Six Month Check-Up

Six months old and I thought it was time for my baby to have a check-up. No, I’ve not had another child, Ptew (yes, I'm spitting) Ptew (gotta do it twice) – which is the Jewish way of warding off bad mojo. I know it’s gross but I didn’t make it up.

This is the other baby that has taken up so much time and attention and nurturing. No, I didn’t say nursing.

My bouncing baby blog is 6 months old. Hard to believe it’s been six months since that fateful day in June when I happened to mention on FB that I had done some writing to release stress and was considering starting a blog.

  I know everyone celebrates their blogoversary, commemorating their first year, but when I was growing up we always tried to convince our parents that a half-birthday was a real thing, worthy of cake and balloons and gifts. Since I’m the grown up, I get to decide. I’ve come to the conclusion that a half-birthday IS a thing. Seems I was right all along.

Just like any other birthday celebration, there’s the inevitable inception story and health check up. The story of how Baking In A Tornado came about was told in my first post, Can I Blog? but really the inception was a process of being cajoled by friends on FB. It went like this:

On 6-14-12 I posted on FB

I’ve written three blog entries! I just haven’t posted them. After giving Google every iota of personal information I never wanted to give anyone, signing up for a new email account I don’t want and receiving a secret code on my cell phone despite not wanting to give them that number, I’m officially overwhelmed with how to set it up . . . and stuck on a name . . . I need aspirin.

J: I gave my blog name little thought -  and now it’s stuck somehow. Don’t over think.
MM: I agree
J: Just post them. The first one is definitely the hardest to post . . . do it!
Me: I just don’t know if I have the balls OR maybe I’ll be famous as the first person whose blog no one reads!!! Thinking about a few names, or maybe I’m just procrastinating due to the aforementioned balls issue.
K: You don’t need no stinking balls!!! Go for it. I would read your blog, as I find you quite hilarious. Though if you post a lot of pictures of what you bake I may get fat by osmosis.
Me: Thank you, K. If you read my blog I won’t be the first to have a blog that no one reads. Maybe I can become famous for having a calorie free blog zone?
J: I sense over thinking. Post it. Put a link on your FB page . . . there is zero to lose.
Me (later): I did it, I did it, I really, really did it . . .and as predicted my first choice for a name was taken . . . I need more aspirin . . .

The inevitable FB birth announcement:

6-14-12 Karen B announces with joy the birth of her bouncing baby blog. Murphy’s law of my life dictated that my first choice for a name was taken. Please stop by and visit my hard-labored bundle of joy, all you have to lose is a few minutes of your time. As an added incentive (OK, bribe) there’s a few personal shout-outs in there: Baking In A Tornado.

R: I love, love, love it! It’s the perfect name, the perfect vehicle for you to relieve stress.

MP: Fabulous keep it up! I think you should have people who join in the blog be able to order FREE food samples from you; just sayin’.

K: Love it! (Thank goodness you really can’t gain weight by looking at food).

E: U should send me a care package.

Me: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Free samples always available on a “come and get it” basis. I’ve tried to mail them but the kids tackle me on the way to the post office. Follow me, I need someone else to do it of their own free will!

You know how excited new Moms can be, so on 6-15-12, a second announcement:

I started a blog yesterday. I debated whether to even do it. I wrote my initial piece and edited it and re-edited it and re-edited it. I worked on the font, the color, the size, the name (and then another name when that one was taken). I changed the layout (6 times). I posted it, then I posted about it. I was supposed to make dinner too?

Later on 6-15-12, baby’s first gift arrived:

My blog has a follower!! So what if she’s related, it still counts. I also have 139 pageviews. Does that mean the other 138 people didn’t like it?
R: I’m going to forward you some emails I received regarding your blog. All good.
Me: Hey, I had the baby and you’re getting the cards, what’s with that?

And now for the check-up:

Baking In A Tornado has over 270 followers. 65 posts have been published with almost 20,000 page views. It has a twitter account with over 450 followers and a FB page with over 700 followers. Twenty blogger awards have been gratefully received as well as 6 recipe features and numerous features in on-line newspapers. It now even has it’s own domain (thank you A Little Unhinged)! It’s been featured on the web site Treat a Day. I’ve done 3 Guest Posts on other blogs, and hosted one myself. I’m a contributor to a collaborative blog, The Epistolarians. I’ve conceptualized, initiated, and continue to run 2 monthly group-participation posts: The Secret Subject Swap and the Fly on the Wall challenge.

The toast (raise your glasses, please):

Although this is not a hugely successful blog by blogging standards, it has well exceeded my expectations. I don’t take all the credit, I enjoy an amazing group of instigators and supporters to whom I am very grateful. I fully intend to do a shot in honor of each and every one of you.

And finally, the confetti:

Confetti Slice and Bake Cookies

Confetti Slice and Bake Cookies
                                     © www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened

1 stick margarine, softened

3/4 cups sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup multicolored jimmies (sprinkles)

1/4 cup multicolored nonpareils

Directions:

*Cream butter, margarine and sugar.

*Beat in egg and vanilla.

*Mix in flour, baking soda and salt.

*Gently mix in the sprinkles and nonpareils. Try not to break up the sprinkles.

*Divide the dough in half and roll into two (1 1/2 inch around) logs.

*Wrap the logs separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours (can refrigerate for a few days or even freeze for a few months).

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

*Slice cookies into approximately 1/4 inch rounds.

*Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 12 to 14 minutes. Once they start to brown they’re done.

*Cool 2 to 3 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing.

Can I blog?

If you ever want to know what your kids think of you, ask them to help you name your blog.  As if their propensity to do the opposite of everything y0u ask isn’t already a hint, just wait to see what they come up with for Mom’s blog name.
 
Gee, as if I wasn’t already insecure and unsure of whether I even  CAN blog.  Do I really have something to say …let me rephrase that, I’m never at a loss for something to say (a therapist once told me I could talk my way out of a paper bag)…but will I have enough to say on a regular basis to keep anyone but me interested?  It certainly seems, on a daily basis, as though I have absolutely nothing to say that keeps my kids’ interest.
 
Anyone who has friended me on FB, who rolls their eyes and/or groans aloud when I post yet another picture of something I’ve baked…or yet another story of how my kids are treating me to a slow and painful death…this may  NOT be the blog for you.  Before you go, you may rejoice in the fact that I now have another place for those pictures and stories so you can stop plotting how to secretly Unfriend me without my knowing.  You’re welcome.
 
But the truth of the matter is I bake to relieve stress. I also bake to save money on all the store bought snacks I was buying,  AND I use baking as a creative outlet.  My Mom was always asked to bring baked goods to family functions and I remember watching everyone “ooh” and “aah” over her creations.  That memory brings a smile to my face and maybe I could use a few “ooh”s and  “aah”s myself at this juncture.  I like thinking that I got the love of baking from my Mom.  It truly is rewarding when my kids’ friends walk in the house, head straight for the laundry room to drop their shoes, and then literally  STOP in the kitchen on their way to the basement to grab whatever I’ve baked to take down with them.  My greatest hope is that one of the things my kids will remember from their childhood is the effort I made in order to give them (and to welcome their friends with) home-made snacks.  But mostly, I bake to relieve stress, to relieve stress and oh yeah, to relieve stress.
 
I’m a blog newbie so you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t know the blog rules or blog laws or in general anything I’m supposed to be doing.  I’ll probably post a lot of pictures of kitchen creations.  My camera sucks so that should turn out interesting.  I’ll probably talk about my kids and what I’m doing to try to maintain my sanity with a son going into his Junior year in High school and another going into his Senior year.  I’ll let you know if and when I decide that losing my sanity would be preferable to fighting to maintain it. I may just post things that make me laugh (thank you in advance, Pinterest).  I’m trying to cry less and laugh more.  I’ll let you know how that works out.
 
Oh well, I guess I’m giving this blog thing a shot.  Believe me when I tell you that I know what therapy costs, so if nothing else maybe this’ll be cheap therapy.

A few shout-outs: First to my older son, who answered “Do you think I can do this blog thing?” with “I think you can do anything you set your heart to.”  Not what I expected from my biggest critic.
To my younger son for overcoming my biggest hurdle for me, naming this blog.  Thanks.
 
To my Mom’s cousin Reisa, who I’ve actually never met.  She ordered me to blog and suggested I ask my kids to help me name my blog (more on that to come).  SHEESH, remind me to never take advice from you again! 
 
To Julie (if you don’t read another thing, read this woman’s blog), Kathy and Melinda, all of whom gave me that final push off of this particular cliff.  It’s yet to be seen whether I thank you or curse you on the way down!
 
 
Cross-posted on BlogHer