We are 3 years old today at Actually Mummy. What does a blog do on its birthday? Does it throw a party for all the words typed, a kind of free-for-all carousing of all that has gone before? Does it invite all its readers to offer words of celebration, or bring gifts of new stories it can use going forward? Maybe it shares its sweets with other blogs it engages with, or offers visitors a cup of tea and some flowers from its garden?
Three years ago today I typed my first post. You can read it here, and pick up some tips about dealing with children’s nightmares along the way. It is still one of my all-time favourite posts, so it seems appropriate to give it another outing today. It also feels timely to share the news that Actually Mummy has just been named a Cision top ten Mummy Blog for 2014.
Three years of chasing the online cursor sees me reflecting today on what has changed. The answer is, not that much. I’m still here, in the same corner of my kitchen, fitting it all in around the laundry, the stubbed toes, and the macaroni cheese of family life. I still talk to the same mummy bloggers I found in those early days, with a soft spot for Grenglish, Emmy’s Mummy, Here Come the Girls, and Mammasaurus, on whose virtual sofas I learned to tweet.
And yet the answer is oh so much! We have so many opportunities as a result of this blog, from theatre invites, to incredible days out and family holidays. It was always the intention that writing regularly would draw me towards a new career, and an income, and I’m so pleased to say that it has. But this is not even the best of it. Do you know how many genuine friends we have as a result of this blog? No, neither do I, because it’s hard to count them. We are blessed.
And so I thank you Cision, for making me a top ten mummy blog. Come to my party, where we will eat Grenglish’s sausages, drink frozen wine, and make wisecracks in 140 characters. We will celebrate the friends who have made this all possible, by sharing the pages of our blog with us. Thank you.
Oh, by the way, here’s a flower for you, and do take some Haribo on the way out.
3-years! That must make me three too and I completely missed the date! Well done on all your success my lovely, am so happy to have found you early on & experienced this crazy blogging rollercoaster with you xxxxx
p.s. sausages and wine are on me!!
I’ll be right over *salivates*
Happy Blog Birthday Helen! Three years, Wowzers! Here’s to many more. And ta very much for the Haribo ;). E x
Happy birthday and congratulations! Certainly something to be proud of!
Aww Happy 3! You are on a roll you are 🙂 congrats xx
3 years? Time flies when you’re having fun. Congratulations on making the top 10. It’s another reason to crack open the bubbly!
Oh wow three years – well done to you. x
Happy 3rd year anniversary and here’s hoping you have many, many more.
Congratulations !!!!! How far you have come in such a short space of time :o). And well done on your top ten Cision place. X
I know, I feel very blessed xx
Well done Helen, and congratulations on your top ten placement. Here’s to many more years of Actually Mummy x
Thank you lovely. Years and years and years I can drone on for 😉
A very happy blogerversary and well done on the Cision listing. I have no idea when my bloggerversary woudl be, I suppose I could check! Mich x
It’s quite fun to go back the the beginning and read what you first wrote Mich x
Happy 3rd birthday Actually Mummy! And congrats on being a Cision Top 10 blog, we were in the chart last year and it was a great buzz! x
Congratulations, I had no idea you were so young! I thought you were one of the old guard who’d been around forever. Before I even started my blog I looked at you and hoped one day I’d have a blog as polished as yours – this new knowledge clearly raises the bar somewhat 😉
Ach you can do it Jenny it just takes dedication. And 25 hours a day 😉
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you xx
wowsers those 3 years have gone SO fast!!! Yours was a blog I started reading before I started mine (3 years for me in July).
You inspired me to start ours and I’m not sure I ever did thank you properly. ..Thank You from the bottom of my heart. It’s opened so many doors and led to amazing friendships xx
congratulations a very well deserved top 10 place and of course you’ve already got my votes lovely lady. Xx
Ahhh I loved having you around in those early days – and so glad you stuck with us!