Blogging is the Bomb

So I was given the Stylish Blogger Award by Mommy A.And I feel very honored. I've been blogging for a long time. My first blog was kind of lame (although the one post I left up there is the beginning chapter of the novel I am currently writing-but-not-writing). So when I became pregnant and people wanted updates on the pregnancy, rather than send them emails, I decided to create a new blog to share pictures along with my trials and tribulations. Never did I realize the trials I would face while pregnant. But that's when I met Mommy A. - on the discussion boards of Sidelines. She was my very first Internet friend. We both had our baby boys within two weeks of each other, so it is so much fun keeping track of her son's progress and her hilarious take on life and all things parenting.

So thank you Mommy A. for the award.

First let me say how much I love blogging. No longer do I feel like I am not writing. I used to get down on myself for not writing enough in a journal. But now, I write regularly and I have an audience. Even if that audience is a small one, it still feels good to know that people enjoy reading what I have to say. I'm sure the pics of cutie patootie don't hurt either.

Now I have to give this award to five other bloggers. Then I have to tell you 7 things about myself that you don't know (or that I didn't mention here on this blog).

First the awards.

1. Keith's blog at Keith Ferris Photo. I know he's my husband, but that's not why I'm giving him an award. Keith has been working hard at making his blog an authentic blog, where he posts regularly on topics such as trends in photography - in addition to posting pics from various studio shoots and recent weddings.

2 & 3 I devour Harvesting Kale and Harvesting Kale 365. Randalin lives in Canada and her son, Kale, is just a few weeks older than Cole. I relate to so much of what she writes about (parenting, mothering, babies), plus the title of her blog is so clever!  Not only is she a good writer,  but she takes amazing photographs. (Keith agrees! And if you've got Keith's approval that's as good as gold.) She's the second friend I made over the internet.

4. Senorita Dewey Decimal over at http://vamonoslibrarian.blogspot.com/ is hilarious. I know Senorita from our post college days. We were in a writers group together and she lived with my friend Allison for several years. She is a great writer, and I admire her for quitting her job and traveling in South America for a whole year. How awesome. I just started following her blog and am slowly but surely dipping back into the archives to laugh some more.

5. Kitten over at Mumsyhood has what could best be described as a stylish blog, so this award is perfect for her. When I first stumbled across her blog, I was blown away. What intrigued me the most was the monthly pictures of her daughter on the side of her blog, that show how progressively cuter Nadine has gotten.

Okay now for 7 things you may not have known about me.

1. I was a waitress once for 3 months in grad school (circa 2004) and I was terrible at it. I was snotty to the customers and would only be nice once I realized my tip was on the line. I did occasionally have my good days, but those were rare. The perks of my job was that I got to see a few semi-famous actors who live here in the High Falls area: John Leguizamo, Steve Buscemi, and Aidan Quinn. (Speaking of famous actors - we saw Willem Defoe at the grocery store the other day. He looked so scruffy with his knit hat, if Keith hadn't pointed him out, I wouldn't have know it was him.)

2.  I like cheesy teen movies and television shows.  For instance, I'm a big Twilight fan and I like the show Vampire Diaries. I blame it on the 17-year-old still locked inside my body.

3. I did not major in teaching when I was an undergrad because I did not want to take the Public Speaking class that was a requirement. So I majored in Journalism, and the rest is history.

4. Growing up an only child, I always said I wanted four children. I wanted them all to be boys. (Honestly, I think it's because, when I was younger, I saw this awesome movie with Susan Sarandon called Safe Passage. I imagined myself having so many sons and having a really lively household.) Now I think two will be just fine. I would like Cole to eventually have a sibling, preferably a brother  -  I already have a name picked out! But a sister would be fine too. No name yet!

5. I developed mono when I was in college and was hospitalized for acute tonsillitis. I missed two weeks of college and was told by a few professors to take an incomplete. I was also advised by a relative to drop out, move back home, and go to Queens College the following semester. I refused to take anyone's advice. I wanted to stay at SUNY New Paltz, and although I did not pass with shining colors, I passed. If I had not stayed here, my life would be very different. Thank God for stubbornness.

6. I wish my son looked more like me. I don't know why I want this, I just do.  Fortunately, time is on my side.

7. This month 9 years ago, Keith and I started dating. Just when I had sworn off relationships, Keith found his way into my heart.

I must now tag the five bloggers listed above and let them know I've bestowed this award on them.