Blissdom Robots

Key thought that keeps poplocking into my head:

Blissdom, and any blog conference for that matter, will- and can- be what you make of it.

Be social, make the first move (even if you are shy! no one knows you! you've only been blogging a week! since the beginning of blogtime! whatever!), make it what you want.

I did things differently this year- went to the main party events instead of private ones, made myself seen instead of holing up in my room all weekend, used CHILDCARE!! and actually went to sessions & keynotes and listened and learned, made myself available in the ordinary for the out-of-the-ordinary to happen.

Heck, why just do this at blog conferences? Do this in LIFE, people.



Twitter me- I'm babysteph
Subscribe to my blog here

This is it.

This weekend,

this BLISSDOM


what it was, where could I even begin?

because it was so much, it was everything.


The restoration, the renovation I have new in my writing fingers, the friends THE FRIENDS! their arms hooked in the crook of my soul, unreal,

but so real.

To say it exceeded my highest expectations, and then some.

Would be an understatement.

I want to move to Blissdom!

And I have every intention to bring it home with me.



photo by [my girl] Casey, Moosh In Indy.

More Blissdom10 photos on flickr.

Twitter me- I'm babysteph
Subscribe to my blog here

There's a story.

There's a story about how I left my camera on the plane.

And a whole other story about how I got it back.

There's a story about my Blissdom Wisdom Workshop.

And how I was on Cloud 9 after my workshop.

And there's my favorite story about how the sitter said she couldn't get over how much Ivy and I resemble each other.



Blissdom is going great. I learned last night that Gray is back at home sick with the stomach flu. :( So my heart is pulled, but hubby is taking care of everything. Nothing to worry about, he says. So I am believing that. I speak again at 3pm CST today! I am so excited.


Twitter me- I'm babysteph
Subscribe to my blog here

That's just the way it is.

[meant to be a photo of Gray, but camera focused on Ivy.
He was hiding his face from the camera anyway...]

In the car Grayson told me he wants to be a doctor when he grows up. The kind that checks you out, you know, like when Noah has a turn, then Carter, then me? (pediatrician)

Or I could be a girl doctor that takes the blood. (nurse, at last visit I had some blood drawn.)

I'll go to school and the doctor will teach me and then he'll give me his clothes and I'll put them on and then I'll be a doctor!

[snuck one in.]

Somedays I feel like I've just put on big girl clothes, Mom clothes, grown-up clothes. But I'm still just a kid.


Twitter me- I'm babysteph
Subscribe to my blog here

We go together.

She fits so perfectly, my lap her throne.

I left her a long time on Sunday, like over 8 hours. She didn't even really want to nurse when I got home, but she was happy to see me.

[She insists on wearing her beads in the bath.]

I'm leaving for Nashville, Tennessee. For Blissdom, tomorrow. But I have to take her with me. I have to, I need to, and I want to.

Eight hours is one thing, FIVE DAYS is another. I just can't do it. She is still very much a part of me as I am a part of her.

And it's different,

when I already have three other children to leave behind in someone else's care (ok, it's my loving in-laws and Mimi for like a day and then Daddy the rest of the time) but it's not like I have just one or two kids to leave behind. Responsibilities, wants, needs, are all considered.

It's harder the more you have, I think.

I'm so thankful I'm able to take her. Otherwise I wouldn't go at all.



I'm thankful that Hallmark (who is generously sponsoring my Inspirational Writing workshop on Thursday with Casey and Hallmark writers Sarah & Molly) also bought Ivy her own seat on the plane. (How nice is that.)

I'm thankful @iatraveler sent me her CARES harness system for Ivy to use as her safety seat during the flight.

I'm thankful @rostitchery has offered to watch Ivy during my workshop and that Barbara & Alli from Blissdom secured childcare for Friday & Saturday (I'm going to use it a couple hours each day.)

I'm thankful my flightmate & roommate @sarahviola doesn't mind I'm bringing Ivy along. She knows we're a package deal for a little while longer. (And at least we get our own beds this time- at Cupcake '10 Sarah, Ivy, and I all shared the same bed!)

I'm thankful our hotel is the hugemongous Opryland Hotel. Plenty of opportunities for us to explore, chase, and photograph. :)

I also hear that all the #BlissdomBabies are like a super big deal. Ivy's packed her best and ready to go. Me on the other hand? That's another story.



Twitter me- I'm babysteph
Subscribe to my blog here

Old people are cute.

So, I wanted to test drive the outfit I'm going to wear when I meet Harry Connick Jr. on Friday at BLISSDOM*.

I went to see Funny Girl with some close friends yesterday and would totally have posted a photo but it was really dark in the fancy theatre building and did I mention that we were the youngest (and I'm not exaggerating) gals in the place? Lots of perfectly-styled white hair and motorized walker-thingies. And hearing aids.

But it was awesome and cute, old people are. Except during the end of the first act when someone in front of us started wheezing or gasping and I realized the chance of someone in that room dying or needing emergency medical attention was very likely.

ANYWAY so a mature lady offered to take our photo outside the bathroom and it was so sweet as I placed my heavy, expensive camera in her shaky, aged hands. I half thought to put the strap around her neck but, eh, I just hoped for the best.

The picture didn't really turn out. (But my camera was ok.)

We ended up just taking a photo ourselves outside and I love it.

Tammy, Jen, me.

(I love my outfit by the way, it's a winner, and for sure Harry will remember me forever.) (Also, I'm dramatically building this up to be waaaay bigger than it is but just go with it? For me?)


*I'm speaking, did you know? My Inspirational Writing workshop on Thursday is filled to capacity! If you'll be at Blissdom, I do hope you'll stop by my session "Connecting With Your Community of Readers" at 3pm on Friday, if you can!


Twitter me- I'm babysteph
Subscribe to my blog here

Funny Girl

(my scarf got in the way)
(also, this is a SOOC "straight out of camera" shot, no editing, and I love it.)

I like to take pictures of my shoes.

Today I'm driving away, kind of far, and leaving Ivy with Daddy for the longest time I've ever left her. I'll be back before bedtime, and I'm going to lunch and a play with old (and forever) friends so it's really such a treat.

I'm nervous as I type this, but also equally excited... it's a strange push and pull and twist and release.

But I get to wear my new shoes!


Twitter me- I'm babysteph
Subscribe to my blog here

Wherever you go, there you are.

One of my favorite morning photos, from Cupcake '10

Links for your weekend aka "working it..."

[my other day job(s)]

At NWIparent

• Lunch Lady Land

At RealMomsGuide

(And I'm realizing some of these links aren't working at the moment... please try again if not!)

• Practical tips for first time moms [what would you add?]
  
• American Idol auditions: hilarious or cruel? [do you watch with your kids?]
• Protect your child from "sexting" [my town is in the news for this sad epidemic]
  
• Breast versus... breast? To cover up or not. [breastfeeding in public HOT TOPIC]
  
• Tomato bisque chicken [I totally made this up today]
• Pita pocket pizzas [yum]
  

Also I write a few times a week at my Real Moms Guide blog here about life with a one-year-old.

Looking to for more exposure online? Get published at Real Moms Guide by submitting your stories.

Have a lovely weekend, friends!


Twitter me- I'm babysteph
Subscribe to my blog here