Self Reflection

 With self reflection it is important to really look inward and determine if the things we don't like in others is really the thing we don't like within ourselves. 

 

The very thing that we don't want being reflected at us may be the exact energy that we are unconsciously pulling from those persons or things into our own subconscious. Most times it's not the other person or thing causing you the discomfort, most times it is your own thoughts and perceptions causing the discomfort. In our minds, we have set up certain expectations and rules that we govern ourselves by. We don't allow our minds freedom to rest and accept the variance that make up the beauty of life. We want to experience life in a way in which has been predetermined for us instead of truly allowing our soul to be free. Destiny is different than a predetermined learned reality. 

 

While doing self reflection it is important to learn about those things that truly make you afraid and those that truly liberate you. Once you master the art of self reflection you will learn that most internal emotions are a reflection of your own thoughts not the thing or person you are actually blaming. Once you know what liberates you, do that. Self reflection should encompass your mind, body and spirit. 

My Top Ten Thoughts This Week

1.) People don't really want what they ask for

2.) Being a black vegetarian is an anomaly

3.) 45 has an agenda that will benefit his pockets once he's done

4.) I really want to travel

5.) Entrepreneurship in America is interesting

6.) You can't set goals and attain them for others

7.) Magic is real, I've been a mermaid and a unicorn in one week.

8.) 11 year olds are little kids no matter how mature they try to act

9.) There is a clear difference between spiritually and religion

10.) When your faith is tested, when you were sure about an outcome, it's hard to rebound

*owning a brick and mortar business alone is hard

Let Go

The truth is...this journey called life can make you crazy if you let it. I've learned to start my day by letting go of expectations and through letting go I am free to experience this journey at its fullest capacity. I've learned that disappointments are a choice. 

We get to decide if we stay in a place of sadness or if we move towards the light. I let go not because my heart is always full of happiness but because my heart deserves it. Freedom is embracing that in which you know is yours for the taking and letting go of that which was never yours in the first place. I let go of people, things, experiences, thoughts, expectations and perception.

Children's Party Planning Guide

When planning parties for little ones I often encounter parents that are at a loss as to where they should start. Some parents simply lack time to properly organize without becoming totally frazzled.  My advice for parents is to do what makes party planning the least stressful and the most fun for your family, especially the birthday child. Since 2009 I have had the privilege of helping countless families plan their child's birthday celebration.   From the very simple play party to the most extravagant birthday blowout,  my staff and I have helped to create the "par-tay" magic! As my favorite shirt says: "I LOVE Parties!  Nothing makes me happier than helping a parent create a day that they or their child will not forget.  Whether you are planning a birthday party at Amaya Papaya Play Lounge or another venue let me share my advice on planning the best celebration of your child's birth.

Who...        

            Who are you planning to invite? Maybe you want to have a close family-only event, or maybe you want to invite 25 children (and their adults) to the party. If your child has a BFF, make sure you include them. Sending invitations out four to six weeks out usually ensures a good turnout to your party.

What…

            What is your budget? Decide on a budget for your party. If you are looking to spend $100 or $1,000, you can create a memorable party for your little one. If you are looking at a venue to host your party, calculate the components of the party package within your budget. For example, at Amaya Papaya, some of our party packages include invitations, paper products and balloons, so you could deduct these items off. 

           
 What are you going to do? Themed parties can be so much fun! If your child has a favorite character, movie, or television show, you can use this to determine the theme. Discover your creative side to develop a theme, or you can peruse sites, such as Pinterest, to give your creative side a kick-start! In addition to a theme, you might want to add entertainment. Balloon artists, face painters, bounce houses, enrichment,  characters and a DJ might be fun to add to a party. Make sure you contact your entertainment at least 6 weeks out from your event; they might require a deposit. Certain venues, like Amaya Papaya, are the entertainment. If your budget is tight, put your extra money toward your food and drink. Your guests will enjoy your party better.

When…

            When will you start your party? One decision is weekday vs. weekend. On a weekend, more of your scheduled guests will be able to attend. For older children, a weekday party might be preferred; it stays clear of Saturday sports, rehearsals, etc. The time of day matters as well. If you plan to serve a meal, have your party during lunch or dinner times. If you are not planning to serve a meal, then plan your party between traditional meal times. 

Where…

            Where do you want to hold your party? Home parties can be less expensive and you are not confided to time restraints. Venues, like Amaya Papaya, can be fun, exciting, and they make your job a lot easier, especially the cleanup.  Local parks can be a fun place for a party. Make sure you contact the local Parks and Recreation Department to secure the location. When choosing to host your party at any venue, reserve your spot as early as possible to ensure you are able to get your desired time and location.

Why…

            Why are you hosting a party? Parties are supposed to be fun, so don’t forget the fun items such as: goodie bags for each guest, party games like a piñata or pin the tail on the donkey, and a fun playlist that gets the party going. Throughout the entire process, don’t lose sight of the reason you are hosting a party: to celebrate the birth of your child with family and friends. Make sure you take plenty of pictures to remember your fun!


I hope this advice has been helpful and that it makes your party planning stress free. This year for my daughter's 11th birthday she opted to have a party in our home in our backyard after having countless parties at Amaya Papaya over the years.  My husband and I planned every activity yet left room for alterations in the schedule. It was a fabulous day for her and her guest. My husband and I left the party happy also.

Everyone wants less clutter

How can you have less clutter AND more play options?

Easy! Donate your extra toys to a Toy Library and borrow them back a few at a time.

 If 100 families did this each family would have access to a thousand toys for their children while 

their houses would only have a few selected toys to play with at any one time. As soon as your 

children are "over" the toys they picked they can visit the Toy Library and choose something new 

to play with. And because the toys are ownership neutral your children are more likely to share. 

Join the clutter free club!

Visit the Toy Library of Central Florida

toylibraryofcentralflorida.org

dawn.tlcf@gmail.com

407-592-7575

2517 East Semoran Blvd

Apopka FL 32703

Sponsored Post 

After Hours Emergency Care for Kids

Night Lite Pediatrics (NLP), the leading urgent care practice for evening outpatient pediatric medical care in Central Florida, announces its new medicine concierge services, Right Now MD for young visitors. From 8am to midnight, Right Now MD will offer pediatric services in the comfort of visitor’s hotel/resort rooms. Open seven days a week, Right Now MD physicians will be prepared to handle everything from cuts and bumps to respiratory issues for patients from newborn to 21 years of age.

“We are truly excited about our new concierge service for our younger visitors. With Orlando being named the top tourist destination for a number of consecutive years in the U.S. and setting a new record as being the first destination in the U.S. to surpass 60 million visitors, we saw a need to expand our services to cater to the growing tourism market,” said Dr. Desai, a Partner and Pediatric Physician at Night Lite Pediatric/Right Now MD.
Right Now MD boasts a team of highly trained professionals with over 30 years of experience in pediatrics with two of its physicians recently named “Best Pediatric Physicians” by Orlando Magazine.

“We have a very diverse staff and also an excellent track record working with families from different cultural backgrounds, as a result we are confident in our services and it proving beneficial to visitors both internationally and in the U.S,” said Dr. Soremi, a Partner and Pediatric Physician at Night Lite Pediatrics/Right Now MD.
Right Now MD will also offer additional services for young visitors which include on-site laboratory and radiology services, treatment of fractures, private patient observation areas and rooms to treat acute and chronic illnesses at any of the (10) closest Night Lite pediatric locations.

About Right Now MD
Right Now MD is your Pediatrician away from your home. Right Now MD provides young visitors with in room hotel/resort medical care for your unplanned injury or sickness by Florida Licensed Pediatricians. For additional information on Right Now MD visit www.rightnow-md.com

About Night Lite Pediatrics
Night Lite Pediatrics Urgent Care is the leading practice for outpatient urgent medical care of children and adolescents needing emergency services in the evenings and weekends in Central Florida. Night Lite Pediatrics is managed by board certified, critical care doctors. There are 10 Central Florida locations: Downtown, Lake Underhill, Winter Garden, Lake Mary, Kissimmee (The Loop), Oviedo, Sand Lake, Apopka, St. Cloud and Melbourne. Night Lite Pediatrics is open until midnight- every day of the year. Night Lite Pediatrics Urgent Care is the fastest growing pediatric urgent care in Florida.
Night Lite Pediatrics provides rapid diagnosis and care, including on-site laboratory and radiology services, a patient observation area, procedure rooms for the treatment of lacerations and fractures, IV access and spinal taps. The centers treat minor broken bones, lacerations, sprains, fevers, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration and ear, nose and throat infections. Night Lite Pediatrics also treats children with asthma and respiratory illnesses, as well as chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease and colitis. For more information, please visit www.nightlitepediatrics.com 

Sponsored Post 

Save Money on Toys

If you shop for toys at garage sales, thrift stores, consignment

shops or department stores, you could be saving money by joining the

Toy Library of Central Florida. They have an endless supply of toys for

one small membership. And because you don’t have to store them long

term your house isn’t cluttered with unused toys. Your kids can walk

into the Toy Library and borrow any toy they choose and return it the

next week and pick another one. No toy store will let them do that. You

could drive to multiple garage sales and never find the huge variety of

items they have at the Toy Library.

The shelves at the Toy Library of Central Florida are already full of

toys that have been donated, sorted, cleaned, labeled and are ready to

be played with. They are a not for profit (501c3) company. All

donations are tax deductible. New donations come in daily.

Visit the Toy Library of Central Florida

toylibraryofcentralflorida.org

dawn.tlcf@gmail.com

407-592- 7575

2517 East Semoran Blvd

Apopka, Fl 32703

Sponsored Post 

Trust in Something Bigger Than Yourself

This morning I woke up feeling very uncomfortable. I wasn't sure exactly what this feeling was coming from. I'm a true empath so I tend to feel EVERYTHING. I've come to understand and listen to my intuition or just be still with the feeling to understand why I am feeling something.

This morning I was comforted in knowing that in darkness there is light to be found, with death comes new birth, with tragedy comes triumph and with uncertainty comes answers.

I, like many of you don't know what to make of the politics we are experiencing, race issues seem to permeate everything we do, mental health among humanity seems to be at an all time alarming concern and the safety of our well being seems to be in question so often.

How do we undo the stress? How do we un-think the negative thoughts? How do we promote positivity in light of such heaviness?

The answer for me this morning was simple. It's one that I will sit with today and remind myself of as I journey through my day. God knows what he is doing. The universe will conspire to do exactly what we think up. Today I choose to be light and believe that I create my own power based on the amount of faith I choose to harness.

Visor Board Planning for the Bomb Mom

When I was a counselor for a girls school in Orlando one of the coolest things I did with my girls was to have them create vision boards. A vision board is a really simple craft project that helps you to reflect on goals you may have or things you may want to manifest in life. To create a vision board you gather pictures, single words or quotes that you would like to adhere to a board. 

When I was in the preparation phase for Amaya Papaya I created a huge double sided vision board. The board helped me to organize my ideas about various play areas and the type of toys I wanted to have at my facility. This really helped me in establishing my vision for Amaya Papaya as a creative play space called a playlounge that mostly offered kid powered & classic toys.

Join me in the Amaya Papaya Play and Support Group on Facebook (so you can participate virtually) or at Amaya Papaya Play Lounge at 11am daily during the 1st week in January to create your own Vision Board! ALL FOR FREE! 

I will go LIVE during the week in the group to discuss our progress together.

This week I will help you will visualize your goals through guided meditation, set your intentions through Bomb Mom discussions, gain inspiration from other Bomb Moms, create a network for accountability and have fun!

5 Benefits of a Vision Board

Helps you to visualize your goals
Helps you to set your intentions
Helps you to gain inspiration
Help you to stay accountability

Tis' the Season for My Love and Dislikes

I have a love/dislike relationship with the holiday season. 

Being an only child and a self proclaimed black sheep I have rarely ever had the big holiday gatherings that I have dreamt of. I rarely get invited to gatherings and when I do, I rarely want to go. I usually avoid gatherings as to avoid my own personal "awkward black girl" thing. To me, the actual holiday itself is usually disappointing, mostly because after eating the meal or opening the gifts the rest of the day is boring. Most people I've been around during the holidays tend to retreat to their designated corners to tinker with their gifts, take a nap or watch T.V. Honestly, I don't know what I expect.  

The stress that comes along with the holidays from having to uphold your end of the "bargain" by giving gifts or being appreciative when receiving a gift gives me a headache. I don't want gifts for the holidays. I want something more. I'm still uncertain as to what. I do know that it is filled with warmth, sparkle, warm fuzzies and holding hands. I'm a dreamer. I dislike feeling as if I need to get something for people on a certain day. I feel like this mostly because life is already stressful enough without having to remember to buy a gift and to get the gift right. Have you ever stood in the middle of a mall trying to figure out what to buy for a person with no clue of where to start? I'm sure I may be a bit biased in my stress because shopping is just not my thing. I'd rather take a cold shower on the coldest day of the year with my heater broken. Speaking of gifts, sometimes they are just not in my budget. I'm more concerned with what's on my budget like, making sure my kid can take dance lessons or saving enough money so I can update things in my house or finally giving my family that awesome vacation that we deserve. Can't we have a holiday day where we give love instead of stuff that cost money? Is it possible for this to exist and people REALLY just be appreciative of the moment instead of how many items they receive or what someone else brought to the table?  Give me gifts on my birthday. Those are fun.

We have been so conditioned to expect things due to the commercialization of holidays. I love the holiday decoration, the traditions, my own beliefs for the season and the spirituality that comes with the holiday time. I love the goodwill towards men. I love the holiday spirit. While the actions of others to give toys, food and other items to collection organizations give me the warm fuzzies, the stress that is put on parents to find these places, qualify to get the items and in some cases, swallow their pride to wait in line to get the items makes my heart hurt. Why does this even have to be a thing? I mean...I get it...but geesh......I dislike the commercialization.

After all of this, yes, I dislike when the holidays are over. It's so sad to me that all of the decor comes down. I get a little misty eyed knowing that I can't just turn on the radio to hear Christmas music. I often wonder why the kind gestures from people that come from being in the holiday spirit goes away. Can you imagine what an awesome world we could have if we stayed in the "holiday spirit" all year. I do like that we can get back to our regular schedules and that my businesses slow season comes to an end. Happy Thanksgiving Eve. Appreciate your family and take it easy on yourself. Don't let others expectations, determine your expectations.

No doubts

Let me tell you what not doubting God and staying positive in a storm will do: 

Yesterday after an awesome day at AP I went outside to start my car and it would not come on. I called my husband several times but could not reach him. I posted to FB about me being "stuck". 

Honestly, I was happy that it was at AP where I had AC! Finally, I called my mom and she came over to pick me up. She dropped me off and about 5 minutes later my husband arrived at home. His phone had died and he had forgotten his charger. I told him about the car and we ventured back over to AP to see if he could get it on. No luck. I could see the frustration in his eyes. (Our cars are 2000 models, we really need NEW cars. One of the ways we've cut cost over the years WHILE TRYING TO ESTABLISH A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS is by having no car payments. The downside has been the maintenance of the old models at times over the years. I am even grateful that my car was given to me by my mother...at no cost when we really needed to get another vehicle lately). I told him not to worry and that God would take care of us! I asked him not to worry but to instead to pray and BELIEVE that God would provide just what we needed. 

Back to my story......

He took Amaya and I back home so we could prepare for the evening. We ate dinner after which he began searching for a rental vehicle. I would need a vehicle because he goes to work early and I would need a way to get Amaya to dance camp and for me to get to work. It's the Independence Day weekend so all of the vehicles are a much higher cost than normal.  Once again I called my mother for the rescue. She agreed to take Amaya to camp in the morning and to take me to work as well. I love my mom......So it was all settled, I didn't need the car. Next up was calling AAA. Thomas set up the tow truck and we ventured back to AP.  It was 10pm.  I dropped him off with plans of picking him up from the mechanic shop after the car was towed.  I got Amaya back home and prepared for bed with a heads up that I may need to wake her up so we could go get daddy. Around 10:45pm I got a call from my husband saying that he was on his way home with my car. AAA got the car to turn on! Apparently the car gear was not completely in park therefore it would not cut on!! Seriously?! Lol! 

I'm so grateful to God! Something that would have been way more stressful and could have cost us a LOT of money was no issue at all!  Not once did I doubt God for a solution or get frustrated about the situation. God is truly good! 

 

Meet our Newest Family Member!

Amaya Papaya is closed all week! I get to play, complete projects or do basically whatever I want to do for 7 full days!  I'm calling this time my "rejuvenation week". I plan to relax, complete some projects, refocus spiritually and organize my house for summer!  

One of the things I've wanted to do for the longest was adopt a dog that I could make my running buddy. He would ultimately be Amaya's dog so he'd need to like her a lot and be willing to sleep in her room or close by.  Since I'm off for a few days I figured this may be the best time to incorporate a new addition into our family life. On Monday, Amaya and I headed to the animal shelter after school to check out the dogs that were available for adoption. We visited the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando and Seminole County Animal Control. There were so many dogs. Most of them were older. We definely had our hearts set on getting a younger dog that could grow through the tween and teen years with Amaya. We finally came across a cute boxer named Benji. We were able to sit with him, walk around with him and interact. 

He was perfect! We decided to rescue him and immediately completed his adoption paperwork. One of the things we noticed was that he didn't really respond to his name. Amaya decided that she wanted to change his name to one that fit our family personality more. That would mean naming him after a Disney character of course!  After she selected a few names I posted to my Facebook page asking for help with deciding upon the best name. Stitch was the overwhelming choice of most. Luckily it was......that's the name Amaya picked as well!! 

When he arrived at our home. We introduced him to our 12 year old chihuahua Simba. Simba has been with my husband and I since before we were married. He's seen us get married (literally, he was in the wedding) and he was right there when Amaya came home after she was born. I think it may take a few days for Simba to adjust. He's not used to being around other dogs. Please pray that his adjustment is peaceful and fast. ☺️.  

Stitch loved his first encounter with our huge back yard. He ran in circles so fast! He's also great at fetch! Currently, he is sleeping at the foot of Amaya's bed. He's snoring so loud! I hope this finally keeps Amaya in her own bed. 😁

I'm looking forward to our new journey with Stitch. I hope he likes his new home. Amaya is sure happy that he has join our family.     

What does the Amaya Papaya logo mean?

As we take time to reflect on the importance of Mothering, I would like to share with you my inspiration for the Amaya Papaya name and logo. AMAYA PAPAYA is a TERM OF ENDEARMENT FOR MY DEAREST DAUGHTER (and best business partner ever) Amaya.

When I was pregnant with Amaya I dreaded the thought of getting STRETCH MARKS!! It was not until 2 days before I gave birth that the first stretch mark appeared, from that moment on they spread like wild fire! I was devastated (or so I thought, vain I know).

Once Amaya was born my favorite song to sing to her was MY GIRL by the Temptations. The first line was so true..."I got SUNSHINE on a cloudy day".... Amaya was truly my SUNSHINE in the mist of anything that I was going through as a new mom.

When Amaya began to speak she would ask me about the boo boo's on my belly. I would tell her that they were not boo boo's at all. I began telling her that the stretch marks where SUN RAYS that I was blessed with when she was inside my belly.

As I began to think of a logo for Amaya Papaya, I thought that nothing would be more fitting than the SUNSHINE to represent Amaya and every other child that a parent has been blessed with. If you took the sunshine in our logo and turned it sideways where the sun rays are facing down it would appear as if it were a mama's belly with sun rays beaming from it.  Isn't that beautiful and so true! 

Ask Amaya....she will tell you how she put the SUNSHINE on mommy's belly! If your ever at Amaya Papaya and you hear the song "My Girl" playing please excuse me if I get a bit teary eyed. After all it's "our song" and it reminds me of my forever blessing.....MY GIRL. 

I am ever grateful to have been chosen to be her mommy. I come from a long line of amazing women and I look forward to watching Amaya become an amazing woman as well. 

Now with the addition of my new mission and movement, Bomb Mom, I hope to inspired and support other moms to be their greatest self.  Bomb Mom grew out of my daily interaction with mothers at Amaya Papaya.  Through those moms I see a need for a motherhood empowerment movement that will address the mental health of mom, her need for non-judgemental bonds with other moms and overall support for her on her journey as a mom. 

Happy Mother's Day Bomb Moms! 

Captain America: Civil War Epicness

I had the chance to see an advanced screening of Captain America: Civil War.

The action was continuous from start to finish! My husband, daughter and I are huge super hero fans. We have seen every movie that Marvel has released over the years. This movie delivered what all of those movies of the past deliver and more! It was by far the best Marvel production ever! The stunts were epic. I think my heart palipitated through the entire movie! The roster of super heroes that joined the cast in this movie was a super hero fans delight. Each hero delivered on their individual character and we even got to see some huge surprises.  By far,  my favorite character was Mr. Chris Evans, Captain America himself. Ladies, this man in gorgeous (sorry, I had to say it, lol). I am Team Captain America...because his heart was in the right place, of course. 

This movie is a must see for the entire family however,  I will caution parents that there is some language to be mindful of(the movie is PG-13).

*The views expressed in this blog are those of Amaya Papaya's mom. I was not paid to review this movie. 

Mommin' Ain't Easy

Ok let's face it, we moms are our own worst critic. We spend our days taking care of little humans, trying to make sure we are the best parents possible and still at the end of the day some of us feel like we didn't do enough. Our not enough is not doing enough for our kids, not doing enough for everyone else and most of all not doing enough to take care of ourselves. Truth be told, we most likely meet the needs of everyone and every obligation except for those of ourselves. How many times have you bathed your child, brushed their teeth and made sure they went to sleep peacefully yet, you crash on the couch without a bath or clean breath? 

The past few weeks I've been feeling uneasy. So many things regarding motherhood in general, my community and my own parenting journey have had me on edge. I want to find answers, I want to be my best, I want to help as many moms as I can achieve peace. 

I've wondered to myself some of the following things:

1.) How do I create my tribe? 

I have friends. I do not have a best friend. I have friends but I don't have that group of friends that I call my tribe. I think one of the reason I'm in a constant state of oneness is because I'm an only child (disclaimer: I'm my mothers only child, I have siblings via my father however, I was raised as an only by my mother). Finding friends has always been easy. Creating temporary best friends hasn't been a problem....keeping a real long term female best friend has never happen for me. (Disclaimer: my first best friend passed away when I was 14. She's been irreplaceable) 

2.) How do I not feel guilty when telling people that I can't or that don't want to do something? 

I've mastered the art of saying no. In most cases,  I'm often a giver of no fucks.  Then there are those times when the guilt of saying no consumes me. This happens especially when those people I say no to are those that usually say yes to me. I feel selfish....but man, I'm usually saying no because I'm just so tired. 

3.) How do I help my child free friends/colleagues understand and not take personal me not wanting to participate in extracurricular activities...especially ones that take place after I've worked and mommed all day. 

I just want to go home, put my child to sleep after dinner and disconnect. 

4.) How do I protect Amaya from the crazy world? 

Yikes! I walk a thin line between being a mama bear and the mother of a free spirited child. I want Amaya to experience the real word but at the same time I want to protect her from the unfairness of the word too. I don't want her to experience heartbreak yet I want her to be tuff enough to deal if it should come her way. 

5.) Am I living up to my greatest potential? 

There are so many things that I want to achieve in my lifetime. There are so many people that I want to help. How do I achieve these things while also being fully present for my family? 

6.) Organization. 

How do I keep life organized when living life? One of my favorite sayings is: homes are not messy, they are lived in. How do we achieve complete organization while raising children? Will that mother come help me? Please? 

I believe that everything happens as it should. I guess that is what helps me during the times I feel so overwhelmed. I believe that God never puts more on us than we can bear. I just wish my inner self  would acknowledge this!

What inner dialogue do you have with yourself about mothering? 

Bomb Mom Stories: Donating Breast Milk After Miscarriage

On a busy Thursday afternoon at Amaya Papaya a sweet mama walked in to drop off her donated breast milk. Amaya Papaya is a breast milk drop off location for Get PUMPed so initially, the moment was routine.  Every donation is special. I love getting to celebrate the mamas for such a huge act of love. While every donation drop off is amazing, this moment and this act of love would leave a huge impact on my heart. Like normal, I asked for the container that the milk was transported in so I could take it back to the freezer to be stored. I noticed that the mama was hesitant to let the milk go, literally. She said "I'm not ready to let it go". I asked her how old her baby was....she looked at me with loving eyes and told me that she had lost her child a few weeks ago. In that moment everything that was happening in the lounge stopped. It was just that sweet mama and I. I noticed her eyes begin to fill with tears so I asked her if I could offer her a hug. We embraced. Mama support is one of the most powerful forms of energy another mom can show to another mom.  I offered her the chance to be able to walk to the freezer with me to unload the milk from her cooler. She gladly accepted! We walked back through the busy lounge to the freezer. I'm not going to lie....all types of thoughts popped into my mind about the mom seeing other babies playing.  While at the freezer I asked her about her family. I was really hesitant to ask if this was her only child, but to my surprise she was very open.  I'm a counselor by trade, so I am very cautious about asking people to much without a sign that they are willing to share more. She told me about her two small daughters and how the baby that she lost was her first born son.

 While she transferred the milk to the freezer I offered to take a picture of her doing so and of course all 164oz of milk that she donated! More hugs and some laughs later we headed back to the front where we chatted a bit more about her son Dominic and most important how she was feeling about the drop off. This milk was the last "physical" reminder of her son that she could see, feel or smell. I messaged her the picture that I had taken and gave her another hug before she left.  Later that night when I got home I messaged her to share how this moment made a huge impact on me.  I asked her if I could share the story about her drop off on my blog and if there was anything that she wanted me to include about her story. I was surprised to receive back such an amazing text about her birth and her son Dominic.  This sweet mama's name is Sharita. Here is her story in her words........ 

"I was 16 weeks pregnant when I went into preterm labor with Dominic on February 9, 2016.  My boy was healthy, my body wasn't, I had just suffered a miscarriage in August of 2015. After eight hours in labor I had my first vaginal birth, he came feet first! My heart was broken, I hated my body and it has taken me a while to trust my body again. I didn't anticipate my milk coming in as the Doctor assured me it wouldn't, but it did.  Once it did, it was the most devastating thing after my loss, the milk that was supposed to nourish my baby was here, but my son was not.  I couldn't take the pain of my breast being engorged. I asked for advice from people in the ICAN (The International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc)  group.  One of the ladies suggested I donate my milk.  I knew it was the right thing to do.  I got in touch with Get PUMPed. They explained to me that donated milk stays local and that they don't charge for it.   I knew that was something I wanted to be a part of. I knew my son, even in death, would be a blessing to another baby and mom. In his name I wanted to help and do the right thing. 

Supporting a mother who has lost a child due to miscarriage in the second trimester can be tough.  For a while, I did not want to see another pregnant mom.  I did not want to hear a baby crying.  I found no comfort in pumping.

To offer support it is important to listen, encourage and also respect the mother's space.  Understand that she is not broken or handicap.  She is hurting. Everyone grieves differently and that is OK.  There is no comparison to the loss of a child. Don't compare your loss to another woman's loss."

Sharita was able to express her milk and store it with the donation of a brand new breast pump and supplies from Get PUMPed.  She says that Get PUMPed played a huge part in her donating her milk. Per federal mandate for insurance companies they cannot give a pump before 28 weeks.  Her milk was donated locally here in Orlando to a baby that was adopted! The mother who adopted the baby suffered her own loss previously by loosing two children via miscarriage and also pumped to donate milk after those losses as well. Upon accepting the milk from Sharita and Dominic she wrote Sharita a note.

About Get PUMPed: 

Get PUMPed(Providing Urgent Milk to Parents) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing breast milk to babies in Central Florida who, due to extraordinary circumstances, cannot be nursed by their biological mothers. We do not sell or buy breast milk. We facilitate the donation of milk from screened donors.

Starting this week I will select one mother's story a month to write about. These stories will be titled Bomb Mom Stories. The stories will be about the triumphs and challenges of motherhood. I am honored to share Sharita's story as the first blog in this series. 

About the Bomb Mom Movement: 

Bomb Mom by @amayapapayasmom is a modern mama movement that supports mothers at all stages of their parenting journey. 

Bomb Mom is a community of women who honor a "no judgement" approach to uplift each other while navigating the maze of motherhood.

If you are interested in sharing your story please email me at amayapapayaplay@gmail.com. 

The Jungle Book Live Action Movie

Tonight I had the honor of being able to watch an advanced screening of The Jungle Book with Amaya and some of my awesome customers from Amaya Papaya! 

Our group ranged in age from 1 years old to 40+. After the movie everyone was smiling and boasted about how good the movie was and how it held their attention the entire time. For the kids I think it must have been fun to see the characters brought to life. For the adults if they are anything like me, seeing the new movie stick to the story line however, giving a bit more depth to the story made the movie Epic. The end was indeed heartfelt and I cheered as a new ending was left open for us to only image what happens next. 

Each moment of the movie was captivating. I cried from joy and sadness, cheered as Mowgli ran as fast as he could, laughed at the cute moments and clung to my seat as Mowgli found himself in some pretty intense moments. 

Movie remakes are always a risk. Disney totally hit the ball out of the park with this one. Certainly a risk worth taking. My favorite character in the movie was definitely King Louie! He will now be know to me as the King of the Monkey Mafia! Him singing was nostalgic yet refreshingly mondern for this remake. 

*The views expressed in this blog are those of Amaya Papaya's mom. I was not paid to review this movie. 

April Fools Pregnancy Joke

I have mixed feelings about this. 

For 8 years on and off we struggled with not being able to get pregnant until finally this year we decided to let the dream go and that adoption would be in our future. 

Over the years to make light of my own situation I HAVE posted April fools pregnancy funnies. I'm not sure what has made me sadder...a friend posting that they are pregnant for real....or the relief I've felt around April fools day when someone says their post was a joke. Don't get me wrong. I find joy in others happiness but when you have a goal in mind and you keep failing while others seem to be winning it can be discouraging. 

I just don't know. I guess if you've been on both sides of the spectrum you could either feel like people are insensitive or like people are to sensitive.  I try my hardest not to judge other people as I could never walk in someone else's shoes. I don't want to. From my perspective, in the past I've posted because it helped me to make light of my own situation and helped me to laugh at myself. In my case I believe God knows what's best for me and what is meant to be will be. This year, I will not post an April fools pregnancy funny. Out of respect for the women who like me have struggled with infertility and who don't find it funny that happen to come across my post I'll remain pregnancy post free on April fools day.  Empathy and compassion are the first steps in being my sisters keeper.   I'm sure I can come up with something else that is sure to be way more epic and unforgettable. After all....I'm a huge jokester! 

What are your feelings on this topic?