The Best of Birmingham Moms Blog :: Top 10 Blog Posts of 2017

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As 2017 wraps up, we at Birmingham Moms Blog are reflecting on a fabulous first nine months since launching the site in March. We have loved getting to know and connecting moms in Birmingham through articles written by local moms, a growing virtual community on social media, and a number of in-person events. We are so grateful to our partners, our amazing contributors (past and present!), and YOU — our readers — for the enthusiasm and support you have shown as we strive to provide valuable parenting resources to moms in central Alabama. 

Here is a list of our ten most popular posts of the year. We brought you practical pieces about organization and life with kids, resources specific to Birmingham, and a lot of encouraging words that resonate with our mama hearts. Enjoy looking back at this amazing year with us! (Click on the title to read the full article.)

We are so excited about all that is to come in 2018!

10. Houses of History

“I’m an old soul — an unapologetic old soul. My college minor was theater (costume design). I love old clothes, old houses — really, anything having to do with history, especially related to Birmingham. I love walking through historic districts and imagining what life was like when these houses were built. I find it inspiring. My grandfather grew up in Miami, but he was born in Birmingham and lived here the first two years of his life, during the Great Depression. I remember hearing the story of my great-grandmother walking blocks and blocks with my toddler grandfather in tow, searching for bread.

Through some sleuthing at the Birmingham Archives, I was able to locate a photograph of his Birmingham home (which has since been demolished to make way for medical buildings near Southside). Yes, this was the kind of stuff I used to do on my lunch break. Before kids. When I was single. I know. Nerd alert! And yet, somehow … I still found a husband!!”

9. MCMG :: Multiple Children Mom Guilt

“So I just want to encourage other moms who struggle with MCMG. Maybe you’re about to have your second child and are worried about how it will affect your first. Maybe you’re a fellow mom of multiples, or maybe you just have several kids and deal with these feelings daily. Remember, Mama, it’s a good thing for our kids to share us! (And other things.) Let’s look for the good instead of letting the guilt win. And as I swing with one baby at a time, I’ll savor that moment, know my other babies are ok, and trust the Lord is molding their hearts, even as they sit in the stroller waiting for their turn.”

8. Enjoy Your Normal {Breast Cancer Awareness Month}

“Normal is a gift. Normal is a blessing. Normal is what you never knew you wanted or needed until something comes and threatens to take it all away. The less time that there is for cancer, the better. It won’t dictate my life or hijack my family because it doesn’t deserve that kind of attention. The drugs may be dissolving the cancer in my body, but my commitment to living my normal life is taking away its power over my heart and soul. Light drives out darkness. So focus on the positives. They may look small and meaningless until you get in the shadows and they’re all you have to light your way.”

7. How I Fed Three Babies Breastmilk for a Year {and Still Had Leftovers}

“Start here: Every woman’s body is different. There is no exact answer or equation that leads to breastfeeding success for all. Some women are able, some are not, and that’s just how it is. With that said, I want to share my experience with exclusive pumping and how it helped me in my goal of only Mama’s milk for my girls’ first year. And I hope this will shed more light on a method that most women probably don’t think of as a legit option.”

6. Light Up Your Night :: Where to See Christmas Lights in Birmingham

Find the best light displays in Birmingham and the surrounding areas, including some of the best neighborhoods for taking in illuminated decor. Driving around to look at lights is such a fun family holiday tradition!

5. Not All Who Wander are Lost :: A Change of Heart in Target

“Why, oh why, didn’t I first see myself in her before judging her? How could I both remember those days, and still be so forgetful? Why did I feel more solidarity with a stupid t-shirt than with a weary mom? And oh, how I wish that was the only time I’ve had to eat my words (or thoughts). I have sat down at many all-I-can-eat buffets of both, and I’m sure there are more to come.”

4. The Family Closet

“What the heck is a “family closet”?! Well, my friends, keep reading and let me explain to you the ins and outs of what a family closet is, and why you just might want one of your own! The family closet is essentially an area you create to store the entire family’s clothes. . .”

3. Tips for a Beach Trip with a Baby

“Taking a baby to the beach is no small feat. But a little planning before your beach trip will go a long way in ensuring you have the most relaxing trip possible. Notice I said trip, not vacation, as taking a baby to the beach will probably never feel like a vacation. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be great!”

2. Diastasis Recti and Waist Trainers

“Let’s talk postpartum abs, shall we? Every body is different — some bellies pop right back in place, others take time, while others never quite go back in. And that’s ok. I remember when Duchess Catherine showed off Prince George for the first time (the very day after delivery, she stood before an international crowd — can you imagine??) and she looked amazing. Women everywhere breathed a sigh of relief and relatability to Kate and what was dubbed her “mummy tummy”. For once, a celebrity looked realistic, and we loved her all the more for it. 

There’s a time to embrace our bodies and admire with awe what God has made our bodies to do — to carry and nurture our flesh and blood. Yes, there are marks and scars and extra skin, but . . . it doesn’t have to end there!”

1. From a Mom Who “Used to be Hot”

“I was having such an awesome day, in fact, that I almost didn’t catch a brief exchange between two dads discussing what I can only describe as my apparently waning hotness. It went something like this:

Dad One: “Did you see that mom with the really short hair?”

Dad Two: “Yeah. She looks like she used to be hot.”

For those of you that don’t know, I do, in fact, have really short hair. Not by choice, mind you. (Although it has been pretty awesome to not spend twenty-plus minutes blow drying my hair every morning.) It’s chemo hair. It’s grown into a pretty hip pixie since I had to shave it off in February (which is indeed a happy accident), but trust that it is not ‘really short’ by my choosing.”

 

Other popular posts from 2017:

ADHD Medication Makes Me a Better Mother

My Favorite Toys for Toddler/Preschool Boys and Girls

Unexpected

{Book Review} Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys

Birmingham’s Best Chicken Salad Spots

Top 5 Tips for Taxi Moms

Breastfeeding and My Tearful First Month of Motherhood

10 Signs You Might Be Parenting a Threenager

Hello Minivan, Goodbye Self-Identity

We want to know your favorites — and what you’d like to see in the coming year! Tell us in the comments below!