Celebrity

Jessica Alba’s New Year’s Eve Delivery, Son Hayes Alba Warren

Posted on January 2, 2018

Jessica Alba welcomed her third child on New Year’s Eve!

The Spy Kids 4 star announced the news to her fans and followers on social media yesterday!

“Hayes Alba Warren 12/31/17 Best gift to ring in the New Year!!” the Fantastic Four captioned an Instagrram photo of her sweet newborn. “Cash and I feel so blessed. Haven and Honor are already obsessed with their new baby bro. ??? #familyof5”

The Honest Company founder has been married to director and Pair of Thieves founder Cash Warren since 2008, and the two are parents to two daughters, Haven Garner and Honor Marie.

The name sort of fits all the complicated parameters Alba explained to Jimmy Fallon, “It has to be single or double syllable, has to be an ‘H,’ and it also has to be a word. And it can’t be too weird, because, you know… like, a little unusual, but you know, what if they want to be a nurse?”

Hayes is not a noun word, but haze is so, I guess! lol!.

Congratulations to the happy family! Baby boys are fun! I have two of my own!

Also cool because that’s the same day my youngest was born! Capricorns unite! lol!

0 comments

Tips

Kick Off Your New Year With These Two Post-Pregnancy At-Home Workouts

Posted on January 2, 2018

Healthy mother and baby making gymnastics

Getting back into shape after having a baby can be a challenge but it doesn’t have to be. I think the hardest thing is starting. With new parenting responsibilities and fatigue from lack of sleep, many new moms struggle to find time to even work out and to go to the gym. Having an in-home routine you can do when you first wake up or perhaps after dinner or an hour before bedtime, perhaps while watching TV may do the trick.

But everything takes time.

“I believe that embracing your current shape while working towards a more toned one is the best approach, especially if you want to stay motivated and engaged with an exercise and eating plan.” says Samantha Clayton Senior Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.

Clayton, who is also a mom herself, offers two basic workouts will help you to kick start working towards having a more toned, strong and healthier physique all around.

Setting a realistic goal and time frame will help you avoid feelings of failure and allow you to actually enjoy the body changing process, Clayton advises.

FULL CORE ROUTINE – Follow these 5 moves to strengthen your entire core

Time: 20 Minutes

Equipment: Exercise Mat or Comfortable area on the floor

Start the workout with 15-20 perfect form CRUNCHES. Begin by lying face up on the floor with your knees bent. Contract your abs to curl your shoulders towards the pelvis, keeping your hands behind or beside the neck or crossed over your chest. Be conscience to use your abs and not your head to lift your shoulders off the floor, hold for a second then return to starting position.

Next, 30 seconds of BICYCLE AB CRUNCHES. Remaining on the floor, stretch your legs out straight and place your hands behind your head. Raise your legs one at a time so that your thighs are perpendicular to the ground, and your calves are parallel to the ground, but keeping your feet together. Contract your abdominal muscles alternate bending your right leg and straightening your left similar to the motion you’d make while pedaling a bicycle. Use your abdominal muscles to crunch your body forward so that your elbow can reach your knee.

Moving on to a 45-60 second SIDE PLANK. Place your hand on the floor under you and straighten your supporting arm, raising the top half of your body off the ground. You can raise the other arm straight over you or let it rest on your side to help with balance. Keep your legs straight, letting the lower half of your body rest on the side of your bottom foot. Repeat on the other side for another 45-60 seconds.

The LAYING DOWN LEG RAISE works the deepest of the core muscles. Begin lying on your back on a mat. Place your hands under your butt to stabilize your pelvis, then without letting your lower back lift, pull your knees toward your chest, and then straighten your legs back to the starting position. To increase the difficulty, do leg raises on an incline bench. Do 10 raises 3 times.

The VACUUM can be done almost anywhere: sitting up, laying down, in bed, at the office or even while driving your car. All you have to do is suck your belly in as far as you can, and hold. Make sure you are pulling your abs in as if they are meeting your back. When you hold your tummy in hold it in for 10 to 15 seconds then release. Try to continue breathing and don’t hold your breath. Gaining muscular control is the key of this move.

ULTIMATE BODY WEIGHT ROUTINE – To burn calories, build muscle and effectively improve your cardiovascular fitness level, training in a circuit style is the way to go.

Time: 30-40 minutes. 3 sets, repeated 2-3 times.

Equipment: Just your body weight

SET #1 = “Simple 20’s” Perform 20 of each exercise, do a modification if necessary, no rest in between each move but you can rest for 2 minutes after the set.

20 squats

20 modified push-ups.

20 lunges alternating legs

20 Burpees without jumping

20 bicycle- abs.

SET #2 = “Tough 10’s” This second set is a more advanced version of each exercise but for less reps, try to push yourself to do 10 of each move with no rest. Rest for 3-5 minutes after the set.

10 holding squats (hold at the bottom for a count of 5)

10 Full push- ups

10 walking lunges

10 burpees with a jump

10 straight leg toe touch abs.

SET #3 = “Holding 15’s” For the third set hold each move for 15 seconds, remember to breathe while holding.

Wall squats

Plank holds

Hold lunge position

Bridge pose holds

0 comments

Our Pick of the Top 13 Most Stylish Preggers Celeb of 2017

Posted on January 1, 2018

Last year, we followed some pretty stylish celebs throughout their pregnancies.

We selected the top twelve of the most fashionable.

#13 Chrissy Teigen, #12 Duchess Cate and #11 Naturi Naughton

13. Model, author and TV host Chrissy Teigen announced that she and hubby John Legend were expecting again after welcoming their first child, Luna following years of fertility struggles. We’ve seen her style focus on feminine maxi dresses with intricate floral themes this pregnancy.

12. Duchess Catherine is also expecting, but she is on baby number three with husband Prince William. She always carry small which makes her bump tough to discern under her usually monochromatic sheath dresses, nautical structure dresses, and rider pants and boots under sweater, her usual fashion scheme.

11. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing Power star Naturi Naughton get dressed up to promote the third season of her hit STARZ channel show. She mixed it up with bold color, bump hugging dresses, fun and flirty dresses and bright pumps.

#9 Bar Rafaeli, #8 Behati Prinsloo and #7 Tia Mowry Hardrict

10. Models models and more models. Though Miranda Kerr is on her second pregnancy, we loved seeing her and fellow Victoria Secret runway stars 9. Bar Refaeli and 8. Behati Prinsloo show off their ity bity bikini wearing selves on the Gram. Prinsloo and her husband, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine, are parents to a daughter, Dusty Rose, they welcomed in September 2016.

7. One half of our fave twin stars, Tia Mowry Hardrict also shows up on our top ten list as she has been showing off a more stylish pregnancy this round and some of it on her new YouTube video series show, Tia Mowry’s Quick fix. She too had some struggles before this pregnancy. Her son Cree with actor husband Cory Hardrict is 6 years old and she had discussed wanting to have a second shortly after he was born but was hamstrung by endometriosis.

#6 Toya Wright, #5 Amal Clooney and #2 Beyonce

6. Reality TV star Toya Wright has always been a fashion plate on the Gram so it was no surprise that she continue to wow us with her maternity looks. All eyes were on international human rights lawyer 5. Amal Clooney who welcomed her first children, twins with husband George Clooney this summer.

4. Lauren Conrad, 3. Ciara, . Miranda Kerr

4. Fashion designer and lifestyle brand Lauren Conrad didn’t share too many public photos of herself while preggers but shots of her baby shower shows she kept is streamlined, simple and feminine. And pop star 3. Ciara also was understated during her second pregnancy with husband Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

2. Beyonce showed a lot more of herself this pregnancy compared to last when she remained a virtual recuse. As a result, her blog and social streams were flooded with fabulous, over-the-top, avante-garde looks!

Number 1 on our list is Khloe Kardashian who only acknowledge that she is 6 months preggers in the last few weeks of 2017. She sticks to a mainly black palette but her choice of oversized stylish sweaters and sweatshirts is comfy, relate able yet chic.

0 comments

Tips

4 Ways to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick!

Posted on December 31, 2017

It’s traditional to mark the beginning of the year with commitments to change, and goals to be accomplished in the next twelve months.

However, it doesn’t take long to discover at the end of the year that we came no closer to achieving those resolutions than when we made them.

Here are four useful suggestions to increase the probability that your New Year’s resolutions will stick this year.

1. Be specific. A resolution such as, “I want to lose weight this year” will probably fail. It is too vague. Be specific: your ideal weight, minus what you weigh now, is your weight-loss goal. Your resolution would then be, “I want to lose 30 pounds.”

2. Make them time specific. Don’t make resolutions that fit the “someday/maybe” category. “As soon as possible” generally means never. A deadline is a commitment. It’s easy to put off getting started, without a deadline as a self-imposed pressure point. Deadlines are also useful for breaking the resolution down into smaller steps. If your goal is to lose 30 pounds by the end of June, that works out to 5 pounds per month, or 1.25 pound per week. Setting a deadline and breaking it down to its smaller requirements makes the resolution more attainable.

3. Take small steps. Change is uncomfortable to start with. The more behaviors we try to change, the more likely we will fail. Pick a couple of things that are most important to you and focus on them. When you reach one or both goals, start a new one. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too much change all at once.

4. Be realistic. We get motivated to change at the start of the year and we think we are ready for anything and everything. Be realistic: there is only so much you can accomplish within a period of time. If the doctor tells you to lose 100 pounds, don’t expect to accomplish that in six months. If you set the bar too high, you are most likely to fail and find it discouraging to get started again.

source

Good luck !

0 comments

6 New Year’s Resolutions Your Child Can Make and Keep in 2018!

Posted on December 31, 2017

It’s New Year’s Resolutions season.

Adults everywhere are reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to the next, finding places where they can improve their lives. Parents often make big plans to change habits and behaviors with this fresh start, and these plans often include their children.

Here are a few New Year’s Resolutions you could work with your child to make.

1.Keep my belongings organized – The first thing that parents need to recognize about this resolution is that it very likely means something very different to your child. Children typically have unique ways of keeping things organized. This frequently stirs friction between child and parent because mom and dad might believe “organized” means that everything is folded, put away neatly and out of sight, while their child might consider things organized if he can find his underwear in the morning. This is a great opportunity for parents to connect with their child. Sitting down and discussing the differences between your view of organization and theirs can actually help a child if it is done though positive conversation. Giving him freedom in this area can go a long way in helping him discover what his organization style is. If there are rules in common areas, parents should be clear about those, but should also allow their child to control how he organizes his own space. This will help him learn to keep it all together.

2.Drink water with every meal. Most people do not drink enough water; this is true for adults and children. Telling a child she cannot have soft drinks or juices anymore will cause aggravation in the child and will only work to make her sneak them elsewhere. By setting the rule that everyone drinks water with each meal, this healthy liquid is introduced without the ban on other drinks altogether.

3. Practice the sport, art or activity of their choice for 30 min every day. Everyone has hobbies or skills they want to improve. Children often beg parents for lessons to learn to play piano or be in basketball, but after the first few weeks of lessons, the excitement fades when they learn they have to practice. Parents can help their children set the goal to practice by finding their own new skill to work on. This way parents and children can work in unison to improve themselves in at least one way.

4. will talk to one new person every week at school. This is a great resolution for the child that has a hard time making friends and connections. It can seem like a leap of faith for a timid child to make new friends, which is why it is so important to start with just one conversation. Maybe only one in every five conversations end in some kind of friendship, but then in a little over a months’ time your child will have a new friend and be confident enough to make more.

5. I will try one new food a week. Children tend to eat the same foods every week. This is due in part to the fact that these foods are easy to make and because parents are tired of fighting with their children to eat new and more healthy foods. This approach addresses the problem in steps. It does not require the child eat entire meals that he hates, just one new food a week. Make the new food three or four times during the week so that he gets a chance to try just one bite a few times. Parents should try to make the experience fun and set a good example by eating the food alongside him.

6. I will help one person every day without being asked. Generosity is a character trait most people believe is absent in children these days. Parents can inspire the development of this habit by encouraging their children to find one person to help or to do one helpful activity each day without being asked to do it. Keep a chart of these activities and praise the big-heartedness that it brings. Try to avoid “rewarding” these activities with material positions because part of generosity is not expecting anything in return. Instead give rewards with kind words and gratitude.

0 comments

How to Cover Up Your Tattoos For New Year’s Eve or A Maternity Photo Shoot (Video Tutorials)

Posted on December 30, 2017

Some women love their tattoos but when they have to attend an upscale event they may not want to expose them and have them distract from the dress.

Same for those wanting to capture their pregnant belly for a maternity portrait but want to conceal a stretched out tattoo on the belly. Finally, there are some who want to wear midriff-bearing tops but want to conceal stretchmarks from pregnancy.

Fortunately, there are lots of beauty product manufacturers that produce quality and top notch body make up and cover up. Here is a great tutorial for light skin and another

HERE for darker skin.

0 comments

Khloe Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez Dominate Hot Celeb Mama Weekend Winning Looks

Posted on December 30, 2017

Jennifer Lopez and Khloe Kardsahian win this weekend’s hot mama looks!

J.Lo was spotted out doing matronly chic in a Brunello Cucinelli Lurex Striped Knitted Sweater smartly tucked into a long dark denim skirt while sporting her signature black Hermes bag and wearing cute Jennifer Fisher silver hoops.

Newly admittedly pregger Khloe hit the town in a comfy yet stylish Adidas sweatsuit, juxtaposed Timberland Boots but made feminine by her own croc Hermes bag, a Cartier bracelet, Jennifer Meyer necklace and Celine shades.

Lopez made a second appearance also in Timberland boots with distressed ripped at the knee jeans and tee under a long white with signature Gucci Embroidered chunky cable knit striped cardigan sweater with matching Gucci shades and a Valentino bag.

Love it!

If you would like to cop some of these pieces, check out my Weekend Mom Collection here:

0 comments

News

New Year’s Resolution: These are The Best and Worst US Cities For Keeping Them

Posted on December 30, 2017

Up to 92 percent of Americans are not likely to keep their New Year’s resolutions! Among common promises, to “get out of debt” and that too is most commonly broken.

This week, personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018’s Best & Worst Cities for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions as a follow-up on its Most Sinful Cities ranking.

To help Americans stick to their 2018 goals, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 52 key metrics. The data set ranges from adult obesity to income growth to employment outlook.

Let’s take a closer look at a Best vs. Worst:

Fremont, California, has the lowest share of obese adults, 14.7 percent, which is 3.1 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest at 45.1 percent.

Fremont, California, has the lowest share of delinquent debtors, 1.80 percent, which is seven times lower than in Tempe, Arizona, the city with the highest at 12.65 percent.

South Burlington, Vermont, has the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent, which is 5.2 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest at 10.9 percent.

Charleston, West Virginia, has the lowest prevalence of adult binge- and heavy drinking, 11.1 percent, which is 2.4 times lower than in Madison, Wisconsin, the city with the highest at 26.4 percent.

San Jose, California, has the lowest share of adult smokers, 8.4 percent, which is 3.1 times lower than in St. Louis, the city with the highest at 26.3 percent.

El Paso, Texas, has the lowest average wedding cost (as a share of the median annual household income), 31.19 percent, which is 3.9 times lower than in Newark, New Jersey, the city with the highest at 121.43 percent.

To view the full report and your city’s rank, please visit:

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-new-years-resolutions/28749/

0 comments

The One Pregnancy Hack to Get Your Baby to Calm Down AFTER its Born

Posted on December 30, 2017

If you are expecting, you may know by now that there is no way to tell what type of temperament your baby will have when born. Ideally, you’d want a calm baby, with a warm temperament, who is easy-going and doesn’t suffer from colic or shows anxiety when held by anyone other than mom. Of course, there is no guarantee and you roll the dice and get what you get, and hopefully, you will have equipped yourself with skills and tools to soothe and calm your baby down when she or he is irritable and inconsolable.

But did you know there is a trick that you can try while pregnant to get your baby to calm down after she or he is born?

I did it with my first kid, sort of by accident, and it worked! Here is how it went down:

When I was expecting, I played one song and one song only while driving about, running errands, as I read. For me, it was the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Faeries” from the Nutcracker Ballet. (That may not be everyone’s cup of tea so for you, pick one song that is palatable to you and whomever you are living with as they too must be able to stand listening to that one song on repeat.)

When my son was born, whenever he would wail uncontrollably because, perhaps, he was in the back seat away from any familiar face and strapped in because we were traveling somewhere, I would put that song on in the car and he would immediately calm down, turn his cheek toward the music and stop crying. It worked every.single. time and I continue to use that song until he could communicate better and got used to those uncomfortable situations and didn’t cry anymore when in them.

It may not work on every baby but it’s worth the try! It could save you stress, anxiety and calm your nerves too when the baby is out! Good luck!

0 comments

Do These 5 Things to Keep Your Kid From Catching a Cold This Winter

Posted on December 29, 2017

It’s inevitable that from time to time you and your child will be exposed to people who have a cold or who are spreading airborne germs. While the odds are that your child will catch the occasional cold, there are certainly a few ways to reduce the number of colds that she gets.

Try to keep ahead of the germs. Disinfecting wipes or a water and bleach solution can be used for this task. Make sure that you are regularly cleaning door knobs, handles, cabinets, toys, and anything else that little hands might come into contact with. For every gallon of water, 1 ½ teaspoons of bleach should be added to create a solution to disinfect surfaces and toys. For diapering and toileting areas, 1 tablespoon of bleach can be added to 1 gallon of water. Let the bleach solution sit for 2 minutes before wiping it down. If you are worried about your child coming into contact with chemicals, look for all-natural sanitizing solutions. You’ll also want to make sure that everyone in the house frequently washes their hands with warm water and soap.
Change toothbrushes often. Toothbrushes can harbor germs and re-infect your child if the germs are not killed. Dentists recommend that toothbrushes be replaced every 3 months if you are healthy, more often if you are not. Toothbrushes should also be replaced after an illness. To kill germs soak the toothbrush in antiseptic mouthwash for 5 minutes or run your toothbrush through the dishwasher. Warning: Boiling your toothbrush or running it through the dishwasher will wear out the bristles faster.
Feed your child a healthy diet. If your child eats a proper diet it will strengthen his immune system and he will be better able to fight off cold-causing germs. Make sure he eats plenty of fruits and vegetables, as these contain the proper vitamins and minerals needed to build up his body’s natural defenses. Eating foods high in vitamins is better for absorption of those vitamins than taking vitamin tablets.
Encourage your child to drink plenty of water. Water not only keeps your body hydrated during the very dry winter season, but it helps your body flush out unwanted toxins. Water also helps your lymph system run better, which is part of your body’s immune system, and it fights off illness.
Make sure your child gets enough sleep. Sleeping is extremely important, and most people don’t get enough of it. Doctors recommend that children sleep 10-11 hours per night. A lack of sleep can affect how well your child grows because the body produces a growth hormone during sleep. Digestion also takes place during sleep. Bodies need this down time to recover and rebuild after a busy day of being a kid. By getting enough sleep the body is better prepared to fight off germs.

0 comments

Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt