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When I was pregnant with Mazzy, Mike was searching high and low for the perfect push present for me.

Ummm… maybe I should be more clear.

When I say Mike was searching for the perfect push present for me, I mean, I was searching for the perfect push present to tell Mike to get for me.

This is just how things work.

I decided a necklace engraved with my baby’s initials would be the perfect gift, but thought it was bad luck to get it before the big day, so Mike gave it to me closer to my first Mother’s Day. Three years later, I added a second child and a second charm to that necklace; a necklace I have worn almost everyday for the past five years.

“Mom Jewelry” is a term I didn’t know before I was a mom, but now it appears to be everywhere. Sentimental necklaces, rings, bracelets that do double duty as a pretty piece of a bling and a handy reminder if you ever forget your children’s names.

“I said stop pushing your sister— ummmm… uhhhh… what’s your name, again?”

Stop. Look down at necklace. See the letter M.

“Oh, that’s right, Mazzy.”

You laugh but you have no idea how often I have stumbled over Harlow’s name or how many times I have called Mazzy by my sister’s name.

There are many options for Mom Jewelry out there, but sometimes it’s hard to know what you are getting. You want something significant but don’t want to spend three years worth of diapers in one shot.

Carved Creations, a jewelry shop based in Austin (every New Yorker’s favorite city in Texas), makes substantial mom jewelry (they call it “mother’s jewelry” because they are fancy like that), using a blend of old world craftsmanship and the latest technology to customize high quality pieces with names, birthstones and birth dates. They will even do it in Roman Numerals if you prefer. There is nothing more significant than Roman Numerals.

I went on the site planning to get their stacking ring set. You can stack bands personalized with your children’s names and birth dates on top of gem rings with your child’s birth stone. I got one set for Harlow and one set for Mazzy and stacked them together.

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Then I saw their LifeNames Toggle Bracelet and had to have that too. I put all four of our names around the circle enclosure just to drive it home that Mike and I will not be having any more kids.

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And lastly, I saw their collection of men’s rings and thought of the perfect holiday gift for my dad and stepdad. My father was known as Jerry most of his life, then Dad once he had kids. But within the past five years, a new name has superseded every moniker he’s had before.

His name is Poppy.

That was the name he selected instead of Grandpa and it stuck. So much so that I have switched his name from Dad to Poppy in my phone. (This was partly because every time he called I said, “Dad is on the phone” and then my kids would get confused.)

The other Grandpa in my life is my stepdad. We have always just called him Sam. So, five years ago, I came up with the perfect new name for him too.

Grandsam.

Can you think of a better gift for Poppy and Grandsam than engraved rings making their new names even more official?

Me neither.

I got the LifeNames Sleek Band for Poppy and the LifeNames Channels Band for Grandsam.

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I actually think “nickname jewelry” should be the newest trend in family fashion. Do you have a special name for your mom, dad, grandparents, aunts or uncles?

Leave a comment below telling me the nickname you would like to make official on a customized piece of jewelry and you could win one of three $250 gift cards to Carved Creations (CCforLife.com).

If you don’t think you’ll get lucky, you can use the code SHORTS50 to get $50 off any Carved Creations purchase through 12/31/14.

Giveaway: Three winners, $250 Carved Creations Gift Card each

1) Check out the jewelry on CCforlife.com and leave a comment answering the following question:

What nickname would you love to make official on a piece of jewelry and which piece from CCforLife.com would you put it on?

2) For a second entry, follow @CarvedCreations on twitter and tweet the following:

I just entered to win a $250 gift card to get my [insert nickname here] customized jewelry from @carvedcreations! http://bit.ly/1wyaQAv via @mommyshorts

That’s it! Three winners will be announced on December 17th.

You can find the full rules here.

Good luck!

 

UPDATE: The winners are 1) Gregory Tom with the 3 grandpas who want to be called “Gung Gung”, “Papa” and “Pepe”. 2) Jennifer whose mother likes to be called “Gigi” and 3) Cara F whose daughter calls her grandparents “A-Mi” and “A-Pa”.   Thanks for playing!

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This post was sponsored by Carved Creations but all thoughts and opinions are my own.