Happy Blogaversary to Mombian

Four years ago today, I published my first Mombian post. It’s been a longer and more fun journey than I ever could have imagined, thanks to all of you who have stopped by to read, comment, and in many cases, become friends.

My vision for the site then was to offer news, analysis, and resources for lesbian moms and other LGBT parents. I wanted to look at parenting from a lesbian perspective, and lesbian culture from a parent’s perspective. I think that vision has held up pretty well.

Things have changed over four years, however. My toddler has just graduated from kindergarten and is now reading bedtime stories to me. Connections I’ve made through the blog have led me to additional freelance writing, content development, and marketing work, allowing me both to bring in some money to the household and continue my most important job of being home for my son when he needs me.

The site itself has also evolved. You may have noticed some design changes around here lately, which I “soft launched” to coincide with Blogging for LGBT Families Day, but haven’t really explained. After the jump, here’s a list of what’s new and what you can now do around here to keep up with Mombian news and (more importantly) other readers. Read the rest of this post »

We Now Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Programming

I’m not posting a Weekly Political Roundup this week. I did an LGBT Parenting Roundup yesterday that I hope will hold you until next Friday.

You see, our son is graduating from kindergarten today, and I wouldn’t be a very good parenting blogger if I didn’t get out and, well, parent. Gotta go get him into his khakis and oxford and give him a snack before the ceremony. Blogging can wait.

(Brian and Steven over at Green Dads have a son almost the exact same age as ours, who is also graduating from kindergarten next week. Go wish them congratulations, too!

If you have kids with similar milestones, leave a comment so we can all wish you and them well. Go ahead and brag. We’ll understand.)

Camera. Check. Tissues. Check. I’m off. Have a good weekend!

Taking a Short Break

I’m taking a short blogging break this week, so posts will be light. I have a few things set to publish automatically (so do stop by), but I will likely not be doing much in terms of breaking news. (This means, of course, that the California marriage decision will likely happen this week, because that’s just the way these things usually work, isn’t it?) Comment moderation will be slow, although if you’ve left an approved comment before, it should be posted right away, WordPress gods willing.

Thanks! See you next week!

Blog Reader Appreciation Day

Robin Reagler of The Other Mother is hosting her annual Blog Reader Appreciation Day today, which seems like a wonderful idea and a great reason to offer my appreciation to you, dear readers.

If a blog falls in a forest, and no one is there, it doesn’t make a sound. (Trees are still open for discussion.) You give this blog a reason for being, you share your experiences and insights to turn it into a community, and you constantly remind me of both the commonalities and the diversity of our experiences as lesbian moms (and extending outwards, as LGBT parents and parents in general).

Thank you.

Happy Holidays

We’re having a bit of a family emergency here right now, hence the lack of vlog yesterday. I’m also going to skip the Weekly Political Update today; I’m assuming that this week of all weeks you’ve been keeping up with the political news, and that many of you have left for the long weekend already in any case. (I will, however, note that amidst all the marriage hoopla, the New Hampshire House passed a transgender anti-discrimination bill, which now goes to the Senate. The Washington legislature passed a similar bill, which heads to the governor. Good for them.)

Happy holidays, no matter what you’re celebrating this week!

We’ve Got the Beat: Mombian Cited as Cool Beatblog

Mombian was cited today as a “really cool beatblog” by Beatblogging.org, in an article that looks at how “instead of just writing about the joys and trials of motherhood,” mommy bloggers are “branching out into other areas.”

“What’s a beatblog?” you ask. Here’s Beatblogging.org’s definition:

A beat blog in the expansive sense is any blog that sticks to a well-defined beat or coverage area, whether it is the work of a single person or a team, whether it is authored by a pro or an amateur journalist.

The site is an initiative of NewAssignment.Net, a research project based at New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. It “looks at how journalists can use social networks and other Web tools to improve beat reporting, with an emphasis on ‘pushing the practice’ and spotlighting innovation.” One of NewAssignment.Net’s other initiatives was the Off the Bus election coverage, done in conjunction with HuffPo.

Other blogs mentioned in the article were: Momocrats, Net Family News, Delicious Baby, and Sparkplugging. Great blogs, all. I’m honored to be in their company.

Join the Blogswarm: The Only Agenda Is Love

It’s another blogswarm!

This Monday, February 9, bloggers in the LGBT community and our allies will be participating in “The Only Agenda Is Love,” a blogswarm in support of Freedom to Marry Week. By being a part of this effort, you will help contribute to a blogsphere-wide education campaign about ways your readers can help promote fair legislation and rescind anti-equality measures. Read the rest of this post »

I’m a Lezzy

. . . or at least I’ve been nominated for one. The Lesbian Lifestyle blog is hosting its annual lesbian blog awards, The Lezzys, all this month, and one (or more) of you kind readers has thrown Mombian’s virtual hat into the ring.

That means I need more nominations to make it into the final round. If you are so inclined, click here and enter www.mombian.com in the categories you choose. (Parenting/Wedding seems the obvious one, although I also segue into Politics; Best Overall if you really want to make my day, although I doubt I stand a chance there.)

You may nominate Mombian once every 24 hours until February 9th. (As in the Weblog Awards, frequent voting/nomination helps.) Voting on the three finalists in each category will run from February 11th to the 18th.

Be sure to nominate other blogs in other categories, too: Read the rest of this post »

Thanks for Your Votes!

Many thanks to all who took the time to vote for Mombian as Best Large Blog in the 2008 Weblog Awards. I didn’t win (the honor went to Jammie Wearing Fool), but I wasn’t last, so I’m happy. All in good fun, and I got to peruse a bunch of new blogs.

Congratulations also to Towleroad for winning Best LGBT Blog (Bilerico was second, with a rally towards the end). 4tunate edged out Looky Daddy! for Best Parenting Blog, although it was neck-and-neck all the way. Grace the Spot tried valiantly for Best New Blog, but it was a tough category, with some weirdness from Wonkette, which tried to throw the category and get votes for one of the other competitors, as Grace explains.

What this really means, though, is I’ll stop urging you to vote. Back to our regularly scheduled programming . . . .

Final Reminder: Please Vote for Mombian in Weblog Awards

A final (thank heavens!) reminder to vote for Mombian as Best Large Blog in the 2008 Weblog Awards. I know I won’t win at this point, but I’d love to go out with a big rally.

Voting ends at 5:00 p.m. EST today.

I know the Weblog Awards site has been slow to unavailable at times with the heavy voting traffic. I appreciate those of you who persevered.

I also encourage you to vote for Bilerico as Best LGBT Blog and for a few more LGBT and allied blogs in other categories, as I described earlier.

Many thanks!