Because You're Worth It

Shortly after I ended things with my ex, I remember thinking to myself that the cost of being in that relationship was extremely high. I gave so much of myself, and with the exception of my delicious Aiden and having others believe that I had a perfect family, I got very little in return. 

The truth is, the ship sailed on our day in the sun a long time before the relationship actually ended, and tragically, I was still on it. For far too long. I remember reaching several low points. But I think one of my lowest point was when I could no longer see myself as awesome. 

I'm going to pause to allow you to re-read that sentence. And let it sink in.

...

And because I could no longer see myself as awesome, I slowly started to believe that I was not awesome. Not deserving of basic things people enter a relationship for. Not worthy. Not worth it.

Not to speak badly about my son's father, but staying in that relationship took away so much from me -- almost to the point where I couldn't recognize myself anymore. 

Sad, but true. 

Almost as if I gave so much and lost so much more in the process. Lost my sense of self. Lost my purpose. Lost my way. 

I couldn't see myself as awesome. And I couldn't see my way out.

But somehow, someway, I made it out. Alive and well. I have a few scars, but I'm out. Better. Stronger. Wiser. Lovelier. And more loving.

I'm on a mission now to figure out how do I learn from the incidents of my past relationship so that it does not happen to me again. And I'm starting to figure out that it's by remembering my worth. Every. Single. Day.

I wish it hadn't taken me as long as it did to come back to myself, but hey, everything in it's time, right?

But you... you can learn from what I went through. And know that you don't have to stay in a relationship where you don't feel good about yourself anymore. You're worthy. And you're worth it.

We all are.

Smooches,

Psyched. Pumped. Ready.

Last week I shared a post about letting some things go as my graduate school career comes to a close and I enter the real world yet again.

This week marks the first full week of my last semester of graduate school. Woohoo! Woo- freakin'-hoo! Seriously, super excited is an understatement. My M.A. should be going to the Columbia printing services as I type and I picked up the application for my Ed.M. last week. That's right, I'm working it... Mommy Delicious style!

Here's a picture of me in 2006 when I received my Bachelors from CU:

Yea... it rained on my graduation day. But that didn't stop me from being happy.

I was selected as a Senior Marshall and led my class in our possession line. I was psyched and pumped and ready to take on the world.

That's me in my dorm room. I still have that '06 CU flag!

And because I bleed blue, I'll have another CU flag this upcoming May.

I. Can't. Wait.

I have never been so happy to see the last of anything before. Well, maybe the last of my last relationship. Sorta.

But this graduation is not just about me. It's about Aiden too. And young mothers. And single mothers. Heck, it's about all the delicious mamas out there. Please stand up!

If I can do it, anyone can.

There are lots of papers and research and readings and presentations and special projects standing in the way of my degree and me. But I don't worry about them. Those things are minute compared to what I'll be receiving in return.

Once again, I find myself psyched and pumped and ready. I only wonder if the world is ready for Mommy Delicious because, come May 2011, it's on!

Even Aiden is ready.

Okay, he was a little sleepy in that picture, but you get the point.

Let's do this!

Smooches,

Grown and Sexy at "The Little Flirt"

Last week, this delicious single mama totally got her grown and sexy on! Ouch!

Along with a few other NYC Bloggers, I was invited to an event at a charming lingerie shop, La Petite Coquette, which is located in the West Village and french for "The Little Flirt."

I was super psyched to attend this event since it was hosted by one of my favorite NYC Mom Bloggers, the Gorgeous Goddess of Glamamom. Here we are pictured below.

La Petite Coquette has been in the business of transforming women to look and feel sexy for over 30 years. Wowza! Approximately 85% of women wear the wrong bra size, which makes 'em feel slightly uncomfortable while going through their day. Sadly, I was apart of that 85%. That is, until I received an expert bra-fitting at La Petite Coquette.

As if the bra-fitting wasn't enough, in true grown and sexy style, the event featured a sneak peak of LPC's upcoming Valentine's Day Collection as well as trends, tips, and tricks on all things lingerie. Check out some pieces from their exquisite collection below. Aren't they amazing?

In her book, The Lingerie Handbook, the boutique's owner, Rebecca Aspen states, "I believe that everyone has a little flirt inside just waiting to be revealed. If your attitude toward undergarments is no frills, no thrills, think again. Stop wearing underwear, and start wearing lingerie!"

And let the ladies say... Amen!

To help you find that little flirt in you, La Petite Coquette is graciously offering a 15% discount off of anything you purchase online at www.thelittleflirt.com, which is valid until February 13, 2011. Simply enter the promotional code ILUVLPC at checkout.

Well I'll drink to that!

A huge thanks to the sponsors of this event: La Petite Coquette for providing us with a very sexy hanky panky, Knock-out Cosmetics for providing us with their on-trend nail lacquers, and Lia Sophia for providing us with fine jewelry pieces. 

And a huge thanks to Glamamom for hosting such a fun event!

Visit Mommy Delicious on Facebook to see more photos of this event. There were even some celebrity spottings -- Nicole (Momtrends), Lauren (A Mommy In The City), Sarah (The Stroller Ballet), Linda (NYC Single Mom), Ellen (Baby Meets City), and Patty (A Day in my NYC). Well... they're celebrities in my eyes!

Disclaimer: Attendees received a gift bag from the stated sponsors. No other compensation was provided. 


Smooches,

Maclaren 2011 Product Previews and Reviews

A few weeks ago, NYC Bloggers were invited to attend an exclusive Blogger preview of the 2011 Maclaren line. Maclaren has always been a favorite brand of mine for quality baby gear so I totally jumped at the opportunity. The event was located at the Maclaren showroom in SoHo, NYC, and it was quite informative... and fun.

Any mom who lives in a crowded city such as New York knows first-hand the need to have a lightweight stroller that is practical and functional without compromising style. I mean, how else are you going to carry a baby, multiple bags, and a stroller up and down the stairs of the subway? Or how else are you going to fit into the aisle of the supermarket when making a quick stop before dinner?

This year, we can expect some new and cool features from Maclaren's Stroller Collection. Here's a brief rundown:

• In addition to having argyle graphics on the leg of the frame, The Volo will have two hot and bold new colors: deep water and carmine rose... love!
• The Triumph will also have a hot new color, crown blue, but will keep all the functions that make it so lovable and amazingly popular.
• The Quest will have a great new feature: an improved leg extender. Plus, there will be new colors such as deep water, carmine rose, and denim. Yep... Maclaren has jumped on the denim bandwagon! 

What's a stroller without an accessory bag, right? Once again, Maclaren's got you covered! The Maclaren accessories will include beach bags, charcoal organizers, field bags, and smart sets. Are you excited yet? I am!

Most people know about Maclaren's stroller collection, but they also carry pretty fab Nursery Collections as well. Designed by David Netto, the collections are playful, but with a modern look and classic feel with its signature finish of white lacquer and oak.

The crib is convertible and can open all around, while the dresser and changer comes as one unit. I love this because it is simply perfect if you're short on space. But what I love even more is that these are high quality items at an affordable price. Now that's my kinda nursery!

Call me biased, but no nursery is complete without a glider and ottoman. Hey, mama needs to be comfortable while feeding and bonding with her bundle of joy! That's why I was super excited to learn about Maclaren's Heart Glider and Ottoman. Man, was it comfortable. Once I sat in it, I didn't want to get out! I actually contemplated not continuing the presentation just so I could relax on the glider for a bit longer. Yea, it felt that good. Here's a picture of me during my 5 minutes in heaven. Ahhh...

But, I did continue. And I'm glad I did because I was able to learn about Maclaren's holistic personal care collection, The Beginning... This line was created to meet not only the physical needs of mothers and babies, but emotional needs as well. The ingredients in these products are natural, organic (nice!), and have 100% pure essential oils that can be safely used during pregnancy, infancy, and beyond. They amaze me every time!

Now let's talk toys. Did you know that Maclaren makes toy products as well? Sweet! The Maclaren Active Toy collection is perfect for dramatic play as it includes a kid-sized jogging stroller, a lightweight stroller, double stroller, playpen, rocker, and rocking chair. These toys are not only super cute, but they are also great for toddlers and their budding imaginations.

Aiden and I received the opportunity to review the Maclaren Junior Quest lightweight stroller and we really love it. It's a doll-sized toy, but has the features and functionality of the life-sized Maclaren strollers. Although we have not been able to test it outdoors due to the 10 feet of snow we've been having like every week here in NYC, we have played with it a lot in the house.

Aiden is a rough and rambunctious tot by nature, but I must say that the Maclaren Junior Quest is allowing him to get in touch with his, er, gentler side. Although he runs around the house with it at times, most of the time playing with our Junior Quest gives us a break from all the rough-and-tumble play because "we have to be gentle with our baby and stroller." His words, not mine.

Bottom line: it's awesome and I highly recommend it. Visit the Maclaren website to view all of the products that they offer.

Disclaimer: Event attendees received a gift from Maclaren. Also, I received a Maclaren Junior Quest to review for this post. All views expressed herein are my own.

Smooches,

Play First, Then Work... Sometimes.

Courtesy of Etsy.com

Aiden's pretty smart. Most days, when I pick him up from preschool, he asks me about our agenda for that particular evening. I never really paid attention to just how mush the kid picks up on... until I did. And man, was it eye-opening. This was our conversation one day as I was helping him put on his coat.

Aiden: Mommy, are we going to Target?
Me: Nope.
Aiden: We going to the supermarket?
Me: Mmm... nope.
Aiden: To the laundry?
Me: (laughs) No, Aiden.
Aiden: Are we going to wash your hair?
Me: (Damn! The kid has it down to the science! Like really, did he just throw that in there?!) Not today.
Aiden: Where're we going?
Me: Home. To play.

Yes, sometimes I take Aiden to the hairdresser with me. And yes, sometimes I go during the weekdays because it gets too gosh darn crowded on the weekends. Momma's gotta look good. I'm a single mom. Such is life. Don't judge me.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes I can run all of these errands before I pick him up from preschool, but most days, it's impossible. There's just not enough time.

So he has to the run errands with me. It has to be the both of us, working first and playing later.

But something about his questioning made me stop.

Pause.

Think.

Sometimes we can just play and have fun.

Target can wait. The supermarket can wait. Laundry can wait. Even the hairdresser can wait. Those things can take a backseat once in a while so Aiden and I can make fun, happy, sweet, loving memories.

Smooches,

Putting My Big Girl Pants On. Finally

I remember when Facebook was just a new born baby girl. In fact, her name back then was TheFacebook. Ha! Only the Harvard kids got to play with her, but then Mr. Zuckerberg realized that wasn't fair, and extended her to the rest of the Ivy Leagues in his attempt to take over the world.

I believe I was a sophomore at Columbia at the time, but had I known Zuckerberg was going to succeed at his attempt to take over the world, I so would have transferred to Harvard and added him as a friend. No pun intended. Hey, it would have gotten me one step closer to my ultimate goal, which is to marry well. Just kidding. But I digress.

When Facebook was just a baby girl, she was only for college kids. So we laughed and posted, partied and posted, drank a bit and posted. It was lovely because only our friends could see it. No grown-ups. No parents. No friends of parents who just wanted to "see how you're doing." No potential employers. Just friends.

When I graduated with my Bachelor degree, there was no worry about a potential employer looking me up on Facebook to see what kind of person I really was. So I posted freely.

Nowadays e'rbody and their momma (and their momma's momma) is on Facebook. If you're not on Facebook, you're a loser. Just kidding. But really, in some sick way, it really has become the way of the world, and it's totally commonplace for people to find you on Facebook. Isn't that the first thing we do after meeting someone new? Stalk Look 'em up on Facebook? No? It's just me? Oh... okay. Moving on.

I'll be finishing grad school in May (*fingers crossed*) and entering the real world again. Only this time, Facebook is not restricted to only college kids. So I should expect potential employers to look me up on Facebook, right?

Plus, I'm becoming Facebook friends with more and more grownups. Like real grownups, not just my college buddies who are growing up with me.

I don't want these people to stumble upon pictures of me looking (slightly) crazy, for lack of a better word. And get the wrong idea.

And I don't want to miss out on important networking opportunity. I haven't missed out on anything yet (I think. I hope), but being proactive is what it's all about. Right?

So instead of changing my Facebook name to "Alicia crazysexycoolbaby HarperHotness," alas, I'm putting my big girl pants on and untagging myself from some of my earlier Facebook pictures. Oh the sacrifices we make as grownups.

If this is what real adulthood is, it kinda sucks. Just kidding.

What sacrifices have you made once you put your big girl/boy pants on?

Smooches,

PS: If you're not part of the Mommy Delicious community on Facebook, then you should totally "like" the page and join!

WINNER! Bliss Spa Gift Card Giveaway

Hey Lovelies!

I want to thank everyone who entered the giveaway, but I mostly want to thank you for your support in helping a fellow delicious mommy Alex aka @YoungFabMama move one step closer to living a healthier lifestyle. For all of those who didn't enter the giveaway, but still voted... you rock! Thanks.

Keep your fingers crossed because Alex finds out this week if she was chosen to be the next Mamavation Mom.

Chosen via random.org, the winner of the $40.00 Bliss Spa Gift Card is: CT MOM!

Congratulations. Please provide me with your contact information ASAP.

Smooches,