There is nothing nicer than receiving an email that is headed "Congratulations! You've made the shortlist!"

As many of our regular readers know, I love to ramble, write or blog, whatever you may call it and I do it because I love it, not to be controversial, more to be conversational as like most women I know, I love to chat. My blog lets me share information for fellow parents, anecdotes from my gorgeous children and great competitions.

Everything I do, comes from the heart of my family to inspire other women that if you really want it, are prepared to work for it (and be exhausted along the way) you really can have whatever you desire.

The shortlisted nominees have been put onto the Women Inspiring Women National Awards website, and the winners in each category will now be decided by votes from the public vote. So if you enjoy reading my blog, I would love your vote, just click on the link. (it only takes a minute - I promise) xx

Voting now closed 

So today we have traipsed around the Baby Show at the NEC wondering what delights will grab our attention but the first thing that struck me this year is that it is so baby friendly. This may sound like a bonkers comment, given the name of the show, but in comparison to other exhibitions, the aisles were wide enough for a number of pushchairs to get through, there were free nappies in the baby changing area and free baby food courtesy of Plum Baby. Having worked at the Baby Show before and not actually walked round with a baby, I was pleasantly surprised at how much it catered to the little people not just the mummy and daddy shoppers!!

So, where to go .....

The Baby Show is such a huge show, it is good to have a plan, to here is our round up of some of the deals on offer and great people to visit:

Fisher Price - Stand G4

For the first time ever, Fisher Price are offering a huge 25% discount at the Baby Show this year, so its a great time to test out the products and buy them at a fantastic discount.  The Fisher Price team are on hand to give help and guidance and as we are huge fans of Fisher Price on the Lilypad, tell them we sent you!

Prima Baby - Stand N15

You can visit the Prima Baby stand where you will get a free goody bag when you purchase two issues of Prima Baby magazine for just £2 (RRP £2.80). Or you can subscribe to receive 12 issues of Prima Baby magazine (RRP £33.60), and get a free Tommee Tippee gift (choice of 5 gifts), all for just £20 – saving you a whopping £43.60!

SnoozeShade - Stand L14

We know the owner of Snoozeshade and she is a genuinely lovely lady and ever since the mini frog was born we have been meaning to invest in a Snoozeshade, so we were delighted to find that the Original Snoozeshade was on offer at £15, instead of £20 at the Baby Show today. The multi-award-winning SnoozeShades are the proven breathable sleep and shade solutions for families on-the-go. Designed by Cara and endorsed by experts, they block 94% of light, provide UPF50+ sun protection, offer universal fit, are lightweight - and parents love them .... we cant wait to try ours!

Bras for Mums - Stand H15

Having been fitted for a Bra by the lovely TJ after the mini frog was born, it was great to see a buzz around the stand today. TJ has a special offer for the show, Buy 1 get 1 half price Seren Maternity & Nursing Clothes. They are an innovation in maternity and nursing clothing saving you money with clever fabrics and styling. Available from bras4mums. Cheapest item half price.

Mamascarf - Stand K30

We love our Mamascarf and couldnt get to talk to Kiera as there was so many people around the stand. However, we do know that they are offering a great show deal of Mamascarf breastfeeding scarf £15 or twin pack for £25 (RRP £17.99) Babasac multi tog baby sleeping bag £30 (RRP from £37.99-£39.99). Mamascarf is a simple but stylish solution to discreet breastfeeding.

Gumigem - Stand C16

If you have a teething baby, you need a Gumigem. This isnt an expert opinion, its a mums advice to hold onto your sanity and your jewellery! We didnt get chance to talk to Jenny from Gumigem but we do know that if you are fans of them on facebook, there is a deal to be had .... you just have to go and find it.

The Baby Show really is a whole day out for the family, the children are catered for and mum can even have a massage or her nails done. My other half's complaint about the whole day ...... well aside from having to carry all the bags, was that there is nothing to pamper the men. Maybe thats our recommendation for next year!

Have fun!!

As you know, we are fans of the Baby Show and in addition to a chance to win tickets to the show, we have a fantastic opportunity from Fisher-Price too!

The Baby Show back this year, offering a shopping haven for new parents and parents-to-be at the NEC Birmingham from 18^th-20^th May 2012. Forget the hassle of the high street, The Baby Show takes out the stress and confusion of shopping for your baby by offering the UK’s biggest baby brands all under one roof, so you can compare and try products before you buy! The UK’s leading parenting experts will also be on hand to offer advice on sleep, breastfeeding and first aid. Don’t miss this brilliant day out! For more information visit www.thebabyshow.co.uk.

If you fancy a little time of baby free shopping so you can really get to grips with the products at the show, go to the Fisher-Price Crèche where trained supervisors will look after your little one – for free! Be sure to visit the main stage too, where you can enter Fisher-Price’s Win All of This competition.

Fisher-Price is offering one lucky person the chance to win the new Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case. Now your techo tot can play with their very own apps on your iPhone or iTouch with this specially designed rubberised case. Simply slot your iPhone behind the safe screen to stop your baby from accessing your files and protect the phone from dribbles and grubby fingers! The durable case comes with chunky handles, perfect for little hands, and when you need your phone back, there are rattles to keep him busy! Suitable from 6 months +.

If your little one is anything like our baby on the Lilypad, they will LOVE this! So enter below for a chane to WIN one of two pairs of Baby Show Tickets and the Apptivity Case!!

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PLANT A JUBILEE TREE FOR A JUBILEE BABY

A chance to dedicate a tree at the Woodland Trust Diamond Jubilee Wood

We received an email today to advise that Emma's Diary and the Woodland Trust have teamed up to offer a very special way to celebrate babies born during the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.

We love this idea and all you need to do is simply visit The Baby Show, Birmingham NEC, Friday 18-Sunday 20^th May, stand C21 where you can order a tree for only £20.00! All you have to do is complete a form and you will receive a certificate pack there and then. See. www.thebabyshow.co.uk for more details.

The Woodland Trust is creating 460 acres of new woodland at its Flagship Diamond Wood site in heart of the National Forest in Leicestershire, and a grove is to be dedicated to little ones born during this very special year.

For years to come families will be able to enjoy the woodland, taking picnics, making dens and offering a wide range of stimulus and activity - sights, sounds, smells and places for hide and seek. 

New Mums and Dads, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles are being given the chance be a part of this and dedicate one or more of the new trees to the new born in their life; a special gift that will grow with the baby - and will overtake it one day!  Every £20 donated will plant a new tree; the baby will receive a certificate with personal words of dedication and details of how to find the wood. The tree will also be included in the Royal Record of tree planting for the Jubilee.  And, if you fancy getting muddy with the family, why not take up our invitation and join us to plant trees on the 460 acre site.  The Emma’s Diary Jubilee Grove will have just 10,000 trees, and with over 600,000 births in England and Wales alone, this will be a very exclusive gift.   

So here's your chance to join in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations by Planting a Tree in the Jubilee Babies grove for all the new babies out there.

Visit: www.emmasdiary.co.uk/jubilee                                                   

You can still win tickets with the Lilypad to the Baby Show, just enter below!!

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