m.i.t.m. turns 1!

145 posts later, I guess you could say I've been able to keep up.  I'm averaging a blog every 2.5 days.  I started my blog a year ago today and I didn't know how well I would be able to manage it, my full time job, my full time house, full time husband and full time, er mandatory overtime, 5 month old baby. 

disclaimer:  not my hands.  not my computer.

I became interested in blogs as a reader when I was about 6 months pregnant with Theo.  I started reading and following a few blogs here and there.  Once I came back to work after maternity leave, I realized why there are so many mommy blogs out there.  Okay, so I guess there are some blogs that provide enough of an income that the mama-author can stay home with their kids (mine is certainly not that and will never be).  But mainly, it's a fun way to make friends and get feedback about what's going with your own kids, whether something hilarious or scary is happening.  It's a great way to document the day to day stuff that I know I'd otherwise forget as time is flying by. 

Since I started my blog, so much has changed.  I wasn't even pregnant with Dexter yet and here we are, 12 months later, and I've got a 17 month old and a 3 month old.  I'm glad I had my blog to document my emotional and physical journey through the pregnancy and beyond. 

Sometimes I have to remind myself why I blog.  It's for me.  It's an outlet, a way to express myself.  A place to jot down memories that I don't want to forget.  It's for my kids to read one day.  But at times, I lose sight of that.  I will write what I think is a good post and get no comments.  I will visit other blogs that I love and see how many readers they have.  Then I get down on myself, wondering how to reach more readers, how to become a bigger part of the blogging mommy community.  There's so much support and understanding out there and sometimes I want a piece of that pie.  I want to be funny and smart and well-written, but sometimes none of those things happen.  Especially when I blog just because I haven't blogged in awhile, and not because I have something to say. 

Ultimately, whether I continue with 30 readers or end up with 100 or 1,000 one day, the blog is for me.  It's for my family.  Ultimately, it doesn't matter if I'm funny or smart or well-written because I'm genuine and I'm me.  Ultimately, my blog is me.  Maybe it's too personal sometimes, or maybe it's not personal enough.  Much like my true personality.  If it gets rejected in some way, that's fine.  I was never the popular girl in high school and that turned out alright, so I can handle rejection.  It's a virtual diary and scrapbook, all in one and I'm generally happy about the shape it's taken.

Finally.

If you're still reading this long, drawn-out entry, thank you.  If you've been reading this blog for the last year, or just the last 10 minutes, thank you.  I submitted my blog to Top Mommy Blogs a couple of weeks ago, hoping to find new friends that share a love of blogging.  My blog is still under review but if and when it is accepted, you can vote once per day.  I'd love it if you'd just vote once each time you read my blog (if you still like it, that is!) 

And comments or no comments, I am going to keep blogging.  But I sure enjoy the feedback and so many of your comments have truly been helpful.  More people comment on facebook where I post the link than on here, and that is fine.  I love all the comments just the same.  But I will be able to save the comments on the blog forever, so I'd love the comments EVEN more if they were on here.

I love you, readers.  All 6 of you.  :)

still bloggin,
~C~