Babywearing Conference

In Chicago? Into that whole babywearing thing? Or maybe just curious what we're always raving about?

Today kicks off the 2nd International Babywearing Conference at Chicago's DuPaul University. Online registration is now closed but you can register at the event for a slew of awesome sessions covering topics from how to wear your baby safely to traditional babywearing with some fun Mom and tot yoga and music classes thrown in.  If you're not interested in the classes I'd highly recommend checking out  Friday night's fashion show and Saturday's sessions and events are free and open to the public all day. Plus, there will be an exhibit hall full of babywearing and other vendors and you might even run into a few us Mama Speaks gals, so be sure to say hello.

Of course, we'll share our pictures and new finds when we return.

Happy Mama's Day!

Our hat's off to amazing you and all that you do.
Enjoy your special day!

xoxo,
The Mama Speaks Team
- Ashlee, Steph, Cara, Arianne, Beth and Darcie

Nice To Meet Ya...

As you all know, our Mama Search came and saw and conquered. We were overwhelmed (in a good way!) by the response, and had a really tough time narrowing it down. Without further adieu, we'd like like to introduce you to our two new Mamas...

Beth
Beth is a stay at home mom of two terrific boys. She also was a child wrangler in her former life. Before becoming a mom she spent several years teaching in a Montessori school, incorporating performing arts programming into public schools, and managing educational programs for non-profit arts organizations. She has found that chasing after just two kids is exponentially harder than handling a class of thirty, but it also is that much more fulfilling. She lives in the Philadelphia area with her lawyer husband, and when she’s not being objected to (by the toddler and baby, not the husband – usually) she reads, writes, and curbs her eco-anxiety through obsessive research. 

Beth rocks out at her personal blog, Total Mom Haircut.

Darcie
Darcie is a juggler of all things domestic. She is a stay home mom to four energetic and entertaining kids who range in age from nearly two all the way up to 13. Her incredible young-at-heart husband helps lighten her load and brighten her days. With so much going on at home it’s a miracle when a ball doesn’t get dropped somewhere. That explains why her house looks like the ball pit at a McDonalds playground. Reading and writing are two of her favorite things. She also enjoys the challenge of creating delicious, while still somewhat nutritious, meals.

You can keep up with Darcie on her blog at Such the Spot.

Our completely line-up is here.

Seek and You Shall Find

Our Mama Search is officially a wrap and we are happy to report, it was a huge success! We sent out 260 applications and received 76 back by our deadline (and another 30 or so after- sorry ladies!).

After pouring over them all and some careful consideration we have found two amazing mamas to join our team! We'll offer some official introductions in the coming week but we promise you'll love them as much as we do.

Thanks to all who applied!

Mama Search Countdown

Just a reminder that all applications for our Mama Search need to be in our inbox by midnight April 23.

Mama Search

Mama Speaks is currently looking for a couple of spunky, hip Mamas to come join our happy little family!

Responsibilities include:

• Trying, testing, and generally enjoying super cool products
• Researching causes certain to make your heart bleed
• Cozying up to owners and purveyors of the most amazing shops around
• Putting up with a group of crazy, fun and super sweet Mama's
• oh, and we'd kind of like you to be able to write about it like a rock star

If you're serious about giving it go, just send an email to reviews[at]mamaspeaks.com with Mama Search as your subject and we'll forward you an application. Carry on!

xoxo,
The Mama Speaks Team

Mama Speaks on Twitter

A Little Birdie Told Me

If you haven't heard of Twitter you might want to crawl out of your cave and join the micro-blogging revolution that has the rest of us seriously addicted. We're always looking for quick ways to connect and since it's become such a success in our personal lives we've decided to share the Mama Speaks love with all of you. 

To get things going we decided it might be fun to have a little giveaway. Just head on over to Twitter, sign up if you haven't already (it's insanely quick and totally painless we promise!), and follow Mama Speaks.  We'll post links to our daily reads and giveaways, and we'll get interactive to pick your brains from time to time.

On April 10, we will choose one friend from our crew of Twitter followers to win a diaper bag stocked with over $400 in goodies! The tiny details are a surprise but I can tell you the prize pack will feature loads of favorite items from our past reviewees.

We'll tweet you there!

What Year Is It Again?

With Christmas tomorrow and 2008 a mere week away I feel like we should be posting some year end wrap up or favorites list to pack 2007 up with a neat little bow. I even attempted to peruse the archives to find some best of's, but to be honest, picking favorites was sort of like having a favorite child. (We love them all the same, and if we don't we're not telling) We're pretty choosy with what makes the cut to grace the pages (screen?) here at Mama Speaks and so what you see daily is our best of.

But, we played hooky last week (with good reason) and with all the holiday ups and downs we know you'll be sneaking to your laptops and iPhones for at least the occasional reprieve, and well, we just can't leave you hanging can we now? And so...we'll be wrapping up 2007 with a contest a day, just a quick little post with your chance for an extra holiday goody or two!

Thanks for making out first year such an amazing success. We wish you all the happiest of holidays!

xoxo,
The Mama Speaks Team
Ashlee, Cara, Steph, Jaymi, Arianne and Jen

Oh, still here? Well I guess we could get started now.

First up, your chance to win one of four Pattern Diaper Bag's [$35] from Lands' End!

"These bags are modeled after Lands’ End award-winning tote and designed in a choice of charming prints.  They are also built with a few baby-friendly "extras", including an outside pocket for items you need within quick reach, six - yes six! - inside mesh pockets so everything (toys, diapers, bottles, wipes) has a place and you can spot it them in a hurry. The full-zip top keeps everything secure, and the durable cotton canvas with reinforced handles and bottom will keep this bag lasting way beyond diaper duty."

To enter just send an email to giveaways[at]mamaspeaks.com by midnight December 24, with Lands' as you subject.

Coming Soon at Mama Speaks!

I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for the amazing success the past 4 months here at Mama Speaks have been! Our readership has exploded, we've had the honor of working with some amazing companies and we love the fun and always friendly messages we receive from you gals on a daily basis.

Now that we've settled into our skin a little bit, we'll be revamping the site and adding more features. This is where you come in! We want to bring you things you want to see, things you want to share, so in addition to our daily product reviews if you have any bright ideas or suggestions for our new categories let us know!

Coming soon you'll see:

• Website of the week. From blogs to boutiques we'll spotlight one shining gem out there in the great online abyss.
• Cause of the... Always looking for ways to help us all give back. We'll be a little more er, consistent in highlighting charities and causes we believe in.
• Brick & Mortar. We're often asked where you can find the products we feature in your neck of the woods and so we'll be bringing you some physical stores- maternity and baby boutiques, kid shops and toy havens where you can go get your shop on.
• Green Speak & Eco Friendly. Practical, do-able solutions to help raise a healthy family and leave as little negative impact on the environment as possible.

Oh, and our Holiday Gift Guide is just around the corner, you're gonna love it!

xoxo,
Ashlee
Mama in Charge

Email your ideas and suggestions to reviews[at]mamaspeaks.com by midnight October 31, and we'll enter you to win The Dancing Pumpkin and Maya & Miguel's Funny Fix-Ups on DVD

If You Can't Get Enough Giveaways...

Mama Speaks has joined forces with Prizey to help make it easier for all of you to find the best giveaways out in blogland. Prizey is a contest directory and alert system that features all the great giveaways available from Mama Speaks and some our favorite blogs. Head on over and check it out!

Welcome Little One

We're very happy to introduce the newest addition to the Mama Speaks family!

Jonathan David, Jr (That's Popeye to you!) was welcomed by mama Jaymi, Daddy and two big sisters, on September 10 at 10:38 PM.

Mama Mail Hiccup

Words gotten around that some super important emails haven't been getting through from our Mama's. We don't want to miss a thing so we're looking into things. If an email addressed to reviews@mamaspeaks[dot]com happens to get returned to you marked undeliverable you can send it on over to MamaSpeaks@gmail[dot]com instead.

Share the Love

Spread the word about Mama Speaks and enter to win one of two amazing prize packs from Earth Mama Angel Baby. Earth Mama Angel Baby offers 100% natural skin and whole body care products to support you from conception to baby care. Pregnancy, Labor, Postpartum, Nursing support and Baby care, their products are always 100% toxin and cruelty-free and are simply heavenly! 

All you need to do is post the Mama Speaks button below on your website and email us the link (reviews[at]mamaspeaks.com). Let us know if you'd like the Pregnancy Pampering or Breastfeeding Support kit.

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Welcome to Mama Speaks!

Mama bloggers unite to bring you the best of what's hot for your little one. We do the scouting and testing so you don't have to. In bringing you product and website reviews we hope to make your life as a Mama a little easier. We're suckers for the little guy- mom-owned businesses, up and coming designers- moms supporting moms.

We share green living tips that are practical, do-able solutions to help raise a healthy family and leave as little negative impact on the environment as possible.

We bring you causes close to our hearts. Charities and organizations well worth your support, because that's what it's all about.

And of course giveaway's galore. What fun is just reading about something you'd love to get your hands on? Most of our reviews give you the chance to take home what we're taking about or at least get a deal on your own.

If you know of a product, company or organization you'd like to see reviewed; or would like to join Mama Speaks as a contributor feel free to email us at reviews@mamaspeaks[dot]com or mamaspeaks@gmail[dot]com

Contributors:

Ashlee is Mama of one darling boy. A 28 week early bird, now 1 and some change, doing beautifully. She lives near Chicago with her sweetheart husband and French Bulldog. She's a thinker not afraid to get her silly on. Babywearer, veggie queen, photography nut. Before the domestic days Ashlee was pursuing a future in developmental psychology but has happily shifted gears in favor of staying at home and couldn't imagine doing anything else. In her free time (ha!) you can find her whipping up baby slings and spotlighting as an Itsy Bitsy Yoga Instructor.
Ashlee owns nest (nest Baby Sling)
Ashlee blogs at New Mama's Nest and Tasty Vegan

Stephanie is a stay at home mom of three boys ages 6, 5, & 1. She'll make you think. She'll make you smile. She wears her babies (or they wear her- we're still not so sure.) She's a girly girl and loves to shop, but also has an insatiable appetite for knowledge and being an informed parent. Before marriage & kids, she attended Columbia College and Second City in Chicago majoring in theater and improv. So far she prefers her long-time and current role as Mom. Surprisingly it has much better hours... Steph blogs at Adventures In Babywearing.

Cara, a wife for 3 years and a mama to a sweet little boy for 2, resides in Baltimore. She’s a lover off all things baby, tattoos and unfortunately Ben & Jerry’s.  Cara is a homeschooling SAHM by day and WAHM by night - running an online boutique of cool baby goods, Urban Baby Runway and working towards her goal of a husband and wife baby clothing designing duo.  She is also still trying to find those elusive moments some refer to as spare time but loving every minute of it and documenting it all on her personal site Mama C-ta.

Jaymi is a twenty something mama with two beautiful daughters ages 10 years and 18 months, with another bundle of joy on the way. She's a stay-at-home mom with too much time on her hands. Married to a pastor and loving it.
Jaymi blogs at The FlipFlop Mamma

Carol is mama to Liam, 15 months. She's on a wonderful journey of discovering who she really is... to simultaneously exist as woman, mother, lover, and friend.
Carol blogs here.