Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Community- 4.7.08

From the Baby Boot Camp Portland Metro April Newsletter
Community....

Unfortunately the bully from last month, who pushed me off the swing, had two bigger pushes I didn't know about. He pushed me so HARD with BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM that I didn't know what hit me and was thrown into survival mode. Last month I got pneumonia, and then my infant Emerson had RSV. Emerson also had pneumonia and was treated for pertusis, which meant she had to go to the hospital for almost 2 weeks. During that time, my Dad was rushed to the hospital with unexpected heart issues requiring him to get a pace maker. All this while, I was also trying to make the hospital fun for Makenzie. It can be done and actually provided some family memories I will never forget. Sneaking beer on St.Patrick's Day in Rm #470, Easter Egg hunting throughout the ward, doing lunges down the hallway, having nurses laugh when they caught me doing my own aerobic workout in Emerson's room...but the survival mode Jack and I were thrown into wouldn't have been possible without the community of Baby Boot Camp.

When I first started my Baby Boot Camp business 3 years ago, I had a goal of creating phenomenal exercise classes for Moms(and Dads) that were inviting and encouraging. My goal was to focus on helping Moms improve their self esteem through athletics. I also wanted to create an active support community for parents in the Portland Metro Area, providing activities that were fun for all and incorporated into the city's many events. While having the goal to do this for all the Moms in Baby Boot Camp, I guess I was also doing it for myself.

As a Mom, business owner, athlete, uber energetic type-a gal I have a tough time asking for and accepting help. It is probably more common amongst many Moms than any of us will admit. The inability to ask for help is what showed me what a huge community has developed through classes. I didn't have to ask, the help came to me and told me I couldn't say "no". A group of dear Baby Boot Camp Moms and the phenomenal Baby Boot Camp Team, put together a whole support network in place for my family. They sat me down and said that I was not allowed to say no to help. They created "to do lists", playdates for Makenzie and had everything in order before we left the hospital. This ability to tell me I have no choice but to accept help led me to realize again how genuine and incredible the Baby Boot Camp community is.

Over the years I have been elated to see tons of playgroups formed from classes, hear Moms in class plan events with other Baby Boot Campers, have Dads start regular poker nights and see regular running groups form. I received the following email last month that sums it up best:

"I have only lived in Portland for 10 months, and most of my social life is thanks to Baby boot camp! I've got 2 play groups now and a whole bunch of great friends. I'm fitter and stronger than I have been in a long time and all my clothes are too big! So, I thought it was about time I thanked you all for making Portland really feel like home. I don't know how I would have survived without it.

Thank you for putting up with my (very sarcastic!) British sense of humor, and for giving me something to leave the house for in the mornings! - xxoo Alison
"

Thank you everyone, for helping make my goal of a supportive and active community come true. I thank you and appreciate your excitement and enjoyment in doing so. I know this next year our community will grow bigger and deeper than ever before. Even if you get kicked off the swing, you have plenty of strong women who will dust you off and pick you right back up.

Warmly and with much appreciation- Erin Shirey

Kicked Off a Swing- 3.8.08

From the Baby Boot Camp Portland & Beaverton Newsletter-
Kicked Off A Swing


I feel like I am in Wallace Park on a big swing pumping my legs and soaring high on the joy of the past weeks- a new baby girl, a business that brings me joy, a husband who is as excited as I am to teach Baby Boot Camp, goofy and sweet "big girl" and the spring flowers in bloom. But * BOOM * getting pushed off by a bully in the park.

Three weeks ago I was on the path to a sweet recovery from the c-section and getting the 2 munchkin juggle down. Boom the bully came and pushed me off the swing. Makenzie got sick and stayed home from school for one week. Had to start all over again. So I hop back on the swing soaring and pumping my legs with more vigor than before. Makenzie is back in school and I had quiet newborn mornings with Emerson. BOOM the bully pushes me off again! My back goes out, and I get the "flu crud " so I actually take a couple days in bed and enjoy lame movies. Then I attempt to get back on the soaring swing and BOOM BOOM BOOM the nastiest bully in the park pushes me off. That bully has the name of Pneumonia for me and RSV for my 6 week-old Emerson. I was admitted to the ER and then had to stay in the hospital for 3 days while Emerson was being nursed at home by Jack and my Sister, Robbie. The problem is the bully doesn't realize who he is messing with. Now I am mad, ready for payback, and eager to pump higher than ever before. I have hopped back on the swing with others behind me pushing me as high as can go. I won't let this dang bully push me off again, because I will definitely be pumping away fiercely.

In the meantime, while I am attempting to pump my legs to health, I encourage all of you to do the same. When you get pushed off the swing, which we all are at times, hop back on stronger than before. They say what breaks you down makes you stronger, so heck, we in Baby Boot Camp are making you stronger in class to prep for those times you break down. Cheers to all of you to keep exercising and running for me, while I am attempting to be healthy in beating this pneumonia and RSV bully.

A healthy St. Patrick's Day "Cheers" and know a pint of Guiness does every body good!

Biggest Challenge

Here it is, only 2 more weeks of the Baby Boot Camp BIGGEST Challenge. How are YOU doing with your Challenge goals? Are you feeling ready to blast out the next two weeks and get to that next level? Are you ready to charge through and make these 14 days count? I know I am ... with the last two weeks finally able to get on a regular schedule post hospital craziness I am more than motivated. So in the time of motivating YOU to work harder, you are encouraged to do:

3 x 10 Rainbow push Ups
3 x Plie Squats with 10 count pulses in the low squat position
4 x 30 second crab walk followed by 4 x 15 Tricep Dips

As I have gradually come back to class the past two weeks, it has struck me that some Moms think the workouts are always easy for the instructors and I. We are definitely a determined bunch, and eager to make each workout more challenging than the next, but we have days and weeks where the workouts kick our fannies too. AS I am attempting to get back to my 100% pre-new10 week old baby body and pre -pneumonia self I have found myself more challenged cardiovascularly than I imagined I would be. I was doing hill repeats last night and I felt my lungs needing to get strong again. When doing 5 sets of push ups with chest flies, I was shaking toward the end. On Saturday there were two Moms in class who said "It is good to see you sore too", with smiles. It was said in a sweet way and I laughed back," I am just like you but my business is fitness. I, too, am a new tired Mom all over again". That reality is what helps set the Baby Boot Camp Team apart from other Personal Trainers...we get it. We are all athletes and love our jobs training you, but we also get "it".

ON that note, I have to go so my rainbow push ups, plie squats and crab walks before bed so I don't get in trouble with myself.