Mother's Day is just around the corner and - although, I believe that we should be allowed to celebrate our mothers (and fathers) more often - I have never asked for much more than being able to stay home long enough to enjoy a quiet breakfast in bed and then it's off to the grandmothers' houses we go.

To expect anything more would sort of get lost in the shuffle, anyway.

Imagine my surprise to find an iPod Nano and chocolate gift set delivered to my doorstep!

"Get away from me, you big Doofus!"

I swear, my dog can smell chocolate a mile away and I don't believe I've ever been as excited to rip through a box, in my life, as I was after finally realizing what a truly lovely Mother's Day gift I'd received.

Measuring in at a slim 0.3" and weighing in at only 1.4 oz., my new Apple iPod Nano is perhaps the smallest thing I've got on me and for those of you interested, here's the rest of the skinny:

• 4GB Apple iPod nano, slim enough to fit in my pocket, purse or palm
• Includes a variety of pink-foiled milk chocolate meltaways
• Packaged in a mod polka-dot-patterned box inspired by the prism of iPod nano colors and this spring’s hottest accessory: dots!
• Price: $214.99
• Available in Best Buy stores beginning May 6, 2007

It took me a little while to figure out how to work the little bugger - because, I am a dork - and only after my 11-year-old came home from school, did I realize that I should have known better and, you know, learn how to take the time to read instructions.

"I downloaded my Sarah McLachlan cd, but why in the heck isn't it showing up on my iPod?"

It took my daughter just a few minutes to click passed a few screens and orientate herself with the Nano and tried to explain it in low-tech terms even I could understand.

"It says right here in the instructions that you can download with iTunes."

[blank stare]

"Do you want me to show you?"

Yes, Sarah sounds lovely through the ear buds and the touch-sensitive click wheel is very easy to navigate - although, scrolling through my music library may prove pretty painful to my children  - I can play up to 24 hours, hold up to 1,000 songs of my favorite music and 25,000 digital photos.

Oh my, but this year's Mother's Day gift rocks and - although, I only got to have one piece of chocolate and shared the rest with my kids - this is the first time I get to look like one of the cool moms and look forward to playing with my Nano some more...oh, and...uh...no, you may not borrow it.