sara without an h

blog anniversary.

january 9th was my one year blogging anniversary. it's been a pretty incredible year as i've watched this blog grow from a handful of page views per day to hundreds. it's humbling, to say to the least, to know that people i've never met care about what i write. 279 posts into this journey, and i feel like i have learned so much. i've learned that real, true friends can be made online. i may never meet any of these people, but they have helped to shape who i am as a person and a mother. i've learned to take the bad with the good. with this wonderful community inevitably comes a few haters. speaking of which, i've learned that it's perfectly acceptable to block cruel comments. this is my space, and i have the right to censor it. i've learned that this community can also be a detrimental thing. there are thousands of other mothers to compare myself with and thousands of other babies to compare sylvie to. there are mothers who appear perfect, but we all know how easy it is to post only about the good times. there are mothers who have berated me for my decision to stop breast feeding my daughter, which was the best call for her. she is a happy, healthy, giggly, thriving 5 month old. i've learned to ignore (pardon my french here) the bitches. those girls who insist on being self-righteous and hurtful. you may have nursed your child into toddlerhood, but are you really setting a good example for little susie by cutting me down? i've learned that i LOVE blogging more than i thought i would. i've learned that writing everyday is good for me. it's fun, cathartic, and it gives my mind some exercise. i think writing, like anything else, takes practice. i've enjoyed having an audience of willing readers to practice in front of. i've learned that my readers are incredibly kind people. thank you for making 2010 such a fantastic year for me and this little blog. thank you for stopping by to read what i have to say. thank you for commenting and for offering support in those times that i needed it. thank you for being family, friends, and strangers. your overwhelming kindness inspires me to be a better blogger, friend, wife, and mother. 2010 was the year my life changed forever. i think 2011 has the potential to be even better. thank you. i think the best way to end this post is with the reason why i started this blog in the first place. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Tf1mVqKHk]

thank you.

sometimes you have a really bad day. you know the kind. the baby cries for hours on end, she won't eat, and you feel tired and a little bit sick. then something happens to turn the whole day around. today was one of those days. sylvie cried and fussed and barely ate enough at each feeding to hold her for 2 hours afterward. travis and i are exhausted. determined to make tonight better, we cooked ourselves a nice dinner and ventured out to rent a silly movie. on the way home we stopped by the mailbox. inside was a small package from allie and henry, which contained the most beautiful vintage corduroy dress for sylvie. the note tucked inside was even sweeter. i nearly cried when i read it. so, thank you, allie (and henry, too!) for making my day a whole lot brighter. sylvie thanks you, too!

THANK YOU.

this has NOTHING to do with anything baby related. i just wanted to personally thank the person who took the time to compile this video. THANK YOU. you've made this uncomfortably pregnant lady very happy. bless you. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXqY8EZ21-g&feature=player_embedded] nothing big to report today. i'm still experiencing a lot of low pelvic pain and pressure, some mild cramping, a bit of quality time with the toilet, LOTS of little kicks in the ribs, and head butts in the you-know-where. we're really getting to the end! i'm chomping at the bit to meet this baby girl.

WOW.

THANK YOU so much to everyone who commented on my last post! due to all of your positive feedback, i have decided to go forward with opening an etsy shop. i am so excited about this venture, and your comments were instrumental in giving me the courage needed to proceed. once again, THANK YOU. i hope to have the shop up and running sometime tomorrow. now all i need is a shop name. any suggestions, dear readers? this small venture is especially exciting given the fact that i put in my two weeks notice today at work. this is a decision travis and i made a while ago, but haven't yet talked about for obvious reasons. i am very happy with my choice to be a stay at home mom and a freelancer. it's a bit scary, but i know it will be for the best. starting tomorrow, i will be happy to begin accepting orders through my etsy shop. i will post a link here as soon as it's functional. check back for that sometime tomorrow! in the meantime, feel free to email me at sarakhinkle@gmail.com with any questions or inquiries. orders will be filled in the order they are accepted. i want to get as many done as i can before sylvie arrives! like any other job, i will take a short "maternity leave" after her birth. i can draw pretty much anything you could dream up, so be creative! i would be happy to fill custom orders. i will also have a selection of previously completed drawings (like the one above) available to get the ball rolling. i'm so excited!!! thank you so much for all of the feedback and order inquiries. i have the best readers! YOU ROCK!

the big news.

i am pleased as punch to announce don't worry baby's first ever giveaway, courtesy of cafepress! unless you've been living under an internet-less rock for the last decade, you know that cafepress is a great site to find millions of pre-made and personalized t-shirts and gifts for any topic, interest or brand!  i spent over 2 hours sorting through their products before, inspired by my love of cooking, i settled on a particular shirt. i love this shirt's simplicity of design and general awesome-ness. to enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment (one per person, please!) on this post.  that's it!  if you're posting anonymously or don't have a blog to link to, please leave your email address in the comment so that i can contact you if you win.  to score a second entry, tweet about the giveaway and link to this post.  be sure to leave a second comment with a link to your tweet!  you may enter at any time up until FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2010, 11:59PM EST, at which point i will choose a winner at random using random.org's number generator.  i will announce the lucky winner on SATURDAY, MARCH 13th! i hope you're all as excited about this as i am!  without your support, this would not be possible, so a big, fat THANK YOU to all of our readers.  THANK YOU for joining us on our amazing journey!

just a quick note...

...to say that i've noticed a spike in readership over the last few days.  if this is your first visit, WELCOME!  i'm so glad you stopped by!  if you've been a daily visitor (here's looking at you, mom and dad), then welcome back!  THANK YOU so much for supporting this little corner of the internet.  auggie the doggie appreciates your support, too! don't hesitate to visit my formspring page and ask anything you want!  as long as it's appropriate, i'll do my best to answer thoroughly and honestly.  and, if you like what you see here, don't forget to click the button to the right to cast a vote for me on top baby blogs.  we're getting so close to breaking into the top 100, and it's all thanks to you! i hope you all have a pleasant monday night.  the husband and i are going to settle in and prepare for tomorrow's snowfall.  goodnight.