MOM CONFESSIONALS

Recently I was invited to the launch party for Honest Company hosted by MomTrends and got a chance to meet the fabulously gorgeous Jessica Alba, one of the founders of this revolutionary company.  We listened to hear tell the story of her early days as a new parent and it echoed my very own experience.  I became a parent during the early uproar over BPA in bottles and remember the ignited fear within.   I began countless hours of research and at every turn I was more and more horrified.  Not just at the chemicals in everyday products we used but also at the high costs for products that were safer.  “I’ve spent way too many hours researching products and driving around trying to find safer, eco-friendly options for my kids,” exclaimed Jessica Alba, President and founder. “I knew that most people didn’t have that kind of time, nor the means to pay the premium prices. We had to make it easier.”  She teamed up with Christopher Gavigan, former Healthy Child Healthy World CEO; Brian Lee, ShoeDazzle.com founder; and Sean Kane, PriceGrabber.com executive, to launch The Honest Company, an eco-friendly line of family essentials offered through a monthly subscription service at Honest.com.  That’s a pretty amazing team for sure!  Healthy Child Healthy World was my go-to site for the most reliable information and still is.  Meeting Christopher Gavigan was inspiring.  He admits to being asked for product recommendations all the time but it took a LOT of nudging from Jessica Alba to give birth to The Honest Company.  We’re glad he came on board.

Created for parents by parents, The Honest Company founders say they are committed to making safe, sustainable products more convenient, beautiful, and affordable.  While one might be skeptical about signing up for a monthly subscription service, I can barely commit to a magazine subscription, I was pleasantly surprised at the flexibility.  The products are curated into personalized bundles that are automatically shipped every month, and parents can try a FREE Discovery Kit, that includes a sample pack of diapers and wipes, or trial-sized versions of the bath, skin and cleaning products.   If you like the discovery kit, you can continue to receive a customizable kit of FULL size products monthly.  It’s an easy process, and members at Honest.com can purchase a monthly supply of non-toxic stylish diapers competitively priced at less than $20 a week, and can also choose a monthly supply of the body care and home cleaning essentials for under $9 a week.  When it’s put in those numbers, it makes a lot of sense.

I really can embrace the Honest Family Essentials Bundle model where I can select 5 out of 14 currently available products every month.  My needs are always constantly changing, not to mention being a little commitment phobic, having the flexibility to choose the products I need for the next month is awesome!  While I am just transitioning my littlest one out of diapers, I have to say the Honest Diaper Bundle is so gorgeous I even contemplated waiting a bit longer on potty training.  Completely natural & non-toxic – made from chlorine-free, bio-based absorbent, and plant-based materials, these diapers are not only stylish, but also ultra absorbent with a premium fit.

As one of the founders of Trumpeting Media, we love brands that have a charitable arm, doing some Social Good.  I was thrilled to hear that a portion of every dollar Honest Company earns goes to their non-profit partner Baby2Baby. This worthy nonprofit supplies local families in need with essential baby gear and clothing for children up to age four.  We love it!

In these days where BUSY doesn’t even begin to describe a parent’s typical day, convenience and value speaks to us.  We welcome The Honest Company to make every parent’s life a little more manageable.

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You’ve seen the commercial with the kid running through FAO Schwarz… Any kids dream come true!  Filled with a spectacular selection of exclusive and timeless toys, exhibits and popular items sure to enchant children of all ages, FAO Schwarz Fifth Avenue is a year-round shopping destination for tourists and New Yorkers alike. The Holidays just aren’t the Holidays without a visit to FAO Schwarz.

MasterCard invited Marcus and I, armed with a MasterCard giftcard, for our very own private shopping experience just like the commercial! We had the entire store to ourselves granted it was at 7am in the wee morning, but who cares! It was the most amazing experience to date and I loved watching my almost 2 year old’s wide eyed excitement at every turn.  FAO Schwarz is huge to any child, but to a toddler, the magnitude was overwhelming!  Ending with a Toy Soldier Tour and cone full of candy, the baby and I were pooped!  The experience was… PRICELESS!

This sounds all so amazing and really it is!  Even more amazing is that ANY cardholder can partake in any of a multitude of opportunities to enjoy the things they are most passionate about, whether its travel, sports, shopping, culinary or arts and entertainment. MasterCard cardholders will have access to extraordinary experiences, exclusive offers and privileged access to not only make MasterCard their top of wallet choice but also bring a little more priceless to their life.

Want to book your very own Priceless FAO Schwarz VIP Experience?  Only MasterCard® cardholders can take a trip to the legendary Fifth Avenue flagship store and shop at their leisure before the store officially opens to the general public! Come experience the magic and time-honored tradition of shopping at Manhattan’s oldest toy retailer.  There are still many holiday shopping days to be had so book your VIP access at http://www.mastercard.us/priceless-cities/newyork/category.html?category=shopping

For more information on the program, including how to book, reserve and purchase these unique experiences and exclusive offerings, visit www.mastercard.com/pricelessnewyork.

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Just in time for your holidays, I was honored to co-host with Nancy Johnson Horn (The Mama Maven) and Esti Berkowitz (Primetime Parenting) an exclusive Media preview of LOFT’s inspiring charms benefiting St. Jude, before they officially went on sale last week.

The limited edition necklaces designed by Dogeared, represent the LOVE, JOY and HOPE of the patients at St. Jude.  Everyday I am thankful as St Jude’s motto “Give thanks for the healthy kids in your lives…” and as an RN I am touched by the children whose paths I cross with who are not.  They are some of the most extraordinary kids I have ever met.  These children deserve to live a full life and the research that is done at St. Jude gets us one day closer to that every single day.  If there is even a small contribution, “and give to those who are not.” I can make, I would.  Being able to make a purchase that does good means just as much to me as making a purchase that is good for one’s health, because it’s good for one’s soul.

These small charms are affordable and gorgeous for that special someone in your life, or even for yourself.  Each charm retails for $26 and five dollars from the purchase of every charm will be donated to St. Jude.  The inspiring charms are available for sale starting today, December 5th, in LOFT stores nationwide and on LOFT.com. To learn more about the charms and meet the children they benefit, visit LOFT’s Facebook page.

This marks the fifth year of ANN INC.’s participation in the St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign – the hospital’s national awareness and fundraising campaign that brings together celebrities, media and corporations to ask shoppers to “Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not.”

Since 2007, the company has raised over $6.7 million for St. Jude through its ANN Cares® charitable initiatives. As part of the ongoing partnership, now through December 31st, customers who shop at LOFT and LOFT Outlet stores will have an opportunity to support St. Jude through an add-on donation during the check out process. Additionally, ANN INC. has committed to donate up to $100,000 from the sale of limited edition products benefiting St. Jude during the Thanks and Giving® campaign, including the three LOFT Cares charm necklaces.

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Recently I was onhand as Christy Turlington Burns joined to celebrate the launch sale of Hatch by twobirds Collection on Gilt Children where a portion of proceeds will go to Christy’s charity, Every Mother Counts.

I have to admit that I was in attendance at the event because I am passionate about maternal and child health (as a mother-baby nurse by trade) and wholly support Christy’s charity and was excited to meet her in person but I was completely blown away by the Hatch by twobirds Collection, especially the dress that Christy wore that night.   Christy showed an excerpt from her debut documentary, No Woman No Cry followed by a Q&A. Christy’s documentary and discussion were extremely touching and women in the room were soon asking what they could do to help.  I picked up some simple ways to get involved and the first thing I did when I got home was look up how to donate my old cellphone to Hope Phones.  Every Mother Counts is an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase support for maternal and child health. Gilt Children, Hatch and Gilt City are happy to help raise awareness and funds for this campaign.

Gilt Children is exclusively launching the Hatch Collection before it is available anywhere else. The sale kicked off yesterday at 12 PM ET and runs until September 30th. Gilt members will get 20% off and a portion of the proceeds will go to Christy’s charity, Every Mother Counts. You can visit the sale by going to: http://www.gilt.com/sale/children/hatch-maternity-appa . Gilt Children is passionate about offering the best products for moms, babies and kids and this beautiful, innovative collection gave Gilt amazing opportunity to do so while also raising awareness for a global cause. Check it out!

If you don’t have an account, click here for your invitation to join!

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With the start of the school recently upon us, many parents are finding it hard to get kid’s back to sleep on time!  Our family, who has never had a sleep schedule to begin with, has been struggling to get our newly minted pre-schooler into a routine that will last, hopefully, for the next 12+ years. Everyone knows how important a good nights sleep is for your health and well being,  but it also makes for a happier and smarter child.  Sleepy’s, ”The Mattress Professionals,” recently hosted an event at their flagship store on Fifth Avenue to help parents make sure back-to-school is also back-to-sleep.  They brought Dr. Michael Breus, “The Sleep Doctor” to give us some simple tips on just how to do that.

• We’ve heard this a million times before, but keep bedtime consistent.  If there’s a place to start for this family, I think this would be it!
• Do NOT rile up the kids before bed!  This advice is best for my husband who comes home quite late in the day and it’s Christmas day all over again when he walks through the door.  What ever the kids are doing, they drop everything and run to greet their father.  Who happily swoops them up in his arms and gives them some rough-housing.
• One of my favorite tips is having the “power down hour”.  A great tip for even the parents.  Turn off the TV, put the cell phones, etc., on off and just relax.  Bring the day from 100 mph to 5 mph.
• For the adults, I learned if you’re having trouble sleeping, look at your caffeine intake.  Caffeine can stay in your system for 12+ hours sometimes depending on your metabolism.  Making your last consumption around 2pm in the afternoon is optimal.
• For those with real trouble sleeping, trying counting backwards from 100 in a multiple that requires some real though, ie. in 3′s or 7′s.

Dr. Breus also launched his own line of mattresses to help you sleep optimally through his 4 Tenets For Better Sleep:

The first of it’s kind to be designed by a sleep doctor with your health in mind.  If you purchase a Dr. Breus Bed, it comes with the Complimentary House Call Program.  Through the program, Dr. Breus will serve as your personal expert guide and coach through any transition time you may need from your old mattress to your new Dr. Breus Bed. You’ll receive important information, educational resources, and tips to help you get a better nights sleep.

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Seems like the biggest fall trend this year are patterns and stripes!  If you ask me, everyone’s a little behind on the curve as Zutano’s been doing it for years!  We love Zutano’s bold and whimsical patterns and colors!  We’ve been huge fans for years!  (see picture of Ava, now 4 years old, at a year and a half, rocking her Zutano fleece bear ear hat)  They always add a little something special to any outfit and of course you can go head to toe in Zutano too!

Headquartered in Cabot, Vermont, we love this family-friendly brand that let’s new mother’s bring their babies to work with them!  In fact, it’s the founders very own children’ who were the inspiration for Zutano!  Once only available at specialty retailers like FAO or online, they’ve recently launched their own retail website to huge fanfare!  Now those signature pieces that often sell out can be easily found!  If you haven’t checked out Zutano, you should!  You’ll be a fashion DO!

{ disclosure:  Mom Confessionals was a guest at an event hosted by MomTrends and Zutano and received no compensation for this post.  As always, all opinions expressed are our own.  }

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There are points in history they say you’ll never forget.  Until that one fateful morning, I hadn’t found one moment that I would never forget.

It was a morning, just like any other morning.  In the corporate communications office of Merrill Lynch bright and early, readying for the day.  I changed from my sneakers into my pumps, grabbed my wallet and was about to head down to the cafeteria to grab some breakfast when we noticed a plane coming awfully close to the building and then CRASH!

Everyone froze and many scrambled to turned on their televisions in their offices.  It was business as usual on TV and one of my co-workers muttered, “What an idiot, how did he not see the building.”  A bunch of us stood by the window gaping, wondering what to do, if the people in the plane and building were okay.  The news had now picked up on the crash but still, no one knew what was going on.  Then my boss said, “There’s another plane.  Why’s he coming so close?”  Another co-worker wondered if there was some computer malfunction and then the second crash.

My boss grabbed me by the back of my shirt and I fell out of my shoes, I quickly lunged to pick them up as he dragged me towards the stairs, he said to me, “That was NOT an accident.”  Everyone was running towards the door.  While the alarms had sounded, it was eerily quiet, mixed with a few sniffles, as everyone filed orderly into the stairwell and down 32 flights of stairs to the streets.   My shoes were still in my hands as I stared up at the two burning buildings.  My co-worker came up next to me and said, that’s not rain and we both turned away in realization.  As we were directed to walk north along the west-side highway up to a satellite office, I kept wondering what movie this was.  Unable to comprehend what was happening.  I held my co-workers arm tightly as we wept and walked.

There was silence, until the screeching and screams, we turned around to see the first building falling down and ran as the smoke started coming towards our direction.  We ran and ran and ran until we reached our satellite office and were ushered right in,  I had no more breath.  We all sank to the floor unable to process what had happened and I still was trying to figure out what movie this was, because this couldn’t be happening.  Even the most collected of people seemed turned around.  Some people went into crisis mode, following company protocol, and others like me, just didn’t know what to do.  We all wanted to call someone, anyone, but all the phone lines were down.  As my colleague started to take a head count we realized one of our own was missing.  He wasn’t in his office, he wasn’t on the streets, we tried calling his cellphone, no one could remember seeing him.  Then the realization hit, he was at the World Trade Center.  He was suppose to be delivering a press conference on the 106th floor of 1 World Trade Center when the attack occurred.  We all hoped and prayed he wasn’t in the building.  Maybe he was late someone said.  We all knew better.  Robert, fondly known as “Bob”, McIlvaine was never late.  Everyone gave each other hugs and parted to find their loved ones.  Still in a daze, I headed north with some of my co-workers.  My feet were blistered from walking in heels and I took them off and started to walk uptown barefoot.  For the most part it was a quiet walk, bidding well wishes and farewell to co-workers at different points.  Storefronts along the way were passing out water.  Parked cars had their windows open with their radios turned up so we could hear the news as we walked by.  By the time I hit 34th Street and the west side, I was by myself.  My mom’s office was still another 25+ blocks away.  A middle eastern man asked me if I’d like to walk along with him and I said yes.  He stopped by a nail salon and purchased me a pair of $5 slippers to walk in.  He told me he was trying to get to his daughter’s school and then to his wife’s office.   He told me he would walk with me as far as he could which was about 20 blocks.  I was so grateful for his company.  We didn’t say much else to each other but it was still comforting to walk together.  I’ll never forget his kindness.  The rest of the days and weeks were a blur.

I remember the sickening feeling I had when my boss announced that we were going to back to the World Financial Center as one of the first companies back.  To show America and the world, that we would not be broken.   I remember walking into our building, which was once alive with thousands of people chattering away and the now eery silence and the elevator that only went to 2 floors – our floor and ground floor.  I remember being one of the first to walk through those elevator banks and back into our offices, now cleared of old breakfast trays and coffee cups.  My sneakers still under my desk and the September 11th New York Times and Wall Street Journal, yellowed with age, sitting on my desk.  I held back the tears, as did my coworkers, but I could see we all had that same watery glint in the corner of our eyes.  I remember my co-worker walking over to Bob’s office and closing the door.  I remember thinking, it will never be the same again.

Many people assumed when I left my job at the World Financial Center, it was to move onto the next step in my career.   While that was true, I had also imagined myself with a long career at this company but the memories of that day haunted me at every turn.  In the years since I’ve left, I’ve never gone back to the site, averted my eyes when I’m in the area.  With every thought, the emotions were overwhelming.  If I didn’t look, if I didn’t think about it, it would be okay.  My whole life changed on that fateful day, as many others would also say.

In honor of those lost, make your life have meaning.  Give someone a hug, help a stranger, share the love.  Give a smile.

[image from: http://www.theharrowgroup.com/articles/20020401/WTC_facts.htm]

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Hand me a towel!  The highly anticipated EA Madden NFL 12 hits stores bright and early this coming Tuesday!  We were  lucky enough to attend the EA SPORTS Madden NFL 12 Pigskin Pro-Am, the third annual star-studded flag football game hosted by EA SPORTS and the NFL, back in late July. Legendary NFL alumni, including Dan Marino, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders and Ronnie Lott were there along with Hollywood celebrities like Rachel Nichols, Chris Meloni and Matt Bomer.   They all took to the field in Bryant Park for an exciting, action-packed event to celebrate the launch of Madden NFL 12.   We could not believe we got to hob knob with some of the biggest names in Football.  While declaring my self an amateur football fan, I couldn’t help be star struck as I stood at the 5 yard line, side-by-side some major media outlets, waiting to interview them.  As a blogger, it was overwhelming to be treated as equals next to these outlets and will go down in the books as one of the more amazing events I have gotten to partake in.

We got a sneak preview at the Pro-Am and the graphics are amazing!  Check out Brady to the right!  They place you right down front and center in the heat of the game.  You can’t get any more real than actually playing the game.We can’t wait to really demo the game fully and tell you all about it! But for those die-hard Madden fans, they know it just keeps getting better and better each year!

Watch the EA SPORTS Madden NFL 12 Pigskin Pro-Am airing tonight at 7PM EST on ABC.

To view the full album, please visit us on Facebook and “like” us if you’d like.

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We are giddy with excitement.  While everyone is getting ready for Back to School, this is going to be our first year sending off our darling daughter for her very first day of school.  It’s been a whirlwind of fun planning this momentous occasion!

Shopping has been loads of fun!  First stop was to our favorite TJ Maxx & Marshalls.  If you’re willing to search, you’ll never know what you’ll come up with.  I was completely shocked to discover that many items they stock are actually in-season!  So you can get the same items at regular department stores for a real steal!  They’ve got everything for back to school from back packs to the latest trends for fall this year.  They’ve got an extensive shoe department at their 18th Street location with all the latest styles.  We stocked up on basics including socks, leggings and even school supplies!

Our shopping trip took a turn online at the fabulous Amazon.com’s Kids Boutique!  We are addicted to our Amazon Prime membership and any chance we can, we’re getting everything from Amazon.com.  Now you can shop for clothing on Amazon!  They have an amazing return policy but with trusted favorite brands like Splendid, Tea Collection and Diesel you’re not taking a shot in the dark.

She’s got an amazing outfit all set to go.  What’s my little fashionista taking to her first day of school you ask?

This gorgeous Girls’ Butterfly Floral ClassMate® StudyHaul Backpack from one of our favorite brands, Lands End.  Originally $34.95, on sale for $27.50 — combined with a $10 off order $50+ coupon (you might need to add a few more things!) and Ebates 6% rebate — it’s a real steal!  We absolutely love this book bag and all the lunch bags they have.  With tons of pockets and an included pencil case, she’s got room for all the new things she’ll be learning.  It’s also incredibly rugged and I know it will last this entire intense first school year.  Next year I might even splurge for the personalization!

My girl’s definitely got her own sense of style.  She’s pairing a cute little Bonnie Jean dress we found on Amazon.com’s Kids Boutique with a snug hoodie from 77 Kids and adorable headbands from Children’s Place which are appropriately in her school colors.  She’s also picked out a cute pair of purple Puma’s from Zappos.com.  There will be no school blues for this little girl!  She’s going straight to the head of the class!

GIVEAWAY: ONE (1) lucky reader will with a $50 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com’s Kids Boutique!  To ENTER, from now until September 15th 2011 you MUST subscribe to Mom Confessionals.  For additional entries – 1st Option – If you follow me on twitter @momconfessional and re-tweet this giveaway (I would love to go BTS in style with @momconfessional’s  #Giveaway! http://wp.me/pLvfH-161) – 2nd Option – If you “like” us on Facebook and share the giveaway with your friends. DON’T FORGET to visit this FORM and leave a separate entry for each action. Giveaway only open to those with U.S. addresses and must be 18 years or older. Giveaway ends on September 15th 2011 at 11:59 EST. A winner will be selected randomly by Random.org and notified by e-mail.

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Stopping the violence before it happens.  Over the past 18 years Liz Claiborne has been leading efforts to end domestic violence with an investment over $8 million to date.  As pervasive as the issue is, abuse remains one of the most under-served and funded causes in the country.

Liz Claiborne started the Love is Not Abuse Coalition ( formerly known as Moms and Dads for Education to Stop Teen Dating Abuse – MADE) back in December of 2008.  It is fast becoming a national grassroot coalition of parents, teachers and anyone who is advocating for teen dating abuse education.  It was inspired by dedicated and courageous parents whose children were victims of teen dating abuse and violence, and who want to ensure that no one else’s child becomes a victim.

Through the LoveisNotAbuse.com website, you can become a member, download resources to contact your schools and legislators, and receive the Love is Not Abuse curriculum.  Also available is the LoveisRespect.org, the national teen dating abuse hotline, operated by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, established through a gift from Liz Claiborne.  It is a 24-hour telephone helpline (1-866-331-9474 or TTY 1-866-331-8453).

At the Love is Not Abuse App  Launch event hosted by Lucky Jeans, I learned that abuse comes in many forms.  Dating abuse isn’t always about leaving scratches or bruises, it can also be emotional.  Technology, a mainstay in many teens lives, has now brought way to new forms of abuse, making it sometimes difficult for parents to recognize.  The numbers are shocking!  Nearly 1 in 4 teens have been victimized by the use of technology from a boyfriend or girlfriend.  51% of teens know someone who has been victimized via the use of technology from a boyfriend of girlfriend.

The Love is Not Abuse App is unique in its ability to provide parents with a a rare insight into what it feels like for their teen to be a victim of digital dating abuse.  In just a few minutes, parents will receive text messages, emails and phone calls from a boyfriend or girlfriend that mimic the actual communications that abused teens receive.  The app goes into great detail with videos showing privacy invasion, deleting a partner’s friends on social networks and unauthorized access to a boyfriend or girlfriend’s social network teaching parents about the destructive behaviors common in digitally abusive relationships.

The Love is Not Abuse App is not just a simulator, but also provides immediate, concrete steps for parents to take if they suspect their child is a victim of dating abuse in addition to simple ways to just open lines of communication about the issue.

This is the world in which we live in.  My children have not yet been touched by this and I hope for them and your children that they never do.  If they ever do encounter such abuse, I hope that we as parents, armed with knowledge from the LoveisNotAbuse.com website will have opened the channels of communication before it happened and if it does, be able to recognize the warning signs.

The Love is Not Abuse App is FREE on iTunes provided by Liz Claiborne in partnership with Joyful Heart Foundation, Verizon Foundation, Wired Safety, Break the Cycle, Love is Respect, MTV, Seventeen, Mom Central and the American School Counselor Association.

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