Things I Wish I Had Known (Nutrition)

Proper Nutrition is a must!!!

Who would have thought nutrition is such a big deal? When I was pregnant with my son I ate sugar all day. I loved ice cream and cinnamon rolls. I thought sugar was my best buddy.I gained 35 pounds during this time. Boy, I was fat!!!

I equated being fat with having a healthy baby. I was wrong. My son September 1, 1978 weighing 5 lbs. He was quickly rushed to an incubator because his weight dropped to 4 pounds, 5 ounces.

I was scared. I would stand on the outside of the nursery and look at his tiny body filled with tubes through a window. He seemed so far away. I did not get to breast feed. I could not hold him when I wanted to. I missed precious bonding time with my son because I didn't understand the importance of eating healthy - especially during pregnancy.

I realized the importance of good nutrition years later. I was on the March of Dimes website reading an article about nutrition during pregnancy. I remember thinking... I ate everything I should not have eaten, and not much of anything I should have eaten.

I felt ashamed and sad. Next, a spirit of resiliency arose inside of me.

I was on a mission, determined to let others know about good, healthy nutrition.

In 1995 I was blessed to become an educator at an alternative education site. The true gift in this opportunity was that the site had a teen parenting program. YEAH!!!.. I could now begin to share my story with teens who were about to become moms.

Proper nutrition is key. Now you know the first thing I wish I had known.

If I Had Known

January 25, 2009

Wow, it's my first children's book, my labor of love, my words sent out to the universe for all to read.

As I step out on faith, I wonder what will God send back to me.

The book begins with these words...

If I had known you would grow in the blink of an eye
we would have painted more pictures,
and I would have smiled when you asked a thousands "whys."

Remember the days when every sentence began with "why?"
Does this sound familiar? Days gone by. Years gone by. Looking into the face of a child who is now 30, wondering where did the time go? When did the T-ball season end? When did the "whys" become a dissertation on life, love and living?

How quickly they go from 3 to 13 to 30. Purchase my book. Laugh. Cry, then hug your baby. It is my hope that all who read If I Had Known will remember the importance of the number 24. Each of us receives 24 hours per day to make a memory that our children will never forget. A memory they will one day pass on to their children. Let's strengthen our families by investing in our greatest resource - our children, our gift and legacy to the future.

If I Had Known will be in bookstores April 21, 2009 or order a copy online from the link below. Thanks Karen

http://http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60696-028-8

http://www.linkedin.com/in/kponder

http://www.myspace.com/karencrosswrites