On May 24th I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. We’ve been calling him #babybookieboo on twitter and Facebook. And he’s famous. No, really. He trended on twitter the other day. The only other baby that has trended on twitter is Beyonce’s baby.  I actually like having something in common with Beyonce OTHER than the size of my ass.

Okay, back to the point. After my second son, I thought I was done with having babies. I lost 70 lbs. and got into a size 6. I was looking good. Mamavation was taking off and I was very busy. Actually, busy doesn’t describe it. I was going non stop. And then suddenly I got the urge to bring another life into the world. And it wasn’t just an urge. It felt like a calling. It totally shocked me because it wasn’t in the “plan” we had. In fact, I actually threw most of the baby supplies away, including giving away my breast pump. *face palm* So I didn’t have many supplies. And I lucked out because some great brands started reaching out to me when they discovered I was about to have a baby and one of them was Tiny Love. Tiny Love reached out to me to offer me their 3-n-1 Rocker Napper, I was like THANK YOU! I didn’t have anywhere to put the baby for naps in the front room yet.

But I was worried. My babies never want to be put down. I mean ever. So after the BIG day, we tested it out. And look….I know you can’t hear this but the silence said it all. Okay, fine I know babies sleep more in the first two weeks of life, but he’s up now and he’s still sleeping in it. So SCORE!

There are a bunch of other handy dandy features beyond just letting him sleep in it. It has the ability to place the baby in 3 different reclining positions. It starts out as a flat pad with raised borders for safety, and then turns into a rocker that also has gentle vibration, and then ends as a seat where baby can grab at the toys.

And because I would never do a review like this without offering you some way to get the same product, Tiny Love has offered to give one lucky winner a 3-n-1 Rocker Napper as well. Good luck ya’ll.

Giveaway:

1 Tiny Love 3-n-1 Rocker Napper

To Enter (please comment for EVERY entry & put your twitter name):

1. Tweet this message (1 entry, max 20 tweets)

Win a @Tinylove_USA 3-n-1 Rocker Napper from @Bookieboo. Ends 7/23. http://bit.ly/LLi6k2

2. Share this post on Facebook (3 entries)

3. Like Tiny Love on Facebook (1 entry)

4. Follow Tiny Love on Twitter (1 entry)

5. Join the Mamavation Forums and post 10 times (10 entries, new members only)

6. Share this on Google+ (2 entries)

7. Join the Bookieboo Blogging Network (2 entries, new members only)

8. Watch the Mamavation Video and share it with friends (1 entry)

This giveaway ends July 23rd and a winner will be selected at random via random.org. Please leave your twitter name in the comment section so I can get a hold of you if you win. If there is no email or twitter name, I’ll have to redraw.

And the Winner of the Baby Trend Jogging stroller is…..

CONGRATS Kathy Pease!  

My first jogging stroller was a Baby Trend. And I drove it to the ground just like I do my cars. After 6 years of use, direct sunlight, and plenty of abuse, the fabric in the back was tearing and it wasn’t quite the same color it originally was. It had been loved…to death. I needed another one, so when Baby Trend reached out to me to give me another stroller, I felt like saying….”can you read my mind or something?” I was actually already thinking about getting another one.

You have to understand how attached I get to things. My last Baby Trend helped me lose over 100 lbs. It was the stroller that I used to run through the neighborhood with my oldest son when I was a size 22 and push myself to lengths I didn’t think were possible. It was the stroller that allowed me to change my life. I loved it. And I still haven’t parted with it for sentimental reasons…It basically just stands at the side of the house. And now I have a brand new one that looks like this.

Here are some of the features of the stroller:

• Lockable front swivel wheel for ease of maneuverability
• All-terrain bicycle tires
• Convenient parent tray includes two cup holders and covered compartment storage
• Infant car seat adapter child tray with two cup holders
• Extra wide, ergonomically shaped foam padded handle
• Adjustable canopy with covered sunroof ratchets to block sun and wind
• Effortless trigger fold easily reduces stroller to a compact unit
• Multi-position, reclining, padded seat
• Fully adjustable 5-point safety harness and tether strap
• Footrest reflectors provide greater low-light visibility
• Extra large storage basket
• Lightweight steel frame construction
• JPMA Certified

Would you like one? Baby Trend is giving one lucky winner from Mamavation a jogging stroller as well. Enter below. I’d love to see one of you be my twin! Here are the details.

Giveaway:

1 Baby Trend Jogging Stroller

To Enter (please comment for EVERY entry & put your twitter name):

1. Tweet this message (1 entry, max 20 tweets)

Win a @Babytrend Jogging Stroller from @Bookieboo. Ends 7/16. http://bit.ly/LheMvI

2. Share this post on Facebook (3 entries)

3. Like Baby Trend on Facebook (1 entry)

4. Follow Baby Trend on Twitter (1 entry)

5. Join the Mamavation Forums and post 10 times (10 entries, new members only)

6. Share this on Google+ (2 entries)

7. Join the Bookieboo Blogging Network (2 entries, new members only)

8. Watch the Mamavation Video and share it with friends (1 entry)

This giveaway ends July 16th and a winner will be selected at random via random.org. Please leave your twitter name in the comment section so I can get a hold of you if you win. If there is no email or twitter name, I’ll have to redraw.

Pampers has teamed up with Team USA for the London Olympics and has created the cutest diapers for sizes 3-5 to reflect their American pride. You gotta see these…

And not only are they sporting American pride this summer, Pampers is also holding a really cool sweepstakes….

“Starting today and going through May 19th, parents can visit the “Team USA Sweeps” tab on the Pampers Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/Pampers) and register for a chance to win the grand prize trip for a family of four to attend the London 2012 Olympic Games and attend the first ever Pampers Playground event alongside Team USA Hopeful, Kerri Walsh, and her husband and sons. The recipient of the grand prize trip to the London 2012 Olympic Games will be drawn on or around May 21st. Additionally, Pampers will be randomly selecting weekly winners between now and August 12 to receive a prize pack consisting of one month’s supply of Pampers Limited Edition “USA” diapers and wipes as well as a souvenir volleyball signed by Kerri Walsh.”

You heard it here. So go “like” Pampers for crying out loud. It only takes a minute. I actually went the distance and shared it on facebook as well for good karma.

Pampers is also giving away their diapers during my Virtual Baby Shower with Amy this month on 4/25. Come register and enter the giveaways!!!

I’m not your average kinda girl. I was never into the Disney princesses. It wasn’t till Mulan came out that I FINALLY found a character I could identify with.

Consider the source: I spent 8 years as a softball catcher playing year round on several leagues. In fact, several of the women I played with went to the Olympics that first year they had softball as a competitive sport. Today my favorite thing to do is kickboxing. I love the classes, beating on the bag, getting my frustrations out and sweating. Sparring is also something I love doing. So basically, I’m not afraid to get dirty, play rough, go toe to toe with the boys and give them hell, and then put on a dress afterwards and steal the show.

Okay, “Doc McStuffins” has NOTHING to do with kicking ass like this, BUT I love what “Doc McStuffins” communicates to children. Basically, I see it as saying girls can be very effective in positions of power, like a doctor, i.e. yeah they can kick ass too. And the way “Doc McStuffins” does it is very subtle and natural. (Not crazy or in your face…I really mean calm, subtle and natural.) ALSO, “Doc McStuffins” is really the only health related show that takes the fear out of going to the doctor for children. Every episode is about some issue that your children can identify with and you can discuss it with them afterward. In fact, the creator of the show was inspired by her son’s bout with Ashma and how afraid he was of the doctors office. She wanted to create a show that took the fear out of medicine. The characters in “Doc McStuffins” come to her to cure them of all their ailments and she is a very calm and self assured problem solver. (The opposite of Pablo from Backyardigans who hops around having a panic attack every time something goes wrong….geez that drives me nuts.)

And you can rest assured that “Doc McStuffins” is portraying health information in an accurate way that is relevant to children because of the amount of work that goes into it in the background. I was able to meet with some of the consultants on the show, one of whom works for the Norman Lear Center at the Annenberg School for Communications at USC (my alma mater). Their job is to make sure the public health messages are portrayed accurately in the show. And in addition to having accurate messages, every show is educational and also encourages strong socialization skills. (Something I especially like because I have a son with Aspergers.)

“Doc McStuffins” will be premiering FRIDAY, March 23rd on the popular Disney Junior programming block on Disney Channel at 10am EST and then on the new Disney Junior Channel at 4pm EST. This also marks the premiere date of the new Disney Junior Channel.

I was actually able to get a glimpse of “Doc McStuffins” BEFORE it airs on Friday and let my boys watch it. My husband saw the pink and purple and saw that the main character was a girl and said “you know the boys aren’t going to like this, right?” ….but he was wrong. They were memorized the entire 30 minutes. So I guess you can say two things about that: (1) “Doc McStuffins” is also appealing to “rough and tumble” boys AND (2) “Doc McStuffins” puts children in a trance-like state where they are engrossed in her every word she says. I have NO idea how they do that. So I got to use it several times while I was cooking or doing something I didn’t want the kids into.

Total side note: It’s not everyday you get to meet the cast BEHIND the characters, but I did.

And this is the BEST VIDEO EVAH. I interviewed part of the cast of “Doc McStuffins” and the guy who plays Chilly, the stuffed snowman. His name is Jess Harnell and he’s been the voice behind some other Disney characters you will recognize in productions such as Nemo, Up, Cars, Cars 2, Toy Story, Transformers, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Simpsons, The Fairly Odd Parents, Special Agent Oso, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Chuck, & Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Check out this video of him doing some of his impressions. He almost made me pee my pants.

And yes of course, I wouldn’t make you suffer through this entire post without some swag.

Giveaway:

5 Doc McStuffin VIB (Very Important Blogger) Packages including: Doc McStuffins lunch tin, sticker sheet, poster, band-aids, & notebook (The Book of Boo Boos)

To Enter (please comment for EVERY entry & put your twitter name):

1. Tweet this message (1 entry, max 20 tweets)

Watch #DisneyJunior show “Doc McStuffins” @ Disney Channel 10am Fri EST & @ Disney Junior 4pm Fridays EST. Giveaways!,http://bit.ly/GMzYJL

2. Share this post on Facebook (3 entries)

3. Tell me how amazing you think I am on Facebook. Yes, I need to hear it sometimes. (1 entry)

4. Share this on Google+ (2 entries)

5. Watch the video of Jess Harnell (1 entry)

6. Share the picture of the cast of characters on Pinterest. (1 entry)

As we all know Disney is one of those companies that is so big and so influential, we couldn’t really ignore them if we tried. So when I see the big giants getting involved in trying to make a difference in encouraging our youth get get more active, I smile. Just recently I was given the opportunity to hang out with some of the cast members from shows on Disney XD and learn about their “Magic of Healthy Living” campaign called “Try-It”. Disney Magic of Healthy Living is an initiative designed to partner with parents in their quest to raise healthy, happy kids. The program provides kids and families with engaging content, useful tools and unique experiences to help make healthier lifestyles simple and fun.

In support of Disney’s commitment to inspire kids and families to lead healthier and active lifestyles, Disney XD will start airing new videos in March with the stars from “Kickin’ It,” “Pair of Kings” and “Lab Rats” demonstrating new activities and healthy food options kids can try. For more information visit www.disney.com/tryit.

I was actually there when they were filming some of these new videos with their cast. This is who I saw:

Jason Earles plays “Rudy” on “Kickin’ It”–he can be contacted on twitter as @Dukeofearls

Adam Hicks plays “Luther” on “Zeke and Luther”  & plays “Boz” on “Pair of Kings”

Alex Christian Jones plays “Eddie” on “Kickin’ It”

Dylan Riley Snyder plays “Milton” on “Kickin’ It”

Ryan Ochoa plays “Lanny” on “Pair of Kings”

Spencer Boldman plays “Adam” on the new show “Lab Rats”

I had the opportunity to interview the cast of characters about Disney’s “Try It” campaign and see what type of things they have been trying. They were adorable in their answers.

And of course because Disney rocks, they are offering us all a pretty cool giveaway.

Giveaway:

• 2 Disney Magic of Healthy Living Giveaways gift baskets which includes: a sling Bag, socceer ball, yoga mat, & apron
• 1 signed dodge ball signed by the following Disney XD stars: Adam Hicks, Doc Shaw, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Jason Earles, Alex Christian Jones, Spencer Boldman

To Enter (Leave one comment for EACH entry):
1. Tweet this message (1 entry per tweet, 30 tweets max.)

#Disney Magic of Healthy Living “Try-It” campaign is helping kids 2 get active on Disney XD. Giveaway @Bookieboo, http://bit.ly/yWfl5J

2. Share on Facebook (1 entry)
3. Watch @Bookieboo’s video about the Magic of Healthy Living “Try-it” campaign above (1 entry)
4. Join Bookieboo.com (5 entries, new members only)

Winners will be selected by Random.org on March 21st and contacted via twitter. Please leave your twitter name in order for me to get in contact with you. If you do NOT leave your twitter name and you are selected, I will need to select another. Good luck!