Last year, I featured some pretty fancy mustaches and explained how Scott and I don’t celebrate Valentines Day.
Secretly, I was bursting into a million little pieces because one year ago [Valentines Day] I calmly drove to Rite Aid, bought the cheapest pregnancy test I could find, strolled back to my car with a secret smile, returned home, and waited (alone with my heart palpitations) for Scott to get back. When he finally arrived about an hour later, he had tulips, and we had a plus sign. It was a year ago today that my suspicions were confirmed: Dee was on her way. This year, I get to wish a happy valentine’s day to my little valentine in person, and there ain’t nothing sweeter.
But every day is a love letter to my daughter. And there’s another special someone(s) who I’ve been meaning to tell how I feel.
It’s you, blogosphere.
I’ve been remiss. Awards have been awarded, friends have been friended, and I’m way overdue in paying it forward. Things could get mushy.
[I've checked around and it seems all of these blog award type things have the same set of rules: 1) link to the person that bestowed said award, 2) list seven [give or take]random factoids about yourself, and 3) Pass the award along to seven [give or ta
ke] deserving bloggers. Since I’m a) a slacker, and b) a rule breaker, I’m going to wrap them all up into one GIGANTIC post, and I’m pretty sure that by the end of it I’ll have met the requirements of each award, combined. Make sense? No? Just go with it. It IS awards season, after all.] Oh, and since I’m not really following the rules of any one in particular, I made you guys a super special badge to remind you that you are loved….should you desire to display it. Whatever. I’m breezy.
SO. In no particular order…here are a few of the bloggers (parenting and otherwise) who have supported/entertained/inspired me this past year.
Kenny @ SmonkYou: I first stumbled across SmonkYou via the TopBabyBlogs directory. Kenny’s often irreverent, always refreshing musings on fledgling parenthood are reason enough to run, not walk, over to SmonkYou (if you’re not already intrigued enough by the mere fact that he’s the lone daddy-blogger not afraid to roam amongst the buffet of hormones being served up by his mommy-blogging counterparts.) Add to that his incredible portfolio of creative work, and yeah…Kenny’s pretty darn cool.
Mandy @ HarpersHappenings: (with whom I’m having a torrid twitter affair…and I’m not the only one…she’s kind of slutty) Mom to the so-cute-you-could-eat-her-for-breakfast Harper pens a blog that is so chock full of charm and wonderfulness, and one I frequent regularly. If you don’t know Mandy, and her gorgeous little toddler, hop on over to Harpers Happenings and check her out.
Rebecca @ EllaMinnowPea: In addition to featuring tasty design treats (she’s an interior designer herself, and a damn good one if her blog is any indication) Rebecca also beautifully shares the joys, trials and tribulations of adopting their first child (and the home renovations in anticipation of said child’s arrival.)
Maegan @ …loveMaegan: Where would this list be without my awesome sister-in-law and blog guru Maegan? Her daily outfit posts are like window shopping at your desk, her brutal honesty is inspiring to read, and her open book policy (and DIY’s and How-To’s) on how she manages to look so.fucking.gorgeous all the time is a testament to just how cool she really is. Plus, her brother is really hot.
Chelsea @ ChelseaTalksSmack: Chelsea was the first to greet me when I joined 20-Something-Bloggers, and I’ve been hooked ever since. (So embarrassing, I know…it’s like falling in love with Tom from MySpace.) Of the bloggers listed here, Chelsea definitely gets the “living vicariously” award – she rants, raves, and regales, in one of the most addicting voices I’ve read in a long time.
Iva @ IvaMessy: Iva was one of my first regular commenters, and I’m so happy she was, because it led me to her blog, which is like a daily ray of sunshine. Her musings always make me smile, and I never know what I’ll discover amongst her eclectic posts.
Amelia @ BonAppentempt: Amelia and her hubby (and blog sidekick) Matt (sorry to call you a side-kick, Matt) not only make up the other half of our World-Famous Rock Band 
Coquesah (that’s pronounced caulk-saw) but also author this hilarious and endearing cooking blog, where they tackle one insanely complicated gourmet recipe after another. I’m just grateful I get to occasionally sample their successes. Also check out MADE by AMELIA, their too-cool line of hand-screened T-shirts.
Blair @ TheHeirToBlair: Blair was one of the first people in the e-mom-community to make me feel welcome. We went through our entire pregnancies together – albeit 3000 miles apart – she’s the full time working Mama to a dashing little man named Harrison who is a mere week younger than Dee. B’s southern hospitality transcends the fiberoptics, and her ability to connect with her readers is truly inspiring.
Brooke @ OofaLuffaLe: Like Iva, Brooke stumbled over here early on via Maegan, and won me over with her style before I ever visited her blog by introducing me to the [insanely cute baby boutique] Black Wagon. Her blog is uplifting, her writing is unique and endearing, and her sense of style (not to mention the gorgeous photos she takes to exhibit it) get me every time I visit.
Jenna @ BloggedBliss: Her tagline of “Marriage. Motherhood. Sarcasm” pretty much says it all – Mrs.Jenna is funny as hell, her wit, snark, and eye for design (not to mention how pretty her new layout is) makes me squirm with jealousy.
Rachelle (and Co) @ SaucyLittleDish: Led by Rachelle, the “Dishes” trot out delicious recipe after delicious recipe with mouth watering pictures to match. From beauty writers to culinary professionals, math teachers and movie executives, these ladies are always an entertaining read.
And on the off chance you haven’t read her:
Stephanie @ TheNieNieDialogues and Nie&You: I found Nie’s blog through my very own sidebar when BlogHer named her BlogHer of the week. Stephanie is the kind of mother I strive to be. Through her beautiful prose and the intimate family photos she shares, her readers are treated to a look at the fantasy childhood she and her handsome and chivalrous husband Mr. Nielson have created for their brood of four (and hopefully counting) in Utah. Stephanie is a fighter and a survivor, and her positivity makes me want to stop and look for the joy in the small moments of my own life. On Nie&You – Stephanie and her dear friend Katja (who lives in Germany) post stunning daily pictures, inspired by the blog turned book “3191 – A Year of Mornings.”
And now, a THANK YOU to the Bloggers who have showed me some love this year:
Mesina @ Artistically Nuts: I met Mesina through SITS (if you haven’t visited them, you should) and she gave me my first award ever – the Fabulous Blog Award, AND the “I Think You Are An Awesome Girl” Award. I love me some Mesina. On more than one occasion during my torturous pregnancy she’d leave a comment or two that would kinda make my day. And she’s incredibly brave – she’s currently pregnant with baby #4!
Cassie @ My Three Ring Circus gave me the Kreativ Blogger Award back in October, right after Dee was born. She’s an adorable military wife and Mom of three – check her out!
Ashleigh @ Momma Maven in the Making : Ashleigh’s a work-at-home Colorado Mamaprenuer – in addition to blogging, she’s also the talented designer behind Bella B Maternity.
Eliza @ Postcards From Parenthood: Cute Midwestern Mama Eliza also sprinkled me with The Sunshine Award. Her sweet comments made me blush, and her little girl Teva is a stunner!
Jeni @ Crafty Girl Blog: Jeni also nominated me for the Sunshine Award. She has a site full of some really great DIY’s complete with step by step instructions. Pay her a visit!
Jessi @ Better Late than Never: Jessi’s comments are always lovely, and none more than the one she left saying she’d given me the Happy 101 Award. She’s going back to school for Dance with no previous training, and I love reading about her adventures.
Tanja @ Lucky Canuck: Tania gave me the One Lovely Blog award. She runs a ton of great giveaways on her site, with SIX going right now!
The ‘Saurs @ Pregosaur: These lovely ladies (who also gave The818 the One Lovely Blog Award) are ALL pregnant/TTC/recently delivered. There are quite a few, with new ‘Saurs rotating in as the littlesaurs are hatched. I’m too tired to count the current tally, but every single one of them is loveable.
And another quick shout out to Rebecca @ EllaMinnowPea who gave me the Fabulous Blog Award back in September, and Mandy @ HarpersHappenings who just laid the Beautiful Blogger Award on me last week!
Okay, here’s the part where I cross my fingers that I didn’t leave anyone off this list [and if you gave me something and I didn't say thank you please feel free to leave a hate comment so I can properly do so.]
Okay, here’s where it’s going to get mushy:
When I made a New Years Resolution way back on January 1st 2009 to post something to this blog every day, I had no idea the weird and wonderful community I would soon find myself welcomed into. I failed at that New Years resolution – I only posted about 279 days last year – but what I did do was so much better than that. I’ve gotten to know myself as a writer, I’ve shed tears for people I’ve never met, I’ve laughed ’til I gave myself braxton hicks, and had the opportunity to discover some very cool and talented people that I might never have known existed.
But when I started this blog, I have to admit, I never ever in a million years ever imagined that I would be typing these next words:
I JUST BOUGHT MY TICKET TO BLOGHER ‘10.
I’m going to a blogging conference. Me. At a conference. (A conference that I’m fully prepared for my real life friends to mock me for.) And I couldn’t be more excited. Thanks to everyone who helped/is helping to make it possible (and especially to my cousin Joan who is going to run Dee duty so I can enjoy the conference!) My girl and I are coming to NY!
And also, Happy [belated] Valentines Day 
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(the happy medium) which prompted me to tweet that it seemed like breathable was probably the way to go.
)
, so I’d just be popping those [few and far between] bottles in there for cleaning/drying purposes, right? WRONG. [I was a fool. A FOOL.] (There was a third-of-all that involved me not wanting bottles out on my counter all the time, but the person who had the energy to care about bottles sitting out on the counter no longer exists, so I’m not even going to address it.)
(which cost three-hundred-fucking-dollars, by the way) has parts (bottles, and other small parts) that require immediate washing after use (okay require might be the wrong word, but…ew.) And we don’t use the pump bottles to feed her. No, no, no…because that would be way too straight forward. We use the 
(which also break down into small parts) because after buying all sorts of 
to try and avoid nipple confusion which Dee never had a problem with any way ::knock wood:: it was determined that the basic, old school, glass air flow bottle caused the least fussing (for us) and we should have just stuck with that in the first place. And then there are the pacifiers (Dee is pretty partial to the fancy 
one that we got as a shower gift.) We’re a two dog household, so when paci’s hit the floor, they’re liable to get scooped up in a beast’s mouth, or stepped on with poop-paws, or at very least end up with some puppy hair on them, and, again…ew, so those end up on the list of things that might need hand washing and air drying on the counter at any given moment.
