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What a Week We Had!

Posted on May 9, 2011 by FoBaM-Jamie

Thank you so much for being part of our Mother’s Day celebrations last week. We had such a good time and are thrilled to have been able to give out, with the help of our generous sponsors, so many “small pleasures” to be enjoyed by moms far and wide. Congratulations to all our winners and many thanks to all our sponsors. We hope you’ll take a moment to check out their sites, “Like” them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter.

Here’s to everything you do and to making it mother’s day every day of the year by enjoying the little joys that are part of being mom – little fingers, little toes, growing hearts and minds, quiet moments, small accomplishments, and all the tiny moments that make our hearts overflow with Big Love.

Jamie & Meredith

To my mom on Mother’s Day

Posted on May 8, 2011 by FoBaM-Jamie

Happy Mother’s Day, moms! Today is your special day – to be thanked for all you do and to give thanks for all your mom did before you. Only when you’ve become a mom yourself can you finally understand your own mom. Talk about eye-opening, right? Today I’m sharing a personal letter to my mom – partly because it’s the best way I know to express how important moms are and partly because I know it’ll embarass the hell out of her.

The whole Fans of Being a Mom team wishes each of you a wonderful Mother’s Day. Enjoy your day and your family.

 

Remember when we all used to watch the Wonderful World of Walt Disney on Sunday nights, and I sat on the floor at the foot of the bed so no one would see me cry during Old Yeller or The Amazing Journey? I’m still that little girl who hates to get all mushy, but today I’m gonna go ahead and go there.

Because today is Mother’s Day and you are my mom. And although I am a mom myself now, I was your daughter first.

And what a pain in the arse I was. Good lord, I have a lot to apologize for.  Like that time we were at the airport and you were so pregnant and I threw that screaming-on-the-floor temper tantrum and you thought about giving me to the nice lady who offered to take me for a walk. Or the way I pouted and fumed through our summer vacation in to the San Juan Islands because I was pining for my boyfriend back home. Or the day I ran away. Or all the things I wrote in my diary about how you didn’t understand and didn’t care. For those I am most sorry.

Because, now that I’m a mom, I get it. Oh, boy do I get it.

You did understand and you cared more than my young heart could comprehend. When I first held Meghan in my arms, I wasn’t thinking only of how completely and unconditionally and fiercely I loved this child of mine, I was also thinking, “My god, this is how much I am loved.”  How could I have known until I’d stood in your place, looking down upon my own child with a heart that ached to make her world perfect?

A mother’s love is often taken for granted. And that’s okay. We don’t really mind, because it’s not about us. We have a job to do and the love that drives us is bigger than anything else. That’s why we don’t mind having to be the bad guy when the situation calls for it. We can take the consequences of putting our foot down because we know what’s best. Mom always does.

So, thank you for making me play by your rules. I didn’t always love it, but in retrospect I’m so grateful you had the wisdom to see the big picture and the gumption to hold your ground. I know I didn’t always make it easy. Thank you for all the sacrifices you and Dad made. Like the Christmas you surprised me with the homemade gift certificate for a week of pony camp. You knew how much I wanted it (even though I hadn’t dared to hope), and you found a way – I still don’t know how – to make it happen. And the year at Boston College – when I think of how you scrimped and saved so I could squander my time studying nothing in particular and pretending to be all grown up … how did you not strangle me?

But most of all, I am thankful that you’re here to help me navigate my own journey as a mom. You’re always the first person I call and yours is the opinion I value most when it comes to being the best mom I can be. There is no expert, no guru, no Ph.D.-carrying authority who can hold a candle to you. After all, I turned out pretty well, right? And who knows me better than you? You see where I’m going to get tripped up before I’m even aware I’m headed for a fall. And, although it must be terribly tempting, you never say ‘I told you so.’ Ever. You offer practical guidance and emotional support with grace, tact, and respect. You rock.

So, on this Mother’s Day, thank you for … everything. Everything you’ve done. Everything you’ve put up with. Everything you’ve taught me. Everything I am. Thank you for always being there – for me, and now, for your granddaughter. She is a lucky little girl to have such a special grandmother, and I’m a lucky girl to have you for my mom.  I know I’m going to have to wait awhile,  but I hope that someday I’ll get it as right as you did and my own daughter will feel about me the way I feel about you. (In the meantime, thanks in advance for talking me off the ledge when those teenage years hit.)

Love you, mom.

Giveaway – Harper Collins Book Pack

Posted on May 4, 2011 by FoBaM-Jamie

Sorry!  This Giveaway is now closed.

So many books, so little time.

Curling up with a good book is one of the things most moms would love to do if only we could find the time. There’s nothing like losing yourself in a good story to take you away from whatever trials and tribulations have troubled your day.

To inspire you to carve out some time for a date with a book, we’ve teamed up with the nice folks at Harper Collins to bring you a fabulous gift pack of books. This collection includes some great titles that are perfect for you and your kids. If you’re lucky, you can get the little ones engrossed in some reading of their own, and steal away to your own literary adventure.
The titles in this Harper Collins gift pack include:

For you:
HarperTeen’s paperback repackaging of Jane Eyre, Pride & Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility (These are for teens, but we think moms will like them, too – and they make you look so smart!)
Summer in the City: A Carrie Diaries Novel by Candace Bushnell (Fresh off the presses and ready for beach reading!)
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong (The latest from a #1 NYT bestseller.)


For the kids:
Falling Up by Shel Silverstein (You can’t go wrong with Shel – kids everywhere love him.)
Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton (The first in the NYT bestselling series.)
Splish, Splash, Splat! by Rob Scotton (The latest in the Splat series – coming out mid-May)
Fancy Nancy Poet Extraordinaire (It’s fantabulous!)
Hooray for Amanda and her Alligator by Mo Willems (From the creator of the Pigeon series, a new comic masterpiece.)

Giveaway: If you’d like to claim this bookish treasure for yourself (and your kids), just leave a comment below telling us something you love about books – your favorite kids’ book, grown-up book, reading memory … whatever. You’ve got until midnight tonight to give it a shot. Good luck!

Image Credit (statue at Wilson Hall, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ): Sister72

Giveaway – MommyJuice Wines. You need this.

Posted on May 3, 2011 by FoBaM-Jamie

Sorry!  This Giveaway is now closed.

More than anyone, moms need a break once in a while. I mean – let’s be honest – once you’ve entered the hallowed halls of motherhood, you can kiss peace and quiet goodbye. Calm, Zen-like moments are a thing of the past. Relaxation is a concept that is interesting in a gee-I-wonder-what-that-would-be-like way. It’s sad really. Well, have no fear – MommyJuice Wines are here. When you’re feeling frazzled and slightly-less-than-sane, pour yourself a glass and let the bliss begin. Don’t miss the GIVEAWAY below, but first – today’s guest post from the founder and creator of MommyJuice Wines, Cheryl Durzy, you’ll learn how to pair certain wines with everyday mom events. Take it away, Cheryl!

I have been in the wine industry for over 13 years. The only other area where I have even remotely considerable experience in is parenting—7.5 years. Over 8 if you count pregnancy.  In many circumstances, I have discovered that these two passions of mine overlap. Wine is a regular part of my post-parenting regime – after I’ve put the kiddos to bed for the night, I relax with a glass (or two).

Chefs and sommeliers like to pair wine and food.  I like to pair wine and parenting situations.  All wines have unique personalities and traits, just like kids and their little quirks.

Parenting Situation #2567: Homemade “Paint” on the Walls or Crib

Homemade paint = poo. Poo on the walls, the crib, the floor. Sooner or later, most babies/toddlers stick their hands down a diaper and come up with a finger full. And wow, it looks fun to paint with!  When the unsuspecting mom comes in to check on her peaceful, supposedly napping babe, the scent and sight can be very disconcerting.

It’s stinky and a pain to clean up. But it will be okay. Probably cleaner then before—which means it’s time to celebrate and embrace the “poo.”

Many Syrahs, especially those from the “Old World” winegrowing regions (anywhere in Europe) have a scent to them that wine experts describe as “barnyard.” Translation: it smells a little like poo. But that is not a bad thing. Combined with other characteristics like dark berries, smoke, and maybe a little bacon, the wine becomes interesting, complex and really tasty. Relax – your baby was just trying to express his artistic side. Maybe he will be the next Poo-casso.

Wine Pairing: French Syrah from the Northern Rhône Valley (it will not say Syrah on the label because French wines are sold by the region, not the varietal/grape type. For the best value look for red wine from St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage)

Parenting Situation #4546: The first day of daycare/preschool

As a working mom, I brought my oldest child to daycare for the first time when he was about 4 months old.  I love my job, so I was excited to go back to work.  However, I had finally found a good routine with the little bugger and was really enjoying my time with him. I had serious doubts about returning to work, but that was not a financially viable option for me. So, off to daycare he went.

My son was fine. He slept through the entire drop off. I was a mess. I cried when I left. I cried in the car. I cried on my way to work. I cried at work. I called the center three times in the first hour to see if he was okay. The director of the center told me politely that she would call me with anything and to PLEASE STOP CALLING. It was horrible. When picked up my baby at the end of the day I was so happy to see him. We had a lovely evening at home and then he went to sleep. Though we had to do it all over again in the morning,  the next day I only cried until the first stoplight. I called only once. The day after that, I teared up. Then, I was okay.

I chose Viognier that first night. I was overwhelmed with the return to work and leaving my baby with people I did not really know all that well personally (although I had many excellent references). Why Viognier?  For a white wine, it has quite a kick…and by kick I mean alcohol – typically over 14-15% in California Viogniers. And after bugger went to bed, I needed some “down” time. And fast. I had two glasses of Viognier, got a little happy and went to sleep. Plus Viognier has great stone fruit (apricot, peach) flavors with aromas of honeysuckle. Seems delicate, but there is some muscle in there. It does the job efficiently. Which is what every working mom strives for: efficiency!!

Wine Pairing: Viognier (pronounced Vee-Oh-Nay): Look for a California Viognier. Try and find one  grown in the Central Coast region of the state where the grapes really showcase the floral aromas and flavors the varietal is famous for.

As moms, we learn to handle all kinds of crazy situations. Each time we get through another chaotic day or traumatic crisis, we get a little stronger. Still, there’s nothing wrong with a little help when it comes to unwinding and recuperating from the day’s “adventure.” After all – we’ll have to do it all over again tomorrow; may as well kick back while we can!

GIVEAWAY: Enter to win one of 10 MommyJuice Wines gift certificates worth $25 each. Just leave a comment below (by midnight tonight, Tuesday, May 3) telling us why you need a little MommyJuice and we’ll enter you into the random drawing. Good luck!  (Click here for rules and regulations for our Week of Mother’s Day Giveaways)

MommyJuice Wines – Made for mommys by a mommy

MommyJuice Wines was founded by Cheryl Durzy, a mom of 2 and 10+ year veteran of the wine industry in Sales and Marketing at Clos LaChance Wines. These wines were inspired by her young children that point to wine glasses everywhere claiming “That’s Mommy’s Juice!” Her vision includes balanced, fruit-forward wines that bring just a bit of peace after the chaos of everyday life as a parent.

Get Ready to Celebrate, Moms!

Posted on May 2, 2011 by FoBaM-Jamie

Welcome to the week before Mother’s Day!

We know the Big Day isn’t until Sunday, but we want to start this party early. We think mom is worth it, don’t you?

This week on Fans of Being a Mom is going to be chock full of fun and daily giveaways. Plus, we’ve launched a new feature on our Facebook page – the Fan Photo of the Week.

So – here’s the low down on all the goings-on:

Giveaways:
Each day this week, we’ll be posting at least one giveaway. I don’t want to spill the beans, but we’ve got some wonderful indulgences to share with you. Our theme is all about small pleasures. We figure motherhood is the perfect training ground for learning to appreciate the little things, right? Each of our giveaways has been hand selected to deliver a little yummy into your day – just the right size to fit into the nooks and crannies left after you’ve done everything else. ;)

To enter, please remember to leave a comment ON THE BLOG POST. You can enter once per giveaway and win as many times as your luck will allow.

You’ll have about 24 hours to enter each giveaway (we’ll tell you the exact deadlines in each post), and then winners will be notified by email. (Please check your spam folder in case we fall in there – would hate for you to miss out on your loot because your E-mail system sent us to the naughty corner!)

And that’s pretty much all there is to it – treats for you and we get to have the fun of playing Mother’s Day fairy godmothers.

We’re so happy to share this celebration with you. Check back often so you don’t miss any of the fun (or goodies!), and remember to enjoy each of those small pleasures in your day.

Happy Mother’s Day Week!

Image Credit: marija jure

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