Top Mommy Blogs and Google +: Where were you when I was 19?

"A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you."
~Irish Blessing

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       I became a mom at the ripe old age of 19. At the time, I convinced myself that since I was already engaged to my unborn child's father and that we had an amazing life together, I was mature enough and ready for the baby. I wasn't a teen mom, I told myself. I was so ready for this. Wrong!!!! On so many levels. Now that I am 31 and actually mature, I realize that I was so clueless when it came to being a mom and a wife. (I sometimes still am but that's beside the point.) After giving birth to my daughter via C-section (and being majorly traumatized 'cause after all, I was still a child and it scared me) I kind of went a little crazy. Movies and T.V. and sometimes books really romanticize having babies. But they don't tell you what happens in true life. No one tells you how once you're kids start school, you're gonna be heartbroken by the kids who are less fortunate than your own. 

       I always prided myself in the fact that while so many of my friends and acquaintances were getting pregnant in middle school and high school, I actually made it out with no baby. But having a kid at 19 is just as hard. The day I brought Evie home, I was thrown into shock. I was in major pain from the c-section, I couldn't laugh because it hurt so bad and I would end up bawling from the pain. My brain was wracked with excruciating migraines and I yearned for my childhood. After my c-section wound healed, I would make excuses to leave the house alone. I remember walking up to the mailboxes of our apartment complex and crying because I knew I would have to make excuses for a very long time just to leave the house alone. I walked to those mailboxes, savoring the memories of when I was a kid. I walked slowly because I just wanted to remember. I wanted to remember my life before Evie so bad. Sometimes in the middle of the night, when she was crying incessantly, I would go and sit out in my car for hours. My fiance was in there, of course, but I needed to be alone. Evie cried a lot. She cried almost every night for hours, up until she was one year old. The thing was, I think I would have been able to handle this better if I had an outlet like I do now. I have so many ways to talk about the joys and woes of motherhood and I couldn't be happier. 

       First, I want to talk about topmommyblogs.com . When I first started my blog, I wanted traffic. Big surprise there. So I went through the internet looking for blog directories and bookmarking sites to promote my blog on. I came across Top Mommy Blogs. I loved the fun design of the site and it seemed like an all in one place to get my site promoted and to talk with other moms about life in general. But I hit an obstacle, I had to have an active blog for at least 4 months. (Correct me if I'm wrong on this. It may be 3 months.) Dagnabbit! So that meant I had to wait awhile before I got more established. Well, I forgot about the site. I got so focused on life and writing my blog, that I completely forgot about TMB. Well, 9 months later, I remembered. I got accepted to the site and I love it! It's a great place to go when you wanna talk to other moms about what's going on in your life, and it makes you actually feel like your blog is important. I have found so many awesome mommy blogs on there and have connected with some great women.

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Top Mommy Blogs is your ultimate resource for finding the most popular mom blogs on the web. Here you can:

• Browse through our 4500+ members in 30 different categories.
• Follow tireless deal searching mama's in our Top Mommy Blogs Coupon Edition.
• Discover, rate and share mommy blogs with our social network enabled listings.
• Promote your own mommy blog for free.
• Make new friends, discuss mommyhood, mommy blogging & more in the TMB Lounge.

SOURCE: topmommyblogs.com

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       If you have a blog and haven't applied to become a part of this awesome community, do it now! Especially, if you're a new mom. I think I would have been able to deal with early mommyhood better if I had something like this back when I first had kids.

       The next thing I want to discuss is Google Plus! This is such an awesome site for promoting my blog and connecting with other moms, too. The ladies I have connected with on here are so supportive and just all around awesome. We may all have mommy blogs, but I guarantee you, that not a single one is like the other. These women are strong and they aren't afraid to write about how they feel and what they want out of life. I have always talked about mommies needing a good support system, and this is probably the best one you will ever find. They all support each other. The best way to take advantage of Google + is by getting involved in the communities. Just go to  he community section and search for what kind of community you want to be apart of. I put in mommy blogs and hit the jackpot. Not only has my blog traffic increased, I have met some of the best moms on the web.

       I hope y'all have enjoyed today's post because I have enjoyed writing it. Mommy blogging isn't all about the money you can make. Blogging is a lifestyle that is therapeutic while helping others in the process. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a post and I would love for you to vote for me on topmommyblogs.com . Just click the TMB button at the top of my right sidebar and help me make it to the top! Thanks for stopping by!

~Jess