Babies Gotta Have It

Did I mention my baby girl is turning three in a month and I’m in my hometown for a few weeks and I’m basically just feeling nostalgic?  About everything.  Even maternity clothes.

Because despite those moments when the ferocious Russian nurse at my OB’s office weighed me and said “Wendy…that’s enough“, I really kind of loved my curvy pregnant shape.  I didn’t worry about my weight one bit when I was pregnant. I enjoyed my brownies and croissants.  And may I remind you, I’m an actress.  Though I have not really succeeded in losing the baby weight, it is my job to worry about it.

So, if you’re preggo, getting bigger by the day and loving it (or hating it…depending on your mood), check out the Moody Mamas Summer Collection on the virtual racks at Target.  Moody Mamas boasts an impressive celebrity client list including Jennifer Garner (love her!) and Jessica Alba, and their colorful summer collection of totally affordable and totally chic maternity dresses will help you feel like a pampered star…even when you’re plopped in front of the window a/c unit nursing a seltzer and sweating like a marathon runner. As a bonus, these cute dresses are great for transitioning into fall and postpartum as well!  Made of luxurious fabrics, inspired by the runway, ranging in price from $39.99 to $44.99, and available in plus sizes, Moody Mamas dresses are guaranteed to make you love love love your baby belly. Trust me.  One day you will not be able to remember just what it felt like any more.  And you will miss it.

A really really cute summer dress that hugs that baby belly.  Yeah…that’s something Mamas-to-be Gotta Have.

Buy it: Find Moody Mamas Summer 2010 Collection at Target.com.  Get 30% off your purchase when you use the coupon code: MM Discount

Win it: One lucky Babies Gotta Have It reader will win a dress from the collection!  Want to enter?  Read on!

To Enter the Moody Mamas Giveaway

• MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Check out the Moody Mamas Collection at Target.com.  Come back and leave a comment on this site sharing two or three of your favorite looks.   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 nine entries per person.

• Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (just cut and paste): Win a chic maternity dress from the Moody Mamas Summer Collection at Target @BabiesGottaHavT http://snurl.com/zfvac
• Join the Moody Mamas Group on Facebook - Click HERE
• Follow Moody Mamas on Twitter - Click HERE.
• Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
• Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left sidebar
• 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. Click HERE!
• 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 Friday July 16th and ends on Monday August 2nd at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. Very shortly thereafter,  Random.org will select the winner,  and 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: Moody Mamas is providing the dress for the winner of this giveaway.  I was not compensated in any way for this post, and all views and opinions with regard to the products or company itself are my own and were not influenced, nor reviewed, by the company prior to posting.

UPDATE!  We have a winner!  Random.org says “Result: 57″.  Congratulations Ashley R!  And thanks so much to everyone who entered!

I spent the 4th of July weekend with, among others, my niece who just loves to be “fancy.” A la Nancy. And though I’m a kind of an LL Bean gal, sometimes I like to be a bit fancy myself.  I like fresh flowers in the bathroom.  I like cloth napkins.  And I like to eat breakfast outside.

So for the 3rd of July, I got up early, made fancy banana chocolate chip scones (inspired by Rebecca from P.S. Pies and Scones…if you live in L.A. order from her today), and served them with yogurt parfaits. We ate outside using Diamond Brilliance cutlery.  These, Mamas, are plastic utensils you will happily wash.  And, may I add, they are top rack dishwasher safe (which I totally didn’t realize until now–sorry guys for making you handwash them!) My sister-in-law came outside, sat down next to me, and said, “I love this silverware” having absolutely no idea I was reviewing it for my blog.  Diamond Brilliance is pretty and practical and shiny and you can feel totally fine about four kids under the age of 9 using it outside for breakfast on the patio.  And at $4.49 a box, it fits a totally un-fancy budget. Look for it at major retailers near you.

A little touch of fancy. Yeah, that’s something Mama’s gotta have.

Disclaimer: Diamond Brilliance sent me one box of cutlery to review.  All opinions regarding the product are totally mine (and my sister-in-law’s) and were not reviewed by the company prior to posting.

My grandmother had old school CoverMates.  I have no idea what brand they were.  But they were plastic wrap gathered with elastic like a shower cap and after she’d use them, she’d meticulously hand wash them in the sink, and hang them from the cafe curtain rod with a plastic clothespin to dry.  They came in several sizes. Eventually they stretched out.  She still used them.

So when the people at CoverMate Food Covers approached me to try their new product, I actually got a little misty.  Happy Mother’s Day Mamas.  Yup.  After giving birth, my emotions are so labile that even stretchy Food-Storage Covers can make me weep.

These, however, are not your grandmother’s stretch-to-fit food storage covers.  CoverMates come in four different sizes, are reusable, microwave safe, and top-rack dishwasher safe. And though they aren’t recyclable, they are far better to me than ziploc bags and plastic wrap which rarely receive more than one use before ending up in a landfill.  With CoverMates you can store your food in your own bowl and just safely cover it before you pop it in the fridge.

So how do you wash a CoverMate in the dishwasher without it just turning into a little bag of dingy water? I love this.  You can handwash them like my Nana.  Or stretch the CoverMate around a clean saucer or plate with the dirty side out, then load in the top rack of your dishwasher.  Tried it.  Worked.

Want to try them?  You can find CoverMates at Target, Amazon.com, or buycovermate.com.  Or request a free sample here (just pay $3.95 shipping, but you also get a coupon for $1.00 off your purchase).

Disclosure: CoverMate provided me with sample products for review.  I was not compensated monetarily, and all views and opinions with regard to the products or company itself are my own and were not influenced, nor reviewed, by the company prior to posting.

So I have receding gums.  I hadn’t been to the dentist in over a year (I know…I know…) and when I went a few weeks ago my doctor said “you’re too young to have teeth that look like this.”  Now, he’s the only person who has called me young in recent memory (Did I mention I wasn’t cast in a play because I was too old, and I was also mistaken for the mother of an 18 year old?  Thanks universe).  So for that I am grateful.  However, he also seemed to want to teach me a lesson for putting off until tomorrow what I clearly should have done today, and he scraped the plaque off my teeth himself with all the gentleness of a strip miner.  In my opinion, it is never good when the dentist himself cleans your teeth.  And mine had an agenda.  It felt like Dustin Hoffman in “Marathon Man.”

I don’t have any cavities however.  I also don’t have any wisdom teeth.  I never had wisdom teeth. Does that mean I have no wisdom?  I credit the no cavities to fluoride, some fluke of nature, and regular brushing.  However, it is the years of earnest and aggressive brushing that have led to the particular joy which is gum recession.  And the resulting sensitivity.  I have to say, I was pretty miserable before I started rocking the Crest Sensitivity toothpaste. I started using it a few years ago when it first came out (I realize I sound like a commercial here, but it’s actually true and I’m not trying to sell you anything, I’m just trying to give stuff away).  So when the folks from Crest approached me about trying their new Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield products, I said “sign me up.”

So I have now added the Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield Toothpaste and the Crest Glide Pro-Health Floss for Sensitive Gums to my teeth cleaning ritual.  They sent me the Oral-B CrossAction Gentle Clean Brush too, but I had just shelled out almost seven bucks for a fancy -schmancy Oral-B brush (it’s New York, what can I say) and so I gave the brush to my husband.  So far as I know it’s working great. My favorite is the floss.  I can’t say I love flossing, but I really do do it almost daily.  You hear that Dr. Marathon Man?  This floss is super soft and minty and really easy to slide between teeth.  And the toothpaste is working well for me too.  I have never been a huge fan of the flavor of the Crest Pro-Health toothpastes–but this kind definitely tastes better than the original.  Crest says they made it smoother than the original and I would absolutely agree.  And apparently it’s made with a special kind of fluoride called “stannous fluoride” that binds to enamel to strengthen the tooth. I’m all in favor of that.  And it also prevents gingivitis.  Please please let me avoid gum surgery!  Please!  I promise I’ll go to the dentist more often.

In fact, I have an appointment for July.  Three months after my last appointment.  My dentist isn’t messing around.

Ice cream cones getting you down?  Here’s your chance to win the entire Pro-Health regimen of products including the toothpaste, floss and brush.

To Enter the Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield Giveaway

• MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Leave a comment on this post sharing when your most recent dental appointment was.  Come on.  Either own up or inspire us with your exemplary oral health!  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 and tweet the following (just cut and paste): Got sensitive teeth? Win the Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield Dental Care Regimen @BabiesGottaHavT http://tinyurl.com/33tu5uc
• Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
• Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left sidebar
• 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. Click HERE!
• 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 Saturday May 8th and ends on Saturday May 22nd at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Sunday May 23rd,  Random.org will select the winner,  and 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: Crest Pro-Health provided me with sample products for review and the products for the winner of this giveaway.  I was not compensated monetarily, and all views and opinions with regard to the products or company itself are my own and were not influenced, nor reviewed, by the company prior to posting.

Update!  We have a winner!  Random.org says “Result: 24″!  Congratulations Marci and thanks so much to everyone who entered!

So I was thinking today, while I was standing in NASDAQ on 43rd Street clapping and hooting when Jim McCann and Chris McCann of 1-800-FLOWERS.com sounded the opening bell to celebrate all mothers as part of their “Spot a Mom Campaign”, that I don’t just want a nice bouquet of roses for all you moms this Mother’s Day.  I wish for you not only a floral arrangement that knocks your socks off, but also a good solid grasp on your family’s finances and a wee bit of financial independence as well.  I started a 401K this year.  I didn’t have a lot to put in it.  But it’s mine.  And it’s there.  Happy Mother’s Day to me.

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!