I think it's time for some changes-

No- I'm NOT pregnant again. But, we do have some announcements!!


We're moving- well, not us, but the blog.. sort of. Although, we've had a pretty decent relationship with Blogger over the last few years, we're growing up, so I've decided we're switching to WordPress.


What does that mean?


Right now, not a lot, for you guys. I've contacted a blog transfer service that will help make the transition smooth for you- and me- and we won't be making any major changes until the end of September, if all goes well. I'm excited!!


Also, this semester, Marissa is going to be an intern! No- not in the White House, but in a local school. She's very excited, but will be very busy, so we're taking on another contributor. Cyndy is one of the most fabulous cooks I've ever known, and the queen at whipping something up out of nothing. She's going to help us in expanding our recipe section, as well as contributing in a variety of means. She's excellent at organizing, space saving, and SO creative- she's got tons of talent hiding up her sleeves. I can't wait until she officially joins our 4BabyAndMom family.


I'm really excited, as there are new things on the horizon for 4BabyAndMom. We still have several giveaways open, so be sure to enter, and tell your friends.


Don't forget, our Hyped 4 The Holidays blog party is just around the corner. Do you have suggestions for a company YOU want to see featured? Comment below! Do you know a small business owner that might want to be featured? We love the little guys- tell them about us, or send us their info!

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I never knew I was pregnant- Who's Expecting Now?

You read in tabloids or see the show on TV how people go to the ER with weird pains and find out their pregnant, or in labor, and had no idea. As a mom, I laugh and roll my eyes wondering how you could not know you were pregnant for nine months.

I found out I was pregnant with my son when I was 10 weeks pregnant. I had no real signs or symptoms, in fact, I was on birth control, and was waiting for my 6 week period to stop so I could start my next pack. We tried to conceive our daughter, and succeeded. I was sick from before it was time for me to take an at home test and knew that I knew that I was pregnant.

If you follow us on Facebook, you may have seen that I've been very sick the last year. I had two cancer scares, breast and uterine, and I've been trying to figure out 'what's the matter' for most of this year. I borrowed a glucose monitor because I was sleeping a ton, and urinating a ton more than normal. I took a test about two weeks ago, and sure enough- I found out I am expecting our third!!

"A shock" is not even the phrase to describe my feelings on the topic. The worst part was I had no idea how far along I was. I kept thinking of that show... and I started to freak out. I knew that the last time Dear Aunt Flo decided to rear her ugly head it was July, so I knew I wasn't going to be in labor anytime soon, but other than that, I had no idea how far along I was.

Long story a lot shorter- the last two weeks I have been undergoing a ton of bloodwork, multiple sonograms, and they have decided that I'm due somewhere between May 12 and 19th. I will be having another cesarian, so when I get that date, I will likely post it on Facebook. I have a feeling we will be reviewing a bunch of baby stuff, as the last time I did this was 6 years ago- and man, there's a ton of new baby stuff that's so exciting, I have no words! I'm a little nervous about having three kids, I'll be honest, but both Bri and I are very excited,  now that the shock is wearing off, and the kids can't wait, too.

With Thanksgiving over, and the holidays quickly approaching, I wanted to also give you a heads up that our holiday giveaways will be starting very soon! We have everything from Target Gift Cards to some of Spin Master's HOTTEST toys, to Shutterfly Holiday cards. I can't wait to share it all with you!!  Get ready, tell your friends, and bare with my weird pregnancy stories and pickle cravings. Happy Holidays, 4BabyAndMom readers!!

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Let the most wonderful time of the year begin!

As a native NYer, this time of the year makes me miss home the most. All over Facebook and Twitter, my friends are starting to post gorgeous autumn trees and their changing leaves, stories of their excursions to apple orchards, pumpkin farms, and the best pie place on Long Island. Pictures pop up daily of little ones who are growing in leaps and bounds surrounded by the largest pumpkin, on a haystack, and bundled up to battle the crisp air.

To say I'm jealous, is a humongous understatement.

This week, my husband and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. I cannot believe how fast life is flying by. This anniversary really made me stop and think about where we are, and where we wanted to be, when we were preparing to start our lives together- and how drastically different they were from each other. It was actually kind of a downer... we've been through a lot together. But at the same time, it totally gave us hope.

Then the hubster and I took a moment, after the kids were at school, and talked about life. We talked about and set new goals. I applied to go back to college. We're still "officially" waiting on financial aid to say 'yay' or 'nay', but I will be starting on November 9th. I'm excited. Hubster is too. The kids.. well, Babs loves her school. She's a kindergartener. Aside from Alex's experience, I've never heard of a horrible kindergarten experience. Alex loves his teacher and his classmates, and is making amazing strides. We're still trying to learn as much as we can about Aspergers, and his teacher is an awesome addition to our worlds. There's one little problem. She's moving to teach 5th grade, so Alex will have a new teacher. We're hoping that he makes enough growth between now and then that it doesn't send him on a downward spiral. Friday is our first Odyssey of the Mind meeting- (I'm a coach this year!)- and I'm nervous, but excited. So is Alex.

The hubster is actually looking at going back to school within a year of my start date. Our goal is to see how I'm handling everything, and go from there. Marissa is rocking at her University courses. We are busy preparing our Holiday Gift Guide, so we can share with you some of the coolest and hottest toys for this upcoming season. We've found quite a few different items, perfect for stocking stuffers for all ages, and some awesome boys toys.. we're just looking for those perfect girl toys to share with you! Along with our gift guide comes our giveaway extravaganza- be sure to bookmark our site, and share it with your friends. As soon as we have an official date- I will let you know!

All in all, life is good. 

Share with us- what upcoming holiday is your absolute favorite? What is your most favorite activity/pastime to enjoy??

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Fallen Off the Face of the Earth- One Mothers Journey...

If I had a novel written about me this year, that would be its title.

The first year I started my blog, I had people tell me, "If you make it through the first year, you've made it through half the battle." I made it through the first year fine. This second year was difficult.

As you all know, I'm a mom, and so is Marissa. Sometimes life just has a way of happening.. sometimes it has a way of just exploding.. sometimes it just keeps on ticking. If you've read 4BabyAndMom for any length of time, you know that my world revolves around my kids. You may also recall that it's been a very difficult experience with my son in school. Last school year was hell. I spent the entire year fighting tooth and nail against the administrators, teachers, and most of the faculty and staff. My son was bullied, ended up in fist fights, learned how to be extremely disrespectful, and for the longest time, I did not see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The good news is- it's over. No, I did not decide to homeschool (sorry to disappoint all of you who recommended it), but we did switch Alex to a school that will be able to meet his needs completely.  Finally, after I submitted in an official letter to the school and district (other written requests I was told was not "official") Alex was given a full psychoeducational assessment. The end result said that he's got Asperger's Syndrome. Finally- we had a diagnosis, we had something to grab a hold of, something besides the standard "gifted" crutch they had used to explain away all of the signs and symptoms we suspected.

The school my son is in now seems wonderful, like an answer to our prayers. I'm hoping and praying now that it just continues the way it's going, and keeps getting better. He's in a Gifted/ASD setting now, and I'm sure you all will have to endure with me a little bit as the bumpy road we've been on smooths out again completely. My son, who "hates to color and write", completed his first project this week, (a dodecahedron), and colored, drew and wrote on all twelve panels! Not only did he complete it and enjoy it, but he completed it early!

My little lady, Miss Abbigaile, has started kindergarten. She's in a different school than Alex, but she seems to love it. It was semi-traumatic for me, because of the experience that my son had with that school, but through many coffee counseling sessions with my dearest and best friends, I came to realize that she is a different child, and that she will do well, and her experience will be much different than my sons. For that I am grateful, because this week, I've watched her get more excited about school with each day that passes.

It's been four very long years fighting with our school district, and although I'm still cautiously optimistic about this school year, the fact is that I am still optimistic about it. I cannot wait to see how the children learn and grow as the year progresses, and I cannot wait to jump back into the swing of things here.

Oh, and an update on Marissa- she graduated from the community college in May this year, and just started her first semester in USF. She's going to make an amazing teacher. Her two squirts have kept her very busy over the summer. Her oldest started MIDDLE SCHOOL this week, and she's been dealing with it much better than we all anticipated. She still plans on writing articles and reviews to help me when life gets crazy, but if it wasn't for her constant compassion and empathy, and her faith in you- our readers, I cannot say if 4BabyAndMom would have made it through the summer.

She took the time to remind me why I started this blog, why I love what I do, and why I love building the professional relationships and friendships with my sponsors and my readers.

So that's basically it- in a nutshell. Why I'm in this nutshell, well, that's another story entirely. BUT- keep hanging on, I have some fun things planned for this upcoming holiday season, I have some great reviews that should be posted this week, and I have some great giveaways in store too.

I hope you all had a fabulous summer, and wish you and the kiddos the best back-to-school season ever! Oh, and just cause they're cute- here's a pic of my kiddos on their first day of school, 2011:

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I'm baa-aack! An update of sorts..

I just wanted to take a quick second to say hello to everyone and say thank you for bearing with us during this transition. We're still in the process of relocating, but at least now our technical stuff is all taken care of. We even renewed our domain for another 2 years! (Our next step is switching to the wordpress platform, but that's a whole other post!!)

We switched our TV/Internet/Phone providers, which was an ordeal all to itself, and installation got delayed for WEEKS instead of days. It's been quite frustrating.. but we are very happy with our new service.

With all of our life changes, we've been having problems with Alex's school again.. but we had a huge meeting a few weeks ago, and hopefully are taking a step in a good direction.

Marissa is still quite busy in her last semester of school, doing everything in her power to continue acing her last few couple of classes. We are negotiating with a new mom to jump on board and assist with couponing tips, recipes, and reviews, and we're really hoping she will join our team.

There are going to be a ton of new, fresh, exciting, and fun reviews & giveaways being posted this next week. Also, we are preparing for a "Spring into Summer" blog party, highlighting fun products for around the house, spring-cleaning, spring and summer toys and activities, craft ideas, and recipes. We are so excited to show you how much we've grown in this "vacation" of ours.

If you have a product suggestion for review or giveaway, please feel free to send it to us at 4BabyAndMom at gmail dot com. After all, you- our readers- are the reason we are still here!

If you are a PR firm or representative, we look forward to hearing your pitches and learning more about your products or services.

So... that's basically our update.

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One of those days... Have you had them??

Have you ever had 'one of those days' where 3pm rolls around and you wish you stayed in bed? One of those days where it feels like if everything that COULD go wrong DOES go wrong?? Yeah, I'm having a week like that, and today was the worst day of them all.

I have had a lot of new visitors recently, and I would like to insert a disclaimer here by saying that 4BabyAndMom is usually not this unorganized and helter-skelter. In fact, this month has been one of the most difficult months we've ever had.

Marissa went back to school (and is graduating at the end of this semester), and my family is preparing for a move- one which was supposed to have happened twice over now, and frankly I'm tired of packing and unpacking, then packing again and trying to live out of boxes until the new place is ready. We're going to be moving to a gorgeous home, one that has a huge office for me, and a pool, so we're all really excited. I know that once we're there things will be better, but God, getting to that place has been quite the journey.

I appreciate all of your warm wishes- on Facebook, Twitter and here- and really want you to know that as soon as I'm established at our new house, with our new 4BabyAndMom office suite, that not only will be be back in full force, but we will be back delivering delicious recipes, awesome reviews, and spectacular giveaways.

Don't go away, because there will still be some great reviews and giveways in the interm, but just bare with me... and in the mean time, make sure you spread the word that the new and improved 4BabyAndMom will be here before we know it.

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By George, I think I've got it!! (Where did that saying come from??)

With much sweat, and a little tears, I think I've done it. In fact, this post is quite the test. The test to see if my direct domain- http://www.4BabyAndMom.com - is truly 150% functional for the first time in almost 3 and a half years!! Ack!!! If you have our button, please do us a tremendous favor and re-paste our coding in it, to make sure the .blogspot is out of our name now... after all, we're growing up!

So, testing, testing, 1, 2, 3..... Here goes nothing!!!

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Just wanted to say..

We wish you a very safe, prosperous, healthy, exciting, blessed, fun, wonderous, amazing, glorious, and wonderful 2011!

Marissa will be graduating college at the end of next semester and her oldest child will be graduating elementary school in June. Lots of changes are going to happen in her world, and she is excited.

This year has definitely been one of the worst for me, in about 15 years. My best memory of 2010? Finding out I did NOT have cancer. My awesome trip to Cleveland comes in as a very, very close second, and I can't wait to go back and learn more about the area. Maybe next time I can bring the family.

I am excited about the many things that 2011 has in store for our family. We have a move coming up, I'll be in another wedding in the fall, and one of my best girlfriends is due to have baby #3 in April. I can't wait!

We genuinely wish the best for you all this New Year!

What was your favorite memory of 2010??

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Updates and New Winners Announced!

WOO! Back to school is in full force at both 4BabyAndMom households. Both sets of kids are loving their new teachers, and getting along great with their friends. We are officially the moms of a 5th grader, two second graders, and full-time pre-schooler!!

I didn't cry as much as I thought I would, but this week has still been rather emotional, and definitely an adjustment for all of us. My "baby" is in pre-K now, and loves it.. although, she's not too fond of "rest time". Other than that, she's happy and excited every day to see her friends and her teachers.

If you keep up with me on social media sites, you may have caught wind that I've transferred my son for the third time in three years, only a week and a half before school started. Yes, some of you may think I'm crazy for doing so, but I will continue to fight for the right my child has to receive and education he deserves. An education he yearns and thirsts for and was not receiving at the previous school he was attending.

Life as a mom of a gifted child is a lot tougher than "the world" could imagine. It's so hard to really put into words... With the risk of sounding arrogant, it's just as difficult as working with the special needs children I taught years ago. It has very similar obstacles and challenges, but is just as rewarding and fulfilling to see your childs needs being met to the very fullest of their capacity. It's definitely a journey and an experience that I did not sign up for, but am trying to embrace as best as I can. I am learning and growing as a parent with every bump and curve the situation throws at me. I thank you all for the support and encouragement that you've given me through all of these tough times. I can only hope and pray that this new school, new staff, new admin, and new experience gives him everything he could ever hope for and more.

Marissa is getting ready to head back to school herself- classes start on Tuesday! She's eager to have the new semester begin, and today gave me a tour of the campus, as I will be returning back to college in December. We've prepared a bunch of fun reviews and giveaways for the last ten days of the Back to School Bash, and truly hope you have been enjoying our celebration.

Be sure to check the links on our sidebar for our current giveaways and recently ended giveaways. Winners have been announced, and will be contacted this week. If you happen to see your name on the post or winners page, please feel free to contact us first!

Thank you all for participating, as none of this could be possible without you- our readers, fans and followers!

For those of you that have children that have recently started school, or will be starting school soon, we wish you all a very happy, healthy, safe and successful school year!

Wishing You All Of Our Best,

Lauren & Marissa

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April Showers Brings... Mother's Day! (And so much more!)

Is it just me, or is Mother's Day coming a little early this year? I know that it's always the second Sunday in May, but literally last night, I just looked at a calendar and just about fell on my face!

There is so many new and exciting things going on at 4BabyAndMom this spring. Well, first, our family survived our first state competition. (Oh, and as a quick update, Days Inn ended up refunding us the entire nights stay.)

Almost immediately afterward, we had an awesome visit by two sets of family members from up north. During the visit we ate at a Tijuana Flats restaurant for the first time (oh-mi-gosh, I'm in LOVE!) and visited Clearwater, and the beach. We took a boat out to the Gulf of Mexico, and visited Shell Island. The island lived up to its name, as the white sandy shore line was covered with shells all different shapes and sizes. Abbigaile got to drive the boat.. well, she did with her uncle, but she pretended too!

We even found two sea urchin in the water! Out at sea, Alex wanted to go tubing so we let him. He knows how to swim, but he wore a life jacket- just in case. We went slow, and all of a sudden we noticed dolphins in the water around us, and him! He loves dolphins since our Sea World encounter, so he wasn't affected at all. *I* was a little nervous, but I survived. They were beautiful!

After that, Alex's uncle took him on a fan boat to look for alligators. He absolutely loved his week with his relatives, and they spoiled him rotten.. which was a great change, because usually it's Miss Abbie that's spoiled ridiculously.

Anyway- now that our company has officially moved onto bigger and better things, we're starting to get back into the swing of things. We have some great giveaways listed now, and some new ones will be posted soon.

I set a goal for myself. I really want to see if I can get 1000 Facebook Fans. I am going to be putting up a giveaway this week that will either be split- IF my goal is met, one prize pack will go to a Fan only, the other to the readers and commenters here- If I don't make the goal, the two prize packs will be given out to my readers here only. Each prize pack will have an estimated retail value of about $350! I would love it if you could help spread the word by sharing our link or profile on Facebook. Oh, also, our Facebook Fan Page is a direct url now- Facebook.com/4BabyAndMom how awesome is that?!

Keep on the lookout for a beautiful photobook giveaway from VistaPrint (valued at ~$50!) and a giveaway for a 16x20 photo canvas from CanvasPress.com, valued at over $100! I can't wait to share these great companies with you, and many more these next few weeks.

The first week of May I will be heading up to the Greater Cleveland area (aka "Cleveland Plus") for a Family Familiarization Tour. This tour will consist of 4 jam-packed days and will include various stops at family-friendly locations throughout the region including a behind-the-scenes tour of our famous Parade the Circle, stops at the renowned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and an overnight in the Sandusky area (with tours of the area’s indoor waterparks and Cedar Point).Needless to say, I can't wait to go, and then share everything I learned with you all!

Also, after I come home from my trip, you should find some more posts from Marissa. This semester of college is almost over, and she is eager to jump into the blogging wagon in full force. I've spent the last few months trying to teach her anything and everything that I could. I am sure you all will enjoy the wealth of knowledge she brings to this site. 

So that- in a nutshell- is what has been going on over here. Now that that's settled...what are you waiting for? Tell a friend, subscribe by email- so you don't miss a thing, and enjoy the next chapter at 4BabyAndMom!

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Oodles of Winners!!

You all rock! No, seriously, you do.

So I finally sat down today and added winner's information to every recent giveaway we've conducted at 4BabyAndMom.

I appreciate your patience, and can give you more of a "why I got so backed up" speech, but I won't. The bottom line is I'm a mom, and sometimes LIFE HAPPENS.

Thank you for bearing down, and getting through it all with me. Tonight is the Bake Sale, and then life should be back to normal- at least until the weekend of the 10th when competition is scheduled for. The good news about that- it's the week of spring break!

So.. What are you waiting for?? Visit our WINNERS PAGE to see if you've won!!!!

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Betty Crocker has nothing on me!

Nothing happens in my life until one week- then EVERYTHING happens, including guests from out of state, a county competition that we won and are now going to state with, another case of lice, and two of my kids birthdays. Insanity. These times are pure insanity.

Anyway, in the days after the Odyssey of the Mind competition, we decided to do a fund raiser- this week. This was officially decided and approved YESTERDAY. The bake sale is on Thursday. Only the teacher, another mom and I are going to be running it which means that tonight I need to try to make my famous cupcakes to see if I can get them to individually wrap without them getting all smushy. If not, I will only be making chocolate chip cookies (with double chocolate chips), and rice krispie treats. The teacher is going to make brownies, and maybe something else, and then be responsible for everything else- change, table, etc.

I was hoping to come up with something more creative, but I'm pretty tapped. Any suggestions or ideas for more baked goods would be great.

You all have been super patient waiting for our winners to be announced for our recent giveaways.. well, I have great news!! Keep on the lookout for winner information to be added to the giveaway posts as well as on the winner list all day today.

Have a happy Monday!

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Please Welcome Marissa, Our New Team Member!

Hello everyone! My name is Marissa and I am so excited to be a part of the 4BabyAndMom team! I'm already Hyped 4 the Holidays, and hope you are too! You may have seen a few posts from me already and I thought that I should take a few moments to tell you a little about myself.

I am 27 years old and have two of the goofiest children in the world; my son is 9 and my daughter is 6. My kids are my world, and I love finding fun stuff to do with them at home, whether it be a fun new recipe or quick and easy craft ( and if I can do it without buying anything, so much the better ! ) I have an obsession with clearance shopping. I firmly believe you should never pay full price for anything, and often scout the local stores for the best bargains. When I'm not doing homework, entertaining the rugrats, or making dinner--I'm probably hidden in a book. I'm a reading enthusiast and will devour a good book in a day if given the opportunity. *waves at fellow Potter Nerds and Twi- Moms*

I have been happily married for 10 years and was a S.A.H.M. until last year when I re-enrolled in school. I've finally decided that I would like to be a teacher when I grow up, and am currently a full time college student. Better late than never, right? I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I do, but I can honestly say that I love being a student again.

So, that's me in a nutshell. I hope some of us have a few things in common and that you guys are just as excited as I am about this holiday season. Thanks 4 reading!

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If you're reading this, it means that...

...I am on my way to the beautiful Marriott Renaissance Hotel at Sea World, Orlando for Izea Fest, 2009!

My dad is watching the kids today, bringing my son back and forth to school- and my mom will be watching them tomorrow, then Bri gets the kiddos over the weekend.

I get to learn from internet experts on how to make 4BabyAndMom a better business, blog, and how to expand my network. How to increase my SEO, better my brand, build my traffic, and meet my goals more efficiently.

I can't wait to see some old friends, meet new friends, and see some online friends "IRL", (in real life.)

There will be several live blog posts, tweets and facebook updates, so be sure to follow me to keep up with what's going on at Izea Fest, and with 4BabyAndMom.

If you haven't had a moment to visit Tropical Traditions to see their huge selection of organic cooking, health & beauty, household goods and pet products, check them out- as they are one of our fabulous parnters for this conference.


I will tweet when we're in.. until then, don't forget to enter the CONTROL IT giveaway. I've extended it just a little bit so you can add your links to your nails. If you have nail issues, you really need to enter it; leave an anonymous comment if you are too embarrassed, just include a valid email address. If you prefer to Email me the picture instead, please send it to 4BabyAndMom at Gmail dot com with the subject title of "CONTROL IT GIVEAWAY PICTURE ENTRY".

Good Luck!

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I didn't disappear... Some updates and upcoming events

As most of you know, we've been having crazy internet issues. Our family is in the process of switching providers, and I'm trying to convince my husband that we really need to do the "double" or triple pack from this new provider. He doesn't think that a TV is necessary, and that we're saving money by not having it-- (I've been surviving without it for about 4 months now to save money, I feel like I'm going through withdrawal. Thank God it was the summer and no good great shows were on.. LOL!)

Speaking of which- when does Grey's come back on?? Ack. I cannot bare to think what I'd do without my Grey's. In the meantime, last week I read the entire Twilight saga.. all four books, from cover to cover, and saw the movie. I am officially heart broken for Jacob, and now that I've finished Breaking Dawn, I understand completely. I cannot wait to see the next movie, and read whatever else Stephenie Meyers has up her sleeves.

I'm sorry that the last several posts have been more press-release style posts... with Back to School in full swing, trying to get on a good schedule again has been more than difficult. Alex is doing phenomenally well in school so far- both in academics and in behavior. He's excited to see what this new year is going to do for him.

I have been elected into the School Advisory Committee. I am excited about my new "position" but unsure of what is exactly expected of me. Last year (and this year) I was a part of the PTO, but never really felt a "part" of it.. I'm happy to be joining another committee as a proactive parent, and am eager to meet on the 17th with the rest of the committee.

I used to joke that nothing happens for me unless it all happens in the same week- now I know that that is the case! I am preparing for Izea Fest, trying to get everything in order, including my Flip repaired, (but that's a WHOLE other post!), and in the process was invited to a wedding in Brazil. One of my dear friends is getting married the same weekend. Shortly after that, I was cordially invited to a premier baby event in New York City, also on that weekend.

There's good news and bad news to that last paragraph... The good news is that I'll be attending Izea Fest- thanks to my great friends at Look What Mom.. and Dad.. Found- a representative, and very dear friend, Cyndy will be attending The Baby Show in NYC, and hopefully, I can figure out how to mail a gift to my darling friend in Brazil. The bad news is that the Flip people say it could take up to 4-6 weeks for me to receive the device back again, so I may not have it in time for the conference. I'm going to try not to think about that for now, and maybe I'll find another video recording device to review for the event. *sigh* So that's what's been going on in 4BabyAndMom-land.

I hope all is well with you, my readers, and look forward to the next several weeks! I can't wait to share what I've learned from the conference with you all, get back to blogging about more than press releases.. There will be several giveaways posted this week, as long as the internet is cooperative- but after the message I received today, I have a feeling that things will be changing around here, and that the whirl wind I belonged to this morning has just dropped me in a new place, with amazing possibilities. Like a baby eagle who's just about to spread her wings, I have a whole world to explore now, and I'm super excited to share it with you all!!

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Triple case of Strep Throat!

UGH! So after Alex's field day on Thursday, I ended up pulling him out early, because I realized he was not over heated, but had a fever. The Clinic checked his temp, and it was a 101 and change. Alex is one of those kids that usually spike over 105 in three point two seconds, so I came home, gave him some motrin, and sent him to bed. Sure enough, in the middle of the night he woke up on fire. After I got him to go back to sleep, Abbigaile woke up with a raging fever and case of the sweats. I took them in to see the pedi on Friday, and sure enough, both strep tests came back positive. We came home, got the scripts filled and then were greeted by our new Build-A-Bear Seal! They went on antibiotics, and have been taking them as directed, and Sunday I wake up feeling like my throat is the size of Giants stadium! I tried to sleep it out, and keep hydrated, but this am after bringing Alex to school (he's been fine), I decided to trek to the ER. I needed to be rehydrated, and had swabs up the wazoo to be tested for "swine flu" even though I told them that I knew what I had, as we (all 4 of us) just went through this in freaking NOVEMBER!

Long story a lot shorter, I was able to eat won ton soup and some white rice tonight for dinner. I've been crazy thirsty, but cannot find anything that doesn't feel like I am swallowing sandpaper. The case worker and Baby-Daddy extended his visitation so I can get on the antibiotics for 24 hours, (which is actually great, because we don't need a preemie getting strep).

So that, in a nutshell is what's been going on in my world since Thursday. The winner of the gift card to Faithworks Boutique will be announced tomorrow! Be sure to check out our awesome giveaways that are ending this week, and keep your eyes open for new giveaways that will be posted this week!

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Gaaah! New domain launch update!

So due to some minor coding issues and some fine tuning, the launch of 4BabyAndMom's new domain will not be today. I am hoping we may finish it tonight, but I will keep you all posted.

In the meantime, run, twitter, message, call ALL of your friends who have little girls and tell them to follow 4BabyAndMom because the next review has a giveaway too cute for words!

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Busy Week at 4BabyAndMom!

What a week!
Tonight has literally been the first time in about 8 days that I've truly been able to just have a moment to myself. This week we had some legal stuff hit the fan with NewBaby, and her biological parents and the "system". Unfortunately, I cannot get into what exactly went on, but know that she (and the whole situation) still needs tons of prayers, good thoughts, and all the well wishes you can spare.

This week my parents announced to the entire extended family that after 42 years of marriage, they've filed for divorce. My immediate family has known since January, and it's been quite the nut to swallow. We- Brian and I- are doing ok with it, but since it was announced my phone hasn't stopped ringing with relatives asking what the heck happened. My answer is the same for everyone, I have no idea. I have friends that went through their parents separating or divorcing, and they said after being married for so long, that one day they just didn't "know" that person anymore. Although it's hard for us now, I know it's going to get harder- especially for my kids. They absolutely worship the ground Grandma and Grandpa walk on, and when one is around they constantly ask where the other one is. Thankfully, I believe that they are young enough that even though it will affect them, that I don't believe it will cause extreme damage. I do believe that anything is possible and that God has the ability to heal all things that are broken, but you have to want to fix it. At this time, I do not believe either of my parents wish to fix it, and that saddens me.

This week I purchased my direct domain! I once owned 4BabyAndMom.com and ran a very small business making handmade items for both women and children. I am excited to re-open the direct domain very soon, with a new and exciting layout and look for 4BabyAndMom! It's a work in progress, and I am super excited to complete it and relaunch the site!

As you read in my last post, we also had guests stop by unexpectedly that added to the hustle and bustle this week. They will be leaving tomorrow and although we had a great visit, I am happy to have our home back to ourselves.

Today Alex scored his first goal at soccer! I am so proud of him, and will be posting the story and some pictures from practice and his first game tomorrow. He plays in an Upward league and earned the grey star this week and last week he earned the gold star. He's so excited to be a part of the team, and the goal today was really the cherry on top!

This week "someone" got a hold of scissors and gave Abbie a mullet-inspired hair cut, but thankfully her hair grows like a weed, and it's growing in quickly. I thought she had the chicken pox earlier this week, but it turns out she was attacked by some No-See-Um's. She enjoyed cheering for her brother in his big game today, and kicking around the soccer ball on the sidelines.

There are some great reviews and giveaways coming up this week, and one still currently running for the ladies to splurge on something for themselves at Sweet Boutique. Be sure to check it out, and tell your friends!

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Lots of Excitement @ 4 Baby And Mom!! Updates and More!

Wow! So life has been interesting to say the least.. adjusting to NewBaby, and having a sick toddler on top of everything- days are a little longer and nights a whole lot shorter, but the rewards are definitely worth it.

NewBaby is doing well. She's grown from 4lbs 13oz to 5lbs 2 oz!! Grow Baby, Grow!! The pediatrician is very impressed with how superb she is doing. She really is a little miracle baby!

Abbigaile is sick.. The other night she spiked a high fever and instead of just keeping a watchful eye on it, I decided to bring her to the ER because of NewBaby. Surprisingly, we were in and out in about an hour! Turns out she has an ear infection, and a sore throat, possibly strep, but the doc couldn't really see all the way in. Abbie has ear tubes, I thought infections weren't supposed to happen?? Oh well.

Alex is doing very well at school, now that they've advanced his reading group. He is in a 1st grade reading group, and LOVES it! Completely different from his old school that thought perhaps he had Autism or Asperger's Syndrome, or some other spectrum disorder. Amazing what some people can come up with, just because they're not willing to recognize excellence.

On to the fun stuff! 4BabyAndMom's Fabulous February Fiesta is coming up! We have only a few more slots left for sponsors, so if you know of an amazing company that you'd love to see featured, please let me know! You can contact me at 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com.

You saw the other list of sponsors HERE, right? I cannot wait! There's going to be giveaways, discounts galore, interviews and many amazing products featured! Oh, now you want to know who else is participating?? Ok, ok.. Here's another sneak peek!!

More of this year's sponsors include:
SHI SHU BABY
ABBA DABBA BAGS
SEE KAI RUN
KID SAFE INK
ME4KIDZ
Ingrid & Isabel BELLA BANDS
MY PRECIOUS KID
AND MORE!!!

HOW TO SCORE EXTRA ENTRIES:

• Make sure you are a follower!
• Refer a friend, or two!
  
• Tweet about our Fabulous February Fiesta and link it back to us!
• Email at least 3 new friends and CC me 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com
• Grab my Banner and promotion banner and put it on your website, blog, etc.

Make sure you comment on this post to let me know which of these you have already done.

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