Saturday, January 19, 2008

Blogging keeps me sane.

I have been blogging for a whole year! Can you believe it? To celebrate my special day, I am going to tell you how I started blogging...

On January 19, 2006, we moved to New Jersey. During the first several months, I was feeling a little isolated and lonely. I was pregnant with Porgie and of course, I was a total nut case. One morning, I hadn't felt the baby move in several hours. I started to panic. I did some random google search on fetal movement, and I clicked on a link for Aliza's blog, Babyfruit. Aliza was pregnant with NG, and she was experiencing a similar episode. I started reading some of her entries, and I was hooked. Her daughter was due around the same time as Porgie, so I felt an instant connection to her.

After reading Aliza's blog for several days, I began exploring. I found DooneyBug, who was also due around the same time. Then I found Cagey, who already had an adorable little baby boy. And finally, I found Cecily who was pregnant with her little girl.

Although I didn't read many blogs, I faithfully followed these four women. I NEVER commented on their blogs, because I didn't understand the importance of comments. We all ended up having healthy babies within weeks of one another (Cecily and I had our babies on the same day!).

After Porgie was born, I stopped reading blogs for awhile. I was overwhelmed by the responsibility of a newborn, and she consumed every second of my day. However, when Porgie was about 3 months old, she started taking a long morning nap in her swing. Not wanting to wake her, I retreated to the office and started reading blogs again.

When Porgie turned 6 months old, I decided to start my own blog. I was a little hesitant, because I didn't want my family or friends to know about my blog - not even John. I wanted my blog to be my own private little space, where I could write about anything and everything. If people in my real life were reading, I knew I would hold back on my true feelings and thoughts. So, in secrecy, Cakerwakers was born.

On January 19, 2007, I finally started writing. Of course, no one knew I existed because I NEVER commented on anyone's blog. Then one day, I got a comment!!! Oh my god! I was super duper excited.

Eva was my first commenter. I quickly went over to her blog, and fell in love with her. She is a great person and a fabulous writer (now go read her blog!). Eva's comments made me recognize the importance of communication. This is really what blogging is all about. In turn, I started leaving comments and developing relationships with other bloggers.

Blogging is now officially my hobby. It is the one thing that I do, regardless of all the hectic things in my life. I always find time to blog, because it makes me happy. So, how did you discover blogging?

16 comments:

Suz said...

Happy Blogaversary!!!

Em said...

I started around this time last year(going to check date) I agree think its my hobby too. Keep up the good work

Nellie said...

does your hubby still not know about your blog? wow, that would be so hard for me to keep a secret! sometimes i wish i had made my blog more private... but we initially started it so G's family could read it from far away where they live and keep up on E. but now there are times when I need to vent about them! and I can't! I did start a private blog, but don't write there to often... so that does help me vent.

Dooneybug said...

Happy Blogiversary! And thank you for posting this because guess what? My 3 year blogging anniversary was two days ago. DOH!

I also found blogging by googling random phrases about trying to get pregnant. Read my first blog post and I was hooked. Started my own blog about 3 months after that.

Anth said...

What a fun story!

My husband knows about my blog, but when he does remember to read it, he just clicks on the Dh tag to read about himself! Ha ha So conceited.

Kris said...

I put a little about it on my blog quite awhile ago when I first started it... But about the time I got engaged I was looking up wedding stuff & somehow or another Nzinga's site popped up (I have her linked on my page if anyone is curious). She's always so interesting to read that I got hooked on it instantly. Around the same time a friend from college started one when she moved to Rwanda, & of course I had to keep up. I think I found yours about the time I started my own... to keep family and friends updated on my daughter... I think I was looking up baby info becuase, yes, it's consumed my life lol. I haven't been doing it for long (although I did put some blogs on myspace for about a year before) but I am hooked too. Part of it's the writer in me (although I'm sure you can't tell that by my writing on here).

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary!

I started in 2005 after our miscarrige. I had a copy of American Baby that featured an article about Julie (Alittlepregnant.com) I went to her site, printed out her entire archives and was amazed by her strength and humor. With all the crap and losses she'd endured she kept trying. She's amazing.
I read about 20-30 blogs a day, but I rarely comment. I know, I should comment more often.

Rachel said...

I read babyfruit too. lol. and cecily has been a friend for a while but I do not see her much. Happy Anniversary. Kisses to you and I agree about comments-they are so important.

Amber said...

Whohoo for one year! I hope there are many more years to come! I came across the blogs because people in my husbands family had blogs and I realized it would be a great way for my grandma in California to be able to see what the kids are doing on a more consistent basis so I started a blog on the sole purpose of my grandma!

misguidedmommy said...

my first comment was a freaking advertisement for wedding albums grrrr

Chastity said...

Happy Blog Birthday!

I started blogging about three and a half years ago. I'd heard about blogging, and I had been trying to get pregnant for a while...and I just had a lot of stuff to say and wanted an outlet. My blog didn't end up being all about pregnancy; it's changed a lot since the beginning. I've had fun with it from the beginning, but it was when I had my husband create my blog template that I became truly dedicated.

Lainey-Paney said...

:)
Happy Blogiversary!

CecilyK said...

Happy Blogaversary! Blogging is great therapy.

Shawna said...

I love your blog.

Happy blogaversary!!!

Carrie said...

Happy Blogaversary! I found blogging/started blogging because my job is a slacker's wet-dream. My job is to answer the phones and make that THING (computer)work. So I spend most of my time reading blogs and doing research for my next vacation. My problem is I don't write enough. I love reading other peoples work, I just have trouble writing my own entries.....

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogaversary! (sp?) I found you via AllMediocre. I look forward to reading more of your posts.