Not another slippery dip

Embracing the messy, mundane & momentous

NASD celebrates 5 years of blogging

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NASD celebrates 5 years of blogging

NASD celebrates 5 years of blogging

Hip, Hip, Hooray, it’s my 5th blogiversary today!

That I have kept this blog alive for five entire years surprises nobody more than myself. I never would have predicted it would become such an enduring hobby/job/passion.

You see, I didn’t actually plan to start a blog. And I am a planner! Love lists, love plans. But the blog kind of chose me. I mean, who on earth has time to write a blog when she has three kids under the age of three?! It’s almost as nuts as actually having three kids in less than three years! Really, common sense should have prevailed…

I blame my sister; the blog was her idea. She suggested it one afternoon and that night, when the kids were ticked up in bed,  I typed into Google: “How to start a blog”. Within the hour I had chosen a theme, template and my blog was born. For about a week it was called ‘Musings on motherhood’. Then I got clever, at least I thought so, and relaunched it under the name “Not another slippery dip.” At that stage of my parenting tenure I spent more time than I cared for at playgrounds, and my kids loved my full involvement. In many ways I felt the “Slippery dip” mirrored life’s ups and downs. And here I am five years on…

NASD celebrates 5 years of blogging

In five years I have written around 300 posts. Many of them are funny. Some of them are informative. All of them are honest. The most popular post by far is a post I wish I never had to write.  All miscarriages matter has been read by thousands of people worldwide and is the post I am most proud of.  In five years I have:

  • Written 300 posts
  • Reached hundreds of thousands of mamas all across the world
  • Been a finalist in the Bupa Blog awards
  • Had my much-wanted rainbow baby
  • Shared many highs and lows, triumphs and tribulations.

    NASD turns 5

    300 posts in 5 years!

In celebration of five years, I am including links to my favourite five posts. If you’ve missed any of these posts, I highly recommend reading them. There’s something for everyone in this mix!

  1. Gestational Limbo: The anticipation of miscarriage. Though it is one of my saddest experiences, I am very proud of this post. It has resonated with so many women and I am committed to sharing my experience of pregnancy loss to helped to normalise around miscarriage grief.
  2. 21 things I love about newborns. Because I am a SUCKER for newborns, this is another fave. Watch the video. Warning: it may trigger an ovary explosion.
  3. The 5 most stressful things after birth. Giving birth is scary, but it is only the initiation. Here are the most stressful obstacles to overcome in the 72 hours post birt
  4. A story about conception. I love this story as it’s where my mothering journey began…. almost 9 years ago with those two life-changing blue lines.
  5. Kids. Who’s have ’em? Linking back my very first post. This post, which launched the blog, and  written in a sleep-deprived fog (so please excuse the grammar). It’s no literary piece, but it does speak to exhaustion and tedium of new motherhood.

A huge THANK YOU for being part of NASD. My community is the reason I keep blogging, so thank you for your vital contribution. Thanks for sticking with me through the slippery dips of parenting. I have created a body of stories that connect, entertain, inspire and teach thousands of people every week. Thank you, my lovely readers. Thank you for making NASD so much more than a blog. You make it a conversation. You make it a community.

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!

Michaela xx

PS Head to the NASD Facebook page for your chance to win a $100 hardtofind gift voucher in celebration of my blogiversary! GOOD LUCK!

NASD Blog birthday

Thanks for being part of the NASD community!

How long have you been following NASD? Do you have a favourite post or topic? I’d love to hear from you more than ever today so please do comment 🙂

What does a blogger do?

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What does a blogger do

What does a blogger actually do?

*Sponsored Post*

“So, what do you do all day?” The first time someone asked me this was in relation to being a stay at home mum. I remember feeling defensive and offended in equal parts. The inference, on this occasion, was that I didn’t do very much at all, which couldn’t have been further from the truth! More recently someone asked me it about my work: “What does a blogger actually do?” The question came from a place of genuine curiosity. I explained how much work and time was involved in blogging and my friend was surprised. It made me realise that few people understand what’s involved in writing a blog. The seed was planted for this blog post….

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NASD TURNS FOUR – elk giveaway up for grabs

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NASD turns 4

Hip, Hip, Horay. NASD turns 4 today!

Hip, Hip, Horay, NASD turns four today!!!

So, not so long ago I turned the big 4-OH!! But today I turn 4, a far more fun age. And I hope you will all celebrate with me! 

It’s hard to believe that FOUR whole years have passed since I wrote my first post on Not another slippery dip. My blog has been like my 4th baby in many ways. I remember the combined excitement and nervousness I felt when I pressed PUBLISH and sent my post out to the blogosphere. I say blogosphere because it’s sounds a lot more impressive than the two readers (my husband, and my sister) who were the only ones following my blog at the time! My first post was called “Kids. Who’d have ’em?”, which gives you an insight into my state of mind at the time!! Well, it appears I didn’t turn anyone off with that post, least of all myself as I prepare for baby no. 4 to enter our lives!!

Blogging is a lot like parenting. It can be a steep learning curve and it takes some time to find your feet. It is a journey that is as exciting as it is perplexing. It requires more than I can give at times.  I love it.  I am emotional about it. I am confused by it. I lose patience with it at times. Personal blogging can be revealing, leaving you feeling vulnerable. It can also be liberating – the freedom to write what you like without constraint.  Just like parenting it’s a personal journey. 

Thank you for sharing this journey with me. I am so happy that you are reading. Each and every comment from my readers means a great deal to me. In the blogging world it’s easy to get fixated on site stats, traffic and new followers. I don’t have huge numbers, but like most things in life, quality over quantity wins out every time. I love writing and I blog to express; to connect; to capture, and to create.

What will be in store for my fifth year? Well, it’s fair to say it will involve more challenges, more twists and turns, and yep, more slippery dips! Oh, and a 4th baby, just to add to my busy schedule. He or she is sure to provide lots of content inspiration, and lots of newborn baby spam. I’ll try not to bore the pants off you with overdoing the newborn spam 🙂

Thanks for navigating the slippery dips with me. In a virtual sense, the champagne is on me! I hope you will celebrate with me. Hip, Hip, HORAY!!!!

ELK GIVEAWAY UP FOR GRABS FOR NASD READER

The lovely team at elk accessories are helping me celebrate by offering one lucky reader the chance to win a $100 elk gift voucher. I specifically asked elk to support my birthday celebrations as, aside from their continually evolving and stunning range, the winner will get to choose a gift that’s not in any way baby-kid related. Shop their beautiful Monument collection and choose something special, just for you!

All you have to do is sign up to my monthly newsletter (if you’re viewing from a desktop you will see subscription box on the right hand side) and you are automatically entered into the drawer to win. It’ll take you less than 10 seconds! Competition closes at midnight AEST on Wednesday 7th September. GOOD LUCK!!!

Win this elk gift voucher

Win this elk gift voucher

Thanks again for being part of my online community.

Here’s to a fabulous 5th year ahead!

Michaela xx

NASD celebrates 3 years of blogging

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Image credit: Poppies for Grace Confettti Balloons

Hip, Hip, HORAY, NASD turns 3 today!!!

Well, I truly never thought I’d be writing this post to mark the third anniversary of my blog. You see, I had absolutely NO idea what I was doing when I started this blog back in 2012. It was my sister who suggested I start writing about my mothering experiences. We were both deep in the trenches of newborn fatigue and regularly exchanged war stories. Perhaps she was tired of me hearing me rant but I must thank her because what has followed has been an amazing journey.

I remember the combined excitement and nervousness I felt when I pressed PUBLISH and sent my post out to the blogosphere. I only had two readers who were the only ones following my blog at the time – my sister and loyal hubby! I confess I knew nothing about blogging and what it would entail. I gave little thought to what I would write about, and I didn’t pay any attention to the so-called “rules” required to establish a loyal following. Since then the terms ‘readership’, ‘messaging’, ‘traffic’, ‘hits’, ‘integration’, ‘widgets’, ‘engagement’ and ‘plugins’ have become part of my vernacular….

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7 ways blogging is like parenting

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Blogging

Blogging

The more I blog the more I see how it parallels parenting in many ways. Sometimes the line between “work” and “fun” can be a little blurred. And there’s often an imbalance between output and return. Just like parenting, I was blissfully unaware of what kind of commitment it would be until I launched right into it.  Here are 7 ways blogging is like parenting:

1. You learn on the job

Blogging is not really something you can learn prior to jumping in and giving it a go. It’s a work in progress and the goal posts are continually changing. No sooner have you moved through the newborn fog of sleep deprivation than a new set of challenges awaits you. …

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Happy Birthday to me!

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One-Candle-cakeIt’s hard to believe that a year has passed since I wrote my first post on a blog called Not another slippery dip. I remember the combined excitement and nervousness I felt when I pressed PUBLISH and sent my post out to the blogosphere. I say blogosphere because it’s sounds a lot more impressive than the two readers (my husband, and my sister) who were the only ones following my blog at the time!

I decided to write a blog to nourish my creative side, and to provide another layer to my life. I confess I knew nothing about blogging and what it would entail. I gave little thought to what I would write about, and I didn’t know about the “rules” required to establish a loyal following. Since then the terms ‘readership’, ‘messaging’, ‘traffic’, ‘hits’, ‘integration’, ‘widgets’ and ‘plugins’ have become part of my vernacular. I’ve learnt about Search Engine Optimization,  “engagement”, Google plus, Author Sure, marketing across multiple platforms, tweeting, sharing, commenting, uploading, and, more importantly, writing….

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