect with your music or music in general, feel free to use this list or add to it. Leave your suggestions in the comments please.

Motivational Mondays: Getting clear and getting back out there

2011-01-10T09:00:00.002-05:00

I have not talked much about my music lately. So much of my time has been spent on other things, that I have not felt compelled to talk about where things have been with my music, but I feel differently now. Last week, I received another "Not Selected" notice from a submission I placed through Sonicbids. This is not my first rejection. I know that part of being an independent songwriter (or any writer for that matter) means submitting work that may or may not get accepted. But this notice somehow feels different. I am looking at this rejection as a sign that I needed to step back, reassess and get clear about how I plan to bring my music forward.

My husband and one of my closest sista-friends is always encouraging me to "get back out there." A few weeks ago, I talked with my husband about my how I was uncertain about how I wanted to bring my music back into the world. As a pregnant mama of a 5 year-old, wife, full-time student who works full-time, it doesn’t take a lot to wipe me out these days. But the part of me that is screaming to create music and to sing is suffering. Some would say that I need to take it easy with our baby coming in a less than 2 months, but they don’t understand that creating music, being in an inspired space IS taking it easy for me. It feeds me on so many levels. The baby, as well as the rest of my family will surely benefit from the rush of love and excitement that comes through me when I am making music. Making feels more like breathing than work for me.

I believe that on some level, these rejections are a symptom of my lack of vision and output regarding my music. I have not recorded nor shared any of my new material. It has been a long time since I have warmed up and rehearsed and an even longer time since I have recorded a new song. I feel it especially when I perform at a show. A sista is very rusty right now.

For a little while I thought that I had lost my musical fire. The truth was that I had lost sight of where I was going as singer/songwriter—I did not have a vision and as the saying going, “when there’s no vision, the people perish” and that is what happened to me, my passion and fire to create was perishing because I was not clear on where I wanted to go. The last few rejections showed me that. It could very well be that the people were looking for someone/something else, but I see it as a wake up call.

I am in a re-envisioning space around my music. I have tons of ideas of things that I intend to bring forth that are connected to the knowledge I bring as an independent artist, but I miss writing, I miss performing, I miss collaborating and recording. Omer has begun showing interest in making music and my husband is a DJ, musician and producer, so I have a lot at my disposal. A lot to motivate me. The vision is still formulating and I will share more and more with you as is comes to me. What I can say right now is that there is a lot to look forward to in 2011--New baby, new music, new vision.

What projects, plans, desires within you have gone overlooked for a while that you would like to return to? What first steps are you willing to take to resurrect your dreams? Go for it!

What a mama needs...

2011-01-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

As we get closer to our due date, I have been thinking a lot about the things that will need to be in place when the baby gets here. Here's a list of links that I ran across while thinking.

My husband I talk about this a lot and have been incorporating daily practices to maintain the juiciness of our relationship.
This sounds delicious minus the wheat
Always working on this
This woman inspires me
We can do this
So true!

Enjoy your weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-05T10:19:00.004-05:00

No words, only images, color, and contrast. A space where I share a small piece of my view from here.

100 things for 2011

2011-01-04T12:00:00.002-05:00

I have been reading and inspired by many people who are writing their lists of intentions and wishes for 2011. I think it’s fun and gets our imagination and dreaming muscles pumping.

I have decided to write a list of my own dreams and wishes for the New Year—however big or small. The key is to dream. This list is an adaptation from the “100 things before I die” list that I am working on.

Here are the first 50 items of my list. I plan to have both lists finished by my birthday (January 24th)

My 100 things for 2011
1. Visit New Orleans with my family
2. Give birth naturally
3. Yoga practice daily (class or home)
4. Meditate for 5 minutes min per day
5. Read a book per month
6. Go to a concert/play
7. Mindfulness practices daily
8. Record a new album
9. Launch e-course
10. Re-write and release my book
11. Teach a workshop
12. Learn to knit a scarf
13. Crochet a handbag
14. Make a dress
15. Write 100 blog posts for urbanmamasong
16. Take a road trip
17. Make a trip to Canada
18. Re-launch Urban Mamasong website
19. Go on a retreat with my husband
20. Go on a retreat with sista friends
21. Launch a book/music tour
22. Begin doing work that I LOVE and am called to do
23. Start coaching business
24. Make money doing what I love!
25. Create online community with other amazing women
26. Cultivate community
27. Attend a conference
28. Perform at a festival
29. Collaborate and perform with a percussionist
30. Journal daily
31. Launch Urban mamasong Café
32. Begin singing and performing
33. Devote time daily to music craft
34. Submit writings for publication
35. Host a fundraising house party
36. Attend a NACA workshop
37. Complete one painting a month
38. Launch a 21-day songwriting marathon
39. Learn how to use an MPC2000
40. Create two addition streams of income
41. Write daily
42. Family meals daily
43. Go camping with my family
44. Get in amazing shape
45. Purchase a bike
46. Drink two liters of water a day
47. Go to sleep by 11:00 PM
48. Begin drinking green smoothies daily
49. Increase live food intake by 50%
50. Start composting

How about you start a list of your own-- What are the 100 things that you would like to accomplish/ see/ experience this year? To take it a step further, what are the 100 things that you would like to do before you die? Go ahead, Dream BIG!

Motivational Monday: Vision Boards

2011-01-03T17:58:00.000-05:00

Maanav and I spend the evening on New Year's day creating our vision boards for 2011. I am pretty much done, although I could add TONS more. I did not get a chance to do one for 2010, so creating one this year was fun and grounding. 2011 holds so many BIG and exciting things. I am so excited about this year!

Here are a few pics of my vision board thus far.

What is your vision for the new year? What intentions are you setting?

Have a great week and an AMAZING year!!!

2010: 20 things that I am grateful for!

2011-01-01T11:49:00.002-05:00

Last night, as fireworks went off in the distance, my husband and I sat and thought about everything that we are grateful for from 2010 and the intentions that we are setting for 2011 for our individual selves, our relationship and our family. After going out to see ice sculptures in the Boston Commons, it was a blessing to have a quiet space to reflect as we welcomed the new year.

I am grateful that I:

1. Completed a full year of college and had two AMAZING advisors

2. Moved to Boston

3. Wrote my first E-book

4. Have a job doing Environmental Justice work in Boston

5. Found an AMAZING school for Omer

6. Wrote a song

7. Got engaged and married to am amazing human being!!!

8. Have a loving new extended family

9. Wrote 50 + blog posts

10. Launched The Urban Mamasong Project website

11. Applied for my first grant

12. Have a child who is remarkably loving

13. Improved my health

14. Have amazing and inspiring friends doing powerful work

15. Performed in Boston

16. Am beginning to build a community of sistas in Boston

17. Our little girl will be here soon (about 8 more weeks folks)

18. Have a fridge full of good food

19. Have reconnected with the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh

20. This Blog:)

What are you grateful from from 2010? What are your intentions for 2011?

Happy New Year!!!

Kwanzaa: Day 3--Ujima-Collective Work and Responsibility

2010-12-28T11:23:00.007-05:00

Today's Kwanzaa principle is Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems, and to solve them together.

I have lived in 3 different states since my son was born. One of the things that has constantly come up for me has been how to create and maintain community everywhere I go, regardless of how long I live there.

For some, the word community is a defined as a group that you belong to based on shared racial, ethnic or cultural background. That is one form of community. For others, it is based on shared values. The form of community that I currently seek in my life currently meet both my needs for cultural similarity, but more importantly, I seek a form of community that meets my need to share space, dreams, aspirations and problem solving with people who share and live values that are grounded in anti-racist/sexist/classist/ age-ist/ able-ist/ homophobic ways of thinking, being and doing on this planet. I seek to be in community with people who are not afraid nor adverse to being challenged when they are contributing to suffering on this planet. I seek people who are willing to change. I also seek to be challenged by my community when I am not thinking, being or living in a way that is aligned with reducing suffering on this planet. I seek to be around people who push me to change. I also seek to be a part of community of people who find joy in celebrating each others' accomplishments and growth. Who want to see members of the community shine and flourish.

I have been in and witnessed “community” spaces where oppressive values have been praised as “revolutionary” or “progressive” and I have walked away from these circles. The community that I seek is not seeped in ostracizing people, but in making our sisters' and brothers' problems AND challenges our problems and challenges and to solve them together and accepting and celebrating difference. (my italics)

I read this amazing article Entitled, "Building a Community of Love". This article captures on many levels what I seek to create in my own life.

What is your definition of community? What values does your community uphold that are in alignment with your personal values? How do you make your sisters' and brothers' problems and challenges yours? What kind of community are you building (both intentionally and unintentionally) with the people in your life?

Happy Kwanzaa

Motivational Monday: Kwanzaa, Day 2: Kujichagulia/Self-Determination

2010-12-27T11:15:00.000-05:00

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

(Some of my thoughts)

Define: to craft a vision or idea of where you are going and where you want to be.

Name: say what it is; give it meaning; there is something powerful in naming one’s self, one's path and one's vision.

Create: the ability to bring forth that which has been defined and named; to put forth action that is aligned with your definition and name

Speak: to share your vision, ideas and thoughts with the world; the fruit of intention, another manifestation of creation

I believe that defining, naming, creating and speaking are all acts of power. It has not always been easy for me to say that I am a powerful woman. Not powerful in the sense of needing to dominate something or someone else. But powerful in the sense that I can discipline myself and my mind enough to bring my vision to fruition. In the moments when I feel lazy or like I not moving forward with my dreams and aspirations, I think back on all the things that I have accomplished in my short life on this planet and I remember that it took power (focused power) in order to make these things happen. I am powerful enough to move forward with my vision regardless of circumstances. It has not always been easy for me to say those things to myself, nor to stand in a space of being powerful. I, like many women have stood in the sidelines and shadow of my own power for a long time, but have learned that doing that doesn't serve me or the world. Power, like breath is not unique to anyone, we all possess it and use it in every moment of our lives. Many of us are not conscious that this is what we are doing. How can we more consciously use our power?

When I ponder the principle of today, I am brought back to about three years ago, when I finally made the life changing decision to leave an abusive relationship. I think about how controlling images and stories about the "struggles of single motherhood" provoked me to stay in a life threatening situation much longer than I needed to. I realized that I was allowing my fear of a social stigma define me and ultimately define my decisions. In that space, I was unable to name or create anything that was self-affirming. The situation was defining, naming, creating and speaking for me because I was not choosing, so I was being chosen for and not liking what was being created in my life at all.

After being fed up and loving myself and my child enough to realize that there was no hope in that situation, I finally left and never turned back. I realized then in leaving, as I do now, is that we each have the ability (power) to take a different path. We each have the ability i.e. power to choose and do better and that if we can push past the stories and controlling images that we are constantly fed by the world, we can create powerful lives.

Self-Determination is all about knowing that you have the power to re-create your life if you so desire.

What situation do you find yourself that compromises your ability to define, name, create or speak for yourself? Are their controlling images or stories that are keeping you from living to your fullest potential?

Happy Kwanzaa!!!

1st day of Kwanzaa: Umoja-Unity

2010-12-26T12:50:00.005-05:00

Today is the first day of Kwanzaa. I have not intentionally celebrated Kwanzaa since I was a child. I have many found memories of Kwanzaa celebrations back home in New Orleans. This year, my husband and I talked about and decided to make time daily to be intentional about celebrating Kwanzaa in our own way—being mindful of the principles and how we incorporate them into our own lives in a way that reflects our values as people committed to transformation.

It has been a challenge to not get caught up in how overwhelming Christmas can be, but we are happy that it has been mellow and that Omer is excited about Kwanzaa.

This week, I plan to write a daily reflection piece on how I feel these principles apply to my life and experience as a mother, wife and artist.

Today’s principle is Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

As a mother, wife and artist, sometimes it is challenging to maintain balance between all the responsibilities that each "hat" requires. Women and especially mothers are often told to abandon care for the self for the sake of the family, community, nation and race, but in order for there to be a true integration of one’s self within these structures and a true and authentic contribution, we have to be unified within ourselves. That internal unification comes with care for self.

I daily struggle to be mindful of the spaces within my life that are misaligned. When there is misalignment of my intentions/beliefs and what I am doing and how I being in the world, I am usually faced with a challenge or feeling of disconnection. Umoja is a reminder for me to look at, as this year comes to an end where there needs to be more alignment, attention and care.

What are your beliefs about your care for self? How does that connect with the care of family, community, nation and race for you? Where is there misalignment or lack of unity within your life? What are some of the things that you can do to become more aligned with your values?

Happy Kwanzaa

What I am working on...

2010-12-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

I am in the process of re-writing my book “The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto.” I released it this past year as an e-book, and because of the wonderful support and feedback that I have received from my community and friends, I have decided to return to the writing pad to revise, expand and release it as a print pocket book in the Spring--maybe sooner. If you are interested in contributing to the completion, printing and distribution of this book, please look for the chipin widget in the right column of my blog to contribute to this project.

In addition to the book, I am completing the development of an e-course “So, you want to live your creative dream...” an eight week e-course for mamas and women who are interested in getting the necessary motivation and tools to get their creative projects off the ground. More details will be available on the e-course very soon.

2011 looks to be a very exciting year—new baby coming in February, new book shortly thereafter, e-course in the works and tons of blogs and sharing (including giveaways!!!)

I hope this finds you well and that you continue to visit here and be inspired to do the work that you love and are called to do.

Much love,

GaBrilla

Motivational Monday: What are you saying YES to?

2010-12-20T10:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, my husband made a very helpful observation about me: when we are in the car, there are times when I spend a much of the ride talking about what it is that I don’t want or like. It’s not that I spend ALL of my time doing that, but an overwhelming majority of our commute is spent with me complaining about the world and how it is or is not; complaining about the people in it and how they need to be this or that for it to be better, when the truth is the world can change, if I am stuck in a mentality that does not SEE change, I will forever be miserable. In this space, I feel powerful in my self-righteousness. Feel like “They” are the problem, when in actuality, I, too am contributing to the problem as well by giving the problem more power through my attention. It is not to say that we turn our head away from problems and suffering. I think part of the answer is to approach with a beginner’s mind and an intention to be a benefit and not a naysayer.

I can honestly say that I consider myself to be a pretty informed person in areas of metaphysics. I am aware that the things we think about only bring more of those types of thoughts. The more I give attention to a thing, the more it has power over the experience that I can have in any given moment. I know this, but sometimes it is difficult for me to remember when I am in the “passionate throes of complaining.” My intention as I am approaching this week, (which I am excited about because it will be a short one, followed by a full week off to spend with my family) is to approach it from a space of focusing on what I DO want, DO love and am happy about. I also intend to ask myself the question, “What am I saying YES to? In my life, my work, my art, my relationships? What I talk about and do will give me a good gauge of what I am saying yes to?

This week, if you are in a space of feeling of don’t want, don’t likes and complaints remember: that which you give your attention to is the thing that you are saying yes to, whether you are conscious of it or—what do you intentionally want to say yes to?

Have a wonderful day and week!

Some Products I am really enjoying right now...

2010-12-17T22:57:00.000-05:00

Omer has been having bad dreams lately and we have been trying a few things to help him feel more comfortable going to sleep. In addition to visualizations that Maanav has been doing with him, music has been one of the things that has been a useful tool for him. While at the store, I found Putumayo's African Dreamland

Omer really enjoys it. The music is both soothing and beautiful. I plan to upload it to my Iphone and listen to it as I go relax at night.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

I am moving into the 8th month of my pregnancy and getting myself mentally prepared for birth. Ina May Gaskin has been a woman who has been in my consciousness( and the consciousness of millions of women committed to natural birth) for a long time regarding natural childbirth. Her book "Spiritual Midwifery" has been a bible among my friends who have had their children at home and in the hospital. I am not planning a home birth this pregnancy, but this book is an amazing primer for anyone interested in being affirmed in listening to your bodies and in being reminded that women's bodies do know how to birth. I love it!

Motivational Mondays: What do you love about your life?

2010-12-12T15:19:00.001-05:00

I have noticed that Sundays have become a day of the week that I am beginning to dread. There is this heaviness and sense of urgency that comes over me when I know that my weekend is ending and I will be soon be thrown back into the busyness of the week. This is one of the reasons I am beginning to write Motivational Mondays-- as a way to motivate myself and others who may go through a similar experience. The truth is that what surrounds us may or may not change, but we can choose how we will feel and respond to the challenges and joys that we face throughout the week.

With that said, I want to share with you how I came to this moment of insight about finding a way to shift how the thought of Mondays was affecting me.

As I was cleaning my office/work space I saw a little white box that I had filled with about sixty questions that I had copied from "Café Gratitude's Blog" and pulled out the question:

"What do you love about your life?”

Thinking about this question made it hard for me to stay in that place of dread and complaint. How could I be caught in the dreariness of where I was if I really let myself think deeply about this question? The truth is, it's very hard to stay in a negative space when you think about the things you love about your life. You are automatically transformed by focusing your attention on something positive.

I pondered this question and immediately felt better about my upcoming workweek. I felt like I was setting myself up to have a challenging week by not allowing myself to be with what was, the day was not Monday and that there was nothing to dread. To answer the question, what do I love about my life? Plenty--my family, how inspired I am most of the time. Our wonderful, vibrant and beautiful son. I am married to a funny and deeply loving and generous man. I have amazing women as friends! I do work that is rewarding, even though is can be very challenging at times. I am fed, clothed and for the most part carted around to the places I need to go. I love that I have people in my life who really love me and want to see me do well. I really don't have ANYTHING to complain about.

Now, I ask you: What do you love about your life?

Pregnancy Update: 29 weeks

2010-12-08T18:11:00.000-05:00

I know that I have not been updating you on my pregnancy as much as I would have liked to, but there has been so much new information, doctors appointments, scares and such that I just beginning to be in a place where I can process it all and finally share.

The last few months…

Shortly after entering my second trimester, I was diagnosed with Maternal thrombocynapedia, which means that I have low platelets—which, if I had a normal count would not be that bad, but since mine were extremely low, coupled with a history of growth restriction during my pregnancy with our son, red flags came up for the doctors. It is pretty normal for woman’s platelets to drop a little bit during pregnancy, but mine were very low early on and continuing to drop throughout. To make matters more complicated, I have SSA and SSB antibodies in my blood, which have a 1-2% chance of crossing the placenta and causing congenital heart block in an unborn baby. Yes, this was VERY heavy and scary news for us. After receiving this news we were sent in for a fetal echocardiogram. We went in and things looked good with our baby’s heart.

During the my first trimester, I started consulting with a ND for a more holistic perspective on having a different outcome with this pregnancy, in addition to seeing my OB/GYN . She suggested that I give up wheat. I gave it up for a while, but started eating it again, as it was very difficult for me to find foods that I wanted to and could eat in my first trimester.

After we found out about all the info about my my blood, my husband went on a hunt for some sort of information about what shifts I could make to help have a different outcome with what was happening with my body. He found some information that highlighted a correlation between wheat consumption and the production of SSA/SSB antibodies. I am not stating this as definitive information, but I do know that ever since I gave up eating wheat, my platelets have been steadily increasing and our baby is growing well. I thought at first that drinking nettles alone would have helped because I have read that pregnant women consuming Nettles assists with improving the clotting factors in the body, but Nettles alone could not do that if I kept something in my body that it clearly did not want. I do think that my wheat sensitivity may manifest in different ways in my body, but will more than likely need to have more tests done after the baby is born, for now--NO WHEAT for me. I an in NO way trying to encourage anyone to stop taking their meds or to think that this is true for THEIR bodies. I do know that since I gave up wheat, things have been improving in my body and labs. You have to partner with your doctor, and whoever you need to in order to find out what works best for your body and situation. I am simply wanting to share some very promising and hopeful news.

Current…

Thus far, things are going well. Besides a cold that I am caring for and heartburn, I feel great--as great as I can feel in my last trimster. I weigh 140 pounds and our little one is growing very well and my platelets are coming up. At the beginning of my pregnancy, they were down to about 94,000, then dropped to 88,000. Once I cut wheat out of my diet, they went up to 112,000 and this week they are at 129,000! This is still low, but an immense improvement from where I started. The bigger I/we get and the more the weeks go by and her movements increase and become more strong, it becomes more and more apparent that she will be here very soon!!!

I am very grateful for where things are. I am thankful for the level of love, care and concern from my husband, along with his many food trips for me (I love you Maanav!) I am thankful for our son and his tenderness and understanding when mommy is tired and irritable(I love you Omer!) I am thankful for such a thorough medical team who has been very present, open and in dialogue with me about everything that has been going on with my body and most of all to our baby girl for choosing us as parents.

May this find you well.

Next appointment in 2 weeks. More later…

Self-Sustaining Practices I’ve learned during my pregnancy

2010-12-05T22:22:00.000-05:00

This past holiday, I took the opportunity to begin pressing reset on how I cared for myself. Ever since we became pregnant, I have been taking really good care of my body for the most part -- taking away the things that make me feel horrible, scaling back on some of my commitments (although I need to get better about this) and eating a whole lot of great food.

Now that we’ve entered the last trimester, I am beginning to feel the tiredness and a certain heaviness is beginning to creep up in my body, letting me know that it is now time to shift again. One thing about pregnancy is that you really don’t have much of a choice when it comes to how you feel. You do, however have a choice about what you put into your body—whether you are pregnant or not. Pregnancy is usually the time when women care for their bodies best, but whether you’re pregnant or not, there are some practices that you can adopt and practice that will make a difference in how you feel.

· The power of saying no

If there is any challenge that I believe we all face, especially women and mamas is saying no. We are often stretched beyond capacity and for whatever reason we think that adding more to our plate than we need validates us somehow. What I have found is that is makes us suffer and get LESS done in the long run because we are not giving that which we are currently doing the attention and energy that it needs. When you are maxed or want to reserve that extra hour that you may have, start turning down some requests. You'll thank yourself in the long run.

· Craft your ideal day and strive to live by it

For many of us who work 9 to 5, this can pose a challenge, but even within that, there are practices that you can cultivate within a work day that can add to your feeling sustained: using your lunch break to take a nap, a walk or read a good book; using your commute to listen to something meditative or inspiring. This practice can also include your weekends. What do you want your weekends to look like? How can you be more mindful about crating your two days off into days that sustain and feed you?

· Do what is most important first

Most of the time when I wake up in the morning, both my husband and I are in a mad dash to get Omer's lunch prepared and get him ready for school. I often forget to breathe mindfully or read something inspiring to get me ready for my day. On those days that I do remember, it makes a world of difference in how I feel. It is important that we care for ourselves and our needs first or we always feel behind during the day because we haven’t given ourselves the time and attention that we need. Do what is important first--take care of you first!

· Stepping away from the computer/prioritizing my computer time

My husband and I have noticed that our son has a hard time focusing when he watches too much television. There are tons of websites out there about the dangers of television on the brains of children, but far too little on the affects of internet consumption on adult minds. Some months ago, I read this article about the effects of spending too much time online. No, we are not quite at the point where this family is, but if we don’t get a handle on it, I can see a similar path opening up. I have already noticed how my level of concentration has diminished some and I have a nagging feeling that it connected to how much time I spend online. I also decided to scale back tremendously because I realized that I have more time (which I always complain of not having enough of) than I thought when I began looking at the time I spend online.

· No calls before noon or after 9 (or whatever time you choose)

When I lived in California some years ago, I made it a practice of not answering my phone before noon unless is was an emergency or of extreme importance. From the time I woke up til noon, that time was designated for me to take care of myself. I was single then, but creating a modified version of no calls before noon-say before 10 or 9, or making sure that picking up the phone or checking your email is not the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is a wonderful self-sustaining practice. Instead try reading a book, writing or having a cup of tea or coffee. The other part of this is to turn your phone off at a certain time. I think on some level, I unconsciously do this, but I would like to be more intentional about letting the people in my life know that I will be unplugging from the world and connecting with myself and my family after and before certain hours. Modify this as much as you can. Figure out what works for you and your life.

· Read work emails at work/ leave work at work.

This can be hard for many of us who leave work with still tons of things left to return to on the next day, which often include deadlines. I have found that when I leave work at work, I don’t feel like I am neglecting my commitments away from my job, which are infinitely more important like my family and my self-care. Yes some of us must work outside our homes, but our work should not compromise our ability to be mindful and present when we leave our day jobs so I suggest that you leave your work load and work mind at work when you leave---it’ll be there when you get back the next day.

· Work at your craft/dream/vision daily

Nothing feeds me more than getting a task done on my action plan for a project that I have in the works. It is difficult to get things done when your plate is already full, but committing at least 15 minutes a day can make a world of difference. By the end of the week you have completed 3 ½ hours of work. And that’s only if you work for 15 minutes. I suggest you take out the timer and set it 15 minutes and work until it goes off. If you want to continues working, do so, but giving yourself that 15 minute requirement is a good way to get your wheels turn. I can’t count how many times I have done this and ended up working for 3 hours. It is the greatest feeling. If that’s all you give yourself/project or idea, you have devoted some time each day to moving your ideas closer and closer to where you want them to be.

Here are a few more of my personal “Self-Sustaining Practices.” Some of them I am still striving to practice more:

· Waking up at 6 (still striving to accomplish this)

· 1 hour unplugged daily (up to 30 minutes now)

· Listen to healthy pregnancy CD daily

· Preparing lunches at night

· Daily walk (on lunch hour at work) I’ve done this a few times, but the cold is becoming challenging

· 30 min of reading (I love it when I can do this daily)

· In bed by no later than 11:30

· Monthly sistah potlucks (one of my favs)

· Weekly Date nights

Feel free to use this list for inspiration to create one of your own. Be sure to put your list somewhere that you can see it daily, like your bathroom mirror.

May this find you well.

My husband's Blog

2010-11-28T17:12:00.000-05:00

I am so excited that my husband's blog is up. The Jingbang Project is a space of inspiration and transformation online. Check it out when you have a chance.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-17T10:13:00.001-05:00

Images, color, and contrast. A space where I share some pieces and pictures of my world, no words.

The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto: revised, expanded and in print--coming soon

2010-11-16T20:06:00.000-05:00

As some of you already know, a few months ago, I released my first e-book, The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto: 10 Motivating tips for Mamas and Women who want to live their creative dreams. After such a surprising response (200 reads in one month) I have decided to revise and expand what I've written and to re-release the book in a printed hard copy.

The printed version of the book will include themes that include writings on self-care, the creative process and self-sustainability.

I plan to release this book sometime in January.

Community Supported and Financed
Many of my projects are community assisted/financed ventured. In 2008, when I recorded my first full-length album, I sought financial support for duplication. I sought donation modest as $10.00 and as large as people were willing to offer. For offering support, those who supported got the first copies of the CD when it was completed and duplicated.

Here, I am again, seeking similar support for this project. Any donation of $10.00 or more will receive a copy of the book once it is in print. For those of you who donate $50.00 or more, you will receive a copy of the book, plus a copy of both my CD's. Aside from that, you will be a part of supporting independent publishing and distribution.

In the right margin, if you scroll down, you will find a Chipin Widget for The Urban Mamsong Mamafesto (or you can click on the link embedded within the title of this blog entry) You can donate securely through Chipin via Paypal.

If you have any questions regarding the book, please feel free to contact me at urbanmamasong@gmail.com.

GaBrilla and Maanav's Wedding

2010-11-12T09:45:00.001-05:00

Please enjoy our joy captured in this book we created!

Click here to view this photo book larger

So many beautfiul blessings!!!

2010-11-08T18:47:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, November 6, 2010, My husband and I publicly shared our love, commitment and dedication to sharing our life journeys with each other in a small and intimate family-centered ceremony. It was one of the happiest days of my life. Before we became married, I wondered if I would feel different after being married--I do. I am unable to describe what those feelings are right now, but they are big and I feel full and deeply grateful for sharing my life with a person who is deeply loving, kind, honest and generous.

Here are some pictures from our joyous and beautiful day. I feel truly grateful!

Things are now beginning to normalize and return to a natural pace. Yesterday, I stayed home half day from work to take care of Omer who is fighting a cold. I feel like I am trying to catch one myself. My husband is faithfully using his neti pot, so things seem to be blowing over him (maybe I should use it too !)

I plan to blog more frequently than I have--at least once a week until I can free up more time to blog more. There is SO much going on right now personally and creatively. I have a couple of gigs coming up that I plan to update you on. Life is beautiful.

I hope this finds you well.

Wheat-free Living

2010-10-12T14:15:00.001-04:00

This weekend, my ever so thorough partner bought home Namaste's "Perfect Flour Blend", a flour that contains NO wheat, gluten, corn, soy, potato, dairy, casein, tree nuts or peanuts.

Naturally I was skeptical. In the past I have tried different wheat/gluten free flours and they did not meet up as far as flavor or fluff. But this flour ended up being a blessing. Rarely does Maanav bring food home that isn't good, so once again, he hit the nail on the head.

Last night, while working on my packet, I decided to take a break and make use of the large zucchinis that were threatening to spoil and make some of my all time favorite Vegetable Pancakes and savory yogurt sauce. They were absolutely amazing!!! I ate the entire first batch all by myself (smile), so I had to make a second batch because I wanted Maanav and Omer to taste how good they were. Omer finally decided to try them, but only with the yogurt sauce and really liked them. I was very happy about that. Often Omer will say no before trying something, but we have been working on encouraging him to try a new food at least once before saying that he doesn't like it.

Why am I Wheat-free?

Before we became pregnant, I went on an elimination diet in preparation for a cleanse called, "Clean." As part of the elimination diet, I eliminate all the known allergens from my diet for three week before doing the actual cleanse. I almost instantly saw shifts in my level of energy and abdominal bloating, which had become a feeling I had grown accustomed to. Shortly after the Elimination diet, I started eating sprouted wheat, then went full on to eating "regular" bread and paid for it immensely. I have not been diagnosed with celiac disease, but my gut and body does not like wheat at all. I've read that many people have an intolerance to wheat gluten and I think that I am one of those people. Maanav also has somewhat of a wheat sensitivity and I believe that overall cutting out refined wheat from Omer's diet is better for him, but I am happy that he doesn't have a severe wheat allergy although he does have a severe peanut allergy. I made some gluten free pancakes and waffles that I bought from Trader Joe's and he didn't know the difference. He LOVED them.

Another reason, I chose to give up wheat was that a few weeks into our pregnancy, I went to see a naturopathic doctor at The Lydian Center in Cambridge. She recommended that I cut out wheat or eat only sprouted wheat. It took me a little while and lots of suffering to finally give it up. It has been almost three weeks now and I feel really good. No mucus build up or bloated feelings after I eat. The first three days aware the hardest(as always) but now I am in the space of trying to trying to develop gluten-free recipes that are healthy as well as delicious. Through the search, there have been some pretty gross discoveries and some really great ones. I am especially happy about Namaste. I plan to develop pastries that I can take on the road with me when I go to a cafe-- I may even try and sell some gluten-free products once they've been developed--we'll see. Right now, I am enjoying giving my lovely gut a rest from irritation and inflammation.

I'll try to post pictures next time. The pancakes were eaten so quickly, I totally forgot to take them :)

I hope this finds you well.

CD's now available!!!

2010-10-06T11:33:00.000-04:00

As I shared some weeks ago, I have decided to re-release both my first and second albums in a very DIY way that will allow me to create both a sliding scale and allow more flexibility with the way in which I distribute my music, while I get geared up for the production of my third recording.

If you are interested in purchasing a physical copy of either album or both, you can purchase securely through paypal, whether or not you have a paypal account or not. My album, Urban Angel Songs is available on Itunes, but my EP is not and won't be. So if you are interested in purchasing a copy, feel free to click here:
GaBrilla Ballard EP
or here for Urban Angel Songs

If you are interested in 2 for 1 combo, you can choose to pay the sliding scale fee ($1.50 for shipping) from $10-15.00 for both albums.

Pregnancy Journals: Movement, Meditation, and confirmation

2010-09-29T11:13:00.000-04:00

We went for our second ultrasound and fetal survey and confirmed what we had already known-- we're having a girl!!!

It was so exciting to hear that we were right. We had done all sorts of things to determine the sex of the baby, for example, we used my engagement ring on a string over my belly--if the ring goes in circles it's a boy, side to side, it's a girl. But guess what, it said girl...lol. I have also been feeling girl early on and Omer has been saying little sister from the beginning. It is so divine and wonderful that we will have a little girl in the house. I am surrounded by a lot of male energy, my partner, Omer, both cat and dog are all male--it will be wonderful to start balancing out the energy. I also foresee a deeply healing experience for all of us.

I am currently 19 (or so) weeks. Our little girl is beginning to move around--a lot. Omer was equally active, so I am accustomed to having active children. I am so excited about meeting her, but am patiently enjoying this process carrying her.

Pregnancy, Anger and Meditation

As part of my Pregnancy Support, I have been reading "Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives: A Holistic Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Deepak Chopra, David Simon, M.D. and Vicki Abrams. It has been such a reminder for me to take care of my emotions. I can be quick tempered and this was pre-pregnancy.

Now, with all the hormones and life challenges that I have, I am quicker to anger than before. The down side of that is that my anger affects my health and the health of my baby. In different African and Indian cultures, it has been known for thousands of years that how you live, think and exist in the world affects you on a cellular level and ultimately your baby. There are many who believe that anger poisons your body. What I do know is I get completely wiped out when I am angered for a sustained period of time and I no longer want to put myself or my baby through that.

A couple of nights ago, I was writing in my baby's journal and an affirmation came to me. As I was writing, our baby kicked repeatedly. I took that as an affirmation of what I was writing, " I give thanks for your wholeness, perfect health and continued growth." In that moment, I also realized that it is now time stop allowing my mind to run all over the place. It's time to slow down and breath. My partner often tells me I need to meditate and do yoga. Next time, I will talk about my struggle and the reasons (excuses) I come up with that keep me from doing this. Take Care.

Wordless Wednesdays

2010-09-21T17:02:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesdays are for images, color, and contrast. A space where I share some pieces and pictures of my world, no words.

Inspired by: Hanifah Walidah and 21 weeks

2010-09-21T14:26:00.000-04:00

As I move into a space of deeper commitment to my craft and the act of cultivating community, I find that the things which we need are constantly presenting themselves to us. The inspiration is always there, if we look close enough.
Hanifah is both a long time friend of mine and one of people who is always doing work that inspires me and makes me aspire to go deeper into my practice as an artist. She and I get the opportunity to check in with each other every few months and it is always a pleasure and motivator. I feel blessed to have friends like her in my life.

One of her newest projects 21 Weeks Manifesta has me thinking about signing on, but not right now. It is a project in creativity, community and courage. I won't commit to something of this magnitude right now. My plate is already full--full time work, school, Omer, Maanav, planning a wedding, editing a friend's book as well as my own, being pregnant and planning this mini-tour. But maybe once I start knocking some of these things off, I'll be willing to do it. Maybe it'll be my maternity leave project ;) we will see. In the meantime, check Hanifah out.

Be well.

What would you like to know?

2010-09-20T16:04:00.000-04:00

I have been writing and sharing my thoughts, experience and adventures in being a mama and being an artist. These last few months, I have been writing more about being mama, moving to Boston and those transitions and less about being an artist, which will be changing soon. As I make this transition, I am reaching out to you my friends and readers for what your input in this process. As a writer, and a blogger, interacting with my “community” can be hard when I am really not sure what your interests and thoughts are. I am sure there is something here that you are interested in, otherwise why would you stop by?

Now I would like to know what those things are. From what you’ve read here and from what you may or may not know about me and my life and life work ( as a songwriter, writer, musician) what are some of the things you would like to see me write about or share? I have tons of ideas and am currently creating a publishing schedule for the next 3 or 6 months and I would like to include you in that process. Please feel free to leave comments with your questions, requests, suggestions and feedback. I look forward to your responses.

Upcoming Re-release of my music!!!!

2010-09-13T21:14:00.000-04:00

In the next few weeks, I will be reprinting not one, but both of my CD's as a one package deal. This will be the second offering from The Urban Mamasong Project, following the release of my first e-book, The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto.

This CD package will include my first recording that I did in 2001 and my album, Urban Angel Songs, my 2008 self-produced release. I will offer the CD at a sliding scale fee $10.00-$15.00. If you're interested in pre-ordering, feel free to let me know. I will announce here on my blog when the CD's are in.

I am also planning to package my CD's differently this time and from now. For my last release I used jewel cases, but felt really bad about the environmental impact and decided to go a more eco-friendly and artsy route this time. Thanks to: Groove House, I am able to package my CD's in a way that is both affordable and sustainable.

Helping your child understand pregnancy...

2010-09-03T11:05:00.000-04:00

As we progress in our pregnancy, our 5-year old, Omer is asking more and more questions about what's going on inside my body. Almost everyday, he asks if the baby is coming out soon and how big is it and how did it get into my body. The funniest thing was that he thought I ate the baby and that's why it's growing inside my stomach!!! As cute and funny as that is, we think that it's important that he have a bit more information that he could understand and not go around thinking that I ate a small child. I found these two books, which he loves and looks at everyday:

Both books use vivid pictures and comic strips to explain the differences in boys/men and girls/women's bodies. We have had to omit certain parts as we read because we think some of it is too much for a 5-year-old child to understand. Throughout the day, Omer will ask question about the book. We see how it informs his questions. It blows us away how much small children understand and can comprehend. We are glad that he is at the age where he can rally be excited about his new sibling. He is going to be great big bother.

We plan to expand our library of books about this transitions and make sure that Omer is as much a part of this process as possible. Are there any books that you would suggest?

Today I am 15 weeks and 1 day Pregnant: 174 days left (estimated, because in the end, babies come when they are ready to.)

Featured Mama: Jenga Mwendo

2010-08-23T21:06:00.000-04:00

* Last month, we released the first issue of our online newsletter. This month's issue we begin featuring mamas and women who are doing amazing work in their communities and in the world. All our features mothers will also be featured here as well, until our new site is up and running. If you are interested in receiving our monthly newsletter, please subscribe to the blog.

In commemoration of the five year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I would like to highlight the restorative and regenerative work that is being doing in New Orleans. As much as it is important to remember the suffering that has been experienced, it is equally important that we acknowledge and celebrate the work that is being done to minimize suffering, heal and create healthy and whole community.

This month we feature Jenga Mwendo, an amazing, hardworking and loving mama and community worker.

When I returned to New Orleans after being away myself for almost 7 years, Jenga and I reconnected and made plans to connect. She was moving back home to rebuild her house that had been damaged by Hurricane Katrina. I was returning to raise my son close to my family. We eventually connected and developed a close sistahood as well as co- creating a homeschooling cooperative where we educated each other's children in a way that was in alignment with our views of the world and of how we thought our children were educated.

Jenga is the chef organizer and founder of the Backyard Gardener's Network in The Lower Ninth ward of New Orleans.

Jenga is an example of fortitude, drive, grace and beauty. She is such an inspiration for me. May she be the same for you.

What inspired yo to move back to New Orleans after almost a decade away?

When the hurricane hit, I felt powerless. I felt disconnected, watching the tragedy via television. I did what I could, collecting money and clothing for family/friends and keeping displaced family members in touch. My grandmother died a week after Katrina hit. Hurricane Rita came shortly after. My family was spread out all over the country, and no one knew when/if they'd ever get to go back. Everything was up in the air. I began questioning everything, mostly "What defines 'home'? When everything you associate with home, like family, landmarks, and location are gone?" I felt a strong loyalty to my city. I felt that I couldn't complain about what would become of New Orleans if I wasn't part of the recovery. And I was inspired when family members started trickling back home. I didn't know what I would do to contribute, but I knew I needed to contribute. So I quit my job, sold all my things, and moved back. I arrived here on March 1, 2007 and do not regret one second.

After spending years as a computer animator, what inspired you to get into urban agriculture and food justice?

I really believe that it could've been anything. Urban agriculture was purely coincidental. I was clear that I wanted to contribute to my community. I was clear that a strong community is built on a foundation of strong and supported PEOPLE. Urban agriculture presented itself first. There was an empty lot at the end of my block. I had the idea to turn it into a community garden. After speaking with Macon at Parkway Partners, I decided to focus on an existing (but neglected) garden in our neighborhood, the Ernst Garden. I organized people around cleaning it up and maintaining it. From there, I began connecting with others who were doing similar work. I learned more and got more involved, and now (nearly three years later), I have carved a niche for myself in this community and the greater New Orleans community as an urban agriculture organizer. It's great!!

How do you balance your work in the community and your work as a mother? What are some of your challenges?

As a homeschooling parent, I incorporate Azana into most everything I do. I have crafted a life that includes children. I don't work in an office, or anywhere where there needs to be silence (lol). She comes with me to meetings. She comes with me to the gardens. She works at home when I'm working at home. This balance is very challenging. I have begun to feel that I am not (perhaps CAN not) giving Azana what she needs AND develop my organization AND earn a living. This fall, she will enter school. I am fully committed to playing a significant role in her schooling experience. I am both grateful and wary of delegating that task to another. However, I do believe she will benefit from it.

What keeps you motivated?

Magic. Magical things continue to happen in my life. I recognize that when I remain open, loving, joyful and hopeful, positive things manifest. That's a motivation to keep moving forward. And, of course, the great motivation of wanting to see my neighborhood beautiful and beneficial, my community whole, our culture valued and passed on.

What other things are you creating in your life?

Right now, I'm developing a raw vegan personal catering business. Within that, I've started a Conscious Eating support group for people to support one another around healthy living.

What are three things that you are most proud of in the life that you live?

1. My daughter. And myself, because of her. The whole experience of parenting has created an immense opportunity for transformation and growth. I am thoroughly proud of the person my child has become.
2. My freedom. I recognize that my life is entirely in my own design. And that I get to have exactly what I want. It's intensely freeing.
3. The material structures that I have created - my house, and the gardens. I spent a year and a half rebuilding my house with my own hands and I am extremely proud of the outcome. And I have gathered resources and people around developing beauty and purpose in two of our neighborhood gardens. And now we have a garden house to add to the list of community assets. It's important to me that I leave a mark wherever I go.

Name one person who inspires you and why?

Gabrilla Ballard inspires me!!!! Gabe, I love how simultaneously you are focused and flexible, you are clear and accepting of other views. I am really inspired by your leap of faith - following your heart to Boston, and creating something new.

Jenga Mwendo is a Food Justice Activist, Community Organizer living, loving and co-creating beautiful community structures in New Orleans ad mama to a beautiful and brilliant 6-year-old daughter. For more information on her work, please visit The Backyard Gardening Network.

Lagniappe (a little something extra)

Here's a video of Jenga speaking with CNN about Food Justice in New Orleans.

Goddard in the Summer

2010-08-22T17:28:00.000-04:00

Mothering Magazine

2010-08-16T17:28:00.002-04:00

I absolutely love "Mothering" magazine and was pleased to find this video. Enjoy!

Pregnancy Journals: Entry 1

2010-08-16T17:28:00.001-04:00

I have been wanting to share the news of our pregnancy with you since we found out, but chose to wait until I was at the end of my first trimester. Now that I am 12 weeks, I am so excited to share this news with you and give you a window into the journey of this pregnancy!

This week has been full of many different emotions and experiences around the baby. We heard the heartbeat for the first time earlier this week and yesterday we had our first ultrasound.

This will be our second child and my partner and my first child together. From the beginning, this pregnancy has been different. I experienced more "morning sickness"than I did with Omer and have been a lot more tired this time around. In so many ways this pregnancy is very different. But, I suppose that is to be expected. My life is different: I worked part-time while pregnant with Omer. I currently work full time. I was in my twenties when I had Omer. I am in my early thirties, so my body is different. I thought that this pregnancy would be similar to Omer's (easy), but that's the mysterious nature of life I suppose. I am happy that I am beginning to feel more like my normal self again.

I am planning to have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) this time around, so I am both anxious and excited about that process and welcome information and stories from any of you who have had successful experiences with VBAC's.

Pregnancy tool that I like:

While we were in New York, we went to Strand Bookstore. It was my first time there. I loved it. While browsing the parenting isle, I saw "Meditations for Pregnancy" which comes with a very soothing CD. The author encourages you to listen to it every week, but I strive to listen to it daily, as I find myself encountering many stressful situations. It has been an invaluable tool to help me deal with my anger and other difficult emotions that come up for me during this period of time.

101 Reasons to breastfeed your baby

2010-08-10T13:44:00.001-04:00

In recognition of Breastfeeding Awareness month and as a mama who breastfed my son for the first 24 months of his life (exclusively--no bottles after the first 5 months), I am a strong advocate for breastfeeding. I used to be "anti-formula," but I do understand that there are many women who can not breastfeed for many reasons and I want to honor and respect that while STRONGLY encouraging and supporting mamas who have made the commitment to breastfeed. It really is the BEST thing you can give your baby.

Here are the first 50 of 101 reasons to breastfeed your child. For the remaining reasons, click here

1. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends it

"Human milk is the preferred feeding for all infants, including premature and sick newborns... It is recommended that breastfeeding continue for at least the first 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired."

(See A.A.P. Breastfeeding Policy Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk (RE9729))

2. Breastfeeding promotes bonding between mother and baby

Breastfeeding stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin in the mother's body. "It is now well established that oxytocin, as well as stimulating uterine contractions and milk ejection, promotes the development of maternal behavior and also bonding between mother and offspring."Uvnas-Moberg, Eriksson: Breastfeeding: physiological, endocrine and behavioral adaptations caused by oxytocin and local neurogenic activity in the nipple and mammary gland.: Acta Paediatrica, 1996 May, 85(5):525-30

3. Breastfeeding satisfies baby's emotional needs

All babies need to be held. Studies have shown that premature babies are more likely to die if they are not held or stroked. There is no more comforting feeling for an infant of any age than being held close and cuddled while breastfeeding. While many bottle-feeding parents are aware of the importance of cradling their babies while offering the bottle, some are not. Even for parents with good intentions, there is always the temptation to prop up a bottle next to the child, or, when the baby is a little older, to let the child hold his/her own bottle and sit alone. This is emotionally unsatisfying to baby, and can be dangerous physically. An unsupervised child can choke. Also, propping up bottles over night leads to tooth decay.

4. Breast milk provides perfect infant nutrition

"Human milk is uniquely superior for infant feeding and is species-specific; all substitute feeding options differ markedly from it. The breastfed infant is the reference or normative model against which all alternative feeding methods must be measured with regard to growth, health, development, and all other short and long-term benefits."

(See A.A.P. Breastfeeding Policy Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk (RE9729))

5. Not breastfeeding increases mother's risk of breast cancer

"If all women who do not breastfeed or who breastfeed for less than 3 months were to do so for 4 to 12 months, breast cancer among parous premenopausal women could be reduced by 11 percent, judging from current rates. If all women with children lactated for 24 months or longer, however, then the incidence might be reduced by nearly 25 percent. This reduction would be even greater among women who first lactate at an early age."

Newcomb PA, Storer BE, Longnecker MP, et al. Lactation and a reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer.

N Engl J Med. 1994;330:81-87

6. Formula feeding increases baby girls' risk of developing breast cancer in later life

Women who were formula-fed as infants have higher rates of breast cancer as adults. For both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer, women who were breastfed as children, even if only for a short time, had a 25% lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who were bottle-fed as infants.

Freudenheim, J. et al. 1994 "Exposure to breast milk in infancy and the risk of breast cancer". Epidemiology 5:324-331

7. Formula Feeding is associated with lower I.Q.

The latest study to support this statement was done in New Zealand. Here an 18 year longitudinal study of over 1,000 children found that those who were breastfed as infants had both better intelligence and greater academic achievement than children who were infant-formula fed. Horwood and Fergusson, "Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes", Jan 1998 Pediatrics Vol. 101, No. 1

Morrow-Tlucak M, Haude RH, Ernhart CB. Breastfeeding and cognitive development in the first 2 years of life. Soc Sci Med. 1988:26;635-639

Lucas A., "Breast Milk and Subsequent Intelligence Quotient in Children Born Preterm". Lancet 1992;339:261-62

Wang YS, Wu SY. The effect of exclusive breastfeeding on development and incidence of infection in infants. J Hum Lactation. 1996; 12:27-30

8. Breast milk is always ready and comes in a nicer package than formula does

Need we say more?

9. Breast milk helps pass meconium

Babies are born with a sticky tar-like substance called meconium in their intestines. Colostrum, or early milk, is uniquely designed to help move this substance through the infant's body.

10. Breast milk contains immunities to diseases and aids in the development of baby's immune system.

Formula provides neither of these benefits

Koutras, A.K., "Fecal Secretory Immunoglobulin A in Breast Milk vs. Formula Feeding in Early Infancy". J. Ped Gastro Nutr 1989.

11. Breast milk is more digestible than formula

"Babies can digest human milk more easily than the milk of other animals, probably because human milk contains an enzyme that aids in this process. Breast milk forms softer curds in the infant's stomach than cow's milk (the basis for most formulas) and is more quickly assimilated into the body system. While it contains less protein than does cow's milk, virtually all the protein in breast milk is available to the baby. By contrast, about half the protein in cow's milk passes through the baby's body as a waste product. Similarly, iron and zinc are absorbed better by breastfed babies."

The Complete Book Of Breastfeeding M.S. Eiger. MD, S. Wendkos Olds

Copyright 1972, 1987 Comstock, Inc., Workman Publishing Co., Inc.

708 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

12. Suckling helps shrink mother's uterus after childbirth

"Nursing will help you to regain your figure more quickly, since the process of lactation causes the uterus (which has increased during pregnancy to about 20 times its normal size) to shrink more quickly to its prepregnancy size. "

The Complete Book Of Breastfeeding M.S. Eiger. MD, S. Wendkos Olds

Copyright 1972, 1987 Comstock, Inc., Workman Publishing Co., Inc.

708 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

The uterus of the non-breastfeeding mother will never shrink back to its pre-pregnant size. It will always remain slightly enlarged.

Chua S, Arulkumaran S, Lim I et al. "Influence of breastfeeding and nipple stimulation on postpartum uterine activity."

Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1994; 101:804-805

13. Suckling helps prevent post-partum hemorrhage

Nursing her baby causes the mother's body to release oxytocin, which stimulates contractions which help shrink the uterus back to prepregnancy size while expelling the placenta. These contractions also shut off the maternal blood vessels that formerly fed the baby and discourage excessive bleeding. Women who choose not to breastfeed must be given synthetic oxytocin to insure against hemorrhaging.

Chua S, Arulkumaran S, Lim I et al. "Influence of breastfeeding and nipple stimulation on postpartum uterine activity."

Br J Ovstet Gynaecol 1994; 101:804-805

14. Nursing helps mom lose weight after baby is born

Breastfeeding requires an average of 500 extra calories per day. Dewey KG, Heinig MJ, Nommwen LA. Maternal weight-loss patterns during prolonged lactation.

Am J Clin Nutr 1993;58:162-166

Mothers who breastfed exclusively or partially had significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and were less above their prepregnancy weights at 1 month post partum than mothers who fed formula exclusively." Kramer, F., "Breastfeeding reduces maternal lower body fat." J. Am Diet Assoc 1993; 93(4):429-33

15. Pre-term milk is specially designed for premature infants

"Milk produced by women who deliver prematurely differs from that produced after a full-term pregnancy. Specifically, during the first month after parturition, preterm milk maintains a composition similar to that of colostrum." Hamosh, Margit, PhD, Georgetown University Medical Center "Breast-feeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother's Milk".

16. The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend it

"...breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; ... it forms a unique biological and emotional basis for the health of both mother and child; ...the anti-infective properties of breast milk help to protect infants against disease; and ... there is an important relationship between breastfeeding and child spacing".(Emphasis added)

(See The WHO/UNICEF International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes).

17. Breastfeeding protects against Crohn's disease (intestinal disorder)

Koletzko S, Sherman P, Corey M, et al. "Role of infant feeding practices in development of Crohn;s disease in childhood."

Br Med J. 1989;298:1617-1618

Rigas A, Rigas B, Blassman M, et al. "Breast-feeding and maternal smoking in the etiology of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in childhood." Ann Epidemiol. 1993;3387-392

18. Formula feeding increases risk of baby developing type I (juvenile, insulin-dependent) diabetes.

The results of a study in Finland suggest that young age at introduction of dairy products and high milk consumption during childhood increase the level of cow's milk antibodies in the children's systems. This factor is independently associated with increased risk of insulin dependent diabetes. Virtanen et al: "Diet, Cow's milk protein antibodies and the risk of IDDM in Finnish children." Childhood Diabetes in Finland Study Group. Diabetologia, Apr 1994, 37(4):381-7

Mayer, EJ, Hamman RF, Gay EC, et al. "Reduced risk of IDDM among breast-fed children". Diabetes, 1988;37:1625-1632

Virtanen SM, Rasanen L, Aro A, et al. "Infant feeding in Finnish children <7 yr of age with newly diagnosed IDDM".

Diabetes Care, 1991;14:415-417

Gerstein HC. "Cow's milk exposure and type 1 diabetes mellitus". Diabetes Care. 1994;17:13-19

Borch-Johnson, K., et al., "Relation between breastfeeding and incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus". Lancet 2:1083-86 (1984)

19. Breastfeeding decreases insulin requirements for breastfeeding mothers

Reduction in insulin dose postpartum was significantly greater in those who were breastfeeding than those who were bottle feeding. Davies, H.A., "Insulin Requirements of Diabetic Women who Breast Feed." British Medical Journal, 1989

20. Breastfeeding stabilizes progress of maternal endometriosis

21. Not breastfeeding increases mother's risk of developing ovarian cancer

Rosenblatt KA, Thomas DB, "WHO Collaborative Study of Neoplasia and Steroid Contraceptives". Int J Epidemiol. 1993;22:192-197

Schneider, A.P. "Risk Factor for Ovarian Cancer". New England Journal of Medicine, 1987.

22. Not breastfeeding increases mother's risk of developing endometrial cancer

Petterson B, et al. "Menstruation span- a time limited risk factor for endometrial carcinoma". Acta Obstst Gyneocol Scand 1986;65:247-55

23. Formula feeding increases chances of baby developing allergies

Lucas A, Brooke OG, Morley R, et al. "Early diet of preterm infants and development of allergic ar atopic disease: randomized prospective study". Br Med J. 1990:300:837-840

Halken S, Host A, Hansen LG, et al. "Effect of an allergy prevention programme on incidence of atopic symptoms in infancy". Ann Allergy. 1992;47:545-553

Saarinen UM, Kajossari M. "Breastfeeding as prophylaxis against atopic disease: prospective follow-up study until 17 years old."

Lancet. 1995;346:1065-1069

24. Breast milk lowers risk of baby developing asthma

Breastfed babies have lower risk for developing recurrent wheezing when they are older (age 6 or more). Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Med., July 1995

25. Formula feeding increases baby's risk of otitis media (ear infections)

"Otitis media is up to 3-4 times more prevalent in formula-fed infants".

Aniansson G, Alm B, Andersson B, et al. "A prospective cohort study on breast-feeding and otitis media in Swedish infants". Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1994; 13:183-188

Kovar MG, Serdula MK, Marks JS, et al. "Review of the epidemiologic evidence for an association between infant feeding and infant health." Pediatrics. 1984:74:S615-S638

Saarinen UM. "Prolonged Breast Feeding as prophylaxis for recurrent otitis media." Acta Paediatr Scand. 1982;71:567-571

26. Formula feeding may increase risk of sudden infant death syndrome (S.I.D.S.)

Ford RPK, Taylor BJ, Mitchell EA, et al. "Breastfeeding and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Int J. Epidemiol. 1993;22:885-890

Mitchell EA, Taylor BJ, Ford RPK, et al. "Four modifiable and other major risk factors for cot death: the New Zealand Study".

J Paediatr Child Health. 1992;28:S3-S8

Scragg LK, Mitchell EA, Tonkin SL, et al. Evaluation of the cot death prevention programme in South Auckland.

NZ Med J. 1993;106:8-10

27. Breastfeeding protects baby against diarrheal infections

Kovar MG, Serdula MK, Marks JS, et al. "Review of the epidemiologic evidence for an association between infant feeding and infant health." Pediatrics. 1984:74:S615-S638

Dewey KG, Heinig MJ, Nommsen-Rivers LA. Differences in morbidity between breast-fed. "Differences in morbidity between breast-fed and formula-fed infants." Pediatr. 1995;126:696-702

Howie PW, Forsyth JS, Ogston SA, et al. "Protective effect of breast feeding against infection." Br Med J. 1990;300:11-16

Popkin BM, Adair L, Akin JS, et al. "Breast-feeding and diarrheal morbidity." Pediatrics. 1990;86:874-882

Beaudry M, Dufour R, Marcoux S. "Relation Between infant feeding and infections during the first six months of life." J Pediatr. 1995; 126:191-197

28. Breastfeeding protects baby against bacterial meningitis

Cochi SL, Fleming DW, Hightower AW, et al. "Primary invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease: a population-based assessment of risk factors." J Pediatr. 1986;108:997-896

Istre GR, Conner JS, Broome CV, et al. "Risk factors for primary invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease: increased risk from day care attendance and school-aged household members." J Pediatr. 1985;106:190-198

29. Breastfeeding protects baby against respiratory infections

Frank Al, Taber LH, Glezen WP, et al. "Breast-feeding and respiratory virus infection." Pediatrics 1982;70:239-245

Wright AI, Holberg DJ, Martinez FD, et al. " Breast feeding and lower respiratory tract illness in the first year of life."

Br Med J. 1989;299:935-949

Chen Y. "Synergistic effect of passive smoking and artificial feeding on hospitalization for respiratory illness in early childhood." Chest. 1989;95:1004-1007

Wright AL, Holberg CH, Taussig LM, et al. "Relationship of infant feeding to recurrent wheezing at age 6 years."

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1995;149:758-763

30. Formula fed babies have a higher risk of developing certain childhood lymphomas

Davis MK, Savitz DA, Graubard BI. "Infant feeding and childhood cancer." Lancet. 1988;2:365-368

Shu X-O, Clemens H, Zheng W, et al. "Infant breastfeeding and the risk of childhood lymphoma and leukaemia". Int J Epidemiol. 1995;24:27-32

31. Breastfeeding decreases chances of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Preliminary data from U. of North Carolina/Duke University researchers indicates breastfed children were only 40% as likely to develop JA. "Mother's Milk: An Ounce of Prevention?" Arthritis Today May-June 1994

32. Breastfeeding decreases child's chances of contracting Hodgkins disease

"An Exploratory Study of Environmental and Medical Factors Potentially Related to Childhood Cancer." Medical & Pediatric Oncology, 1991; 19(2):115-21

33. Breastfeeding protects baby against vision defects

Birch E, et al. "Breastfeeding and optimal visual development." J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 1993;30:33-8

In a study in Bangladesh, breastfeeding was a protective factor for night blindness among preschool-aged children in both rural and urban areas. Breast milk is generally the main, if not the only source, of vitamin A during a child's first 24 months of life (or for the duration of breastfeeding). Bloem, M. et al. "The role of universal distribution of vitamin A capsules in combatting vitamin A deficiency in Bangladesh.: Am J Epidemiol 1995; 142(8): 843-55

34. Breastfeeding decreases chances of maternal osteoporosis in later life

The odds that a woman with osteoporosis did not breastfeed her baby was 4 times higher than for a control woman. Blaauw, R. et al. "Risk factors for development of osteoporosis in a South African population." SAMJ 1994; 84:328-32

Dr. Alan Lucas, MRC Childhood Nutrition Research Center of London, found that 8-year-olds who were fed formula rather than breast fed as infants, had less developed bone mineralization than those fed breast milk.

Melton LJ, Bryant SC, Wahner HW, et al. "Influence of breastfeeding and other reproductive factors on bone mass later in life." Osteoporos Int. 1993;22:684-691

Cumming RG, Klineberg RJ. "Breastfeeding and other reproductive factors and the risk of hip fractures in elderly woman."

Int J Epidemiol 1993;22:684-691

35. Breast milk is an intestinal soother

36. Cows milk is an intestinal irritant

37. Formula-fed babies are more at risk for obesity in later life

38. Breastfed babies have less chance of cardiopulmonary distress while feeding

Bottle-fed babies are at increased risk of cardiopulmonary disturbances, including prolonged airway closure and obstructed respiratory breaths due to repeated swallowing. Koenig HS, Davies Am, Thach BT. "Coordination of breathing, sucking and swallowing during bottle feedings in human infants." J Appl Physiol 69: 1629: 1623-1629, 1990.

Infants can experience oxygen saturation below 90% when bottlefeeding. Nine of 50 healthy term infants in one study experienced bradycardia during bottlefeeding. Six of these episodes were preceded by apnea, three showed hypopnea (marked reduction in ventilation) and one had certral apnea (no respiratory efforts).

Matthew O, Clark ML, Ponske MH. Apnea, bradycardia, and cyanosis during oral feeding in term neonates." J Pediatr 106:857, 1985

39. Breastfed babies have less chance of developing ulcerative colitis

Rigas A, Rigas B, Blassman M, et al. "Breast-feeding and maternal smoking in the etiology of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in childhood." Ann Epidemiol. 1993;3387-392

40. Breast milk protects against hemophilus b. virus

Cochi SL, Fleming DW, Hightower AW, et al. "Primary invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease: a population-based assessment of risk factors." J Pediatr. 1986;108:997-896

Takala AK, Eskola J, Palmgren J, et al. "Risk factors of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease among children in Finland.

J Pediatr. 1980;115:695-701

Istre GR, Conner JS, Broome CV, et al. "Risk factors for primary invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease: increased risk from day care attendance and school-aged household members."

J Pediatr. 1985;106:190-198

41. Breastfed babies require shorter pre and post-surgical fasting

Breastfeeding may continue until three hours before arrival time at the hospital in healthy children having elective surgery.

Schreiner, M.S. "Preoperative and Postoperative fasting in children." Ped Clinics N Amer 41 (1); 111-20 (1994)

42. Breastfeeding results in less sick days for parents

Since breastfed babies are statistically healthier than their formula fed peers, the parents of breastfed babies spend less time out of work taking care of sick children.

43. Breastfeeding enhances vaccine effectiveness

Breastfed infants showed better serum and secretory responses to peroral and parenteral vaccines than those formula-fed.

Han-Zoric, M., "Antibody responses to parenteral and oral vaccines are impaired by conventional and low protein formulas as compared to breastfeeding." Acta Paediatr Scand 1990; 79:1137-42

44. Breastfed babies have less chance of developing necrotizing enterocolitis

Lucas A, Cole TJ. "Breast milk and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis." Lancet. 1990; 336:519-1523

Convert RF, Barman N, Comanico RS, et al. "Prior enteral nutrition with human milk protects against intestinal perforation in infants who develop necrotizing enterocolitis."

Pediatr Res. 1995; 37:305A. Abstract

45. Breastfeeding is a natural contraceptive

This is true only if you are exclusively breastfeeding, and have not yet gotten your period back following childbirth. Night nursing encourages longer amenorrhoea (periodlessness). If you really don't want to get pregnant again, use some back up birth control even if you haven't gotten your period again. You will have no way of knowing when your first ovulation will occur, and by the time you figure it out you may be expecting! Still, generally speaking, breastfeeding contributes to optimum child spacing.

Kennedy KI, Visness CM. "Contraceptive efficacy of lactational amenorrhoea." Lancet. 1992; 339:227-230

Gray RH, Campbell OM, Apelo R, et al. "Risk of ovulation during lactation." Lancet. 1990; 335:25-29

Labbock MH, Colie C. "Puerperium and breast-feeding." Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 1992; 4:818-825

46. Breastfeeding is easier than using formula

After the initial start up period, breastfeeding is very easy. All you have to do is lift up your shirt and let the little one latch on. No shopping for formula, bottles, and other supplies. No mixing, heating, refrigerating and cleaning up of formula. If you sleep with your baby, or sleep the baby next to your bed, you can forget about all the disturbing night time rituals associated with formula use. All you have to do is roll over, let the baby latch on, and go back to sleep!

47. Breast milk is free

The added calories a mother must take in are a negligible expense, and nursing clothes are optional. If you need to pump, excellent pumps are available for between $100 and $225. They can be used for more than one child, so they are really an investment. Any way you look at it, you'll spend a lot more money if you choose to formula feed.

48. Formula is expensive

The cost of feeding a baby on formula for one year was estimated to be around $1000 in 1990. It has certainly gotten more expensive since.

Batten W. Hirschman J. Thomas C. Impact of the special supplemental food program on infants. J Pediatr 117 II:SIOI-109, 1990

49. Formula costs the government (and taxpayers) millions of dollars

The U.S. government spends over $500 million a year to provide formula for its WIC supplemental food program.

Batten W. Hirschman J. Thomas C. Impact of the special supplemental food program on infants. J Pediatr 117 II:SIOI-109, 1990

50. Breast milk is always the right temperature

Severe burns to babies' mouths have occurred due to improper heating of artificial milks. Even when it's done correctly, it's never fun to try to warm a bottle for a fussing baby.

Getting Organized

2010-08-09T09:46:00.000-04:00

These past few days, we have been getting things in order in our home. In the space of getting things in order and finding ways and creating systems to do that and maintain it, Maanav found a "Post it weekly planner," which has been very useful for me in getting my MIT down and done daily.

What are some tools you use to keep your homes/offices/studios/workspaces organized and in order?

Living the writing; Writing the living

2010-08-06T20:32:00.000-04:00

I am in an emergent space right now. Wanting to be more authentic and creative. Wanting to live my day to day from a place of purpose and intention. Wanting to be more insightful and share my discoveries with other mamas and women in the world. But I am finding that instead of being true to my path, true to where I currently am in my life, I am waiting to be in that perfect balance of creativity and love, life and work. Waiting to be “perfect” so then I can share my insights and wisdom. That is not what my life or this blog is about.

I began this blog to talk about the “process” of balancing mamahood and creativity, not the finished product or end result. I wanted to share the unpaved path of how being a mama, partner and at times fighting to find time to create the music and words that well up inside me. In this space of sharing a part of my ever-evolving truth, I am realizing more and more that a part of the process is non-production, or producing in other ways. These past 6 or so months, part of the process has been moving to another state, getting my child in school, nursing him back to health when he was sick; getting a full time job and being a full time student. All those things are a part of this process of being a mama and an artist.

It can be wonderful and romantic for me to write about my life when things are moving—when I’m writing or creating all the time; when I am performing, or when things are running smoothly in the home. But rarely do I talk about how daunting and depressing non-productivity is. Or how frustrated I am with my partner or how I yelled at my son more times than I willing to say on a given day, because there's this positive, mama artist image that I have created in my mind and feel I have to live up to and project out into the world. Don't get me wrong, I strive to be a loving mama, who is present, engaged and who parents in a nonviolent and non-punitive way and most of the time I do, but there are days where I really wonder if I know what I am doing. But as I said, it is all a process--moving from here to there. And I want to feel free enough to share it all with you. I want to live what I write and write what I live, when it looks pretty and not so pretty at all. When there’s music and movement and when melodies and lyrics elude me.

The Urban Mamasong Project

2010-08-02T20:34:00.000-04:00

I think about Urban Mamasong all the time. Everyday. Urban Mamasong has grown into more than just a blog. It has become this vision that I am feeding and inviting other mamas and women around the world to feed with me. A little while ago I had expanded Urban Mamsong though that the best direction to go was to create a production house for mamas and women. As time went on, other "projects" and ideas began to spill forth. After much thought about the direction and expansion of Urban Mamasong, I have decided to change and the expand both the name and vision of Urban Mamasong.

The Urban Mamasong Project is the result of this shift. It both sounds and feels accurate ni so many ways. The ideas and creations that come out of The Urban Mamasong Project will be ever expanding, collaborative and ongoing. The Urban Mamasong Production House, our newsletter and the Urbanmamasong Cafe are among some of the fruits that will burst forth from the tree of The Urban Mamsong Project.

I am overwhelmed with joy and inspiration that has come with the clarity this decision. I am currently in the process of getting a website built, so please stay tuned. There's a lot more coming up soon.

Much love,
GB

Pictures from Our Engagement Party

2010-07-29T14:39:00.000-04:00

As promised, I am sharing a few pictures from our engagement party this past Saturday. It was a lovely and tender gathering of our families, my mother representing the Ballards. It was a pleasant surprise for her as well. We told her of the engagement once she was in town. Wedding planning will soon be underway. In the meantime, please enjoy these photos.

The ceremony

Maanav and I cutting the cake

Our Parents

More gifts

Me, full and happy

Our cake

Delicious sweets

Omers questions never end. He wondered if the the chandlo and rice were boo-boos

The family

Engaged!!!

2010-07-26T08:40:00.000-04:00

This weekend my partner and I celebrated our engagement, surrounded by family and beauty. I will share our date announcement soon.

Pregnancy Journals: Entry 1

2010-07-15T22:40:00.000-04:00

25 Things I now know as a mama...

2010-07-14T19:53:00.000-04:00

1. forgiveness is possible...Omer taught me that
2. planning makes life so much easier
3. sometimes you can't plan life
4. to celebrate and at times give thanks for my contradictions
5. perfection is an illusion (and boring)
6. what commitment really is
7. parenting is not for suckas
8. I will walk to the hospital for my child if I had to--no question
9. support systems are as vital as breath
10. the meaning of relief
11. why my mother worried about me and my siblings so much
12. the miracle of cod liver oil
13. being a matyr is not cool and nor does it teach me or Omer anything
14. children are our mirrors
15. children can make us be better people
16. how much fun watching clouds are
17. monsters are indeed real
18. I can begin again tomorrow
19. I can love someone so completely
20. not to take a bubble bath for granted
21. nothing has made me want to be a better human being than raising another one
22. children are sages and gurus
23. simplicity is the answer to most problems
24. occasional chocolate is not going to kill the child
25. I would not trade my life for anything

Love in action

2010-07-11T09:14:00.000-04:00

What a beautiful example of the care that women should receive, both when pregnant and not. Angelina's work is love in action.
Enjoy!

Upcoming Events!!!

2010-07-07T11:15:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since my last posting. We have been back from Detroit about two weeks now. I am finally feeling more settled at home, even though things are still a bit out of sorts. I plan to post pics from our trip to USSF soon.

There is so much newness and excitement around my upcoming projects, one of which is coming up in less than two weeks. If you are in the Boston area, we would love to see you there.

The Urban MamaSong Production House Presents:
The Urban MamaSong Café
where mamas imagine, converse and create

The Urban Mamasong Café is a monthly gathering where women and mamas come together to talk, share, imagine, create and celebrate our work as mamas/artists/creators and to celebrate the world that we are co-creating through conversation, creativity and community.

Saturday, July 17, 2010
2:00-5:30
Democracy Center
45 Mt. Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA
*Childcare will be provided!
FREE!

*If you need childcare, it is recommended that you RSVP as to give our provider (s) a idea of how many children will be needing care.
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The US Social Forum: Another world is possible

2010-06-16T08:50:00.000-04:00

This week has been such a busy week. At work, we are getting prepped to support 11 youth on the road as we head to Detroit for the US Social Forum next week. Outside of the work that I do with youth, I am also completing my last packet for the semester in addition to planning for our first Urban Mamasong Cafe in July! So there's a lot going on.

Urban Mamasong will also be in the house, connecting with the fierce women and mamas who are building and paradigm shifting in the world. Omer and Maanav will be coming as well, so this will be an amazing and inspiring experience for us as a family. It will also be a true lesson in balance. I will be journaling about the forum and the conversations and connections that are being built at this phenomenal event, as well as how I balance my work, community building, travel and family. Wish us luck.

May this find you well.

GB

Free Print out!

2010-06-09T15:35:00.000-04:00

In addition to the free e-book (read it if you haven't!) I am offering a free print out of "The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto" Essentials. Print it out and post it in your home, work or studio space as a pleasant and gentle reminder to nurture your creativity and dreams!

A Day of Rest

2010-06-08T17:12:00.000-04:00

At least that is what I am calling being home sick today--a day of rest. I am home recovering from a cough that got worse last night and a fever that greeted me this morning, along with no voice. But I can lift my head at least. I'm thinking this was a "gift" that Omer brought home from preschool.

I want to thank all of you who read my e-book, "The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto." It has been a project that I have been wanting to get gift to the world for quite some time now.

I have yet another project in the works called " The Urban Mamasong Cafe," in addition to workshops that I am developing. More on that later.

Time to get back to resting and recovering. Been pushing the fluids and overall just taking it easy.

All love,
GaBrilla

The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto!

2010-06-01T00:10:00.000-04:00

Recently I spoke of new projects on the horizon. My first e-book, "The Urban Mamasong Mamafesto" is the genesis of many more new things to come. Please read it. Take it in! Spread the word to your friends. Subscribe and do come back. May this find you well.

The Urban MamaSong Mamafesto by GaBrilla Ballard

Transitions

2010-05-19T23:36:00.000-04:00

Today I am ending my 5th day of this elimination diet in preparation for the "Clean" detox program, beginning on this Saturday. So far I have had five days free of wheat, sugar, dairy, peanuts, corn, barley, spelt, rye, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and all the known allergens. I am experiencing some mild detox symptoms, headache, sleepiness, but I feel good. I can already feel the shifts. One thing that I know will have to end next week are my late nights. I intend to be in bed no later than 10:30.

Today I got in my juicer. I'll do another shopping trip Friday and begin my first (of three weeks)of "Clean" on Saturday. My biggest cravings (sugar and bread) have been at bay for the most part. There are moments when I crave something, but I really don't want a cookie or bread right now. It seems unbelievable, but it's true. Right now, as I type this, I am drinking amazake (brown rice shake) and it is fulfilling my need for something sweet. Next week, there will no more amazake. I will doing two liquid meals a day and one solid, for three weeks. I have to watch it because I am already thin and losing too much weight would not be ideal. But I think I'll be okay. I plan to get my protein through the beans, brown rice protein and spirulina.

I have also made another decision that I have been on the fence about for a while. I have considered myself vegetarian for about 13 years now, vegan off and on throughout. For the past few years, I have began eating eggs, fish and sometimes even turkey and I am a huge fan of cheese. I have also had my share of cookies, cakes and other delicious pastries. But doing this cleanse has, amongst other things has had me thinking about where I want to be regarding my diet when I complete the cleanse.

When we ask questions, we are always led to where we need to go. Lately, I have been following the work of A. Breeze Harper's and The Sistah Vegan Project and am totally inspired by the work that she is doing around connecting health disparities, racism and food education, choices and access.

On one of Breeze's latest videos, she shared some of the books that she is reading. Among them is the book, "By Any Greens Necessary" by Tracye Lynn McQuirter, MPH.

I purchased this book, started reading it yesterday and finished it today. I could not put it down. Tracye goes in depth into all of the industries (milk, meat, poultry, and fish,) the health risks of eating ANY animal products and also offers suggestions for transitioning into a vegan diet if that's what you choose. After reading this book, I was no longer on the fence. I will be moving back over in the world of veganism. It's not really a hard decision since I've been vegan before and have even dabbled in raw foods for a little bit. My decision to become (and stay)vegan is grounded in a need to be both healthy and live sustainably. There was a lot of information that I had already known, but SO much that I didn't and it was what I didn't know that kept me on the fence. And as my mother always says, when you know better, you do better. I will probably be reading it again as I cleanse and whole lot of other books to aid and inspire me on this journey of healing and wellness.

I plan to post a video for my next post this Saturday as I enter the next phase of this healing and wellness journey.

May this find you ever flourishing.

Love, light and wellness,
GaBrilla

What a Mama Needs: Vibrant Health

2010-05-12T23:05:00.000-04:00

This Saturday, I will be beginning a program called "Clean" by Alejandro Junger, MD.

The diet begins with the elimination diet--a list of foods that are known allergens in most people. One thing that I realized about the list of foods on the elimination diet was that they are foods that I eat often-- Too often.
Following the week on the elimination diet will be 3 weeks of a daily meal plan that consist of one solid meal per day with two liquid meals. This will be both a challenging and deeply educational experience that I plan to share with you along the way.

Why am I doing "Clean?"
I wrote this as an assignment from the book in getting in touch with my intention for doing this program and beginning the journey of healing and re-building my body and attaining vibrant health:

I am doing the "clean" program because I want to enter into a better state of wellness in my body, which in turn affects my mind and my spirit. I was diagnosed with Sjogren's antibodies a few years back and I would like to move towards healing my body of it and bringing about homeostasis within my body. My moods have been off. I get spurts of happiness and ease but they don't last long. I have been "going off" for simple things recently and it doesn't feel normal. I get especially "crazy" about a week before my period. I went to sleep early last night and work up feeling exhausted still. I would also like to have another child (with no complications or intervention) in a year or two and want to begin cleansing my body and preparing it to house another person.

I also want to be learn and really experience what vibrant health feels like in my body. I don't think I ever have. I want to cleanse the toxic food, thoughts and habits from my body, mind and my life. I want to feel good. I envision myself more stable in my mood, with lots more energy and mental clarity.

I plan to share parts of my meal plans, a few videos, and books that I am reading to help support me on this journey.

If you have done this cleanse before, please feel free to share your insights. If you haven't and just want to leave some words of encouragement or have comments, please feel free to leave them. And don't forget to subscribe to the blog and our newsletter.

May this find you in vibrant health.

Much love,
GaBrilla

What a mama needs: Celebration

2010-05-09T18:01:00.001-04:00

To all mamas, for the work that we do, for the love that we give, for the worlds that we co-create, I honor and celebrate you. I honor us. Happy Mother's Day!

back...

2010-04-23T14:10:00.000-04:00

It has been almost a month since my last posting. Ideally, I would not have let so much time pass, but these past few weeks have been deeply challenged by sickness, recovery, writing, school work, building community, starting my new job, re-assessing, re-envisioning and of course there's the welcoming of Spring and all it's splendor.
The up side of having so much time pass between this post and the last is that there are lots of news about my new job, school work and how I am balancing this new addition into my life as mama and musician.

Work

I am moving into my fourth week of work as Co-Director of the Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project (REEP) at Alternatives for Community and Environment. My life has been moving into unexpected, yet exciting places since our move to Boston. What I will say is that the work that I am doing is deeply inspiring. I work with a group of young people who are motivated and committed to being vocal and active in the community. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to develop such powerful relationships. (Below is a picture of the REEP crew after a Youth Jobs Rally in Boston)

I am now working full time, going to school full time, being mama all the time and making sure I have the time to nurture my family, relationship and creative aspirations. This has truly been a lesson in time and self management that I am quickly seeing the importance of. Before things were the other way around. I was being mama and artist full time. Homeschooling my son and working on my art.
Now, my life has shifted: Omer is in preschool and I now work a 9 to 5. A part of me experiences sadness, but on the other hand, I welcome change and challenges to my life. My art will not be cast aside now that I have a full time job. I will continue to "Afterschool" Omer. (btw, the school that Omer's attending next year, Cambridge Friends School, brings me great joy!) There is a part of me that misses the freedom that came with a certain lifestyle that I once lived. I am now being challenged to manage this new "freedom," time, self care and creative nurturance in a more fierce and disciplined way.

One thing that I think about and write about is "What a mama needs..." and every mama knows that we need resources and although I was living a life of creative expression, I/ we struggled financially. Now , I will have more resources to care for my family AND to pursue my dreams. It's truly about how the management of my energy. I also feel that this is an opportunity for me to show other mamas out there who are working a 9 to 5, yet still have other aspirations outside of their jobs that they too can do both, with the right support systems and practices in place.

School
I recently turned in another section of a memoir that I am writing on motherhood. In addition to the rigor that this work requires, I love the learning that is coming from both the academic aspect of my work and the internal shifts and observations that I am making in order to maximize the experience that I want to have. More on Goddard soon...

Music and other creative pursuits

I am very excited about the direction my creative life is going. I began reconnecting my studio equipment this past week and began recording two songs. I can't describe the feeling I get when I begin recording and arranging my songs. It's as if a burst of energy surges through my body. There are a few other things that I need (a midi keyboard, mic stand and headphones) but the process has started. Plugging in my interface was just the jumpstart that I needed. As far as my other creative pursuits, I finished the first draft of my e-book and will soon to hosting my first Urbanmamasong workshop here in Boston. There will be more muisc, interviews and highlights forthcoming in the next few months and loads of inspiration to share. I hope this finds you well and ever flourishing.

Trusting the Process

2010-03-30T14:00:00.000-04:00

Spring is here. These past weeks in Boston have been spectacular as far as the weather is concerned. There has been a lot of blooms blossoming forth: Omer has been accepted into an amazing school , The Cambridge Friends School and I have recently accepted a job as the REEP Co-Director at ACE (Alternatives for Community and Environment)!!!

This Winter feels like it was a long one. Omer and his health adjustments. Financial constraints and somewhat of a dry spell as far as the music is concerned. Yes, I have been working on music on a certain level, but not in the way that I am accustomed. But that is all a part of the process.

From last week...

Trusting the Process
It is almost week three post-Goddard residency and I can say with a slight bit of relief, that the writing has begun. I was happy to hear that some of my other fellow Goddard folk were in similar boats. That we were each trying to figure out how to do this p"packet thing"; that we were all on the verge of losing our minds.

To give you a little bit of background on the program. I am in the Individualized BA Program. My focus is the (identification, support and/or the creation of support structures) for mothers and community caregivers. As part of my self-study plan I have to submit a "packet" every three weeks in accordance with the study plan that my advisor and I have agreed upon.

With that said, I am moving into the third week and the writing is began in the middle of last week. But in these past few weeks, there has been lots of reading, researching books and myself and reflecting...also recuperating from a week with a sick child. My partner (who is a Goddard grad)reminded that there's always going to be something, which is true and on some level in addition to writing, these packets are about me finding the balance, manage my time and cut away things that are not in alignment with my goals.
This week...
Sunday I woke up feeling like I needed to clean. I washed the dishes, cleaned and organized my workspace. It felt very much like nesting before giving birth. Afterwards, I was in "wombajucah" for almost two days straight. I am happy to say that I turned my first packet in on time. Today my body feels as if it is responding to the intense work and negligence it is has endured these past few weeks.

I intend to address what hindrances are getting in the way of me working efficiently and feeling good in my body. If the question that I am asking is about support structures for mamas and community caregivers, me falling apart does not serve me, my family, or the world, nor does it answer any questions. So, moving in the spirit of radical loving self-care, I am taking today off to let my body and brain adjust to the last few days of intense work and writing, then back to work tomorrow.

Inspired by: Sonia Sanchez

2010-03-22T21:55:00.000-04:00

When I began writing poetry many years ago, Sonia Sanchez was one of the women who I read and studied veraciously. I have the blessed opportunity of sharing the stage with her at 17 years old at Southern University in New Orleans. I honor and celebrate who she has been in my life. Enjoy!

Back home...

2010-03-09T14:18:00.000-05:00

I am finally home. After being away for ten days--planning, thinking, reading, writing; being intellectually stimulated in very deep and meaningful ways; stretching myself to think outside of my comfort zone; being in a space where I could focus on an educational process that was completely foreign, yet liberating to me within the world of academia, and thinking about the integration of what being a student in addition to being a mama and an artist is going to be, I am home.

Today, Omer is at home sick with a fever and cough…again. The week before I left, he was home sick with same thing. This is his first few months of preschool and the first time where public transportation is our sole means of transport, so he has had more colds and fevers these past three months, than any other time in his life.

This morning, my partner and I talked about how I am currently responding to Omer illness, which is pretty calm so far. Usually, I am a mess--worried, at times franctic. Not today. Today, I am lot more rational and poised. I think that somehow the frequency of Omer's illnesses has helped to make me less frantic--has "educated" me in the best ways of responding. I am learning how to care for his body and myself in spaces when he is not feeling well, which I have not done in the past. I responded in ways that were not sustainable in the long run. Frequent trips to the hospital when his temperature is above 102 and having the doctors reassure me that “this will pass, just watch him, give it time, bring him back in if he gets worse...” has helped as well. There has also been my partner's constant voice of reason, that at times I can't hear because of the shouting voice of panic, playing full blast in my mind.

I am home, learning to “Trust the process” as they say at Goddard. And this is all a part of the process of becoming—a conscious loving parent and partner, an artist and a human being who lives from a place of integrity and wholeness. It is a constant process. Being mama, taking care of my son in all his spaces, seeing myself reflecting/ reflected in my partnership in ways that stretch me and feel me to overflowing with gratitude, creating music and now being a student. It is all a part of this thrilling yet at times, scary journey. I give thanks for being in such a spiritually enriching space.
I know I promised to post daily entries while at Goddard, but once creating my study plan kicked in, I had to pull back and get focused. It was/is a journey. I give thanks. I celebrate.

In what ways have you grown recently?

May this find you well.

Goddard College Residency: Day 2

2010-02-26T21:48:00.000-05:00

I am feeling really full (in my mind and spirit) and exhausted right now. Don't have much energy to write. There has been a lot of information that I have been taking in. Gearing up for my first meeting with my advisor on tomorrow. This process is exciting, liberating and yet daunting. Some rest is in order. In the meantime, please enjoy some of these images. More text soon.
Be well.