Levi Johnston wants to set the record straight about a few things: he's not being forced to marry Bristol Palin, he's not being bossed around by the McCain campaign, and he thinks Barack Obama "seems like a good guy."

But he'll be pulling for John McCain and Sarah Palin in November. "I just hope she wins," he said. "She's my future mother-in-law. She better win."

Smart kid.

Johnston admits that he was surprised by girlfriend Bristol Palin's pregnancy, but says that there's nothing shotgun about their upcoming wedding. "We were planning on getting married a long time ago with or without the kid," he told the Associated Press. "That was the plan from the start." The much-publicized MySpace page announcing that Johnston didn't want kids was a joke, he said, set up by some buddies. His own feelings are the exact opposite. "I'm excited to have my first kid."

Johnston hinted that he and Palin are expecting a boy, saying, "I'm looking forward to having him. I'm going to take him hunting and fishing. He'll be everywhere with me." The baby is due December 18.

He also explained the "Bristol" tattoo on his ring finger, which replaced a "promise" ring, given to him by Palin, that he lost on a hunting trip. He figured the tattoo was just easier than a ring, which he would lose anyway.

Other than dropping out of high school to go to work as an oil field electrician, Johnston claims that none of the events of the past few weeks have changed him. "I'm still the same old boy," said Johnston. "I'm just a workin' man."

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Thanks to widespread attention from the media and the medical establishment, we're all aware of the risk of postpartum depression. We know what to watch for in ourselves and in our girlfriends after the baby comes, and we know how important it is to get help before the "baby blues" turn into something more serious.

But it's not just new moms who are at risk -- new dads can suffer from postpartum depression, too. And it may be more common than you would imagine. According to Will Courtenay, a San Francisco, California-based psychotherapist, and a leading expert on paternal postpartum depression, "Each day in the U.S., 1,000 new dads become depressed, and according to some studies that number is as high as 3,000. That's as many as one in four news dads who become depressed."

While a variety of factors can trigger postpartum depression in new dads, there are things to watch for: dads of high-need babies (with colic, for example) may be at more risk, as will the partners of women who are prone to depression. And of course any parent with a history of depression prior to the birth of a baby should be prepared for a return of the depression once the baby arrives.

Why we love these: The neutral colors work well with everything, and the plaid is subtle enough to be functional rather than over-the-top.

Wear them with: A button-down for the office, a fitted tee for the weekend, a bright cardigan for warmth.

Gap perfect windowpane plaid trouser, $59.50. Machine washable.

Why we love these: The classic styling -- flat front, wide leg, slightly longer inseam -- makes them perfect for the office. But the easy-care fabric makes them a must for busy moms.

Wear them with: Round-toed pumps for the office, boots for the weekend.

Old Navy essential classic rise trousers, $32.50.

Why we love these: A basic wide-leg trouser is a good addition to any wardrobe, and is flattering to any figure.

Wear them with: Pointy flats for work and driving mocs for soccer.

New York & Company Park Avenue Pant, $39.95 currently $14.99.

Why we love these: The combination of funky plaid and flared leg gives these trousers an edgy feel that we really dig.

Wear them with: A slim jacket for work or a fitted turtleneck for the weekend.

The Limited Lexie fit coin and slash pocket flare trousers, $79.50. The Lexie is designed for women whose waists are smaller than their hips.

Why we love these: Wool trousers are a worthwhile investment, particularly in colder climates; they are practical and elegant and incredibly versatile.

Wear them with: A cashmere sweater for the office -- and for the weekend, too. Or a thin wool sweater over a fitted tee.

Lands' End wool blend plain front trousers, $109.50. Worth the investment.

Working moms have to do a lot during the day; there's the work stuff (meetings and sales calls and paperwork) and the mom stuff (car pool and soccer practice and homework). And then there's all the other stuff that needs to get done -- laundry and groceries and dinner and bedtime stories.

Your working mom wardrobe shouldn't be split into WORK clothes and MOM clothes; there's no reason you can't wear the same pair of pants to a meeting and to a soccer game. Look for classic cuts and washable fabrics; shop for pants in neutral colors that will work with everything else in your closet. But don't be afraid of pattern -- a great plaid or tweed pant is can be versatile and fun.

We've found five pairs of pants that can go from a meeting to the park with ease; it all depends on how you wear them. Take a look and think about retiring your Mom Jeans and replacing them with something a little more chic and grown up -- and a little more professional.

Remember the first time you left the house with the baby? You probably had a diaper bag the size of a Volkwagon Beetle, stocked with enough diapers and wipes and clothes for a three-week road trip. And that was just to run to the market to pick up some milk. Remember those days?

It's a rookie mistake that we all make.

Even after you figure out that really, you only need to take a couple of diapers and a small pack of wipes and you can totally skip that full change of clothes and just stuff an extra onesie in there -- even then, there's always something you feel like you Absolutely Must Have in the diaper bag. When my sons were babies, it was a blanket -- must have the blanket! In case the baby wants to, uh, lie on the floor at the grocery, I guess. I don't know why I felt like I needed that blanket, but it was always in the bag.

When they got older, my must-have was antibacterial hand wipes, at least two packages at a time, because kids touch everything! and then touch you! and themselves! eew! My kids, of course, also used the hand wipes to clean everything, including the windows of my car, which was kind of gross.

These days, my kids are in school full time and I'm not toting a baby bag any more. But I still never leave the house without a good supply of Kleenex (it's in the Mom Rules: Mom must always have Kleenex for you) and a camera. Because you never know when the kids will do something cute -- or when they will sneeze.

What's on your must-have list when you leave the house?

My husband and I have a new routine these days: every evening, when he comes home from work, he sits at the kitchen table while I finish dinner and we talk about the economy -- about the stock market and our own investments and our longer-term plans. We feel pretty good about our own financial situation, but not good enough to stop talking about it, apparently.

We've been trying to explain the current economic crisis to our kids, but since they are six and eight, it's hard to find a way to talk about what's going on in the world that is age-appropriate. We talk often with them about responsible spending, just in general, and about what it means to work and to save. They earn an allowance and have a specific list of chores to do around the house; they also see me working at home, and they see my husband leave every day for his office, so they at least know that money doesn't grow on trees.

But we're not sure how to explain what's going on right now on Wall Street, or in Washington.

Experts say that it is important to talk to your kids about the economy, particularly if it is at topic that is coming up repeatedly in your house. "It's good enough for young kids to know we may be in for a bit of an economic downturn, and they're not used to that," says Mark Schug, a professor emeritus with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Economic Education. "They would have no memory of a time when the American economy was in a little bit of a rough patch." Find examples that will resonate with them; point out the cost of registering for basketball, or of their new shoes. Let them see you spending and saving responsibly.

Are you talking about the financial crisis with your kids? Do you have any good tips to share?

There's a new trend among Hollywood parents -- no, not twins, silly! I'm talking about the decision not to sell photos of the new baby to a magazine or tabloid. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban said no thanks to some big offers, and Halle Berry passed as well. And now new mom Minne Driver has chosen to skip the big photo shoot, too.

But Driver isn't keeping her son Henry Story under wraps -- instead, Driver, 38, posted photos of her wee bundle of joy on her MySpace page. You know, like mom bloggers have been doing for years. According to Driver's rep, the actress "wasn't trying to make a statement with Henry's public debut - she simply wanted to share the photo with friends and fans."

I think that's really cool; it's a nice reminder that Driver is a mom, like the rest of us, even though she's a celebrity. Driver has been famously private about this pregnancy, refusing to identify baby Henry's father (she says that he will be involved but that they will not get married) so posting a photo on MySpace is a nice way to bridge wanting to show off her son with not wanting to make an issue of her private life.

Encourage kids' problem solving skills with a 3-D puzzle game

Are you a mom? Do you Twitter? Would you like to meet other moms who Twitter?

Twitter is a social networking site that allows participants to engage in "microblogging." Twitterers post updates that may not exceed 140 characters; the trick is to be funny or engaging or provocative in as few words as possible. Other Twitter members can follow you and read your updates, and you can do the same. Twitter is like blogging, but faster and more concise and possibly more personal.

Twitter just might be the future of blogging.

One Twitter member, Megan Calhoun, saw an opportunity to bring moms together via the 140 character update; in September, she founded Twittermoms, an online community for moms who Twitter. Calhoun says that as with most mommy blogs, Twittermoms was born out of a desire to create community. "As a stay at home mom, you sometimes don't get enough adult interaction during the day. Twitter was great for connecting with friends, and I noticed a lot of moms on it – but no easy way to learn more about them, or make decisions about who would be really interesting to connect with on Twitter." Her husband joked that she needed to start a site to fill that niche, and so, on September 2, Calhoun did. "I added the URL to my Twitter.com profile and the next morning we had four members. A month later, membership rushed past 2,200 active members. A cool new mom joins every few minutes. It's been quite a rush!"

Pea coats are classic winter wear, perfect for blustery football Saturdays. This is is especially flattering because the side tabs create a nice waistline, while the asymmetrical collar makes this more hip than prep.

Lane Bryant side tab pea coat, $189.50. Available in black, camel (shown here) and camel gray. Also available in brown tweed.

Parkas used to be reserved for skiing or sledding, but no more; now the parka is perfectly appropriate for everyday wear, even over a skirt. Pair with cool knee-high boots for a rugged look that's still feminine, or just pair your parka with jeans and a sweater for warmth.

JCPenney a. n. a. satin down parka, $99.00 - $109.00. Available in black, sable brown, and marshmallow (shown here) in Misses and Plus sizes.