I have a confession.

Mommy Gearest isn’t my first blog. Only a handful of friends know that about three years ago I started a product review site, similar to what I’m doing now (but it had a terrible name and wasn’t nearly as polished and funny and totally awesome as the one I write now). I was on maternity leave with my firstborn, and newly pregnant. Looking back, I don’t know where I found the energy. I’d written maybe half a dozen reviews, and just when I was starting to find a groove… miscarriage.

It wasn’t my first and it wouldn’t be my last. And the thought of writing about baby products and trying to be hilarious while I was completely gutted was out of the question. I abandoned it.

Happily, I eventually got pregnant for the fifth time and had my second child. I went back to work, part-time, at one of the country’s leading PR firms into a new role. I used to manage the PR for some great consumer brands, and I soon discovered that I missed the kind of writing I used to do and I missed working hand-in-hand with brands and their products.

And – let’s be honest – I’m a total shopaholic. I buy anything that I think will make life as a mom even remotely easier. I’ve made many expensive mistakes along the way, so I’m often that go-to girl when someone’s thinking about buying a baby product. I have owned them all. Seriously.

As someone who’s written a lot of marketing material, I know all too well that sometimes brand promises just don’t stand up. So I started noodling this idea of reviving my product review site with a clear vision: real reviews for real life.

At the urging of friends and one very persistent colleague, Mommy Gearest was born. And, wow, do I love it. I get to be opinionated and try out new products and write.

What you’ll find when you scan the pages of mommygearest.com is a commitment to giving you, the reader, a glimpse into the funny things that happen around my House of Insanity with two little ones underfoot, alongside honest reviews that will (hopefully) help you separate the worthy products from the ones with just a lot of marketing hype. I also run contests pretty frequently, so be sure to pop by often.

I’m so excited to be part of the PTPA family, and I look forward to sharing some great reviews with you along the way. Feel free to stop by and say hello. Here’s where you can find me: on Facebook; Twitter; and via andrea@mommygearest.com. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog so you get news of new posts first.

Thanks. Now I have to hit the hay before I’m woken at the crack of dawn. That reminds me…must get a Gro-clock!