My birthday, that is. Tomorrow I’m turning the big 2-5, and for some reason this birthday feels very significant for me. It feels like a milestone, much more than any other birthday I can remember. No longer checking the 18-24 box on surveys, no longer being in my “early 20s,” no longer embarrassed to tell people my age. Science says my brain is now fully developed. My car insurance company says I’m less of a risk on the road. But the magnitude of this birthday goes much deeper than all that.

I feel different.

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Do you use a diaper bag? Wish you had a diaper bag? I had the hardest time finding a diaper bag that I could actually deem wearable — but mostly because I didn’t do my research. I meandered down the aisles of super stores like Target and Babies ‘R Us, floored by the hideous options. And, of course, Maclaren hadn’t started making diaper bags yet.

If you’ve ever researched strollers or walked down a city street, you’re probably familiar with the name Maclaren. Best known for their coveted strollers, Maclaren recently branched out to furniture (designed by the famed David Netto), toys and even bath products. Now? Now Maclaren is venturing into the world of diaper bags, bringing their design aesthetic and eye for practicality to the world of bottle holders and diaper carriers.

And you can win one from Maclaren! 

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I love providing all kinds of giveaways (because who doesn’t love free stuff?), but I especially love giving away super cool splurges that parents might not know about (or be able to afford). Especially modern parents who want their offspring to look as cool as mom and dad.

So when Appaman (one of my favorite kids labels ever) offered an exclusive first look at their new fall/winter 2011 catalog and a giveaway to boot, I knew it was something you early mamas would appreciate.

Head over to Babble to see the entire catalog and enter to win!

Jumping back into our “Why I Love Being a 20-Something Mom” series*, here’s another reason to add:

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This morning I lifted a bleary eyed toddler from his bed at 4:30 a.m., packed him in the car and drove up to the Albany airport with my husband. After a long car ride, Justin’s now en route to Vegas, where he’ll spend the next week working and working (and a little playing, I’m assuming). So we’re all in I-Miss-Daddy mode, although starting the day after 3 hours in a car didn’t make us the most chipper to begin with.

I did a lot of thinking about marriage and relationships during the car ride (in between playing I-Spy games and singing The Wheels on the Bus, of course), and it’s something I’d love to explore here next week. Here are some other things that crossed my path:

• Is it totally morbid that this excites me?
• 10 money-saving tips for families
• An easy DIY project that looks just like it’s designer copy-cat. Love it.
• A scientific look at happiness.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. I’ll be filling up my days with as much family and friends as possible to try and fill the void. Meet you back here on Monday!

Here are some of my Babble posts from the week!

• A weird but cool family photo idea
• Even cooler kids photos to recreate
• 10 IKEA products every mom should see
• Gliders: worth the splurge?

Photo: Etsy

Two 20-year-old college students dream of studying abroad. They plan and they plan, until they find out they’re unexpectedly expecting a child. But rather than scrapping their plans, ignoring that dream, they eventually decide to study abroad anyway. With their toddler.

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Today’s Q+A comes from Maricela Munoz, a young woman whose sister encouraged her to get an abortion (in her second trimester) because her career would go nowhere. Yet now she’s a successful pastry chef who works in 5-star restaurants, proving that common assumption wrong. It wasn’t always easy, but Maricela proves it’s possible:

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