Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Eat! Move! Play!



Would ya take a look at that sweet face? It was love at first sight for me. Chris is my first born and he's sooo much like his mama. He has such a sweet soul and cares so much about others- but man is he a handful. He will test your limits and push your buttons... and he's ALL boy. Frank Beamer- you really should be contacting me right now about giving Chris a scholarship. Let me just tell ya, Michael Oher has nothing on this boy!

Chris is somewhat of a natural athlete, and he loves playing sports. But it happened again this weekend.:( "It" meaning the one thing that can break a mama's heart- his feelings were hurt. We were at George Mason University for a swim meet, and Chris was called chubby. I hate tattle-tales- If you're not hurt, then don't tattle... but this time I'm glad Chris did. He told his coach that his teammate was calling him names, and then the 9-year-old meanie cried because he was told on. Ha! That's what ya get! Pick on someone your own age.

I'm a big girl, and my hubby's a solid six foot five inches... so Chris is bound to be a big guy. But what some people fail to realize is that big isn't always better. As parents, we try to keep Chris active and we try to buy healthy foods, but we are terrified of the growing problem of childhood obesity. We've met with our pediatrician and he's been tested. Chris doesn't have diabetes and his blood work came back fine. We've met with a nutritionist and we've gotten tips... Yes, we're still working on cutting back juice and liquid calories... but the simple fact is- I have a five year old that weighs 81 pounds. If you're not familiar with weight, let me put it into prospective- I'm buying size 12 shorts for my 5 year old son. So, as a mother, I really need to get my butt in gear when it comes to nutrition. It's not just about my body, but my family's health as well.

We live in a drive-thru world. It's so easy to pick up fast food on the way to practice, or to grab a happy meal for a playdate at the park. But as easy as that is, who are we really hurting? When I was drinking protein shakes and trying to eat salads, I hate to admit it, but more than not, my kids were being served Dino-nuggets or hot dogs. I expressed my concern to some of the Weight Watchers representatives at Fitbloggin', and to my surprise, I received the book: Eat! Move! Play! delivered to my door this week! It was an answer to my prayers.

Eat! Move! Play! is a parent's guide for raising healthy, happy kids. I'm not sure about you, but that's what I want. Whether you are dealing with a picky eater, or in my case, a nonstop eater, this book is for you. Without being a dull, dry read, it has brought so many things to my attention... Um hello- How many of you use food as a bribe or as a reward? I can't remember a time that my kids didn't have a "snack bag" to chomp on as we drive down the road. I'm also ashamed to admit that on more occasions than none, I've taken a sucker out to get my two-year-old to sit in her carseat. And I won't even deny using skittles to get my child to poop on the potty. What habits am I creating?

It's easy to write when something hits so close to home. This week, I look forward to sharing with you some information from this book. It's doing what food always does to me... bringing out my emotions. Afterall, it's not all about me. It's about that little boy that had me from hello. Yes, Chris, no matter how big you are, you will always be my little boy.

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