I’m no couch potato. Athleticism doesn’t come naturally to me, but I genuinely enjoy getting out there and making my body do what it thinks it can’t - and sometimes more. It’s truly empowering to physically challenge myself and triumph over my inner naysayer.

But when I’m pregnant, I tend to turn into the Stay-Puf marshmallow woman.

I’m tired. And hungry. I huff and puff after one trip up and down the stairs. If I’ve got enough energy for a walk, then I’m more likely to spend that energy trying to catch up on the mess that has overtaken my house. And then I’ll collapse on the sofa while the kids (and husband, truth be told) undo what I’ve just done.

Seems that a pleasant walk really would serve me better after all.

Thanks to RYKA and the Parent Bloggers Network, I have a new pair of kicks to show off. The MC2 Walk shoe is sleek and athletic, just as the product description says. More importantly, they make walking feel good, even for a pregnant woman who’d really rather sit on the sofa with her laptop and a bowl of ice cream.

What impressed me most about this shoe is something that brings to mind a bit of childhood trauma. I’m knock-kneed - so much so that when I put my knees together, my ankles are still a good 2-3 inches apart. Consequently, I walked around on the insides of my feet for years…with my father walking behind me shouting, “WALK ON THE OUTSIDES OF YOUR FEET!”

To this day, I’m conscious of how I’m walking, whether I’m putting more pressure on my arch than I should be. I think about it much less in dress shoes, but when I’m wearing sneakers, it’s my first thought: Do these shoes help me walk the way I should? And without hesitation I can say that the MC2 Walk does an excellent job of stabilizing my foot - so much so that I can STOP thinking about how I’m walking.

My only gripe with this shoe is that the laces are too short to tie in a double-knot. We moms spend enough time tying our kids’ shoes; we don’t need to worry about keeping our own shoes tied. But I’m resourceful enough to find another, longer pair of laces.

So that my husband can tie them for me in another couple months. Because with these shoes, I’m going to want to get out there and walk.

I’m in the minority at my house; TV is not my idea of a good time.  Naturally, my kids love it.  So we work to find compromises - shows that entertain and educate them, but that don’t make my ears and eyes bleed.

Thanks to the Parent Bloggers Network, I had the chance to introduce them to a show that isn’t yet airing on our local PBS station - The Zula Patrol, all about astronomy, biology, and geology.  Being a science geek myself, I’m thrilled to find new ways to expose my girls to science in ways that are fun and kid-oriented.

In The Zula Patrol, a team of aliens solves science-based problems.  The theme song is catchy and the characters are engaging, although I can’t help thinking that one of them (Zeeter) sounds like a female Bobcat Goldthwaite.  The first episode we watched was about the three types of rocks - sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic - and the second one focused on volcanos.  Tacy seemed to absorb the storylines more than the scientific facts themselves, but after several viewings, she’s starting to remember those three types of rocks.

For my part, I didn’t mind the storylines (obviously I’m thirty years old than the target demographic), but I did think the personification of the volcano in the second episode bordered on silliness.  I like that the creators want to include positive interpersonal relations in the message of the show, but a volcano that doesn’t want to erupt because his neighbors think he’s a nuisance?  Let’s stick with the science of it instead.

The Zula Patrol is a big hit at our house.  It’s been Tacy’s top viewing request since it arrived, and even though she hasn’t asked me to find new episodes, I’m going to place a call to Rocky Mountain PBS to let them know we’d like to see it added to their fall lineup.  Kid-oriented science shows are few and far between, and I’m glad to have found The Zula Patrol to help me foster an interest in science in my girls.

I haven’t destroyed so many of my brain cells that I can’t remember some of the stupid stunts I pulled along the rocky road to adulthood. I made some poor choices and was fortunate enough to escape dire consequences most of the time. I was lucky.

Why did I make many of those decisions? Circumstances, mainly. I found myself - or put myself - in a position where it seemed that my choice was no longer a choice but a foregone conclusion (and I’m not just talking about sex). Sometimes I said to hell with appearances, put my foot down, and said forget it. Those were the instances in which I felt the risk of the possible consequences far outweighed what might sound like a good idea (or, at least, not a bad idea) at the time.

Now I have two little girls, with a third on the way. And while my husband jokes about buying a shotgun to lean strategically against the wall each time they go out on a date, we’re both genuinely concerned as to how we can best equip them to look after their own interests - whether they’re out on dates or out with friends.

I was quite interested in checking out the new book, Girlology: Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups, and Holding Out, via The Parent Bloggers Network, because from what I can ascertain, the junior high and high school crowds have gotten even racier than they were twenty years ago. I can’t imagine that it’s going to be any easier for my girls once they hit the teenage years.

And while I know I’ll be frightened by the choices my girls will have to make, I also know it will be that much more frightening for them. That’s why I really liked what I read in Girlology, written by two female doctors (an OB-GYN and a pediatrician) who work with teen girls every day and have the medical degrees to back up the guidance they give.

Girlology addresses not only the nuts and bolts of sex, pregnancy, and STDs, but it goes into great detail regarding specific emotional and technological concerns.  The emotional points - such as the fact that teen boys’ brains simply haven’t developed to the point that they can feel the same level of intimacy that teen girls can - are as illuminating now as they were when I was reminding myself that my boyfriend was underdeveloped and immature (in addition to being a jerk).  But it’s the newer concerns - like the fact that most cell phones come with cameras, ready to capture you at your most embarrassing moment - that I might have never thought about.  When I was in high school, it was pretty awful to be called a slut, whether the name fit or not.  Now someone can snap your picture and have actual evidence of what you were doing Saturday night.

The main message that I took from Girlology: Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups, and Holding Out was how important it is for girls to think about these sorts of situations and how they might react - BEFORE they ever occur.  Then they will feel much more well-equipped when the situation does eventually present itself - and will hopefully make an informed decision that they’re comfortable with.

Denying to ourselves that our kids will ever find themselves in a tough spot seems awfully short-sighted to me.  Even the most sensible girls can be knocked for a loop by those crazy hormones and the pressure exerted by their peers.  Better to talk with them frankly and openly now - not only will it give them the tools they need to survive, but they’ll know that they can count on us as parents to be at their side when they need us.

My older daughter started kindergarten last month (year-round school here), and my husband insisted on attending the informational meeting that was held prior to her first day. I was more than happy to stay home and let him sit through what I expected (and I was right) would be one heck of a yawnfest.

But even more important than my glee at avoiding the first in what will probably be a never-ending string of school meetings was my pleasure in seeing his genuine interest in our daughter’s schooling.

I consider myself to be one of the lucky women whose husband really and truly enjoys his children, no matter whether he’s performing the routine tasks or taking them out for special treats. He even loved those baby days when all they did was cry and sleep and poop. But I know he much prefers the verbal interaction and sharing of interests that come as children enter what Armin Brott calls “the wonder years” - ages 3 to 9.

So I didn’t even have to ask him to read Brott’s newest book - “Fathering Your School-Age Child” - the subject of the latest Parent Bloggers Network review campaign. He saw it on the counter, picked it up, and brought it to the bathroom. Because let’s be honest, that’s where daddies do most of their reading.

He has read and enjoyed two of Brott’s other books about fatherhood - “The Expectant Father” and “The New Father” - and passed them along to his older brother who recently became a father himself. And when I asked him to provide some feedback on the book, he gladly obliged - because he loves me as well as our girls.

“The author, Armin Brott, wrote a comprehensive and well-researched handbook for any dad - first timers or even third-timers (like myself). As with most handbooks, one can read FYSAC flipping around forward and back to areas that interest you and or are relevant to current problems or concerns. I have a five year-old so I was immediately drawn first to that chapter. I loved reading what to expect of my five year-old and proudly checking off that, “yup - she does that too.” The chapters are well organized and are consistent. Beginning with expectations to how the child is growing mentally and physically and finally to how the dad is evolving to the new role.

Mr Brott liberally peppers his paragraphs with relevant recent research citing the scientific paper and author. This lends tremendous credibility, but also takes a lot of space that could have been used to convey more insights; that said, although it’s possibly the only critique, I understand this referencing is necessary. One researcher revealed that I had been doing something wrong. When Tacy complains that I have to go to work, I explain that if I did not go, I couldn’t pay the mortgage and we would live in a box under a bridge. According to researchers however, I should not make my daughter feel guilty, and the example given on page 49 is almost verbatim what I keep telling Tacy about mortgages and the (ahem) joys of cardboard box life.

I also was fascinated to learn about the research done over time relating to the interaction between three-to-five year-olds and their fathers as related to their empathy as older children. There is a direct correlation, it was found, between the amount of attention given to this sprouting toddler and how well they adjusted to groups as nine year-olds, along with their overall level of compassion and kindness.

And it’s up to date! Those instant message acronyms that older kids use on their cell phones are translated by Mr. Brott on page 175. I knew a few of them already, but this kind of information is very useful to monitor development and potential problems.

In sum, I found the book useful, interesting, and relevant. It’s already helped make me a better dad.”

For my part, I don’t think that his explanation to Tacy regarding the necessity of work induces guilt. Considering how many adults don’t seem to understand the importance of money management and financial consequences, I think it’s probably a good idea to start teaching these concepts early. However, we should probably dispense with the worst case scenario of cardboard-box-as-domicile.

I’ve had no doubt all along that my husband will be an involved father throughout our children’s lives. But it’s still a great affirmation to witness the depth and continuity of his interest.

For more information about all of Armin Brott’s publications and other fathering resources, please visit his website. If you’d like to purchase a copy of “Fathering Your School-Age Child”, click here.

As I posted in my first review of “Your Baby Can Read”, I’d be thrilled if my younger daughter could learn to read, but I’d settle for her learning to talk. And as I posted on my personal site, my younger daughter had her first speech therapy session yesterday. Even without therapy, she’s been making great strides. What a difference six months can make!

Likewise, her response to the Introductory and Volume 1 DVDs of “Your Baby Can Read” was impressive - suddenly she was not only clapping, but saying the word as she performed the motion. But I’ve really been impressed by how Volume 2 has helped her comprehend action verbs - a point of weakness that the therapists observed at her initial evaluation a couple months ago. She’s beginning to use those words now, whereas she previously stuck to the nouns-as-descriptors.

(And “NO!” That one’s always a favorite.)

Of course, she adores seeing the children on screen and pointing out what they are doing. And she does recognize that words are made up of letters and those letters mean something. Is she reading? I don’t know, but it actually doesn’t much matter to me. Because although I may be using the DVDs and cards for a purpose other than their original intent - teaching little ones to sight-read - when I see the ways in which they are helping her learn, I know she’s benefiting from them.