Wednesday Special Event! Nickelodeon's ParentConnect Online Baby Shower

What are you doing tomorrow between 10am and 8pm? Nothing? Well, now you have plans. You're officially invited to attend the World's Biggest Online Baby Shower!

All day, from 10am - 8pm, this interactive online event will have shower games, parenting advice and a huge treasure trove of fabulous prizes. You can come and go from party throughout your day as you please - the prize giveaways will be going on all day.

Take a look at the stuff they'll be giving away - an UppaVista Baby Stroller ($699 retail), a bloom fresco loft highchair ($500 retail), a Medela Freestyle breast pump ($379 retail) - this one weighs less than one pound! (where was that when I was nursing!?), $300 Diapers.com gift certificate , Britax car seats and tons of stuff more like bouncy seats, jewelry, edible treats, baby monitors, kids' books, baby carriers...the list goes on.

The online party will be hosted by The Shower Diva Susan Newton, the guru of baby and bridal showers that are actually a blast...because you know we've all been to some stinkers.

So my Mamalaw friends, here's how you join the par-tay:
1) Log In or Register for ParentsConnect.

2) Head over to Pingg, RSVP "Yes!" and then use the "Share Invite" feature to invite everyone you know! The person with the most guests wins a $650 stroller!
RSVP here.

3) Come to parentsconnect.com on December 16th anytime between 10am - 8pm ET for all the fun stuff about baby showers - the gifts! the games! - without any of the suck!
Click here.

Get your party on!

Christmas at The White House

I have so much to say and not enough time, so I won't say anything today other than I absolutely LOVE them! What did you think about the Oprah special last night?

Smart Cookie Tip Exchange #2: Holiday Cards

Ah the Holiday Card. They mean so many different things to different people. To some they are the ultimate excuse to show off their precious families - smiling in matching sweaters - and to also show off how capable and organized they are by sending their cards out the day after Thanksgiving. To others, the Holiday Card symbolizes oppression, stress, another expense and yet another opportunity to feel like a Beta Mom for getting their cards in the mail just before New Year's. Count me in the latter category.

But this year I have it all figured out. Instead of the yearly expedition to the photography studio where we shell out too much money for photos that take way too long to process, we are headed one of 2 places: my living room or the mall. Yes, I said it. If you're on our mailing list, you can expect a happy photo of the Fergies in front of our very own tree or in the very festive Santa sleigh at the mall. Christmas backdrop? Check.

I also stumbled across a very lucrative clearance rack at Gymboree last weekend. I was able to scoop up holiday outfits for the kiddies for a steal of a price. Seasonal ensembles? Check.

Finally, Justice Ny put me on to a little known gem called the Costco Photo Center. I knew you could get your photos developed at Costco, but the discount store never came to mind when I was ordering holiday cards in past years. For $0.13 a card and turnaround time less than 1 hour, you can't beat it! Cute and Fast Card Design? Check.

Wahla! Just like that, my holiday cards will be ready to go by Sunday. An entire 11 days before Christmas. How's that for a Smart Cookie?

Do you have any tips for simplifying your holiday card process?

The Power of Partnerships (It's a Giveaway!)

Whenever Jonesie, Ny and I are together and we meet someone new, the first question we are usually asked is "How did you all meet?" and "What gave you the idea to create Blogalicious?" The truth is that we started off as friends who met in college (Jonesie and I) and then law school (Ny). After graduation, real life quickly set in and we found ourselves consulting each other daily - even multiple times a day - on issues relating to marriage and motherhood. The questions we bombarded each other with over email ranged from: Am I making enough milk? How did you find your nanny? When on earth do you guys have time to fit in Date Night? to What's your favorite brand of diapers? Are Gymboree classes really worth the money? And so on and so on. Then, one day I came across this thing called a "blog." I loved that it was an interactive and fun way to share information with friends and before we knew it, Mamalaw was born.

Partnerships That Strengthen Friendships

The blog has really been evidence of the powerful partnership that is friendship. We counsel, support and lean on each other here for all that life throws our way. And...it serves as a launching pad for other adventures, namely Blogalicious. Hardly a day goes by without someone wondering how we managed to plan and host a conference, while working and raising families. The answer is simple: we had a partnership. I'm sure any one of us would say that we would not have been able to pull anything off (except for our hair) had we been doing it alone. The beauty of our partnership is that there are three sets of shoulders to carry the load; three great minds that come up with all sorts of crazy ideas; three sets of eyes to go over everything; but most of all three good hearts that dream big. It's the power of that partnership that fueled Blogalicious 2009 and that is fueling the great projects that are to come.

Partnerships That Feed The Soul

There is one other partnership that I cannot neglect to acknowledge. If you attended the conference in October, then you got to see first hand the most important partners in our lives: our husbands. As Jonesie said, we really and truly would never have been able to juggle it all without having fantastic life partners holding down the homefront. Whether it was putting up with our myriad late-night conference calls, taking care of the kids so Mommy could go to a "meeting," or understanding that mom was preoccupied and that's why we were having spaghetti again for dinner, our hubbies weathered the storm and gave us tremendous support. It's the power of that partnership that fuels our spirits and inspires our kids.

Take a moment to reflect on all of your major accomplishments. I'm willing to bet that you didn't achieve those on your own. Was a study partner involved? A mentor? An editor? Somewhere, some kind of partnership was at play.

Partnerships That Cross Continents

A perfect example of a powerful partnership is one spearheaded three years ago by Willa Shalit and her company Fair Winds Trading. It's called "Path to Peace" and it developed an American market for Rwandan women’s crafts. It creates trade partnerships with artisans in recovering regions to bring the power of change to Rwanda and Indonesia. Shalit believes that women helping each other can change how Rwanda rebuilds its society, empowers women and sustains economic development beyond traditional development assistance. Earning, on average, nearly 14 times the national per capita income, the women are now able to feed their families and send their children to school. Through the Path to Peace project, the wonderful women of Rwanda fashion one-of-a-kind jewelry such as The O Bracelet. The bracelet, recently featured in O Magazine, is hand-made by two women--a weaver in Rwanda and a jewelry artist in New Orleans. Besides being a beautiful accessory, the message is all about partnership and the possibilities which occur when we work together.

Would you like to win your very own O Bracelet? Just leave us a comment describing a meaningful partnership in your life. A winner will be chosen on Wednesday, December 16.

Thanks to The BlogRollers Media for offering us this great giveaway!

The Oven's Preheating!

Holiday Baking Days in the Fergie Household are underway! No, I don't have time for this! No, I don't need to be eating desserts! But it's Christmas, people! The girls and I are going to be making holiday treats every few days from now until Christmas. I'm in a Southern state of mind these days, so most of our confections are gonna be tried and true recipes from the South. First up is...Chocolate Pie! [Ok, wow there is an entire website devoted to Chocolate Pie recipes.] Next on the menu is White Chocolate Bread Pudding - a special request from Hubby. After that we're gonna tackle a Layered Caramel Cake and I can't wait. If you have any secret, scrumptious family recipes for any of these or if there's something that I absolutely must try, let me know and we'll add 'em to the list. I will make sure to post pictures of our masterpieces before they're devoured.

2009 Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway Event!

Hopefully most of you are doing better than me and are well on your way to having shopped for your entire holiday list. Somehow, December snuck up on me this year and I've done absolutely nothing to prepare for all that it brings. Tonight, we put the tree up and decorated the house. Even still, it doesn't feel like Christmas is just three weeks away! And so I'd better get a move on and come up with this year's gift list for my close friends and family. I'm keeping it simple this year, but still - I want to make sure that I give great gifts to the people that I hold near and dear. If you're still looking for some neat gift ideas, check out these unique and fun items that I've (mostly) had the pleasure of sampling for free...and enter to win a gift of your own. After all, 'tis the season!

For the Geeky Chick in Your Life: Best Buy Private Label Products.

Insignia Little Buddy Child Tracker.

Keep tabs on your child at all times with this small but sophisticated device that combines GPS and cellular technology to provide you with real-time location updates. The small and lightweight Little Buddy transmitter fits easily into a backpack, lunchbox or other receptacle, making it easy for your child to carry so you can check his or her location at any time using a smartphone or computer. Customizable safety checks allow you to establish specific times and locations where your child is supposed to be — for example, in school — causing the device to alert you with a text message if your child leaves the designated area during that time. View the Product Demo here. Retails for $99.99

Rocketfish Mobile Laptop Desk.

Work comfortably on your laptop with this laptop desk that features a pull-out tray for accessories and a pull-out tray for a mouse pad that features a support structure for stability.

- Holds most laptops with up to a 16" display
- Pull-out tray holds mouse pad and features a support structure for stability.
- Pull-out accessory trayStore your iPod, cell phone and camera while you work. The insert can be removed to hold a beverage. Soda can adapter and paper cup hole fit multiple cup sizes.
- Soft foam bottomFor comfortable use.
- Slim designFor easy portability.

Retails for $41.99. Currently on sale for $29.99.

Rocketfish Mobile Laptop Case.

Protect and carry your laptop safely with this mobility bag that features stowable handles for convenient portability of most laptops with up to a 15.4" display.

- Protective accessory tube reduces clutter and stores your accessories while you're on the go.

- Store tube can also raise your laptop or angle your keyboard.
- Stowable rubber handles make carrying easy.
- Easy-to-use straps hold your laptop securely in place during transport.
- Hard surface lapdesk: The case can be propped open to instantly give you a place to work.
- Foam and rubber materials for long-lasting use and lightweight portability.

Retails for $69.99. Currently on sale for $49.99.

WIN IT! Leave a comment to win your very own Rocketfish Mobile Laptop Case.

For the Little Princess:

Carol’s Daughter Princess and the Frog Collection.

I don't know about you, but it's going to be a very long time before I get sick seeing Princess Tiana on things! Pamper your little princess with this trio of genuinely natural hair and bath treats that gently clean, condition and soothe. This little loving magic is sure to bring out her inner shine.

Gift Set Includes:
Shampoo "The Beauty Within" - 8 fl. oz.
Conditioner "Inner Shine" - 8 fl. oz.
Bubble Bath "Sharing Means Caring" - 8 fl. oz.
Loofah

Retails for $24.00.

WIN IT! Leave a comment to win your very own Carol's Daughter Princess and the Frog products (selection may vary).


For the Budding Bookworm:

Disney Digital Books.

Just when you thought the Mouse couldn't possibly get any more magical...Now your little reader can enjoy 500+ new and classic Disney books! Features:

- Click to hear words pronounced.
- See definitions using the built-in dictionary.
- Be immersed in Look and Listen stories with voices and sound effects.
- Use Story-Builder to create Disney stories.

Full membership with access to over 500 books retails for $8.95/month for family membership (up to 3 children); $79.95/year. Free registration gives access to limited selection of books.

WIN IT! Leave a comment below to win a hardcopy of National Treasure: A Gates Family Mystery #1: Changing Tides (Volume 1).

For the Fashionista:

IMAN Global Chic Collection for HSN. Think globally. Live fashionably. Glamorous and affordable luxuries empower you to be gorgeous. With her collection, Iman takes the hottest trends in accessories and beauty from around the world and brings them to HSN. She wants to give her customer access to global luxury at an affordable price everyone can enjoy. Just take a look at this fabulous Teardrop Necklace and Earrings. Retail price is $54.95 and $59.95, respectively.

WIN IT! Leave a comment below to win a Sequined Knit Wrap - color may vary. Retails for $54.95.

For the Gourmet:

Mrs. Prindables Gourmet Caramel Apples.

Are you looking for an upscale, last-minute, holiday gift for out-of-town family or friends? Teachers? Co-workers? Here's an idea: the gift of Mrs. Prindable’s, the #1 maker of gourmet caramel apples and confections. Swirling, homemade caramel; melted dark, white and milk chocolate; crushed peppermint candy and imported nuts; crisp Granny Smith apples …. these mouth-watering ingredients are used in Mrs. Prindable’s Handmade Confections workshop to create gourmet apples and other tasty treats for the holidays. This year, Mrs. Prindable's has created new Christmas and Hanukkah gifts that out-of-town families will love. (Perfect for last-minute shopping!) Retails for $22.95.

WIN IT! Leave a comment below to win a delicious Mrs. Prindable's handmade confection.

For the Smart Mama:

Mamalaw T-Shirts!

Last but not least! If you're a friend of our blog, you know that we are constantly in search of ways to navigate this crazy journey called motherhood. As we grow along our journey we've realized that there should be laws to govern our universe and we've coined these as "Mamalaws." We are excited to announce the re-opening of our boutique, which offers items based on these laws; so if you agree (and we know that you will) feel free to try one of these on for size. Retails for $23.80.

WIN IT! Leave a comment below to win one of our sassy t-shirts.

Giveaways end Sunday, December 13th at midnight! Winners will be selected at random. Note: by leaving a comment, you will be entering to win one of any of these prizes (not a particular one).

Happy Holidays!

4th Milestone in our relationship

We celebrated Princess' 4th birthday a couple weekends ago and I feel like it was a turning point in my relationship with my only child. My fairy godmother (really my fairy grandmother) wove her wand and changed the child that I've come to know.

I've previously posted about her little 'isms and the difficulties that I have had thus far in striking the right balance between being the disciplinarian and a loving mother. Often times I've felt like a complete failure because she often expressed her dislike of me. I rationalized that in my attempt to make sure that she had the structure that I did as a child that I have forgotten to have fun with her. There are times that I'm totally fine with the relationship and then there are many times that I cry myself to sleep in prayer that things will get better. How could my only child, my daughter, have so much disdain for me. What have I done? What haven't I done? I felt like I was destined to have a purely contentious relationship with her forever.

But, then things changed completely. She turned 4 and she turned into a "big kid" - she is more rational and reasonable, she is fully expressive of her reasons for things, she's more sensitive to how her behavior impacts others and she's been super loving toward me. I know it's only been 2 weeks; but if your knew what our days were like, you would triumph in this small victory too.

Here's to being a big kid! I love you Princess and I pray that our relationship continues down this path.

Become A Smart Cookie!

The holidays are usually a time of intense madness for most mamas, including ourselves, and if we had one wish it would be to make the holidays simple - simplify shopping, simplify cleaning and prepping, simplify dealing with the kids, hubbies and the in-laws. Now that the holiday season is officially here, it's important for all Mamas to stay calm, cool, and collected and remember the real reason for the season.

In the spirit of Mamalaw #2, the Holidays Should Be Simple, we've started a new tip exchange here on Mamalaw. We hope that you'll join us in sharing your real mama tips for keeping the holidays simple.

Each Thursday we'll post a tip on a topic commonly associated with holiday stress. Share your tip, grab our holiday cookie, and join in on the fun!

Today's topic is "Getting a Handle on Your Shopping" and our tips are:
- Only buy for the kiddies because buying for adults can be too difficult.

- Use time at work wisely - sneak away for a lunch time shopping excursion or shop online.
- Use a free online wish list manager like cozi family manager or onlinechristmaslist.com.

Party Animal: Part 2

After Tech Savvy Mama's party, she put up her story on Whrrl and I totally bit her idea for the Johnson and Johnson Cause Party that I hosted the following weekend. You know what they say Leticia - imitation is the best form of flattery.

So check out my party recap on Whrrl. Enjoy!

Powered by Whrrl

Party Animal: Part 1

For the last few weeks my "social calendar" (ha ha) has been filled with blog parties. In addition to getting an up close and personal look at some of the products of three respected brands, the best part has been spending QT with bloggy friends - and IRL friends - offline.

Kicking off the party circuit was the e.l.f. Cosmetics Brunch hosted by the phenomenal Tech Savvy Mama. What a great time I had! I got to see some familiar faces: Stimey; TeachMama; Thien-Kim; Smiling Mama; Linda from BabyBunching; ToddlerPlanet.; Devra from Parentopia..and I got to meet the incomparable PunditMom for the first time in person. These ladies are a riot and I can always count on having a good time when we get together. In fact, it reminded us that we need to do it more often. Holiday party anyone?




e.l.f. Cosmetics stands for eyes, lips, and face. They have 3 lines of makeup that we tried: the original e.l.f. line, e.l.f. Studio, and e.l.f. Mineral. Of course Leticia laid out a fabulous spread for us sponsored by Giant Food (including their Enjoy line of frozen desserts - yum!); Oikos Greek Yogurt provided by Stonyfield Yogurt; and a selection of organic green tea beverages provided by Steaz. Adding even more glam to the beauty brunch was my friend Katrina - a Stella & Dot independent jewelry stylist - who showcased their luxurious winter collection, which TeachMama and I spent spent an extended amount of time drooling over. We each left the brunch with a generous collection of e.l.f. makeup brushes and makeup mirror, along with a swag bag of even more goodies. Again, the morning was a real treat. And even though I'm not a huge makeup maven, I'm definitely a new fan of e.l.f.'s Eye Shadow Cream. It feels so luxurious and looks great. And it's only one dollar. Bananas.

And now for a peek at the lovely ladies...

Amy says "cheese!"




Susan shows off her fresh manicure.




Aimee's enjoying herself





Devra gets glammed up by Katrina.




There's me lining my lips




A glowing Thien-Kim poses pre-baby!

Our lovely hostess with the mostest.

Jean and Joanne smiling and sipping.

Thanks ladies - it was grand!

Help! I'm Teething

Yes, that's right. I have a tooth growing in and it's painful. Yesterday I was gnawing on carrots just to make the pain stop. I knew this was coming though. My wisdom teeth never grew in and for the last 25 years of my life I thought I was just lucky. Especially after countless number of friends in college and high school had theirs removed.

Well my luck ran out. Last December my dentist warned me. My x-rays showed my top two wisdom teeth coming through. Ha! I scoffed, he must be trying to make some extra Christmas money because I am 31 years old and teeth do not grow in your 30s!

Clearly they do. My top right wisdom tooth is coming in and is about halfway out, however, it has no room to grow. It's trying to make it's way out but my teeth that are perfectly straight thanks to two years of metal braces in high school, will not let it come out.

So I have no choice at this point but to have it removed. The thought of having teeth removed at my age just makes me want to jump out of a window (not just any window, but maybe one from a luxury suite in Paris, of course, because if I'm going down, I'm going down in style). So today, I'm making the call. I'm going to call my dentist and make an appointment to have this bad boy removed.

Wish me luck!

Have you had your wisdom teeth removed, if so, is it really that bad?

Help!

My 5-Year Old Needs a Secretary

Ok, so you warned me. Before Chatterbox started kindergarten, I was put on notice by all of you primary school aficionados that the paperwork and homework involved was no joke. I laughed. I scoffed. I did not take heed. Well. The joke's on me!

Let me introduce you to the Daily Folder. It's brightly colored and is adorned with a lovable little frog sporting the motto: "Fully Responsible Organized and Growing." But do not be fooled. This Daily Folder and me? We have a love-hate relationship. Each day Hubby or I have to initial the Behavior Chart and return it back to the teacher. Then, there's usually about 3 - 5 notices or forms that need reading and filling out.

And don't get me started on the items that require a payment.

Continue reading My 5-Year Old Needs a Secretary...