Celebrities and Target Celebrate "Read Across America"

I've always been passionate about reading and education. In fact, when I graduated from Columbia with my B.A., I joined the NYC Teaching Fellows and taught 3rd and 5th grade in a high-need area in Brooklyn, NY. During this time, I learned first-hand the importance of teaching children the value of reading from an early age. Being able to instill in them my love of reading, and passion for getting lost in a book and caught up in a character's life was nothing short of amazing. I loved that aspect of my job!

Now as a mom, I'm even more passionate about reading as I constantly model for Aiden my excitement in reading just for pleasure. I love books! He loves books! We all love books!

That's why I was super excited that Aiden and I were able to attend an event yesterday at the New York Public Library. In honor of the National Education Association (NEA), Target unveiled a 26-foot-tall installation on the steps of the library, which spelled the word "read." Amaze!

After the unveiling, I obtained my Press Pass and then Aiden and I, along with other event attendees gathered with notable celebrities for story time. As they each read a Dr. Seuss classic, I watched in awe as the kiddies took it all in and enjoyed the sites. Face-painting and breakfast on one side, balloon-making on the other side, and pictures with The Cat In The Hat on the other side.

And let's not forget the celebrities:

Actor Mark Ruffalo reading, "The Lorax."

Rapper and Actor, Common reading, "Green Eggs and Ham."

Actress Uma Thurman reading, "Oh, The Places You'll Go."

And Actress Keri Russell aka Felicity, reading, "The Cat In The Hat."

And, of course, decked out in his new stylish hat, my fave celebrity of all. Love him!

And with our new BFF:

After the event, Target donated 25,000 Dr. Seuss classics to New York City Public Schools. Fantastic!

Tomorrow, Saturday February 26th, Target is inviting families to visit a store and take part in a special reading events as part of it's partnership with the Read Across America initiative. Every child who attends will receive a special treat -- Dr. Seuss reading activities, a pack of crayons, and snacks. Sweet! I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Visit your local Target for more information and happy reading!

Smooches,

A Thousand "Thank-Yous" And A Giveaway of The Logitech Revue

First off, I want to say thank you. To you, and you, and you.... Thank you. A thousand times, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

For supporting me on my post for MyBrownBaby... thank you.

For taking a look back with me as I welcomed the newest members of this community... thank you.

If you haven't checked those posts out yet, click the links and head on over... they're hott, hott, HOTT!

I cannot thank you enough for being a part of the Mommy Delicious community. Each and every one of you. For your emails, comments, thoughts, suggestions, loveliness... everything! You, my dear readers, amaze me. And inspire me. All. The. Time.

If I could, I would host a giveaway in which every reader/follower/commenter could win something. Unfortunately, that's not the case so I'm just hosting a giveaway of one of my current obsessions -- The Logitech Revue with Google TV. I've done reviews and giveaways with Logitech before, so you all know that I love their products and love working with this company.

As per their website, valued at $299.99, Logitech Revue comes with an easy-to-set-up companion box and an intuitive companion keyboard controller. Just connect your TV and cable or satellite set-top box via HDMI and your high speed Internet connection via Ethernet or Wi-Fi to the Logitech Revue, and you've got Google TV.

The keyboard controller that's included lets you find shows, surf the Internet, or adjust the volume. Nice. It combines a compact keyboard, a touchpad, and a remote, which gives you full wireless control over all your entertainment without leaving the couch. Enjoy a lazy Saturday afternoon? Don't mind if I do!

Win it!

One (1) lovely follower of Mommy Delicious will win The Logitech Revue! That's my little way of saying "thanks" for being a part of this community.

Mandatory Entry:

• Follow Mommy Delicious via GFC and just leave a comment stating why you'd like to win. 

Extra Entries:

• Follow @MommyDelicious on Twitter
• Tweet about this giveaway -- make sure to @MommyDelicious
• Join the Mommy Delicious Community on Facebook by "liking" the page
• Share this giveaway on Facebook

Rules:

• Please complete the mandatory entry before the extra entries
• This giveaway ends Wednesday March 2nd.
• 1 (one) follower of Mommy Delicious will be chosen via random.org
• Please leave a separate comment with each entry so that it can be counted

And again, thanks SO much for returning to this site as often as you do. You rock! And inspire me to keep pushing forward. 

**Disclaimer: I was provided with The Logitech Revue for purpose of this post. No other compensation was provided. I simply love my readers and wanted to say "thank you" so... thank you!

Smooches,

On Denial. And Growth. And Love.

A few weeks ago, Aiden began his first drop-off swimming class and he's been super excited to get to the pool on his swimming days. At his last class, I was able to take this shot of him:

There he is. The child that I didn't plan to have in my early 20's. Happy, healthy, smiling, swimming.

This picture brought me back to a post that I wrote back a few months ago. Man, was I in denial when I first found out that I was preggo! But life, love, and Motherhood has a way of changing things -- for the better.

Take a look back with me, will you? You'll either laugh, cry, or pity me for living in denial lane for so long. Take your pick.

And then, take a look at me now. And my son. The son that I can not imagine my life without. Love. Sweet love. After all, this is what Mommy Delicious is all about -- finding the sweetness in situations and life, even if they happen unexpectedly.

To say that my pregnancy was unplanned is an understatement. A huge one. I totally and completely, with every fiber of my being, didNOT plan to have a baby at my young age.

I mean, I knew it could happen because I was doing the deed and not taking precautions for it not to happen, but... I just didn't expect it to happen. To me.

At the first sign that I was pregnant when little miss flow did not make her special appearance, I was in denial. I just didn't believe it. I mean, it couldn't happen to ME, right?

At the second sign that I was pregnant when I was hovering over the toilet bowl at 5am throwing up what felt like all of my insides, I was still in denial. I chalked it up to the bad Mexican food that I ate the night before.

The third sign came a few days later. As I sat on the toilet and starred down at the positive sign on the pregnancy test, I was like DAMN! But I was still a bit in denial. I mean, it could have been a false positive, right?

So I went to see my GYN. And she tested me to see if I was pregnant. And I was. But of course. As I laid on the examination table for the first sonogram, she said, "There it is. That's your baby."

My most immediate thoughts: mother eff!! OMG!!! Sh#t!! Aww f#$*!!!

Then, with tears in my eyes, I thought, "Is that my baby? Am I going to be a mother?!"

Then the fear sank in. Along with some more less-than-appropriate words. Sh#t!! How am I gonna DO this? How am I gonna tell people? What about my life? What will others say?

I resented my pregnancy A LOT. In fact, I kept it a secret for about 5 1/2 months. Really. The only people who knew about it were my Ob/gyn, the father-to-be, and me. Really. It took me along time to muster up the courage to tell people. And sport my baby bump as proudly as I could.

As I wrote in a previous post, I still loved my unborn child. But maybe if I got to live and experience life a little more, I wouldn't have resented my pregnancy as much... maybe if I wasn't so ashamed that I wasn't yet married... maybe if I didn't pay attention to the stares and looks of pity from people... maybe if I wasn't so concerned with what others would say or think. Maybe, just maybe, I would have actually been able to -- GASP! -- enjoy my pregnancy.

But, at some point during my pregnancy, I decided that this WAS my life. And I decided that I was going to make LOVE be the driving force behind everything that I did for my unborn child. And after he came into this world.

So I decided to do right by him. I went to all my doctors appointments, read all the books and magazines, went to the birthing classes, ate right, exercised, and took a tour of the hospital. 

I was determined to give this baby the best gosh darn life that I possibly could. 

And I have.

And I am.

Smooches,

For The Love of Play: Tasting & Toy-Testing with Fisher-Price

To kick off NYC Toy Fair 2011, Fisher-Price hosted a super fun media event where Bloggers from all around were invited to test out their new toys for the spring and holiday season of 2011. But this was no ordinary event because that night, they also celebrated the 50th anniversary of their world famous Play
Lab.

Located at the Loew's Regency Hotel, this "Happy Hour" consisted of yummy treats, delicious foods, tasty cocktails, and my personal favorite, lovely Bloggers. But let's not forget about the toys. Oh, the toys! It was hard to choose, but here are some of my favorites from the 2011 brand spanking new line of Fisher-Price toys.

The Laugh & Learn Smart Screen Laptop is perfect for on-the-go fun! It includes three modes of play: Learning, Music, and Bilingual, as well as 12 sung songs so your little one can easily learn about colors, shapes, the alphabet, numbers, opposites, objects, and more. Fun and educational? What's not to love?!

The Brilliant Basics Musical Activity Walker adds to the excitement of learning to walk in a really cool way. And when sitting, babies can busily play by tapping, spinning, turning pages, and engaging in fun musical tunes!

The Laugh and Learn is great for parents who let their children play with their iPhone or iPod Touch. This kid-friendly case fits all models of the iPhone and iPod Touch in order to protect it from falls and sticky little fingers. The best part: if the phone rings while your little one is playing their fave apps, you can answer the phone in the case.

The Grow With Me Sit to Stand Scooter is so cool! With its wide front wheel and adjustable handle to provide extra stability, it teaches even the youngest children (from 18 months) how to scoot like a pro. Parents can set it up as a foot-to-floor ride on or as a scooter, which makes it super easy for kids to master scooting at any level.

What's your favorite?

Visit Fisher-Price to see more of what they have in store for us this year. And remember, "Play. Laugh. Grow." I'm so corny... but I know that already.

To see more photos of this fun event, including fab pics with other great bloggers, visit Mommy Delicious on Facebook.

**Disclaimer: Event attendees received a gift bag from Fisher-Price. All opinions and recommendations expressed herein are my own. 

Smooches,

Guest Post for MyBrownBaby

Today is a very special day in my little delicious world.

How so?

Well, today I am so honored and humbled to have written a guest post for MyBrownBaby.

It's a piece about me attempting to face my fears as I took the plunge into Single Motherhood. Please head on over there and read this brave piece that gave me shivers as I wrote it.

But don't just visit for my post. Stay awhile because the site itself is truly amazing and the Founder and Editor, Denene Millner is all kinds of awesome! I totally want to be her when I grow up and I'm just honored that she featured my little piece of prose.

Join in the conversation by letting me know your thoughts on the post! BTW, I realize that I'm totally pimping myself, but hey...

Smooches,

Weekend Reads

Hey Lovelies!

Below are some good reads for this week's link roundup.

Whoa Baby! Mom Finds is totally hooking us up this week! Get free Britax baby gear when you buy the new Britax B-READY stroller.

Ever had someone tell you that you're jealous of their success? Ever feel like their statement is totally unwarranted? Yea... that's happened to me a few times. And to NYC Single Mom. In her candid post, she tells her story. And it's quite empowering.

From Hello Kitty to a cute pig, Shiny Brite has got the most adorable humidifiers for children.

If you love giving back and have a favorite charity, support YUMMommy's March for Charity by adding the link to your fave charity to be featured on her blog beginning next month.

Happy reading!

Smooches,

I Love Myself Enough To...

This week, I'm like one big ball of love. Yesterday, I wrote a post highlighting a few lovely blogs, and today, I'm talking self-love.

Say what?

That's right, I said it! Self-love baby! As a young, single mother and full time grad student, life gets downright rough at times. Rough. And I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Right?

But I'm learning to put myself first and love myself more. I'm learning to model the importance of self-care for Aiden.

I'm learning to proudly fill in the blank (without those guilty feelings that we Moms get when we embrace ourselves).

I love myself enough to:

• Exercise 3x per week, even when life is hectic and I'm scrabbling to find the 25th hour in the day.
• Put Aiden to bed between 8pm and 8:30pm so that I can have amble time to do my school work, etc, breathe and relax.
• Get a manicure once a week and a pedicure twice a month. And when I can't make it to the salon, take the time to do it myself.
• Get my hair professionally washed and blown out once a week.
• Get rid of clothes that don't look good on me. Period. If they have holes, stains, or remotely resemble being worn out... good-bye and good riddance! No strings attached. Perhaps this is due to the fact that NYC can be one big fashion scene, but hey... mama likes to look good!
• Spend time with my friends without feeling guilty about it.
• Treat myself to a back massage, when I can afford it. Heck, I deserve it after lifting Aiden, my bags, his bag, and a stroller up and down the subway steps of NYC.
• Dance. A lot.
• Laugh. Often.
• Smile. Just because.
• Read blogs that I love.
• Watch Keeping Up With The Kardashians, re-runs of Sex And The City, Law & Order: SVU, and Grey's Anatomy. Faithfully. Every week. 
• Spend money on myself. Sometimes.
• Try my hardest to ignore negative and judgmental people. After all, they will always be there, judging away. 
• Flirt with boys. Sometimes. 
• Realize when I'm spreading myself too thin, and adjust my schedule accordingly. Aiden needs a sane mommy.
• Leave a relationship that was not good for me -- even if that meant being a single mother. 
• Surround myself -- and my Aiden -- with positive people who inspire me and push me forward.

I do all these things because I love myself, and because my happiness and well-being is important to me. As a woman. As a mother. It's important to Aiden as well. And to the success of our family.

Now it's your turn! Fill in the blank, "I love myself enough to ________:"

And, please, share this post with a friend on Facebook or on Twitter. It's about time we put ourselves first and show ourselves some love, gosh darnit!

Smooches,

A Few Blogs To Love

It's the month of l-o-v-e and I figured I'd share some of the blogs that I love with you, the readers that I love. This is by no means a comprehensive list because I love and read many GREAT blogs by GREAT people -- just check out my hot list to your left. Here, I'm just highlighting a little of the greatness from my blog list.

The Young Mommy Life is hands down one of the best places on the Internet for a young mother to hang out. Sometimes I feel like that blog was specifically created for me. Tara's words have a way of jumping off the page and speaking to readers. She is so supportive that she took a chance on me and allowed me to write my very first guest post a mere weeks into my blogging debut. I mean, she didn't even know if my subjects and verbs agreed, and yet she wholeheartedly accepted me as part of her community. Amaze! Since then, she's given me the opportunity to write other posts for her site (check out my press page). She is an inspiration to all. I look up to her, and I'm older than her and taller than her. Yea... she's THAT awesome.

Loving Me Unconditionally is a new blog, but wowza! Only a few posts in and this mother has me thinking deep thoughts. She was once a young mother. And a single mother. And now she is happily married and living her dream life. But as she honestly states on her blog, it wasn't easy getting there. At 41 years young, she's not only bringing sexy back, but bringing on the divaliciousness... full force. Her story is truly an inspiration that after disappointments and let-downs, life can go on.

The Stroller Ballet is where Sarah writes honestly about motherhood and raising her bi-cultural toddler daughter. After reading her blog and getting to know her on Twitter, I've gotten to converse with her in person at a few events. She is so passionate and pure, just lovely. And she's just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside... and as her beautiful writing portrayed in her blog posts.

Now let's talk glamour, shall we?

Glamamom is simply a breath of fresh air. Living in NYC and a self-proclaimed, "Jill of all trades" and "badass," this lady is incredible. She's like the popular girl in school that everyone loves and wants to be around. Her spunky personality shines through in each and every one of her posts. In fact, after reading her blog for some time, I felt like I knew her. Then I met her in person, and now I LOVE her! Since then, we've chatted at several events here in NYC. It's always great to see her and read her new posts. The content is always fresh and hi-la-ri-ous. Plus, where else am I going to find out the latest fashion and beauty finds from a hott NYC mama? Go ahead... I'll wait for an answer.

The beautiful girls over at The Glamazons are not Mothers. But they are fierce and fabulous. This is my go-to blog for all things beauty, fashion, style, and entertainment. Ferocia holds down the beauty fort, while Courtora always brings her best fashion picks. And together, I believe they're gonna take over the fashion and beauty world. In gorgeous outfits, stellar make-up, designer bags, and four-inch heels. Oh yea, and an educational background that'll knock your socks off! I live vicariously through them. Visit their site and you'll see why.

And last, but not least, all the single ladies... Put ya' hands up!

A Day In My NYC chronicles the life of Patty, a single gal in arguably the best city in the world. She's ready to find Mr. Right, but the journey hasn't been an easy one. At all. her posts about dating are sweet and funny. And makes you wonder, "did he REALLY say that?" A single gal can't make these things up. When she's not writing about her dating hits and misses, she talks all things NYC. You gotta love it!

Stay tuned as I highlight more blogs to love. That's right, it ain't over yet. I'm definitely gonna continue with this over the next few months because this post needs a part 2... and 3... and 4... you get the point.

Happy Reading! And Happy Valentine's Day!

Smooches,

Stolen Moments At Midnight With My Love

Well not exactly midnight. But 11:30pm. Exactly three hours after Aiden's bedtime on the evenings when I don't have class. When I do have class, it's a little later, but we've learned to make due.

Sometimes Aiden goes through these phases where he wakes up a few hours after his bedtime, comes in to the living room, usually where I'm doing school work, and asks for something to drink.

Because I'm the Queen Bee of consistency and I want him to get used to staying in his bed all night (even during these phases), I usually walk him back to the bedroom, re-tuck him in, give him a kiss, and head back to the living room.

But now that I'm a few weeks into my last semester of grad school, the work is really beginning to pile on. And between single motherhood, school, and everything else, my days are getting longer and longer, and my nights shorter. And shorter. Sigh.

And sometimes I feel like Aiden gets the short-end of the stick.

Although this is totally developmentally-appropriate, these days his favorite catchphrase is, "Mommy, look at me!" And I can't help but feel as though he says this so often because, well, I'm not looking at him as often as I could. Observing his new skill. Applauding his efforts. Cheering him on. Celebrating his success. Soaking up his awesomeness. 

My mind is pre-occupied with the next thing on my to-do list. Sigh.

But something shifted one night when he awoke mere moments before midnight. And I "got it." He just wants to spend time with me. Quality time. Time that we can never get back.

So on that night, I didn't rush him back to his bed. But I hugged him tight. Right there on our living room couch. I gave him a cup of milk. His absolute favorite drink. I kissed him. And received several sweet kisses in return. He picked a book from his library, and I read it to him.

Then... he fell asleep in my arms. And it was even better than I remembered it being when he would fall asleep in my arms as an infant.

I guess I needed that -- that moment with him at midnight. He needed it. We needed it.

It reminded me of this one thing: no matter how many other things I have going on in my life, no matter how busy I get, Aiden is the best freakin' part of my day.

Because at the end of the day, it's our kids who need us the most. No one said it would be easy, but it's certainly worth it. Don't you think?

Smooches,

Weekend Reads

Below are some good reads for this week's link roundup.

As a mother of a 3-year-old, I often wonder if people think my son is too old to be in his stroller. And apparently, I'm not the only mother who wonders this. The ladies over at MomFinds are discussing this very topic.

NYC mamas, do not plan your child's next birthday party without reading this post from Shiny Brite, which lists some of the best places to host a fabulous party.

Sometimes Motherhood is simply about picking your battles and knowing when to cut your child some slack. Sometimes. NYC Single Mom knows about this all too well and shares her expertise with establishing a bedtime and more.

Mommy Glow has one of the hottest Vision Board's ever! You've got to visit it because it's sure to inspire you.

YUMMommy starts of Black Heritage Month with a bang and shares how she plans to share it with her daughter.

Enjoy your weekend, Lovelies!

Smooches

Learn. Grow. Live.

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters
by Portia Nelson

I.


I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find my way out.


II.


I walk down the same street. 
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again. 
I can't believe I'm in the same place,
But, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.


III.


I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in... it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.


IV.


I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.


V.


I walk down another street.

I read this poem a few months ago and it spoke to me. I recently found it as I was rummaging through my things and I couldn't not share it. It sums up so many aspects of my life thus far. I am finally walking down another street. In self-awareness. And it feels wonderful. I hope we can all get to a place where we can bravely walk down another street. As long as we have breath in us and hope for tomorrow... it is never too late.

Smooches,