Tell me a little about yourself. When did you start blogging and why?
I was raised in the coolest little town ever, Wilber, Nebraska. I then went to college and made friends there, graduated, got married, moved to Austin, Texas, and made friends there, moved back to Omaha — and made friends here — and then, we found out we were expecting our first babe.
Blogging seemed like a fun way for us to keep all of our friends from different places and all of our family in the loop of all things Baby on the Brehm. It didn’t seem scary because growing up in a small community meant everyone pretty much knew everything about one another and in a way there’s a good bit of comfort in that. I knew that in sharing my experiences about pregnancy I could hear from others and that I might actually feel less freaked out by the whole human growing inside of me thing. And seven years later, I’m still at it.
What are some of your favorite sites on the ‘net?
Her View From Home {duh, right?}, hello neverland, The True North blog, hands free mama, Momastery, Mamalode, Scarymommy, StoryPeople.com, Thesaurus.com, Amazon {because Amazon Prime is basically like manna from Heaven}
What does a typical day look like for you?
I stay home so while my days are somewhat routine, they are not completely predictable because my colleagues are about as predictable as a blizzard in the spring. I shared my morning routine in a recent coffee chat and after that, I hang with my kiddos and see where the day takes me! I usually write in the evenings after all of the kiddos are tucked in for the night. And I rarely get any real cleaning done. Which is something I can’t seem to fully understand. I mean, I’m at home all the time?!
What advice do you have for someone who wants to blog or share her/his story?
I love to write. I love to share. Not everyone loves both. Some people love to write but they are more suited for journaling because putting all of the real stuff out there is too real for them. I think that’s totally legit. But if you have something on your heart that you want to share and are willing to accept feedback on, blogging is a great platform for that. I think you have to be okay with everyone reading what you write and having an opinion on that. Words read differently to different people so if you want to blog, I think you have to collect an audience that gets your voice. I think writers who don’t have that feel attacked when people comment or share. I, on the other hand, love hearing and collecting the stories of others and knowing I’m not alone. Or knowing that the way I was looking at a situation may have been from the wrong angle. And I REALLY love having it all to look back on. Blogging, if you’re up for it, is a huge free gift!
What story are you most proud of?
Gosh. That’s hard. I’ve written over 800 posts on my personal blog. I am a three-times-over high-risk pregnancy mama. I’ve miscarried. I’ve watched friends lose babies. I’ve had three preemies. And I have a husband that I’m obsessed with. The pages of my blog are just the days of my life {like sands of the hour glass, right?:)} But if I had to choose some that I go back and read, I love reading my boys’ birth stories. I love reading the sentimental pieces that are really just a braindump like this one. And the ones that I laugh out loud at because I realize it’s really my life. And I love that all of it is just a collection of me that my boys can someday read and see how I felt as a mom and a human.
How can people follow you?
Following is such a strange term to me because ten years ago, we would have called that stalker behavior {right?} but if you want to read my words, I have a Facebook page for my blog where I also post stuff that I find entertaining, intriguing, thought provoking, personal, or funny. I also have an Insta account but it’s notsomuch my blog as it is what goes on with my pint-sized colleagues throughout the day.
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Dear OCD Mom
In: Living, Motherhood
When you’re an OCD momma, you might request an epidural for labor because you know the lack of pain will calm your brain and help you enjoy the experience. When you’re an OCD momma, you might switch to bottles and formula early if the baby is fussy and seems hungry because you want to find joy in the first year and know they’re eating enough. RELATED: To the Mom Left Worrying While Everyone Else is Asleep When you’re an OCD momma, you might stock up on store-bought baby food because you want your child to eat lots of fruits and...
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