One Year of GGC

This week marked my one-year anniversary with Girl's Gone Child. One. Whole. Year.

One year posting about Archer and pregnancy and strollers and sex and breasts and breastfeeding and sex-education and bikinis and poop and The Village People and carjackings and birth stories and Nanny Pimps and writing books and reading books and first birthdays and how I accidentally inserted an entire tampon (applicator and all) when I first started my period and road rage and hating Parenting Magazine's stylist and turning 25, and being a young mom and masculism and LA living and placentas and celebrity sightings and Archer's crawlapalooza and cribz and finding my way and love and war and marriage and wanting more and feeling broken. Lost and found. Being afraid. Being a daughter and a granddaughter. Being a sister. Being a friend. Being a stay at home parent. Being a Mother. Being a wife. Being alive.

It is very much true that writers write to be read and that bloggers REALLY write to be read, otherwise we would keep off-line journals. Diaries with locks and keys, hidden in our sock drawers with other private items. We wouldn't put it all out there for people to read. Typos and all, guts and entrails and the occasional secret.

We all want to be read, to be heard and sometimes appreciated. We all want to make a difference with our stories and jokes and ideas. We all need a little recognition to keep going because with ourselves we are too critical.

I started Girls Gone Child because I wanted a place to write and reflect about life with Archer and meet like-minded parents doing the same. I had no idea what a huge part of my life GGC would become. I had no idea I would meet the extraordinary people I have met through this blog, no clue I would attract an audience that extended beyond family and Uncle Frank.

But it did and I am grateful. Grateful for every person who reads what I write, for those who comment, and email and have become great friends. For those of you who lurk in the shadows and nod silently at home.

I adore each and every one of you, many of whom I don't even know by name, but who I feel I know in voice. In experience. In story and essay and rant. In the way you love your children, ask questions, provoke debate, explore your opinions, philosophies, lives. In the way you parent. In the way you inspire. In the way you write. In every word.

You have made me a better writer, mother, woman, human and I thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say, for commenting and for making me feel, in so many words, cool. I thank you for your kindness and love and perfect post awards. I thank you for being my friends, for always being there and for always being kind and supportive.

We have an amazing community here on the www and I feel very blessed to be a part of it.

From my very first GGC post to this one, I thank you. Thank you for finding me and allowing me to find you.

Cake all around!

GGC

52 comments:

Birchsprite | 2:18 AM

Happy Birthday Blog!

I adore you too!!

This blogging malarky is fantastic.....

Style Police | 2:19 AM

Happy Birthday!

& thank you - even though I know better that to start a sentence with '&' - for a year of fab posts!

x

Anonymous | 5:03 AM

Congrats! And save me some cake, willya?

Fairly Odd Mother | 5:19 AM

Happy Birthday! I've loved reading your blog for quite a while. Hope you'll be celebrating many more birthdays!

Momma Bean | 5:25 AM

Happy Blog Birthday! It's blogs like yours that got me inspired to begin my own journey.

Anonymous | 5:44 AM

Can't imagine my blog life without you, GGC...I am so grateful I found your corner of the web and got to hear your amazing perspective on life..keep writing sweetie...happy anniversary!

motherbumper | 6:12 AM

I love cake and I love your blog. Happy Anniversary and thank you for sharing it with us (and me!).

Jonathon Morgan | 7:11 AM

Happy birthday blog, indeed.

I'm so glad I've started reading!

Anonymous | 7:26 AM

Thank You for writing with so much heart. I love reading your work!

Anonymous | 7:42 AM

I consider the priveledge all mine (ours). You by far are one of my favorite writers in any medium, be it newspaper, books, magazines, blogs... You make me feel alive when I read your words. But most of all you make me FEEL. So thank you. Thank you for sharing your life with us (this is especially important after learning one of my favorite bloggers is leaving the blogosphere ~ Mamatulip) and for letting us in on your world, your words, and your opinions. You write beautifully, so much so that sometimes it hurts to read, it's so powerful.

Anonymous | 8:26 AM

Happy blog birthday, GGC! Can't believe it's only been a year. I feel like I've been reading and admiring you forever!

Denice | 8:32 AM

Happy Birthday GGC! I've only been reading your blog for a few months, but now I can't start my day without reading what you have to say. Yours is definitely one of the very best blogs out there. You also inspired me to start mine. Thanks -- and here's hoping for many more great years of GGC!

Anonymous | 8:53 AM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous | 8:55 AM

Whoops - take two. Happy GGC Birthday! Thanks for sharing so much - I have been through and felt so many things that you write about. It's a wonderful gift to be able to relate - especially when it comes to mothering.

ms blue | 10:08 AM

You exude cool through the screen. Here is to many more years of sharing your brilliance. Shine on!

Anonymous | 10:30 AM

i'm jealous of your bangs.
but i read your blog anyway!

Anonymous | 10:41 AM

H.B. GCC. We couldn't have dreamed of having such a wonderful DIL. Thanks for being ours!! ECGs

Her Bad Mother | 11:16 AM

Thank YOU, my friend (may I call you my friend?)

You've been a tremendous inspiration to me - as a mother and as a writer (oh what a writer!) and as a connossieur of tiny hats.

(BIG. FIERCE. HUG.)

Happy Blog Birthday!

Anonymous | 11:17 AM

De-lurking on this post seems appropriate, I think. I've been reading you for awhile (as someone who grew up north of LA and lived in San Diego for almost a decade) and just wanted to, in the least mushiest way, thank you for being you. And I totally bought my son hats to match Archer's. You are an amazing person and a fantastic writer. And you make me want to cut my bangs.

Anonymous | 11:36 AM

Happy anniverary.

I'm really surpised you've only been around for a year. You're doing a great job.

Anonymous | 12:47 PM

Happy Anniversay :)

Tiff

Anonymous | 1:10 PM

Congrats and happy anniversary. It is so so SO good to have you here!!

Anonymous | 1:17 PM

Happy Blog Day! I've only just come out of the New Mom Fog (unable to shower, let alone turn on the ol' computer until recently) so I'm a newbie to your blog... and I'm loving it.

Anonymous | 1:45 PM

it's our anniversary!
happy, happy, bec!
xodt/bmc

metro mama | 2:07 PM

Happy anniversary! Here's to another year.

toyfoto | 2:16 PM

Happy Anniversary. And ditto.

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 2:26 PM

Thank you! Thank you!!! Hip-hip-HOORAY!

BANGS FOR ALL!

A. Nonny Mouse | 2:38 PM

Happy Anniversary!! Here's to many more!

kittenpie | 3:05 PM

Yay, GGC! I'm glad you've been hard at it and have loved reading all you've had to say. Thanks for all of it - you give good blog, lady!

Kristi | 5:56 PM

And thank you for sharing!

Girlplustwo | 6:07 PM

happiest to you. it's richer when it's shared...hence the community formed via blogging - which is deep, and real, and delicious. here's to more cake.

Chris | 7:42 PM

Happy Anniversary! I'm glad you decided to share yourself with us and not lock it all away in your sock drawer.

Awesome Mom | 8:04 PM

Congratulations! I hope there are many more wonderful years with this blog!

Anonymous | 9:06 PM

Thanks for writing. It's always good stuff.
(And Hayseus, I had no idea you were only 25!)

Anonymous | 9:54 PM

Congratulations on your one year bloggaversary from a (usual) lurker and fellow CMP contributor!

:-)

Cristina | 10:16 PM

Congratulations! One year of blogging is quite an accomplishment. I hear most bloggers don't make it that far. Here's to many more blog birthdays for you!

Anonymous | 10:23 PM

Congrats!!

I love coming to this blog. You've quickly become one of my faves. You've given me ideas for posts that I don't even have time to write. Keep up the great work!

odile | 12:12 AM

bon anniversaire GGC !!
thanks for making us laugh !

Binky | 8:43 AM

Wow, one year. I didn't realize we started around the same time. I know yours was one of the first blogs I ever read, and I just assumed you'd been doing it for some time since it was so darn good. Congrats on the milestone and best wishes for many more!

Mom101 | 9:17 AM

We should be the ones thanking you. You write the kind of blog that I can point to when trying to disprove the notion that "mommyblogs" are illiterate rants about diaper changes and spit up stains from bored sahms.

You m'dear are an inspiring writer. I'm proud to know and read ya and look forward to continued brilliance--online and off--in subsequent years.

Chicky | 11:52 AM

I have started this comment 59 different ways, and nothing seems adequate. So just thank you for being you. Happy Birthday GGC!

Anonymous | 4:24 PM

Happy happy, GGC. This sounds terribly cliche, but you are a wonderful breath of fresh air. Thank you for writing, for your enjoyment and ours.

NewDotMom | 4:46 PM

Congratulations and happy birthday! I have loved reading you and look forward to more.

Unknown | 5:17 PM

yay. I love this blog. I find it hard to beleive you have only been at it a year. You write what I feel.

BabyonBored | 10:12 PM

Only a year?? And you're so super duper popular! You're like the girl that transfered into high school in 11th grade and made cheerleading by the end of the year.

Congrats grrrrrl.

Anonymous | 9:55 AM

Happy Anniversary! I love your blog.

Namito | 7:33 PM

A very happy anniversary to you! Thanks for all you've given us.

Anonymous | 9:10 PM

Congrats! I have read and enjoyed every single one of your posts! Love you!

Anonymous | 10:01 PM

I don't remember how I found you, or when, but i do know i love you! We're about the same age, our Son's are about the same age, and you crack me up! thanks for all of it GGC.

MrsFortune | 11:15 AM

Yay GGC!!! I found you when you were CHBM's member of the week. I instantly fell in love and have had a serious girl-crush on you and a baby-crush on your little man ever since. Happy blogiversary.

Sandra | 11:41 AM

Happy blogiversary or blog birthday or whatever it is you are celebrating. Your voice is one that the blogopshere simply cannot do without. You rock.

Kristen | 7:54 PM

Congrats on one year! And yes, next year I say let's do a joint blog-abration! :-)