I re-started this blog almost a year ago just to have a release. To get some stories out that might end up being helpful or insightful for others and cathartic for myself. Some weeks were easy. I had a story I wanted to get out and writing a post seemed to take no time at all. Other weeks I struggled to find content that I could put into cohesive words or even find things to be inspired by. I thought they were too deep or too personal or maybe the opposite- too shallow and boring. So I decided to mix it up with random nuggets of life….my past, my kids, favorite recipes, all in a big melting pot of… well, randomness. Everything has been so random- besides my 4 part series on growing from an unfortunate relationship that led me to my first born son and my wonderful husband, but I digress…
This blog is a mess. It’s pieced together, it has no direction. I mean who would you tell to come read it? Someone who likes a random lady talking about 58328234 different topics? It’s just not working for me basically. Not sure who it is even working for so I believe it’s time to PIVOT!
You see there’s this little fire inside me that I’ve been brainstorming on and trying to develop in my head and I just haven’t spent enough time nurturing it yet to let it out fully. I’ve talked to my husband about it, my sisters and some close friends and while it seems like the right path and is super exciting to gossip about, that’s all it has been so far- this little idea I haven’t moved on yet. But, I’m ready! I’m ready to take action. School is moving into a routine (no matter how horrendous), summer is ending and the time to start a new project seems right. I mean any time is a good time for me since I don’t know how to just focus on one thing.
Squirrel!
Let me introduce you to: Boy + Mama
A spin off of City Pretty Mama that will now focus on #boymomlife. I mean that is anything and everything my life revolves around so it just makes sense….raising kids? Yep, I’m a #boymom. Love makeup? Yep, because I’m a #boymom and that’s all I have for myself! Love working as a team with other ladies for the female interaction? Yes, because I’m only surrounded by males all day long #boymom. Figuring out how to balance alone/girl time? Every day, because I’m a #boymom!
Could this direction work if I was a girl mom too? I mean, maybe, but that’s not my life. My anecdotal stories, my patience for rough housing and wrestling, my cooking for an army when there’s only 4.5 of us, and my constant search for ways to relate, love, and nurture a child of the opposite sex makes for what fuels my fire. My relationship with these boys is who I am. It’s what drives me and pushes me every day. How to show them empathy and share emotion while reminding them to keep their hands out of their pants and that not all girls will enjoy playing Monster Truck Jam with them, is what forms my day to day.
So why force a blog with cocktail recipes…well wait, that one was kind of important. I mean these boys are some of the reason why we even drink in the first place so I take that one back. But in all reality, this is what I want to share. I want to embrace the idea that growing up with all girls, only knowing sisters, gave me the strength, compassion and thick skin (because you all know the amount of hair pulling that went on didn’t leave any of us as crybabies) to raise boys. That my strongest male relationships growing up were disjointed and mostly failures so I know what men shouldn’t do or shouldn’t be like to a young girl. That my male role models as a teen were friends’ fathers or other people’s stand up sons so I know the standards my boys should be held to from a broken perspective. I grew up thinking I’d have daughters…yes, more than one. But now in my post-child birthing years, I can sit here and say, I was born for this. I was meant to soak up every moment of these 3 little boys. There was never room for a girl. She belongs to the #girlmom mommies. I am meant for all the little boys- the nerf gun bullets, muddy shoes, basketball practices, and judgy stares I’ll be giving to those girl’s texts I see on their phones.
So what is Boy + Mama ??
Don’t you worry your little heart. It will still be crazy, funny stories- #lifewithfrank included. But it will also be boy + mama lessons, boy + mama activities, boy + mama attire, and much more. I hope to get back into providing great content more frequently and share content on multiple platforms so hopefully you can catch me anywhere! Make sure to follow me for more on my new social handle for Boy + Mama and as always, on my personal social media for the day to day of #boymomlife.
@jen.maggio
@boyplusmama
XOXO,
Jen