As a Fitgirlcode Ambassador I get to write for a community of over 200.000 fit girls worldwide and inspire them with my stories on combining a fit and healthy lifestyle with family life. Last week, Fitgirlcode HQ asked me if I would represent the community at launch of the Bugaboo Runner and The Bootcamp Club. What I didn’t share in my happy report for Fitgirlcode, is how nerve wrecking a take-your-kid-to-blogger-event-day can be.
First, I had to pick a picture perfect outfit that was Fitgirlcode representable for myself. Luckily, they sent over a set of clothes. Yay! It always feels like Christmas getting that kind of package in the mail and I’m particularly over the moon with my new running shoes.
But then, my first challenge came up. I had to dress my boo for in the occasion too. How will I manage to get him dressed in a fit baby proof way, just as he is in his ‘not pretty’ phase – dismissing anything I want him to wear? Fortunately, he was in his ‘soft pants’ mood so he allowed me to get him into his gray baggy joggers. Forget that they weren’t that baggy anymore as he outgrown them for some time now. The t-shirt he chose made it look like he was wearing his pajamas, but with a jacket over it, that wouldn’t be that big a problem. I had my eyes on this fun dinosaur hoodie, but Mini was dead set on his blue down jacket that could seriously needed a rinse from all the ice cream that had melted on it the day before. Too late for that now. Photoshop would have to do its magic on that.
On our way, Mini fell asleep in the car. On the one hand, that was a good thing. The last you want is a tired and whining toddler on your picture perfect event. On the other hand, him having waking up in strange surroundings with lots of strange people wouldn’t make him the most fun and photo friendly kid to take pictures of. So while the other kids of the incrowd guests were playing with each other, Mini maintained a close parameter. He wanted to be on my lap, at my hip, holding hands, holding my leg. You can understand that is was impossible to make nice pictures, as requested by Fitgirlcode HQ and the PR agency. Sorry girls, you’ll understand when you have kids.
“Don’t want to.” Of course. When it was time to test the running stroller, Mini didn’t want to get in. It took at least 5 LOOONG minutes convincing him that he would go and run with me, not the strange woman who was showing how the stroller worked. “Together,” he pressed. “Yes, we go together,” I reassured him. I felt sorry for the other mom whose kid kicking and screaming gave voice to his dislike of the stroller. But honestly, I was more relieved that my boy was actually having fun and wanted to join in the work out too. For a short moment, I felt like we were the picture perfect mommy and son they wanted us to be.
But at the healthy post workout lunch, Mini showed his sweet-tooth self. “Where’s sugar?” he asked, pointing at a stack of buckwheat pancakes. Here in the Netherlands, we eat our pancakes with lots of cinnamon spiced sugar or golden syrup. But at a healthy and and sugar free lunch, that is the same as the devil himself. So no sugar or syrup, only exotic nut butters of pistachios, cashews and almonds. Luckily, Mini fell for it. The date and walnut truffles however were considered “Iiiiieeeeuuuwww” and the sugar free lemon cheese cake simply “not tasty.” He was right about that one. At offering him a some goat cheese, he asked: “where’s salami?”
Well, the stroller company can be happy, because Mini was stoked with his new ride. They wanted to interview me for their promo video, but my little dictator climbed in the stroller, closed the safety bar and tried to close the straps as he declared: “I want to go home. I want to go to GrandpaGrandma.” So they shot a pretty useless interview of me, rocking the stroller and my son on repeat in the background “Iwannagohome. PleaseIwannagohome. IwannagohomeNOW.”
It was the perfect picture imperfect day out with just me and my little one. And thanks to the PR agency and the stroller company I got lots of pictures to prove it! I think it is save to say I survived ‘bring-your-kid-to-blogger-event-day’ quite well.
You can read my official report of the day (in English) at Fitgirlcode.
Finkelstein & sons 
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