BlogHer tips for newbies & what I would do differently next time

Last week I gave you a recap of the BlogHer'12 conference in New York City. Since it seems that many of you are planning on attending next year in Chicago, today I bring you my list of tips and things I wish I had done differently.

My pass!

1. For the love of all that is holy, EAT
I heard so many people say that there is plenty of food everywhere and you'll be so full you'll never have to worry about paying for a meal all weekend. Well? Either there was a lot more food last time, or all these people live just fine on a sparse salad and luke-warm hors d'oeuvres. That's not me...ever. And definitely not at 33 weeks pregnant. Even if you're attending a handful of parties in one night or have sessions all afternoon, make time to get food. You never know what events will have food worth eating. And whenever you are presented with food that looks good? Shovel everything possible in your face. You're welcome. On too many occasions I was wandering around like a ravenous Pregaurus Rex in search of my next meal. Not how I wanted to spend my time.

2. Less can be more
I scheduled a lot of parties, sessions, and events and I found myself running from one to the next. I felt like I could never sit and relax no matter where I was because I was always thinking about when I'd have to leave. Confession: I got caught up in the excitement of snagging invites to all of the coveted private parties, so much so that I never took time to focus on whether said parties were a good fit for me. I blog about parenting, babies, and pregnancy, so why was I trucking my giant pregnant belleh almost a mile away to talk/learn about household cleaning products and homegoods in which I have absolutely no interest? Next time I'll focus on the few parties and events that truly make sense for me and my blog.

Stephanie and me

3. Think about transportation ahead of time
Whether it's from the airport/train station to the hotel, or to various events and back, map out the locations and decide what is your best way to get where you need to go. If you decide a cab is your best bet? Find some buddies going to the same place at the same time and split it. Don't attempt to walk everywhere, especially at 33 weeks pregnant. It's just not comfortable. I walked more than a mile from Grand Central to the Hilton when I first arrived and I just about collapsed when I reached the hotel room. Not smart.

4. Talk to people
Even if this is out of your comfort zone, initiate a conversation with the person sitting next to you in a session, at lunch, or even waiting for the elevator. I didn't do enough of this. I was so {physically} uncomfortable and busy trying to get to my next event that I didn't take advantage of all of my opportunities to meet new people. Next time I plan on being much more talkative and outgoing.

Business cards - fun fun fun!

5. Make the most of your alone time
Don't get caught up in what everyone else is doing. Again, this might be out of your comfort zone (it definitely was for me), but you'll be much happier with your experience if you focus on what it is that you want to do. Don't go to parties and sessions that might not interest you all that much just because your friend is going. You could likely end up resenting the fact that you just tagged along to something boring instead of going somewhere else fun, by yourself.

6. Set aside some time to sight see
Unless the host city is your hometown, try to come in a day early or leave a day late so that you'll have some time to explore. I didn't do this, and really wish I had. I lamented this fact as I rushed through Times Square to head to a party; there was no time to stop and check out all the crazy blinking lights. I didn't have any time for shopping or visiting museums, either. I was super jealous of Stephanie's Instagram feed of all the amazing places she went and things she saw.

7. Comfort is key
Wear whatever you are comfortable in; there is no dress code. Some people chose to be all fancy while others were in jeans and sneakers. Really, no one is paying all that much attention. Those sparkly 5 inch heels might be cute but no one cares that you're wearing them and you're probably just going to end up with blisters. I handed out many a blister band-aid to friends sporting heels ;)

My CheeseburgHer hat!

8. Buy your pass early
When registration opens on September 1st, BlogHer offers early bird pricing, which this year was $198 for a full conference pass (as opposed to the regular $298 pricing). On top of that, for the first few weeks of the early bird pricing, there was also a 20% discount code! I haven't heard whether they'll be doing the same this year, but if they do? That's around $160 for your ticket. If you find that you can't end up going you can sell/transfer your ticket to someone else. Come May of this year, there were so many people looking to buy tickets bought at the early bird price, so you probably won't have any problem selling your ticket if plans change. I wish I had bought earlier, but luckily snagged someone else's {cheaper} one. Some details about passes: the full conference pass includes access to all sessions, breakfast and lunch, as well as the expo and parties. There is also an expo/party pass that doesn't include sessions and meals. It was $100 cheaper than the full conference pass this year, I believe.

9. Be selective on the swag
You are going to get tons of stuff. Bringing along an empty suitcase is a great idea, and even then it might not be enough to fit everything. I left behind almost half of what I received (I either gave it to friends or left it in the Swag Exchange that BlogHer sets up) and I still ended up with all of the below. Do you really need 5 stuffed animals? Can you pass on tote bag #8? I wish I had been a little more discerning, but I guess it's nice to know I'll never need to buy grocery bags ever again. Also? 6 sippy cups was probably overkill.

Some highlights - OnyaBaby carrier, Applecheeks cloth diaper, WeeUrban sleepsack, nursing cover, Waterbabies doll

10. Don't judge
People blog for different reasons. Don't judge or be condescending towards those who might have different goals than yours. BlogHer is for all levels of bloggers - for those who have no desire to make money from their blogs, to those who earn their living through blogging. Embrace and celebrate all - don't be a jerk :)

What questions do you have? About these points, or anything else BlogHer related? I'd love to help!

Thanks again to my wonderful sponsors Itzbeen and Simple Wishes for supporting my trip, and to Séraphine Maternity for keeping the baby bump in style ;)

Can we all sing kumbaya now? Or, my BlogHer12 Recap

Have you ever been somewhere that made you feel so happy, at ease, and in your element, that you just wanted to reach out and grab the hands of those next to you and break out into a chorus of Kumbaya?

No? Okay, well, feel free to roll your eyes at my slightly over emotional geekiness.

Yes? Then you totally get why I loved BlogHer.

Let's rewind to the Thursday I left for the conference. A friend came over to watch Carina while I jetted off to the train station. There were some tears when I left (on my part - not hers; she was too busy playing), but as soon as I boarded the train to NYC I was overcome with excitement.

NYC! Sparklecorn cake, me in my lovely Seraphine outfit and e-friend/roommate Stephanie

Once I arrived, the whole weekend was a whirlwind of friends, sessions, parties, speakers, meeting with people, and what seemed like an endless quest for food. After getting settled and meeting my awesome roomie Stephanie from The Froggy & the Mouse, I caught President Obama's live address via satellite in the Hilton Ballroom. Whatever your politics, being addressed live by the President of the United States is pretty awesome. Apparently he thinks bloggers are quite important and influential! Take that anyone who has ever raised their eyebrow or chuckled when I mentioned that I "blog" ;)

Afterwards, I think I trekked a total of 3 miles across Manhattan (umm...what was I thinking?) to attend three different parties, including my favorite - SweetSuite12. It was held at TRL studios - cue late 90's Mama G geek-out - and featured a number of toy and baby/toddler brands and companies. I spent so much time here speaking with the reps, and playing with the toys, of course! The other parties were more of a meet and mingle atmosphere with music and drinks. I think they would have been a bit more fun if I wasn't hugely pregnant and uncomfortable standing.

My favorite swag: egg & sperm, Katie Couric keynote, bags of swag, Hershey's s'more suite

Friday morning I had breakfast at the hotel and then breakfast again (what can I say? ME SO HUNGRY) at the Highlights Hello release party. I was/am super excited about this! Do you remember reading Highlights magazine as a kid? The hidden picture puzzles were my favorite. Anyway - they are launching a brand new magazine for babies ages 0-2 this Fall/Winter! Carina already has her hands on a copy, and in just a few weeks I'll be posting a review and a giveaway in which you can win a subscription for your little one - yay!

Later I spent some time browsing the Expo Hall and attended a session on Social Media where I learned a handful of really helpful Twitter and Facebook tips. One take home: Timely quickly analyzes your followers' activity levels and tells you the best times to Tweet for maximum reach. Also on Friday afternoon, Martha Stewart was the keynote speaker during lunch and I must say it was really interesting to hear her thoughts on being a woman in business. A few of her comments rubbed me the wrong way - but that's a blog post for another time ;)

What I loved most of all as I went about my day(s)? Meeting all these people who have lived in my computer for so long.

Getting ready to take the bump out for a night on the town, with Stephanie at Sparklecorn, me & Jenni, craziness at CheeseburgHer with Stephanie & Mindi

After a quick Connecticut Blogger get together I headed out for dinner with Stephanie (shrimp & crab macaroni and cheese, anyone?) and then waited way too long to get into the Hasbro Party. About 5 minutes before we reached the front of the line an usher came out and brought me inside - I must have looked like I was ready to pass out by that point. Despite all the braxton-hicks contractions that plagued me most of the night, I had a great time. The highlights? Meeting some amazing bloggers and using Furby to hide the baby bump in the photo below.

Candice, Melissa, me, and Melissa (ahh! 3 Melissas!) at the Hasbro Party

Then came Sparklecorn. I don't even know how to describe it other than glow sticks, glitter, unicorn heads, and utter craziness. Sadly, the bass was up so high that my belly started reverberating weirdly after just a few minutes and I had to step out. Check out baby's first glow stick, below.

After getting lost a few times looking for the correct Starbucks to meet a few people in on Saturday morning (there were 3 within just 3 blocks!) I made my way to the session I was most excited about: How to Manage Social Media on your Windows Phone. Unfortunately, they had switched the session to iPhones and no one ever told me, so I still have no clue how to do anything on my new phone! So I attended a session on Google Analytics and spent some more time at the Expo instead. Later, I ate lunch while listening to Katie Couric speak and then attended a number of parties specifically for pregnant bloggers! I don't know how that many baby bumps fit in one small room ;)

Sparklecorn craziness, view from TRL studios in Times Square during SweetSuite

Saturday evening I walked to Central Park to meet up with my friend Staci so she could snap some maternity photos! Thanks for all of your opinions as to what I should choose to wear - I went with the Fuchsia Knot Front Dress from Séraphine Maternity. Afterwards we caught a quick dinner and then I headed back to the hotel in time for the CheeseburgHer party.

As much as I love McDonald's, they are on my naughty list because they didn't have any fries at the CheeseburgHer party. There were plenty of hamburgers and cheeseburgers (which I don't like, sadly) - but no fries! Apparently they had them in previous years, but this year they decided to cruelly deprive me of my most coveted craving. BAD MCDONALD'S!

Mindi & me having some s'mores in the Hershey Suite! (reproduced with permission)

I headed out early Sunday morning to catch the train to Philly so that Mike, Carina, and I could arrive in Virginia Beach for vacation at a decent time. The hardest part about getting out of the door? Fitting all the swag I received in my suitcases. I ended up leaving almost half of it behind! When I finally saw Mike and Carina at 30th Street Station in Philly there were tears in my eyes. I was so so excited to see both of them after 3 days away.

My overall impression? I had a fantastic time. Sure, there were some things that could have been improved and/or might not have been what I expected, but I am so glad I went. I met amazing people (those not mentioned already include my other roomies Caitlin & Linette, Jessica, Kat, Courtney, Natalie, Kami, Darcy, and Melissa), learned so much, and I feel like I can now be a better {and happier} blogger as a result.

HOLY swag!

Since I know that there are quite a few of you planning on going next year (it's in Chicago!) I'd love to go into more detail with first-timer tips and things I'll do differently next time, but for fear of this post growing to {scary} monstrous lengths, I'll save that for another post next week! Stay tuned. Are you thinking about going? Let me know! Or any questions you have? Feel free to ask.

Thanks again to my wonderful sponsors Itzbeen and Simple Wishes for supporting my trip, and to Séraphine Maternity for keeping the baby bump in style ;)

 

Well hello there! This is me (sort-of)

Since I'm going to be meeting so many new people at BlogHer next week, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and share more of my face (and other parts - but don't worry, not naughty ones) with you! If you're not going to BlogHer, please enjoy these semi completely ridiculous photos of myself and my bump, anyway.

Pardon the weird, yellow lighting. Here's how I might appear at BlogHer:

Nice to meet you, I'm Melissa!

What's that? I smell chocolate...

I think I just peed myself

OMG French fries!

Yeah, it was me

I am SO excited to meet you! Promise I'm not a creepy stalker...

And here's my sweet sweet alien child - she's not coming to BlogHer, but she wanted to get in on the action

ENOUGH Mommy!

She got so frightened by the strange images of herself and me, she started to cry. So we put away the iPad for now.

Oh yes, and as promised. The bebeh bump. It's probably more recognizable than my face, huh? I'll be 33 weeks at BlogHer. Please cross your fingers that my water doesn't break all over your fancy shoes.

While I'm at it? I might as well tell you a little bit more about myself, too...in case it wasn't clear from the pictures ;)

I'm an oversharer extraordinaire. If we're hanging out I'll probably just tell you that I have to pee every 5 minutes rather than attempt to come up with random varying excuses or just sneak away. This baby is using my bladder as a punching bag; it's just unavoidable. Along those lines? If I sneeze, cough, or laugh really hard, expect that I'll be needing to head to the bathroom immediately afterwards.

If you couldn't tell already ::glances up at blog header and title:: I'm a bit of a geek. I'll probably be more interested in where you got the custom designed QR code on your business card than where you purchased your sparkly four-inch heels.

I'm probably eating Nutella, something fried, or Pizza Hut stuffed crust pizza as you read this. If you want to be my friend or find a way to break the ice at BlogHer? Mention - or better yet, bring me - chocolate in any form, cheese, or cupcakes. I'll be yours, instantly. Look for me at the CheeseburgHer party: McDonald's french fries + beds on which to lounge? A pregnant woman's wet dream. 

Will you be at BlogHer, too? Or do you just share my love of all things fried or have poor kegel tone and strength as well? Say hello!

Momma's got a new wardrobe!

This summer has just flown by. I can't believe that BlogHer is only a week away! I've been dying to share with you the outfits I'll be wearing to the conference from Séraphine Maternity, my favorite maternity and nursing designer, and wardrobe sponsor!

Seraphine’s collection evokes the best of European style with our designs being inspired by our French heritage. Our focus is on sourcing the highest quality fabrics with the perfect fit, meaning that you don’t have to relinquish your style just because you’re pregnant. Our maternity clothes are inspired by the latest fashion trends but also practical for both pregnancy and the post-partum phase. A great emphasis is also put on offering stylish breastfeeding clothes and our patented popper system has won many awards for it's ingenious way to enable discreet feeding. 

But before you look, please, I need your help! My friend Staci Intriligator will be taking maternity photos of me while I'm in New York City, and I have no idea which outfit I should wear for the shoot. Oh and? Imagine my hair is straightened like it is in this photo, because I am promising myself I'll make time to do it before the shoot. Please comment and let me know which you think would be best!

Outfit #1: Fuchsia Knot Front Cap Sleeved Dress

Outfit #2: Slate Blue Breastfeeding Sundress

Outfit #3: Raspberry Bump Wrap Top & Cropped Zipped Denim Trousers

Outfit #4: Black Pleated Jersey Breastfeeding Dress

Oops forgot the shoes!

Outfit #5: Knitted Breastfeeding Top & Cotton Poplin Shorts. Why a sweater in August? I've heard it can get cold in the conference sessions! I'd like to be prepared for that. I can easily pair the top with the pants above if it's super chilly.

Outfit #6: Ivory Pleated Cardigan worn over the Nautical Stripe Dress here (you might recognize it from earlier this summer!) Again, since I've heard that the conference sessions and expo can be rather cold, I figured a light cardigan would be a great addition to any of the above outfits.

With a {likely} September arrival for our little girl, I love that I'll be able to continue to wear many of these styles even after the baby comes. Each and every one of the outfits I chose is breastfeeding friendly, and oh-so-comfortable.

For a limited time, get 25% off of your Séraphine order with promo code GGU25!

A big thank you to Séraphine Maternity for providing me with my beautiful new clothes for the BlogHer conference. I seriously have never felt so pretty or stylish. Ha, and I should probably learn some new poses before the maternity shoot, shouldn't I? Please weigh in, which outfit is your favorite?

I received the item(s) free of charge for reviewing purposes. All opinions are honest, and my own.

Introducing my BlogHer '12 sponsor: Itzbeen!

Last week I introduced you to Simple Wishes, one of the two fantastic companies who are helping me get to BlogHer. Today I'd like to introduce you to the other, but first, for those of you who are unfamiliar, I realized that I never did that great of a job in telling you exactly what the BlogHer conference is! Sorry about that. BlogHer is the preeminent blogging conference in the US and will take place in New York City in just two weeks! BlogHer’s mission is to “create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community and economic empowerment.” I am excited to meet blogging friends, learn from the educational sessions, share the geekiness with others, and have some fun, of course. Now that you have a better idea of what BlogHer is, let me introduce you the other company helping me get there: Itzbeen Innovated!

The Itzbeen pocket nanny is my #1 absolute must-have baby item. If you know me in person, you've probably heard me express my love for this relatively tiny bundle of {electronic} joy. You might have seen me mention it here, as well. It was the very first item I described in the inception of my favorite things posts! Even at almost 9 months we were still using it all day every day. It makes an appearance (next to my beverage of choice for the evening) in my Day in the Life post from back in September.

Comes in blue, green, and pink!

We started using it in the hospital just hours after Carina was born. Simply push a button when you feed or change baby, and you'll always know how much time as elapsed since you performed that task. This was invaluable for us those first few weeks of {almost} sleepless nights when we would fall asleep and wake up - not knowing whether 5 minutes, an hour, or 4 hours had passed. I'm way too lazy to write everything down on paper and carry around a notebook with me, or to manage to unlock my iPhone and mess around with typing anything in. I love the simplicity of the Itzbeen pocket nanny - just press one button and you're all set. There's a backlight and even a small flashlight to help when it's hard to see in the middle of the night, too.

In addition to tracking diaper changes and feeding, we used the other two buttons for awake time (how long it had been since she woke up from her nap), and nap duration (how long had she been napping for). If she started to get uncharacteristically fussy? I'd glance at the Itzbeen - oh, she has been awake way too long, time for a nap! It meant that I never had to stare at the clock and try to count the minutes or hours. This little gadget did it all for me. Also? When I went to work or left the house it was so easy to just hand the Itzbeen over to Mike, or the Nanny. Our Nanny loved using it to keep track of everything; she said it made her job so much easier.

We retired it right around when we moved, when Carina was 11 months old and her routine became much more predictable. Needless to say, when Aurelia is born I am really excited about breaking out the Itzbeen pocket nanny once again. I think it will be even more important this time around, considering how busy {and distracted} Carina already keeps me ;)

More features!

More about the Itzbeen:
ITZBEEN™ Baby Care Timer was developed by a new mom and dad who found themselves sleep-deprived and needing help to remember baby care details, such as when their baby last ate or napped. They tried charts and journals, but thought there had to be a better way. So, they created the ITZBEEN™: a multi-purpose nursery tool that helps new parents remember the basic details of baby care. The ITZBEEN™ has four timers that count up with the touch of a button, and a host of other helpful features, all designed with the needs of a new parent in mind.

The Itzbeen is available on the website (free shipping in the USA!), Amazon, and likely at a store near you.

Thank you so much to Itzbeen for keeping these tired parents sane through the first year of Carina's life, and for (of course) sponsoring me at BlogHer '12!

Introducing my BlogHer '12 sponsor: Simple Wishes!

I am so excited to be attending BlogHer '12 in New York city in just a few short weeks! I will get to meet some of my amazing bloggy friends for the first time, learn a lot from the sessions, stuff my face with amazing food (including McDonald's fries!) at the enumerable parties, and finally get to have some me-time. That's right; this will be the first time I have ever left Carina overnight - more to come on how I'm feeling about that later.

Without further ado I'd like to introduce one of the two fantastic companies who are helping me get to BlogHer: Simple Wishes!

After Carina was born, I planned on returning to work after my 12 weeks of maternity leave were over, and I was pumping daily in order to build up a freezer stash in preparation. I lamented the fact that I couldn't multitask while pumping. I felt {sort of} like a prisoner as I sat there holding the breast shields and bottles up against my chest for 20+ minutes at a time. And? Maybe I just have no stamina but my hands and arms got tired. It wasn't until a fellow new-Mom recommended the Simple Wishes hands free pumping bra that I felt like I could actually get something done while pumping.

Not me, but you get the idea. PS I'd love to work at my counter

When I returned to work part-time, and then progressed to full-time, the hands free pumping bra was absolutely invaluable for me. Instead of taking a 20 minute break 2-3 times a day to pump (which would add an hour to my work day, and mean one hour less to spend with my peanut), I could work while pumping! It took me just one minute to put on the bra and get all of the pump parts connected. I saved so much time - and frustration! My hands and arms were no longer tired and I didn't feel like a slave to the pump anymore.

After the new baby arrives, I will for sure be using my Simple Wishes hands free bustier again! I might even buy a second one if/when I return to work so I can leave one at home, as well. In my opinion it is definitely a must for anyone who will be pumping.

Comes in pink or black

More about Simple Wishes:
For every mother who has ever wished she could be in two places at once, that she had an extra set of hands, or just that she could manage her hectic schedule and still find time for herself, Simple Wishes is the simple solution she's been waiting for. 

Simple Wishes Bustier allows multi-tasking moms the chance to be more productive while they pump, or simply to take a breath and recapture a moment for themselves. Stylish and functional, and grounded in innovative, thoughtful design, the Bustier is an affordable and quality alternative to the fussy and unflattering hands free alternatives on the market.

Thank you so much to Simple Wishes for sponsoring me at BlogHer '12!

Random news & updates! Yay!

Happy weekend, friends! I have a few things to share with you. And because using numbered lists makes me feel accomplished and organized, here you go...

1. On Monday with my weekly bumpdate post I am going to include a linky list! I will do this on the 1st Monday of every month for the foreseeable future. Please feel free to link up your most recent bumpdate or monthly/periodic baby update! If you're pregnant and do updates for your little one, feel free to link up both! I hope this will be a fun way for us to check out each other's cute bumps, pregnancy progress, and adorable babies.

2. I have had a couple people suggest that I publish my Toddle Along Tuesday posts on Monday evenings instead of Tuesday mornings, because they have difficulty linking up or posting while at work. If you participate in TAT regularly, please comment below and let me know which you prefer, or if it doesn't matter. I am definitely willing to change to Monday if it is more convenient for the majority of you.

3. The BlogHer conference is coming up! I can't believe it's only 5 weeks away. It will actually be the first time I've ever left Carina overnight (eek!) So while of course I have mixed emotions, I am mostly excited. I will meet some of my amazing bloggy friends for the first time, hopefully learn a lot from the sessions, and finally get to have some me-time. And? I just heard that one night there is a party with all the McDonald's fries you can eat. SERIOUSLY. So.excited. I'll be introducing my three wonderful sponsors in the coming weeks! It is because of them that I can afford to go, and in style! Will you be there, too? Please comment and let me know.

For those who don't blog or do bump/baby updates, don't participate in TAT, and don't care about BlogHer, here's some super cute sassy baby for you ;)

Yep, let's do this - BlogHer'12

After some consideration and your words of encouragement, I have decided {definitively} to attend BlogHer ’12 in New York City. I have yet to be away from Carina for a night and haven't really done anything for myself in I-have-no-idea-how-long, so it's safe to say I am really, really excited about this. It will likely be my last chance to get away and have some {very much needed} girl time before this baby comes!

The awesome news:
My amazing friend Stephanie over at The Froggy and the Mouse has graciously offered to let me stay with her in her free hotel room AND New York City is practically in my backyard. Just a quick hour and 40 minute train ride, no need to worry about flying!

Woot! All of the below is taken care of!

In an effort to cover the cost of the conference ticket, travel, meals, and materials, I have done 2 things:

• Compiled a few partnership/sponsorship packages for companies or businesses interested in working with me.

• Discounted my ad space through August! All ad proceeds will go directly towards getting me to BlogHer. I have had 50,000+ pageviews each month for the last few months, so now is a great time to join me! Also, I just added a new ad size perfect for blogs (125x125) and to celebrate my going to BlogHer I am offering a completely free 125x125 ad for 1 month to the first 2 people who use promo code FREE (*sorry already taken, wow that was fast!) for the "Baby Geek" size ad. Yay!

Package prices are negotiable and I am open to other suggestions as well. Contact me as soon as possible so we can get the details worked out. There are only a few months before August!

Who is going to be at BlogHer? Post a comment and let me know!

Finally time to do something for myself?

I have never spent a night away from Carina. In her 14 months of life, I don't think we have been apart for longer than a few hours, aside from when I worked full time (from mid-June through August). I think it's about time for Mommy to have some me-time, don't you think?

I really really really want to go to BlogHer in New York City in August ::stomps feet:: BlogHer is a huge blogging conference where thousands of bloggers come together to connect, learn, and inspire (and let's be honest: party). I have made so many wonderful friends in the blogging community, and would absolutely love to meet some of them in person!

Reasons I especially would like to go this year:
1. New York City is only an hour and a half train ride away from me! Who knows if it will ever be so close again.
2. Many of my fantastic bloggy buddies are going and I am dying to meet them.
3. It will be harder to get away next year (and beyond) after adding another baby to the family.
4. The possibility of wearing some super cute maternity party dresses! Yep, I will be 32 weeks pregnant at the time.

What is standing in my way?
1. Child care - it will be hard for M to take the two days off of work to watch Carina, since the week after we were already planning on going on vacation with his family. We might have to consider some other options.
2. Money - it's a bit tight right now. My amazingly generous friend Tottums has offered to share her free hotel room with me, and the train ride is quite inexpensive, but the cost of the ticket, meals, materials, clothes - as I don't currently own any nice summer clothes that will fit me when I am blimp-sized, etc. will easily exceed $500. I don't know if I can justify that right now.
3. Mommy guilt - can I really be away from my family and all responsibilities for 3 whole days?

Sound off! Should I go? Are you going? Any advice/ideas/thoughts/dirty jokes for me? ;)