It's Official: I'm a Mommy Blogger

I often wonder what I would be doing as a hobby if I weren't doing music.

Music has been such a huge part of my life since I can remember, that it is totally 2nd nature to me. And you could say that it has now gotten to the point where it is not just a hobby for me -but it's my profession. A profession that I have worked long and hard at to finally be paid to do (to be an artist that earns their own income is an accomplishment, in my opinion).

I recently received this comment: "I don't know how you find the time to do music as well as be a mom, and with a newborn even!".

Of course I would still do music! Not doing it would be like cutting off one of my own limbs that I've been using my entire life. Now that's just silly! Why on earth would I do that?

And besides, with recently adding another child to our crew, I have to say that music has become a HUGE release for me. It is NOT just another "thing on my plate", but it is rather the opposite. It is a place for me to go to unwind, to be creative, and to not have to serve mac 'n cheese, get spit up on, and change poopy diapers.

But again, I have often wondered what I would be doing if I weren't doing music.

When I was high school and thinking ahead to the time I would soon go to college, I wondered what I would decide to major in. Obviously, it would be music. I mean obviously right?

Well what you don't know is that I was also pretty good at English.

I took all those fancy tests in order to get into Advanced Placement English classes in high school. It wasn't necessarily poetry or novels that I loved, but honestly I was just really good at the technical stuff. Like how to form a proper sentence, how to use correct grammar, how to write a good essay, and things like that. I was also really good at memorization. I would memorize poems and sonnets only a few hours before class and recite them. I also lettered in Drama and could memorize my lines for plays in a snap.

When I got to college, aside from taking all of my music classes (I went for the music major, btw), I opted to take a bajillion English classes as well - above and beyond the requirements. And it was all for the FUN of it. And I got A's. Except for my Shakespeare class, I got a D. (Shhhh don't tell my parents I still don't think they know.) I also got a Paralegal Certificate and wrote a 50 page appellate brief, which I might add, was arguably the most grammatically correct paper I'd ever written.

I now write for my own pleasure. This is why I blog. It allows me to get everything out that is trapped inside my head.

Aside from this blog (which is our family blog that documents our adventures together as a family), I also have a what you would call "Mommy Blog". It's called The Belly Diaries, and I write about anything related to pregnancy, motherhood, what my 2 year old is doing, how their wellness visits went, how Taylor is progressing, how I am doing on my post-pregnancy weight loss journey, and more. Basically, in a nutshell, I write about all the embarrassing feminine girly womanhood topics that I would not want my friends husbands or my own father to read (because he does read this blog).

I'm definitely not a professional blogger by any means and honestly I don't care how many followers I have (I don't even have a "follow me" button on the blog). I do it for myself, and over the past few years I have had many women tell me how refreshing it is that I write about certain things, how honest and upfront I am, and how brave (because let's be honest sometimes I share things about pregnancy and stuff that most women wouldn't).

My mom keeps telling me "Jenni, you have such a way with words - you should write a book about your experiences as a mom!" to which I then promptly laugh and sneer at.

Well Mom, I'm not going to tell you that I'm writing a book, but I WILL tell you that starting this week I will be a "professional mommy blogger". Professional meaning that I will be getting paid to write blogs about being a mother.

I was recently hired to be a featured blogger on the website WhatToExpect.com.

It actually started with one of my blogging friends, who is a professional blogger for a few different websites from motherhood to fashion topics. She is pregnant with baby #2 and this time she won't be returning to her job after maternity leave. She started trying to find ways to make a side income that could eventually earn her enough to take the place of her full time job, but would be something that she could do from home. So she turned to writing.

I was shocked to find out that she was able to earn as much as she was by blogging.

I recently gave up all but one of my 17 music students so that I could have more time to be a better mom and work on my own music projects. To say the least, my monthly music income dropped significantly. It was very good motivation for me to work harder than ever on my music career in order to make up for the difference. I recently scored a film, am considering a 2nd film to score next spring, licensed my music for various projects, and have been hard at work on my next album which I hope to release Winter of 2011 just in time for Christmas. I've also spent more time trying to stay updated with the latest technical gadgets, and find new and better ways to market my music (which I really detest doing. Anyone want to market it for me? LOL).

I am driven though. I wanted to find another means of side income, and so my blogging friend put me in touch with her manager at WhatToExpect. I figured I already write a mommy blog, so it would be really simple to integrate.

I have been a professional blogger before - up until June I was an author on a Music Teacher's Website. I was only required to submit one article per month. For WhatToExpect, I am required to submit at least 8 articles per month, but my goal is to work my way up to 3 posts per day - which would essentially substitute all of my previous music teaching income every month.

So as it turns out, I CAN do something else besides just music. I can write. I am gooder at this ya'll American languige alot.

Ummm that last part was a joke, by the way. Ewe.

You can find me on WhatToExpect.com starting next week. Here's the link to my blog, which I've cleverly entitled: Mommy Notes - Music to your Ears, with the subtitle: "Living the high life - I make music. They make messes." I will be blogging about motherhood and balancing it along with a music career.

Here's to being a professional mommy blogger - something I can definitely say I never ever ever ever thought I would be!