Babies Gotta Have It

I am a tee shirt and jeans kind of gal.  There’s just no denying it.  I may live in one of the most fashionable cities in the world, but I am a bit fashion challenged I must confess.  Lately though, since I have been treading the boards on the Broadest of Ways, I’ve had a real yen to kick it up a notch.  In the effort to embrace but yet improve upon my personal style, I’ve been on a quest to identify what it is that I like, and then expand upon it.  If I’m gonna be a tee shirt and jeans gal, then I should search out the best, coolest, most luxurious tees and jeans I can find (on the sale racks at Anthropologie).  And then dress them up!

I’d noticed a lot of super cool NYC Mamas wearing hand stamped jewelry with their kids names or initials on them.  When it comes to jewelry, I like simple, elegant pieces that don’t get in my way when I’m trying to shovel peas doused in yogurt into the Bean’s mouth.  A silver hand stamped necklace with her name on it seemed like a lovely choice.  So I trolled the internet until I found Joseph Allen Designs.

There is a lot of hand stamped silver jewelry available online right now, but just from the look of Joseph Allen’s photos I could tell his pieces are different. As he says on his site:

All of the pieces I sell are hand made by me. The biggest difference between my necklaces and most others that you find is that the pieces that I offer are carved and casted. The thickness of the pendants range between 1-3 mm. About the thickness of a dime to slightly thicker than a nickel.  I use only high quality Argentium Sterling Silver in all the casted pieces that I make. This alloy replaces some of the copper with metalloid germanium to make it the most tarnish resistant sterling silver available. I also like to put a sand-blasted finish on the pieces. It gives them a great look and feel and adds to their uniqueness.

I couldn’t say it any better myself.  Right before I went back to work, I bought the Medium Disc Necklace with my husband and baby’s names both stamped on it.  Sappy, I know, but as I reentered the land of the working, it felt really nice to have them both with me on a necklace.  I absolutely love it.  The disc is incredibly high quality and has such a satisfying weight and feel.  And the fact that Joseph casts the pieces himself gives them a texture and totally unique appearance that I just love.  These necklaces look like a million bucks.  I ordered the  Open Triangle Necklace for my sister-in-law for her birthday with the names of her three children stamped on the sides.  She and her children both love it.

I like this craftsman’s work so much that I approached him about hosting a giveaway of his jewelry and I’m so delighted that he said yes.  Needless to say, one of these necklaces would make an affordable and absolutely beautiful holiday gift for a friend, aunt, mother, grandmother…you name it.  And one of you will win one!  Want to enter?  Read on!

To Enter the Joseph Allen Designs Necklace Giveaway

• MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Swing by Joseph Allen Designs and browse his selection of beautiful Hand Stamped Silver Necklaces.  Come back and tell me which style you’d choose if you won. Entering is that easy!
  

***Want extra chances to win? After you have made your first entry as described above, do anything listed below and leave me additional comments for each one letting me know what you did!  Maximum of seven entries per person.

• Follow me on Twitter (click the birdy button on the left to do so easily) and Tweet this giveaway (I’ve even made it easy for you, just cut and paste):  I just entered to win a Hand-Stamped Silver Necklace from Joseph Allen Designs @BabiesGottaHavT http://tinyurl.com/yace8a5
• Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
• Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left
• Grab my button and put in on your blog or website! Button code is in the right sidebar. Leave the link in your entry.
• Become a Fan of Babies Gotta Have It on Facebook–just click the link on the left sidebar!
• Email your friends about the giveaway and link to the giveaway post! cc me in the message (babiesgottahaveit@gmail.com)–I promise I will not spam you or your friends. Cross my heart

Your email address will remain private and not be shared with anyone. Giveaway only open to those with U.S.  addresses. Must be 18 or older to win. Giveaway begins on Monday November 30th and ends on Friday December 11th at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Saturday December 12th,  Random.org will select the winner I’ll email you immediately. After my daughter called Larry the Cable guy the last time she did a drawing, we have decided to take a little vacation from her choosing the winner. Random.org is in no way as cute and unpredictable as my daughter, but it is much more efficient and does not use any pieces of paper, even recycled ones. I am sure you will understand. Thanks for entering! Disclosure: Joseph Allen Designs is offering the necklace for the winner of this giveaway.  I was not compensated in any way for this post. All views and opinions with regard to the product or company itself are my own and were not influenced, nor reviewed, by the company prior to posting.

UPDATE: Random.org says “Result: 52″  Congratulations Shannon Mathena!  Thanks to all who entered!

I’m gonna be honest with you and tell you that before today, I had never really given Bobby Flay a second thought.  I watched a lot of the Food Network when I was pregnant (Does he have a show on The Food Network?  See, I don’t even know…) but not so much since.  But then I saw this:

And then he made me lunch.

And now I have to confess I have a teeny tiny crush on him.  Guys are cute when they talk about food.  And even cuter when they cook it.  And when they cook food for the holidays…well that’s when you marry them.

So a wee bit of back story (because sad to say, Bobby didn’t just call and invite me over), Hellmann’s Mayonnaise partnered with Bobby Flay to create  the “Real Holiday Helpings” program on www.Hellmanns.com.  Check out the website for recipes and tips on how to easily prepare real food for the holidays (yes real food, containing real, simple ingredients) that kids and parents will both enjoy.  I was invited to this cool demo kitcheny place to watch Bobby Flay cook up some of these recipes and then taste them.  Let me say, I have never gone to one of those cooking shows where they pass out the food to the audience.  It is super fun.  And if what we ate today is any indication, the recipes are really really good.  We sampled the Tandoori-Style Roasted Whole Turkey Breast (pictured above), the Hot Italian Cheese Toasts, the Roasted Green Beans with Almond Aoili, and the Turkey Cuban Sandwich.  I will say only this:  Bobby Flay can come cook my bird any time.

So you can get all the recipes and watch video and everything on the website.  But here’s the good stuff…the good stuff that he said in the room while he chopped onions and didn’t even look at his fingers.  Yeah, he’s that good.

• Bobby Flay’s favorite day of the year is Thanksgiving.  He cooks two 30 lb turkeys, and makes a traditional meal with a theme.  Last year Thanksgiving had a Texas twist.  This year, the flavors will be inspired by New England cooking.
• And I quote, “I don’t stuff the bird.”  He says stuffing the bird slows the cooking time for the turkey and doesn’t allow enough control over the texture and quality of the stuffing.  He called himself a “texture guy.”  So he makes “dressing” in a separate pan.  He likes his dressing a little crispy to complement the turkey.
• According to Bobby Flay, that fenugreek in your cabinet is probably around 29 years old (given warehouse and supermarket shelf time).  He encourages you to restock your spice cabinet with fresh spices every time you change the batteries in your smoke detector.
• Bobby Flay has “mixed feelings” about brining a turkey.  Basically, he suggested it’s not worth the hassle.  How does he do turkey?  He washes it, pats it dry, and salts and peppers the bird.  He puts it in the roasting pan with chopped carrots, onions, celery and lots of chicken stock.  He then adds chunks of butter to the chicken stock.  He roasts it slowly in a 350 oven, basting every 20 minutes with the pan drippings.  If he is going to glaze it, he adds the glaze in the last half hour of cooking so the sugar doesn’t burn.
• Let the turkey sit on the counter for ONE HOUR before you serve it.  Yup.  One hour.  That’s what he said.
• Finally, according to Bobby Flay, the key to Thanksgiving is hot chicken stock.  He has lots on hand to help reheat and moisten everything from turkey to stuffing so that all the dishes come to the table steamy and delicious.

Oh and I took my picture with him.  That was cool.

Disclaimer in case I need one: Bobby Flay and his staff made the yummy food I ate and they picked up the bill.  Hellmanns gave me a gift card to thank me for my time. That was kind of icing on the cake.  The food was really good.

Hello. I’m Wendy. And I’m a stationery snob.

I like the feel of nice paper. I like tasteful designs. Call me old fashioned, but I still like to hold a piece of mail in my hands. I’m online as much as the next Mama, but when it comes to inviting folks to weddings and birthday parties, and especially announcing the arrival of new babies, nothing beats a beautiful card in a beautiful envelope, lovingly addressed and stamped. Yes I like the pretty stamps too.

I luxuriated in the search for the perfect birth announcement for the Little Bean. We chose the “Forget Me Not Announcement” from Simply Put. It was right for us. But there are so many wonderful companies making exquisite cards now.  I’m looking forward to introducing you to a few of them in the weeks and months to come.

So let’s make a proper introduction.  Mamas, meet PeaPod Announcements. PeaPod Announcements, meet the Mamas.

PeaPod Announcements was founded on the principle that all things can be stated beautifully.  Their cards feature fresh designs, printed on the best paper offered.  Choose from their kodak matte endura photo paper (it resists fingerprints and will last more than 15 minutes on your fridge!) or their luxurious linen cardstock that allows the design to be carried over to the back of the card.  PeaPod is a small company with a big heart, and they put customer service and customer satisfaction at the top of their list of priorities.  The women behind the cards are designers, artists, businesswomen and moms. What’s not to like about that?

I have seen and held a sample of their announcements and cards and the papers are truly very very nice.  The print quality is lovely on both the photo and the linen cards.  And the unique designs range from the delightfully whimsical to the elegant.

I’d be remiss, however, if in this discussion of PeaPod’s products, I omitted the completely unique Keep In Touch or “K.I.T.”  Cards they offer! You know the feeling…you meet a super cool and funny Mom on the playground.  You think to yourself, “hey, I bet we could actually be friends.” But amidst finding the sand toys and wrenching the sidewalk chalk from your toddler’s fingers, there’s no way you can take the time to pull out your phones and exchange email addresses.  Voila!  Tuck a Keep In Touch card or two in your diaper bag, and you can easily pass on your information to that  Mom you don’t want to have passed like two ships in the night!

Babies are being born. Birthdays are being celebrated. Friends are being made.  Honor them with exquisite cards.

All this gorgeous stationery making you drool?  Guess what. The lovely gals at PeaPod Announcements have offered one Babies Gotta Have It a gift certificate for $50 towards a purchase on their site. Want to enter? Read on!

To Enter the PeaPod Announcements Giveaway

• MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Take a swing by PeaPod Announcements and check out their beautiful assortment of stationery products.  Come back and leave a comment on this post sharing which product you’d use your gift certificate to purchase.  Entering is that easy!
  

***Want extra chances to win? After you have made your first entry as described above, do anything listed below and leave me additional comments for each one letting me know what you did!  Maximum of seven entries per person.

• Follow me on twitter (click the birdy button on the left to do so easily) and Twitter this giveaway (I’ve even made it easy for you, just cut and paste): @BabiesGottaHavT is giving away a $50 gift certificate to PeaPod Announcements! Enter today! http://tinyurl.com/kuk3pt
• Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
• Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left
• Grab my button and put in on your blog or website! Button code is in the right sidebar. Leave the link in your entry.
• Become a Fan of Babies Gotta Have It on Facebook–just click the link on the left sidebar!
• Email your friends about the giveaway! cc me in the message (babiesgottahaveit@gmail.com)–I promise I will not spam you or your friends. Cross my heart

Your email address will remain private and not be shared with anyone. Giveaway only open to those with U.S.  and Canadian addresses. Must be 18 or older to win. Giveaway begins on Sunday September 20th and ends on Monday October 5th at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Tuesday October 6th,  Random.org will select the winner I’ll email you immediately. After my daughter called Larry the Cable guy the last time she did a drawing, we have decided to take a little vacation from her choosing the winner. Random.org is in no way as cute and unpredictable as my daughter, but it is much more efficient and does not use any pieces of paper, even recycled ones. I am sure you will understand. Thanks for entering!

UPDATE!  We have a winner!  Random.org says…Result: 2   Congratulations Kristin L.  Random.org must love you!  Thanks so much for entering everyone!

The summer has ended.  My baby girl just turned two.  And I’m going back to work.  There are changes afoot here at Babies Gotta Have It.  My baby is no longer a baby.  “Babies Gotta Have It” is gradually becoming “Babies and Toddlers Gotta Have It.”  Over the next weeks and months I’ll be thinking a bit about this blog and how to continue to make  it a resource for new and expecting parents, while also allowing it to grow and develop with my family.

But I’ll be doing much of that work between shows.  As some of you know (check out my blog, Mama Act for more) before having the Little Bean I was a sometimes-working actress here in NYC.  I have traveled around the country to do shows (ask me about the Thanksgiving Blizzard of Buffalo 1999) and also performed here in the city.  I have done some commercials and said one line in a movie (only to discover when I went to see it that, yup, it was cut).  But mostly I have been a theater actress.  And as it turns out, I still am.  For a few months, anyway, I’ll be juggling childcare and work and fitting blog posts in between rehearsals and performances for a new play I’ll be doing here in New York.  You’ll notice lots more product reviews and giveaways in the weeks to come.  But my archive of videos will still be available for you to laugh at enjoy.

I love the theater.  So it’s kind of wonderful that right at this moment, I have the opportunity to share my love of live theater with all of you.  Planning a trip to NYC this fall?  New York is lovely in the autumn.  And there are a whole crop of wonderful new shows coming to Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway theaters this fall.  Whatever your taste, trust me, there’s something for you.  Now theater tickets, just like sandwiches, are crazy expensive in NYC.  But there are deals to be had if you know where to look.  And a new resource has just become available to purchase discount theater tickets at a significant savings!  Welcome to the “Season of Savings!” Just visit the Season of Savings website, browse their selection of shows, purchase your tickets using the coupon codes provided, and you’ll still have money for dinner (email me for restaurant suggestions please!).  At this very moment, tickets are available for: The 39 Steps, Burn the Floor, Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Fela!, Finian’s Rainbow, HAIR, In the Heights, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Next to Normal, Phantom of the Opera, Rock of Ages, Shrek the Musical, South Pacific, Superior Donuts, Wishful Drinking. as well as some wonderful Off-Broadway shows and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. I just saw “Next to Normal” and it was brilliant. If you’re more of a traditional Broadway fan or you want to take your in-laws for their anniversary, try “South Pacific” for a wonderful night of theater.  All these discount broadway theater tickets are available at Season of Savings now through December 20th (and you can get coupons for discounted parking, hotels and more there too!).

So…want to have some fun? You know I think Mama needs a night out every now and then.  And for some of you, an evening  of Constantine Maroulis and the music of the 80’s might be just what you need to bust those Back to School Blues!  Thanks to the wonderful folks at Season of Savings, I am giving one lucky Babies Gotta Have It reader two tickets to “Rock of Ages”, Broadway’s hit musical featuring the music JOURNEY, REO SPEEDWAGON, STYX, FOREIGNER and more! The winner and a guest will attend the Sunday September 27th 7pm performance, at the Brooks Atkinson Theater located at 256 West 47th Street here in New York City.  Want to enter?  Read on!

To Enter the Season of Savings “Rock of Ages” Tickets Giveaway

• MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite Broadway musical or play (whether you’ve seen it live or in the movies or on TV or just heard the soundtrack) .  Entering is that easy!
  

***Want extra chances to win? After you have made your first entry as described above, do anything listed below and leave me additional comments for each one letting me know what you did!  Maximum of seven entries per person.

• Follow me on twitter (click the birdy button on the left to do so easily) and Tweet this giveaway (I’ve even made it easy for you, just cut and paste): Ready to Rock? @BabiesGottaHavT is giving away a pair of tickets to ROCK OF AGES on Broadway! Enter today! http://tinyurl.com/meb2pt
• Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
• Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left
• Grab my button and put in on your blog or website! Button code is in the right sidebar. Leave the link in your entry.
• Become a Fan of Babies Gotta Have It on Facebook–just click the link on the left sidebar!
• Email your friends about the giveaway! cc me in the message (babiesgottahaveit@gmail.com)–I promise I will not spam you or your friends. Cross my heart

Your email address will remain private and not be shared with anyone. Giveaway only open to those with U.S.  addresses. Must be 18 or older to win. Tickets are only good for the Sunday September 27th, 2009 7pm performance of “Rock of Ages” at the Brooks Atkinson Theater on Broadway, New York City.  No refunds or exchanges.  Giveaway begins on Tuesday  September 8th and ends on Wednesday September 16th at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Thursday September 17th,  Random.org will select the winner I’ll email you immediately. After my daughter called Larry the Cable guy the last time she did a drawing, we have decided to take a little vacation from her choosing the winner. Random.org is in no way as cute and unpredictable as my daughter, but it is much more efficient and does not use any pieces of paper, even recycled ones. I am sure you will understand. Thanks for entering!

UPDATE:  We have a winner! Result: 6 Congratulations Michelle!  Enjoy the show!  And be sure to check out Michelle’s blog, There Must Be More To Life Than Dishes and Laundry.  Thanks so much to everyone who entered!

My toddler won’t eat.

Well, except cookies…and bananas….and raisins…and toast. She hearts cookies and bananas and raisins and toast. But finding a way to get protein into her sweet little pudgy tummy is a challenge I face every day.  And from what I can tell, I’m not alone in this.

I do have many wonderful staples that I got from the terrific baby cookbook, “1, 2, 3,  Cook for Me ” by Karin Knight.  I profiled this great resource in an earlier post, “Because Baby Cannot Live on Captain Crunch Alone.” Probably should change that to Cheerios.  `Cuz I sure have tested that hypothesis.  Karin Knight’s book has recipes for toddlers too.  But I’ll admit, I’ve gotten lazy.  I don’t introduce new foods with the regularity and enthusiasm I used to.  I want my child to become an adventurous eater!  I need to pull that book out again.

My brilliant sister-in-law, however, put me on to a wonderful new recipe that seems to be a pretty surefire way of getting at least four bites of egg down the hatch, and sometimes many more.  This isn’t a cooking blog, which is a good thing because what I’m about to tell you is so not in recipe form.  But “Cheesy Scrambled Eggs” is the new favorite in my house.  So here’s how I did it tonight. Melt a little butter in your frying pan.  Beat an egg (or several eggs if you want some and they are so yummy that you totally will) and a splash of milk in a bowl until they are frothy.  Pour the mixture in the frying pan and add a scoop (maybe a tablespoon for one egg) of cream cheese. Don’t put in too much cream cheese or the eggs will be too runny.  Then if you really want to push your protein luck, add some finely chopped up, thinly sliced deli ham (but beware, one nearly imperceptible sliver of ham, when tasted by your toddler, may immediately be spit from her mouth making the entire dish, formerly deemed “yummy” into something that will not be suffered for another moment).  Let the eggs cook over low heat until they just begin to set around the edge of the pan, then scramble them until they are soft and fluffy.  At the last moment, sprinkle some grated cheese over the whole mixture.  Cheesy Scrambled Eggs have indeed been deemed yummy by my finicky tot.  Try ‘em. They’re delish.

So here’s the thing.  I recently worked out with exercise pro Cathe Friedrich. I’m guessing many of you know her from her incredibly popular exercise DVDs. She’s amazing and the workout, while challenging no doubt, was actually pretty fun. I couldn’t walk the next day, but I dragged around those aching glutes with pride.  Cathe’s workout was held in conjunction with an announcement to the media (and me…somehow I slipped in there) that she  has teamed up with Eggland’s Best Eggs to promote regular exercise and healthy eating all across America.  After the workout, we feasted on yummy omelets made to order with Eggland’s Best Eggs.  What is it about a guy in a fancy hat doing my bidding with an omelet pan that makes my heart go pitter pat?

The amazing folks at Eggland’s Best want you to try some Cheesy Scrambled Eggs…and some omelets…and some French Toast…and devlied eggs…heck they want you to enjoy a year’s worth of scrumptious egg dishes.  On them. Yup.  One lucky Babies Gotta Have It reader will win a year’s supply of Eggland’s Best Eggs. And want to have abs like Cathe’s? You can get those too (albeit with a bit more sweat than it will take you to get the eggs)!  The winner will also recieve one of Cathe’s amazing workout DVDs–signed by Cathe Friedrich herself.  And to help you in your amazing egg prep…an Eggland’s Best apron and spatula.

Eggs and abs. Yeah, that’s something Mama’s definitely gotta have.

To Enter the Eggland’s Best & Cathe Giveaway:

• Take a swing by the Eggland’s Best Website. Check out the collection of yummy egg recipes you can make with their Farm Fresh White Eggs & Brown Eggs, Cage Free Brown Eggs, and Organic Brown Eggs, and leave me a comment saying which recipe you’d like to try.  That’s it! Entering is that easy!

***Want extra chances to win? Do anything listed below and leave me additional comments for each one letting me know what you did!  Maximum of four entries per person.

• Follow me on twitter (click the birdy button on the left to do so easily) and Twitter this giveaway (I’ve even made it easy for you, just cut and paste): @BabiesGottaHavT is giving away a year’s supply of Eggland’s Best Eggs! http://tinyurl.com/kp8l9r
• Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
• Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left
• Grab my button and put in on your blog! Button code is in the right sidebar.
• Become a Fan of Babies Gotta Have It on Facebook–just click the link on the left sidebar!
• Email your friends about the giveaway! cc me in the message–I promise I will not spam you or your friends. Cross my heart

Your email address will remain private and not be shared with anyone. Giveaway only open to those with U.S.  addresses. Giveaway begins on Wednesday July 1st and ends on Wednesday July 15nd at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Thursday July 16th,  Random.org will select the winner I’ll email you immediately. After my baby called Larry the Cable guy the last time she did a drawing, we have decided to take a little vacation from her choosing the winner. Random.org is in no way as cute and unpredictable as my baby, but it is much more efficient and does not use any pieces of paper, even recycled ones. I am sure you will understand. Thanks for entering!

UPDATE! We have a winner!  Random.org says: Result: 112

Congratulations AMY and thanks so much to everyone who entered!  Please come back soon for the Online Baby Shower!

Is it summer where you are?  It has pretty much been raining for four months straight here in NYC.  Today when the Bean woke up from her nap, dappled sunlight filtered into the windows. I slathered her in sunscreen, I put on her water shoes, we streaked out the door, headed for the playground with the little water fountain sprinkler…and it started to rain.  Again. So I got a mocha light frappuccino, we went home, and blew bubbles in the bathroom.  No joke.  Did you know that if you blow bubbles in the bathroom you can really really really hear them pop?  It’s kinda cool.  And a mocha light frappuccino only has 110 calories.  That’s making lemonade.

Not to get all Annie on you, but I think the sun is coming out tomorrow.  And staying out for several days.  The weather must needs get hot very soon. The fourth is days away.  And when you’re packing the sippy cup and snack for that playground run, make sure you remember Mama needs a drink too.  Oh does Mama need a drink.

You have exhaustively researched safe sippy cups and bottles for your baby…but what about Mama?  Mama needs to go BPA free too!  And just in time for summer, my friends at NoPlastic.ca are giving away two, count em, two 12 oz stainless steel bottles with sport tops to two lucky Babies Gotta Have It readers! You pick the color!

Mama loves stainless on her appliances, but why bottles too?  The NoPlastic.ca stainless steel bottles are ultra light, good for hot or cold beverages, toxin-free, BPA-free, Clean tasting, and Dishwasher safe. Oh and they have wide mouths so you can easily fit ice cubes in!  Need I say more?

To Enter the NoPlastic.ca Sport Bottle Giveaway:

• Take a swing by NoPlastic.ca. Check out the the 12 oz. Stainless Steel Sport Bottles and leave me a comment with your favorite color.  That’s it! Entering is that easy!

***Want extra chances to win? Do anything listed below and leave me additional comments for each one letting me know what you did!  Maximum of four entries per person.

• Follow me on twitter (click the birdy button on the left to do so easily) and Twitter this giveaway (I’ve even made it easy for you, just cut and paste): @BabiesGottaHavT & @keepithealthy want you to cool off with a Stainless Steel Sport Bottle! Enter to win! http://tinyurl.com/l7ob8v
• Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
• Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left
• Grab my button and put in on your blog! Button code is in the right sidebar.
• Become a Fan of Babies Gotta Have It on Facebook–just click the link on the left sidebar!
• Email your friends about the giveaway! cc me in the message–I promise I will not spam you or your friends. Cross my heart

Your email address will remain private and not be shared with anyone. Giveaway open to those with U.S.  or Canadian addresses. Giveaway begins on Wednesday June 24th and ends on Wednesday July 8th at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Thursday July 9th,  Random.org will select the winners and I’ll email you immediately. After my baby called Larry the Cable guy the last time she did a drawing, we have decided to take a little vacation from her choosing the winner. Random.org is in no way as cute and unpredictable as my baby, but it is much more efficient and does not use any pieces of paper, even recycled ones. I am sure you will understand. Thanks for entering!

UPDATE: Random.Org has chosen our two winners!  Thank you so much to everyone who entered!

Result:  64   Congratulations Elaina!

Result:  21  Congratulations Brynn!

It’s about danged time I had my own TV show. Thanks to the fabulous Mae Mason of Mutha Mae, the only blogger I know who has a TV development deal (rock on Mae), I now do.  Or at least, what may be a regular appearance in an online parenting video show that she’s creating, exploring how the experience of parenthood varies drastically simply based on where you live. Cool idea, no?  This is one of, like, one hundred eighty shows that Mae is creating, producing and everything-ing from her home in St. Louis while the folks in Hollywood figure out how best to use her considerable talents.  They are dragging their feet and making shows starring the Octo Mom and lots of blond rich chicks instead. Who exactly do they think is gonna watch this stuff?

So back to me…in my episode, I show you in gory detail the challenges of going grocery shopping with a toddler here in the biggest of apples. Yeah, we don’t have supermarkets. We have bodegas. We don’t have shopping carts with little racecars in the front.  We don’t have shopping carts at all. And how do you get all that food home? You carry it. While you push a stroller. In the sleet and the snow and the freezing rain and the humidity. The entire way. It’s super fun. Check it out.

And thanks Mae. You’re the best.

So my Mom is coming to stay at my apartment tomorrow.  For four days.  Needless to say, from the moment I click “publish post” to the moment of her arrival, I will be cleaning my apartment.  Which, I must admit, is totally filthy. Totally. Filthy.  I have a  toddler. Splat mat or no splat mat, there’s gonna be oatmeal on the walls.  Am I right?

I have been so tempted lately to hire someone to clean my house.  Even just once a month. I know that other parts of the country are dirty, but the kind of nastiness that accumulates on windows in New York City is something that must be seen to be believed.  It is black soot right out of “chim chiminy” and totally terrifying when you pause to think that if it’s caked on your window sills it’s more than likely caked in your lungs.  Doc Hubby has confirmed this.  He did Gross Anatomy at med school in New York City.  Enough said.

The thing is, the reason I haven’t hired someone to clean my house is that if my Mother found out I was paying someone to do what I can “so easily” do myself, she would at worst disown me and at best not get me any Christmas presents for a year or two.  However, if anyone would care to tell me what’s easy about scraping lentils off hardwood floors with my fingernails while my toddler trashes the living room I’m all ears. Thanks to a super fun and super indulgent event I attended a few weeks ago, I have a bunch of Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaner to use in my scrubbing marathon.  I have to say, it’s working very nicely–I am enjoying the  Lavender Fresh scent immensely (though if you’re sensitive to scents I’d advise you to go easy on it — click here for a $1 coupon), my dining room table looks lustrous, and since I removed the inch thick layer of grime I feel like I have a brand new TV. Oh so that’s why people are so jazzed about HD.

But it’s all good, really.  This will be the first weekend Doc Hubby and I have left the baby and taken off by ourselves since she was born.  We’re going to Maine.  To stay in a coastal inn where his grandparents used to stay. The weather promises to be cool and sunny. The lobster rolls at Bob’s Clam Hut are to die for.

And oh yeah, when you’re here, Mom?  Feel free to pledge the windows!

What Neil Patrick Harris doesn’t know is how much he looks like my brother.  Oh he thinks I attended the Real Chocolate Relief Act kick off at the M&Ms Store in Times Square because he gave away free candy. Well, there’s that.  Mama’s not gonna turn down a Snickers Bar.

But mostly, I went so that my friend Katja could take this picture of me.

And I can show you this picture.

That’s my brother Wes and his wife Joss.

So you can kinda see why, in the late 80’s, strangers would literally yell “Hey Doogie” out the windows of passing cars at my brother. Half the time they yelled that.  The other half of the time they sang “Tomorrow” loudly at me. Yeah, walking down the sidewalk was an adventure when we were kids.

I also got my picture taken with Red and Yellow (that’s me with my friends Katja and Maria and Red).  Red and Yellow smiled a lot and didn’t say much which was a little creepy.  They also needed help stepping down off the big platform that held the giant bowl full of candy cuz they totally can’t see their feet.  Made me feel a little bit better about that post-baby bulge. At least I can walk down stairs.

Neil Patrick Harris was really sweet and friendly actually.  And as my friend Katie pointed out, these photos will be very enjoyable to include in next year’s Christmas Card.

Oh and there’s the free candy.

Yeah, that’s something Mama’s gotta have.

The severity of the current economic crisis has been hammered home. It’s bad.  I know.  I totally get it.  But I have to say, serious as this crisis is, I’m just an itsy bitsy, teeny tiny, eeny weeny bit tired of hearing talking heads on TV say just HOW bad it is.  It’s bad.  I get it.  It’s so bad I’m already worried my daughter won’t be able to get into a good public school in three years because all the rich people in New York are taking their kids out of swanky private schools and enrolling them in public schools because even they can’t pay thirty thousand dollars a year for tuition any more. It’s wicked bad.

What I do like, however, is listening to clever women share how they are thwarting the recession and saving money. I got to hang out with some great bloggers a couple of weeks ago to brainstorm just how we Mamas are going to keep our heads above water since it’s pretty much looking like no one is going to send us billions of dollars in bail out money. Laura Rowley, Yahoo.com’s Finance Expert and author of the book “Money and Happiness: A Guide to Living the Good Life” kicked the event off by sharing her money-saving tips for every room of the house.  There were so many amazing tips flying around the room and over the internet that I could barely keep up with them.  If you’re a twittering gal, go to twitter search and search #printprosper for a peek into our conversation.

But I just want to share my favorites with you:

• Coupons. Coupons. Coupons. Coupons are apparently the new black. I remember my mom heading off to the store with her “coupon caddy” and thinking, “like that quarter you’re gonna save on Cheerios is going to buy me a car when I’m sixteen.”  Well, let me tell you gals, there are women out there saving hundreds and hundreds with coupons.  Check out the amazing sites like A Full Cup, Mambo Sprouts and Deal Seeking Mom to find and print coupons online.  Dying to shop organic but don’t want to spend the extra bucks? Find a local farmer’s market using the search engine at USDA.gov or check out the websites of organic companies like Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, and Horizon for online promotions and coupons.
• Check out faxZERO where you can send free faxes anywhere in the U.S. or Canada if you agree to have an ad printed on the fax cover page.
• Beware vampire drain! I love this term.  Apparently we as a nation spend 3 billion dollars a year on electricity for our appliances…when they’re turned off! This is not okay. Get a power strip.  Unplug non-essential stuff.
• Ok this one really really floored me. Not everything that says “dry clean only” needs to be dry cleaned! Whaaaaaaat?  Yup. 65% of dry clean only products can be washed at home on the gentle cycle.  Go to The Laundress to learn more.
• Install low-flow fixtures in your faucets and showers to save money on water bills and conserve this valuable natural resource!
• Basically, call every service provider you have: your car insurance, your home insurance, your credit cards, your mortgage broker and ask if they can make you a better offer. It just plain doesn’t hurt to ask.  And while you’re at it, are you really watching all the TV channels you’re paying for?  I am. But are you? Maybe you don’t need them all.  Oh, and Laura says when you’re calling your credit cards, ask to speak to the cancellation department. They are the ones who have the power to negotiate.
• Two words: the library.  Video rentals. Free books. Free magazines. Free internet service.  Free story time and activities for kids. Free lots and lots of stuff.
• This was my tip so I just like it.  Plant vegetables.  In a garden or in containers on your deck or patio. You will have tomatoes and basil for days and if you don’t spray nasty stuff on them, they will be organic.

Oh and there’s one more thing. Ink.  Have you noticed how much inkjet ink cartridges cost lately?  They are crazy expensive.  And according to Kodak, they don’t have to be.  We, the printing public, are being seriously gouged.  Kodak is now offering ink at a fraction of the cost of most other companies.  Use their ink and printers, save money.  In fact, they even have a website where you can see just how much money you’d save on ink every year if you switched to a Kodak inkjet printer.  I recently had the opportunity to check out the Kodak ESP 7 All-in-One Printer.  Let me say, it is one very pretty, very tricked out, very very nice printer. Yeah with this printer you’re gonna save on ink, but you’re also gonna be able to print gorgeous photos; print, copy and scan photos and documents; print super fast in color and in black and white; make color copies, and print wirelessly with Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity.  And he’s it’s smart too.  He It knows the difference between photo paper and regular paper and adjusts automatically.  I know, I’m a little breathy and excited too!

So here’s the really exciting part.  Thanks to the very generous folks at Kodak, one incredibly lucky Babies Gotta Have It winner will win a Kodak ESP7 printer.  I am not joking. Yeah, that’ll save you some green.  To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me how you’d use this printer to stimulate your family’s economy.  I will pick the winner randomly using random.org.

But wait, there’s more.  Thanks to Kodak, 20 bloggers are offering this Print and Prosper Giveaway over four different weeks.  This week, three other fantastic blogs are doing this giveaway.  Check out the posts by: Resourceful Mommy, Little Miss Know It All and Sugar Jones. You can enter all of them!  And the 20 winners will be eligible to win a free, all-expense paid trip to the BlogHer blogging conference in Chicago this July.  Laura Rowley will look at all the winning entries and pick her favorites from each week to win the blog scholarship. So put on your thinking caps and make your entry count!

A free, money-saving printer and a trip to BlogHer?  Yeah, that’s something Mama’s gotta have.

To Enter the Kodak Print and Prosper Giveaway:

• Leave a comment on this post sharing how you would use this Kodak printer to stimulate your family’s economy.  How could you use this awesome printer to save or earn some cash? Entering is that easy!

***Want extra chances to win? Do anything listed below and leave me additional comments for each one letting me know what you did!  Maximum of three entries per person.

• Leave another comment sharing a favorite money-saving tip.
• Follow me on twitter (click the birdy button on the left to do so easily) and Twitter this giveaway (I’ve even made it easy for you, just cut and paste): @BabiesGottaHavT wants you to Print and Prosper! Win a Kodak all in one Printer! http://babiesgottahaveit.com/?p=700
• Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
• Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left

Your email address will remain private and not be shared with anyone. Giveaway only open to those with U.S. addresses. Giveaway begins on Monday April 20th and ends on Sunday April 26th  at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Monday April 27th,  Random.org will select the winner I’ll email you immediately. After my baby called Larry the Cable guy the last time she did a drawing, we have decided to take a little vacation from her choosing the winner. Random.org is in no way as cute and unpredictable as my baby, but it is much more efficient and does not use any pieces of paper, even recycled ones. I am sure you will understand. Thanks for entering!
UPDATE: And the winner is….

#56 Carol!  Congratulations Carol!  Happy Printing!