100th Post - The Year So Far...

It's been a busy six months...

When going through a stressful period at the start of the year, I turned to blogging, again. I've always had some form of diary but never had a routine and entries were at best sporadic, usually at times of sadness. This time I promised that I would be faithful and consistently post regardless of how busy things got and what mood I was currently absorbed by, so thankfully, the first half of 2010 has been recorded for all to see.

• The wedding kicked it all off and there are posts of plenty, of pre and post marriage arguments, worries about fitting my increasing baby bump into the dress and the realisation that I have to spend 5 days in a cottage with our families.

• Accounts of hormonal behaviour and pregnancy neurosis that surprisingly haven't resulted in my sectioning for safety of self and others.  

• The birth of Indigo and the highs and lows that come with an additional member of the family. 

• Pets have featured heavily so far with the arrival, and departure of Arnie the Pomeranian, the arrival and escaped of Dexter the hamster, followed by his recapture and recent unexplained death. And more cat based dramas ranging from the third litter of kittens to the current stress surrounding "stray cat" dilemma. It's still stalking my cats and fighting with them during the early hours, then marking it's territory, my conservatory, with its scent.

So what do the next 6 months hold? I have the trauma of arranging child care and returning to work, even though I desperately want to stay with Indie. I'm fearful of coping as a working mum of four. OH turns thirty so I'm sure he will have an "I'm getting old" wobble at some point. My relationship with OH is still a daily work in progress and we are eventually getting there but I'm pretty certain that my blog with always be filled with the difficult days. I guess being a part of a six member tribe there will always be something going on to report about.

Virtual Mother and Baby Group

After M was born, I became a toddler group junkie, spending my weekdays popping from one church hall to another, engaging in baby talk whilst drinking endless cups of weak, warm tea.

Luckily a group within the group formed and we bonded for life?!? Moving from the toddler groups to afternoon coffee in our homes, to pre-school and beyond, leaving the children behind and socialising together as "ladies that lunch" or drunken woman allowed out on a rare occasion to the pub.

The plan, 8 weeks ago, when the baby arrived was to yet again, infiltrate the local baby clubs and bag myself some new pals as I currently have zero in my new town.
However, things are slightly different now due to a certain social networking site. And I don't mean that certain social networking site always mentioned on The Jeremy Kyle Show, I mean the one championed by a national treasure (actor, writer, journalist, comedian, television presenter and film director.)  A moody, sulky, teenage brat of a pop singer and a silver-foxed daytime TV presenter. The site with lots of @@@@.

I have managed to acquaint myself with a variety of mums and mums-to-be on this social networking site and spent the months leading up to baby's birth, forming online relationships with them. I've had more interest and celebration from these internet strangers than from my real-world aka Facebook friends.

I now have experienced mums on tap, to quiz on random parenting issues and share my frustrations. First timers, than I can pass on my knowledge to, share birthing stories with and smile as they gush and publicly brag with overwhelming pride, at each new stage their baby enters. Then the newbies with bumps, who are teetering on the edge of a new parenting world and counting the days with excitement and fear, until their bundle arrives.

The world of mummy-blogging goes hand in hand with the @@@@ social networking site and gives a more in depth look into parenting. The darker side. The bits containing the feelings that you don't necessarily share with real friends or family or acquaintances at a toddler group. The bits that scare you or make you sad. That make you feel like a failure or abnormal. The bits that you think no other person will understand.
These posts are more valuable than any parenting handbook, as you have the author within your virtual grasp to express your observations or to probe further. Something that was written by another on the opposite side of the country, who lives in a completely different world to you, not only feels today, exactly as you do, but will happily engage in a conversation about it. Topics ranging from the practical, such as help with breastfeeding to the emotional side, dealing with difficulties that relationships can struggle with, post baby.
Of course, It's not just the negative aspects of being a mother either, but the fun stuff, the best stuff, the stuff that becomes the author's "family memories". When you read these posts, you realise how privileged you are.

The natural progression is your own blog, where you get to rant about every fear or sadness, open the floor on your parenting techniques and to tell other mums of your journey so far.
The best bit about this world is that nobody judges. It's not about your ability to write or your story telling skills, it's just about an understanding. Of being part of that mummy world.

Maybe Mother and Baby groups will become obsolete.