frequently asked questions… and answers

I get a lot of reader emails and I love hearing from readers. But sometimes I hear from readers that haven’t been reading very long. And sometimes they ask questions that I have already answered in old posts that they probably haven’t seen.

So, for everyone’s benefit, I thought I’d answer the most frequently asked questions here.

Can you tell me your favorite brands for dressing Hudson? Where do you shop for his clothes?

I did a big post about shopping for baby boys a few months ago. I still go to the same places and look for the same brands. Kelly’s Kids, Ragsland, Shrimp and Grits, and Blessed Be The Name are also personal favorites. They can all be found online, but not in stores.

Shopping for Your Baby Boy

For the cooler months, I buy lots of turtle necks and long sleeve tee shirts for Hudson to wear underneath longalls. Pants fall down too easily and longalls stay up better. Plus they’re cute and I believe in dressing little boys like little boys.

What are some of your favorite gift ideas for a mom-to-be/new baby?

Right after Hudson was born I wrote this post that showed some of my favorite gifts that we received. These were all things that were either very useful or very beautiful.

Gift Ideas for the Mom-to-Be

What diaper bag do you use?

I have a Kate Spade messenger style diaper bag. It’s comfortable and easy to carry while carrying a baby. I can easily access everything inside. I can adjust the strap as needed. I tried on lots of different bags and this is the one that I thought would be best with carrying a baby and juggling the bag and getting inside of the bag.

And the best part? The inside is nylon and so easy to clean. Bottles have spilled in this bag and I’m so happy I didn’t get a bag that I was terrified of getting dirty!

How have you found other mom/baby friends, and how do you “network” with others in this new work role as a SAHM?

It was hard in the beginning because we were the first of our friends to have kids and none of my friends stayed home. Once I got Hudson involved in activities like Little Gym, I met more people and Hudson met more kids. He was already going to the church nursery and Sundays and getting lots of socialization there, but we were connecting with any of the parents. One of my newest, great friends is a result of meeting at Little Gym and I’m so happy we did!

I think the key is getting out there, finding things to do, and making plans. You may find a play group or a class that your child can join. But I promise there are other moms just like you who are looking for friends for themselves and for their kids, too.

Do you have any tips on how to make a blog successful? How did you take your blog from one that only people that you knew personally read and followed to one that thousands of people read? Was it purely just luck that people came across your blog once and then kept reading, or was there networking efforts on your part to make your blog more known? What will appeal to an audience beyond my family and friends that I know personally.

I am not an expert on blogging. I write my blog for me and for my family and I’m still surprised that more people than just my family come here to read it. For me, it happened when my blog was mentioned on a big wedding blog (because I was planning my wedding at the time) and people I didn’t know came over to check it out. And then I visited their blogs.

The big key is to comment on other blogs that you like. And don’t comment just to say, “please read my blog.” Comment on the blog content. Be genuine. You need to be blogging for yourself and not to gain readers.

I think that readers like authentic blogs. There doesn’t have to be complete transparency, but a little bit of transparency is nice. They want to be able to relate to you– or disagree with you. If your blog is about a specific topic this is a little bit different. You’ll stick to the topic. But if you have a blog like mine that is sometimes about family, sometimes about random thoughts, and sometimes about pretty things, it’s good to be able to put a little bit of yourself in there. And write what you want to write. Don’t write what you think readers will respond to because that never works. Write for yourself and the readers will come.

Another key is to build relationships. Find other blogs that are like yours and try to connect with the writer. When I first started reading other blogs and commenting, I went there every day and got really invested in these people’s lives. And I still feel that way. I don’t comment as often as I used to because my life is different now and I’m lucky if I just get to read.

Another tip I have is to blog consistently. You don’t have to blog every day, but you should try to blog every day. If people are looking forward to hearing from you, then let them hear from you!

If you choose to blog anonymously, try to find a way for readers to identify with you. So if you’re not posting your name, maybe you can still post pictures. My favorite blogs are the ones that I feel emotionally connected to and feel like I know the writer and her loved ones.

Three tips:

1. Be genuine

2. Be consistent

3. Be original

One of my blog buddies, Kate at Nautical by Nature, wrote this post about a week ago and it has a great outline for new bloggers.

Can you recommend any true Southern cookbooks?

I absolutely can! My two favorite Southern cookbooks are Cotton Country Collection and Down By the Water. Cotton Country is from the Monroe, Louisiana Junior League and Down by the Water is from the Columbia, South Carolina Junior League.

You can always bet that the Junior League cookbooks are going to be fantastic and full of fun recipes that have been passed down for years and years.

Of course you can always go with Paula Deen and count on it being delicious.

If you have any questions feel free to fill out the comment form under the “Contact Me” tab. It sometimes takes me a while to write back, but I’ll always try to respond!