It was a picture perfect fall day here in DC. And I was so grateful for that extra hour!!! Of all I read today - the very important cover of the NYT Business Section seemed most relevant to all we do here at Forty Weeks. We are focused on speaking to women, marketing to women, during pregnancy and beyond. Consider how critical reaching a woman when she open to shifts in her consumer behavior (during her Forty Weeks of pregnancy and early motherhood) is to brands both within and outside of the category. What makes an expectant woman such a unique customer is her eager willingness to gather information and to share it as well. We have honed in on how to best open this dialog keep it flowing and relevant. And, we share this expertise (and continue to perfect it on a daily basis) with both our client base and the media (who use us as a regular source on the topic). And to get there, we listen…

The week finally did wind down. And, it was another full one. This morning I was interviewed for an upcoming NYT Styles piece on the parenting media. I expect this will be a strong story…authored by the soon-to-be second time Mother, and always amazing Pamela Paul – she asks the high level of provoking questions I have come to expect of her and nothing less! All good. Look for it on November 12.

I am planning a up trip up to Toronto to spend a few intensive days in strategy sessions with nursing bra manufacturer client Bravado. I am really looking forward to digging in a little deeper, and of course spending time with the fantastic team there. Plus, Nadine Harding tells me there is a place for manis, pedis and chocolate…I am so there!

The Family Groove looks stronger than ever this month. Jillian, Amy and Chelsea are to be congratulated.

I finally got my Weeds fix last night…better late than never. And I was so deserving of my 30 minutes of happy!

Who else can say this? Forty Weeks has the rare and distinct honor of dressing three pregnant red headed beauties at once. And each one of these amazing women has their own incredible way of making Isabella Oliver’s super chic clothes her own. Marcia Cross is picture perfect and totally comfortable in the IO signature wrap dress. Bryce Dallas Howard is beyond fashionable and fab in the turtleneck dress. Lauren Ambrose with her raven locks and porcelain skin is the master the NYC Bump look in layered knits such as the ivory wrap cardigan. How funny that Isabella Oliver founder Baukjen de Swaan Arons-Van Sonsbeeck is also a stunning and spirited redhead!!!! I may need to call Jennifer, my colorist…

Thanks to Graco for the fantastic fruit arrangement! How adorable of them to tie in their thoughtful thank you gift with the stroller theme (BE FRUITFUL). Things have been beyond busy – lots of exciting new business in the works and I have been perpetually on a train it seems. I did not want to wait too long to post some pictures from Fashioning the Future…Here is just some of the fun…See who turned out to support EGPAF and help Cynthia Rowley launch her stroller with Graco. Shon Gables is wearing the plum wrap dress from Isabella Oliver. And Pam Barnes is wearing a great piece from Cynthia Rowley. Carol Alt is breath-taking (please let me age so well) and Stephanie March is both beautiful and kind as can be! Thanks to these and so many more for making the night such a fantastic success!

Training up to NYC on the 9AM…most of the time is booked with London calls. Isabella Oliver has shot the spring line (and it does look simply fantastic) and now to get the fine points of strategic planning, look books and other elements in motion for 2007. Expect to see the girls make a few rare US appearances (think LA and NYC)…and also look for some extraordinary new looks made exclusively for the red carpet.

I have a full day planned in the city including connecting with Maven Amanda who is in from LA and dinner with In Style (take a look the Baby By Design section in the November issue).

I will post some images from Fashioning the Future ASAP. The evening was a success and the limited edition Cynthia Rowley Graco Stroller to benefit EGPAF is being extremely well received.

The Party’s Over –
And all have lived to tell the tale. Stephanie March, Shon Gables, Lizzie Grubman, Mimi O’Donnell and Carol Alt (Lauren we missed you and wish you a speedy recovery) and an incredible room of NYC Moms (and expectant Moms) of note all showed up to toast Cynthia Rowley’s limited edition stroller to benefit The Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation. A stunning room with Cynthia and Graco’s high concept design and the debut of BE FRUITFUL. Loved seeing all of my Mom-editors around town – Pamela Paul, Lambeth Hochwald, Caroline Schaefer and Lisa Armstrong are faces I am always happy to see in the crowd. How amazing to have Fit Pregnancy EIC Peg Moline in town and a major extra points to Leslie Rotchford from Cosmo for showing up for the Mommy Fest (also, that dress was perfect, perfect). Shon Gables wins my award for being the woman with most “glow” going on. Lisa Bernstein for “dressing up like a girl” (aw really – for me?), Lisa Jordan for making the most party stops in one night and not skipping me (ever) and Pam Barnes (Executive Director of EGPAF) for taking a major fashion leap of faith and totally pulling it off – flawlessly! And of course thanks to the ever-amazing team at Forty Weeks (and Sorelle Group for event management) for making things just work!

Well – on to a new day. See what I had to say about Isabella Oliver and maternity fashion on CBS2 – you just might learn something (or at the very least learn how much I can emote with my hands)!!!

This week in New York has been jam packed with many clients and friends from the maternity and juvenile industry. It is always a treat to get to spend time with the various maternity retailers, designers and manufacturers that have come to be such a big part of my world. If only there was more time…So far:

Monday Night – New View at A LOFT – a show produced by my friend and sage maternity industry insider Armada Texidor. Saw clients (Bravado), friends (Patty Fagan from Belly, Shelly Grossman from Shelly Belly, Allyson Goldberg from Bloom to name a few) and some of the designers I know and love (Pat Guillespe from Duet and Tumi) at an intimate show in a stunning loft on the West Side. Came home to literally hang on the couch with my dear friend - Meet Me in Miami’s Debbie Ohanian who per usual is one of the most loving and reliable people I know. Thank you Debbie for helping me hone in on the “right shoe” (and this after you scoured downtown with me too weeks ago for the same damn shoe) as you vacillated between “don’t feel well” and “I am really sick” –you are not only one of my favorite travel friends but also one of my favorite go no where friends – that says a lot!!!

Tuesday – ENK – Children’s Club – after a quick pit stop at Shaye’s to drop a shrug for Shon (yes, I deliver!!!) walked to Children’s Club with my pal Katie Tagliavia from 9 Months on Newbury – you could hate her for being young, beautiful, smart and successful – but really better to love her!!! There was a lot to see – this show was more polished than any in recent memory. Some of my favs included: Plain Mary, Appaman, Nest and Cabana Life (they are coming out with maternity!). Had the amazing luck to meet Alison and Allison who are about to change the landscape of NYC parenting. Incredible women! I was rushed though – not enough time to spare as there are only two days until the Graco Event (launch of the Cynthia Rowley stroller to benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation) and I really could not stay very long. Plus – it was a grey, damp, rainy day. It called for what came next which what Vietnamese Soup in the showroom while I fielded too many calls!

Wednesday – This day promises to be a good one! The rain seems to be subsiding. The plan : An AM media meeting with Graco and Rowley followed by lunch with Red Envelope’s PR Queen and new Mommy Susan Hook and a fellow REer in from SF and then a client meeting with Nadine Harding from Bravado who I will surprise with a mani/pedi (anyone who knows me will share that this is one of my favorite treats for overworked clients and friends!).

Anyone care to guess how many Lattes I will have today?

Well — really its a turtleneck dress — black to be specific and Isabella Oliver to be sure! Bryce Dallas Howard taped her appearance for an upcoming Oprah and was so happy, comfortable and stylish in her Isabella Oliver caviar black turtle neck dress. She has been full of wonderful complements for the line and really - she wears it so well! Amanda and the LA team at TBT have really done wonders this season - taking our new British client and introducing them to the LA bump scene and making it so in such a short window. I have said it before - and will again - I love how nimble and entrepreneurial the Forty Weeks team continues to be –project after project. We have a very “Forty Weeks” way of getting our clients exactly where they desire to be. And we do recognize that allowing us to take our clients to their goals takes a bit of trust (ok - maybe more than a bit), flexibility, openmindedness and certianly some faith. We are so lucky to have clients that give us the room to navigate the waters as we see fit. And, who get the power of a bunch of petite women (yes, the rumors are true - the tallest one among us is 5′3″!!!) on a mission! We have a very strict policy of only working with people we respect and really like — and it continues to pay off - LOVE FEST…

So keep an eye out for Bryce on Oprah….she is sure to be stunning!

Our friends at The Family Groove - a hip new site for parents in the know - road tested Baby Jogger and gave it a double thumbs up - literally!

Baby Jogger was mentioned twice: once in a feature about the best get-around gear - and again in a feature on twins!

October is turning out to be a great month for Baby Jogger. The limited edition Pink City Series was also featured in Pregnancy & Newborn for Breast Cancer Awareness month. (page 26)

So for those of you who may have missed it I adore Weeds…the show is my idea of 30 minutes well spent. It is best viewed with my friend Laura who turned me onto it in the first place, but I am happy to take it in alone. Weeds is sheer perfection, a luxurious and guilty pleasure that I simply can’t and won’t miss (thank you DVR). No to mention the cast is led by my future BFF Mary Louise Parker…major beautiful thinking chic and seriously my vote for no holds barred, super realistic mom role model. There have been some Forty Weeks references including a scene where the Pump n Style is, per Nancy – the gold standard in nursing gear. Mostly – the show does not make its way into Forty Weeks turf. So, last night I was AMAZED to see my client Graco included in scenes for next week. It looks to be a park bench negotiation between Hailia the reigning pot dealer and Nancy the new kid on the block dealer – and Graco is right there, front and center in their little talk – you have got to love it….well I did.

And now about the speed – TODAY IS MOVING FAST….I got a call from Shaye (read back to see how much we totally dig her) looking for me to come up and do a segment for CBS….so yes, yes I can, I will – call Amtrak, pack a bag, get my hair blown out, recruit some beautiful pregnant friends and friends of friends to model and send orders ahead to steam out the Isabella Oliver for a great fall segment on layering. It will be great to tape with Shaye and I love the opportunity to see how chic and feminine pregnant women look in these clothes….speaking of Isabella Oliver – I just got a sneak peak of Spring and it is magnificent…and that is all I can say (today)….