Every day I’m amazed by the person my daughter is becoming. Though she’s only twelve, she’s developed an interest in fitness and joins me at the gym every Sunday. I love our bonding time and am amazed at how quickly she has grown and caught on.
I would like to think that she’s gotten her strength partly from me, but she’s gotten her drive to challenge herself from deep within. I’m so proud of the person she’s becoming.
All the best,
Tanya
“She looks. Just like Princess Ariel,” a girl wearing her Little Mermaid floaty came up to me me. To my amazement, she was talking about my daughter Quinn. In that moment, it occurred to me that she did favor the Little Mermaid” played by Halle Bailey quite a bit.
Unfortunately, even in 2023, there are some people who believe that the Little Mermaid shouldn’t have been played by an African American. So when this little girl, who was Caucasian, was absolutely in awe of Quinn and wanted to follow her around the pool and just be her friend, I thought it was the absolute best!
Their interaction together makes me feel like despite some prejudice and close-minded views, we are headed in the right direction.
All the best,
Tanya
One of my favorite activities is strength training and boot camp style sessions.
Today, my trainer Joey had me 200 jumping jacks, 100 pushups, 100 jumping lunges, 100 squats, four timed intervals of 30lb ball slams and bicycles, then four timed intervals of box jumps & prisoner squats, jabs, uppercuts & hooks on the heavy bag & closing with alternating double toe taps. The toughest part that jumps out is the box 😅.
Joey started me at 24 inches which I managed, but I should’ve known that when my nine year old jumped at the chance to join me for the 7:30am session that she’d make jumping 30 inches look easy! 🤗 Both Joey and Quinn agreed that “I” would be doing a 30 inch box jump for the next three intervals. 😩
At first I whined and even whimpered a little as my heart raced, but Quinn insisted that I try. “You can do it! Don’t be afraid,” she said. I slipped, I fell, I pulled Joe trying to maintain my balance, but…I eventually got it! I’m so glad I had two passionate people, one of those being my daughter, who believed in me from the jump! ☺️🙌🏽💪🏽
All the best,
Tanya
I love exercising. It’s my way of not only staying fit but relieving stress and turning off the negatives of the world for just an hour or two. On occasion, my seven year joins me. Little did I know how closely she’s been watching me and how much of an impact my exercising has made on her.
Quinn loves doing Youtube videos and decided to do an exercise video for her latest post. She came up with all of the exercises she wanted to include on her own, and I was pleasantly surprised when she said, “Mommy, I want to include boxing as one of my exercises just like you!” As she recorded her video, she said that I was her inspiration.
As I watched her hit the bag and do her other exercises, I thought to myself, “Wow, Quinn is my mini me when it comes to exercise!” She actually inspires me to keep going in knowing that I am her inspiration.
Who knows, maybe we will do a mother and daughter exercise video one day and inspire other mothers and daughters.
All the best,
Tanya
Mommy's Baby Steps 