if mom had 3 minutes, what would she do?

On behalf of Clorox, I'm excited to help spread the word about a new e-book called "If Mom Had 3 Minutes," available for FREE download via their Facebook page. The e-book, written by celebrated children's author Karen Kaufman Orloff (and inspired by moms nationwide who sent in their tips!), is a hilarious look at the many ways moms multi-task every day.

Did I mention you'll get a $1 off select Clorox cleaning products if you download the book?  Yay, savings!

Here are a few of my favorites from the book:

If mom had 3 minutes, she would... work on sculpting her biceps by doing the "Putting Away the Groceries Workout," lifting those bulky items like bags of flour and soup cans way above her head for a few seconds before they get stored away.

If mom had 3 minutes, she would... stick a goofy mask on the vaccuum, they play a game of "Chase The Scary Monster Through the Living Room" with the kids.  The kids would squeal with delight and the living room carpet would get a good vacuuming -- a win-win situation! 

If mom had 3 minutes, she would... challenge her three-year-old to a cleaning contest. Mom would clean the kitchen counters with Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, while the three-year-old used baby wipes to clean up her play kitchen. The winner would get to take a nap! (With any luck, it would be a tie.)

I'm hosting my first Twitter party TONIGHT at 8pm EST to talk about time-saving tips with fellow moms, share some of my own and hopefully learn a few new ones in the process!  I'll also be giving away 3 Clorox prize packs to 3 lucky moms who follow the hashtags below and join in the fun!  (FYI: this will be the first party I attend in my pjs.  Love!)

#IfMom
#ebook4free
#coupon

My Twitter handle: @babymeetscity

See you tonight!


Disclosure: I am currently working with The Clorox Company on behalf of the If Mom Had Three Minutes program.

friday finds: "my pregnancy, a woman's story"

I set this up to go live yesterday (I'm currently out of town for the weekend -- sans Husband! and children!) but it didn't work... so here's my belated Friday find... enjoy!

I had the pleasure of meeting world-renowned photographer Anne Geddes last weekend. Anne, in partnership with Destination Maternity, has produced a gorgeous magazine called "My Pregnancy, A Woman's Story." The pages are filled with photos and stories of women during their pregnancies, and each story is unique and inspiring in it's own way (one in particular left me in tears... on the subway, no less). The photos, well, they're simply gorgeous.

There were moments during both of my pregnancies where I felt beautiful, but more often than not, I felt somewhere between cow and even bigger cow-like.  So to document women during this truly joyful time in their lives, to make them feel beautiful, must have been such a wonderful moment for all of them. Anne has plans for 2 more issues this year. I think "My Pregnancy, A Woman's Story" would make the perfect add on to a baby shower gift. The magazine is available at Destination Maternity, A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood locations in the US and Canada.

I must add that Anne and her family were simply lovely, and I so enjoyed chatting with all of them.  I couldn't resist asking Anne for a little photography advice, too, and here's what she shared with me:

-- Try and get on your child's level when taking photos. See the world from their perspective and it will show through in your photos.

-- Keep your camera out! You never know when there will be an opportunity for a photo, and you'll want your camera handy.  She mentioned how camera phones are great for capturing a quick moment.

-- My favorite piece of advice: get in the photo WITH your child! You will look back one day and wish you were in more photos, and your now grown child will have a great time teasing you about your outfit or hair style. Ha!  This one really hit home with me, and I'm going to start putting myself in front of the camera with my sweeties a little more.

With the talented Anne Geddes

mommy & me day

I took a day off from work last week so the Little Gal and I could have some quality time together and attend a couple events for Baby Meets City. SUCH FUN, as you might suspect. First, we headed to a "Little Mommy" party celebrating the latest baby doll dreamed up by Mattel. Hosted by the very pregnant Rosie Pope at the always delicious Dylan's Candy Bar, the event was awash in pink and everything girl-y. If only I could paint the scene for you... try picturing a small army of 2 and 3 year old girls contained in one room (did I mention high on sugar?) ... yes, that's a good place to start.  The party was lots of fun, however, and the Little Gal enjoyed rocking her new doll to sleep in one of the bassinet accessories provided and taking her for a ride in a Little Mommy baby stroller. Meanwhile, Mommy enjoyed having a brief exchange with Tiffani Amber Thiessen, who attended with her daughter, but resisted asking her about what it's like to kiss Zach Morris. Journalistic standards, people!

While it's quite possible the Little Gal may have actually enjoyed "reading" books and bouncing on the seats at Dylan's (again, the sugar high!) more than anything else, I can attest that the new baby doll has happily joined the ranks of her other doll "friends" at home.


Bouncing around with A Mommy in the City's daughter

Next up, we hailed a taxi and headed across town to Times Square for a performance of Plop! at the New Victory Theater. I must mention that I am not a fan of putting my 2 year old in a taxi without a car seat, but there you have living in New York City with kids. While I yelled at the taxi driver to drive slow and watch his swerving, Little Gal had the time of her life. And yes, we sang "The Taxi Song" about five times during the trip.

Plop!, based on the book The Terrible Plop, is playing at The New Victory Theater until May 13th. If you have a preschooler at home, I encourage you to check out this show! It's a wonderful way to introduce your child to live theater, and Little Gal just loved every minute of it. I could explain the plot of Plop! (sorry, couldn't resist), but all you really need to know is that your child will find it entertaining -- there are lots of funny sounds, an opportunity to dance and two very cute bunny puppets. Need I say more? Your child can engage in arts and crafts before the show begins, and children are encouraged to sit on the floor for the best seats in the house. With a running time of 35 minutes, your child will be engaged and excited, and it will be over before they have a chance to get fidgety. After the show ends, audience members are invited to come on stage, experiment with the music used in the show, pet the bunny puppets and put their fingers in a giant tank of water (again, don't want to give anything away!) Watching Plop! together was such a treat, and it just makes me more excited about taking advantage of New York City's theater scene with her as she grows.



On stage after a performance of Plop!



All in all? A pretty perfect day with my Little Gal.



Disclaimer: Little Gal was given a "Little Mommy" doll and gift bag by Mattel. I was provided with free tickets by The New Victory Theater for the purposes of this review. All opinions, as always, are my own.