Moms and Blogs.

So, I've been hardcore 'mommy blogging' for a calendar year now.  I began blogging when Henry was born with a 6 month hiatus after his 1st birthday but those posts, enjoyable as they are for me reread, were filled with nothing more than milestones and the occasional funny anecdote.  I viewed my blog as Henry's baby book because I surely never found a baby book that lived up to my high standards of "cute" and we all know I have plenty to say about my cute kids so why not share the details with family and friends?

Our Messy Messy Life came about when I re-entered the blogging world and I realized I needed to make sure I was keeping it real, i.e. dirty house, unbathed children and unshowered mamas.  So, I started back blogging when I was about 20 weeks pregnant with Liza and I was keeping it real but still just highlighting cute things about Henry and detailing milestones.

It wasn't until Liza was 2 months old and I was really into my groove of mothering two babies that I began compulsively blogging.  As crazy as it sounds, I had lots of time on my hands with a two-year-old and a newborn.  Henry took 3-4 hour naps each afternoon and Liza slept in the ring sling all day and I would swaddle her and put her in the swing during Henry's naptime.  The house was (fairly) clean, full-fledged meals were cooked and I felt on top of my game.

I really like sleeping babies.  I  like cooking.  I don't like cleaning but somebody has to do it.  Internetting is fun but gets old after a while.  I'm not crafty and I don't like making things.

I needed something more with my free afternoons.

So, I began my life as a 'mommy blogger'.  

Blog posts began forming in my mind as soon as I pulled out the camera.  I made sure I saved leftovers so I could take a picture with natural light if I planned on posting a recipe.  The Natural Parents Network became my blog community.  I found women who obsessed over the same things I obsessed over and it felt good.

I threw myself into blogging and I found it irresistibly fulfilling.

Through blogging, I discovered my love for self-reflective writing, which isn't too surprising  given my love of a good memoir.  And, through self-reflection on this whole mama thing, I find myself thinking about blogging and it's fulfilling factor.  About all the mamas blogging.  Blogging about their kids.  Blogging about their lives.  Blogging about being a mama.  Blogging about being a wife.  Blogging about the food they feed their family and the deals at the thrift store.  Lots and lots of blogging.

I wondered:  Why all the mama bloggers?

And, then I figured it out.

Husbands are needy.  Children are needy.  We have little time to ourselves and that time is usually spent cleaning up somebody else's mess.  Mamas don't have a space of their own.  Our space is filled with children and because we are mamas, we gladly give our space to our children.  

So, we blog.  

We make our own space where we are in charge.  We dictate the rules and the rules are actually followed.  We keep our blogs nice and neat and little people don't swoop in and make a mess of it all 5 seconds later.  

So yeah.  I like blogging and I like being a "mommy blogger".  

Here is to one very fulfilling year of full-fledged blogging with many more to come!

To quote Henry, "chee-uhs"!

Now, where is my mimosa to toast?