It's really time
Hello readers (all two of you)! ;) This is my first official post on my newly launched blog. As you will read on my other pages, this blog has been a work in progress - in my heart and mind - for a very long time. I have a tendency to want things to be perfect. You could say I'm classic "type-A" that way, and I've been no different in preparing this blog for its launch.
Rather than keeping things simple, I tend to think "big picture," which has somewhat stymied me in the launch of my blog. I know, I know...just START and write about where you are. Sure! That sounds easy, but that's not my MO. I must have a vision and a plan. My vision for this blog is for it to be a resource for other moms - one that provides a look into the real life happenings of a fellow mom, along with short anecdotes, that could be easily read while feeding babies, at nap time or any of the few-and-far-between spare minutes a fellow mom has to read something online and realize she is not alone in this motherhood adventure.
As far as a plan, that's been in the works since mid-summer 2014, when my baby girl was born. I've been jotting down blog topics, key thoughts and ideas, talking to experts who I would love to have as contributors, and I've even outlined an editorial calendar. Some pretty big plans, you might say! So, why haven't I done anything sooner?
First...I had my second child in late June 2014, and as you moms well know, a new baby and a toddler take a lot of time, which leaves for very little "me time" to think about how to tackle such a big project as starting a blog! Also, I've found myself too caught up in all the details. I've had to learn how to operate the publishing platform behind this blog so everything looks "just so" - colors, theme, layout, etc. As of the launch date, it's not what I desire, but it's a start. I don't want anything fancy or busy, but I do want a meaningful look and feel (And, it will develop over time. Hey! There's something I could write about on my blog!). I'm beginning to think a good blog is like fine wine - it improves with time. Here's to hoping that is applicable to my blog! I've also been worried that my blog will start with one post when, in my mind, I see it being FULL of content before it even launches. I suppose it will never get "full" and reach its potential if I don't take the first, albeit small, step! The final roadblock for the launch was making sure I had my contacts and social media presence all lined up - you know - my Facebook address, e-mail address, etc. There's a lot to it, and sometimes I get overwhelmed with all the details, as opposed to just jumping in!
When a friend asked me today about the launch date for my blog. I realized I keep making excuses for not moving forward and getting it launched - the holidays were hectic, we've been out of town, I've been planning birthday parties, volunteering in my community and trying to fit in time with friends, learning how to operate the blog platform, getting my blog's Facebook page up and running, connecting my YouTube page and Google+ (how does Google+ work, anyway?), not to mention the minutia of life - meals, laundry, pets, exercise, groceries, rinse, wash, repeat. The list could go on!
My friend's inquiry into my blog today was just the push I needed to get something posted and the launch underway. So, here I sit during nap time (actually letting my older one sleep much longer than he should), frantically typing this first entry and putting the finishing touches on the overall format.
Thank you, friend - you know who you are - for your encouragement today! And, thank you to my handful of readers - mostly family and good friends - who encouraged this blog and support me in my endeavors. I hope someday we can all look back at this initial post and talk about how far this blog has come!
