From daily photos of toothless smiles to written woes of potty training… through the captured snapshots of joyous milestones to the life changing moments of parenthood; “Mommy Bloggers” are taking over the internet and sharing their lives in an effort to connect with others and capsulize their daily memories to one day share with their children.
Some Mommy Bloggers’ stories have become so inspirational (or just plain hilarious) that they’ve amassed world-wide followings. And some have even gone as far as to take what started out as a simple daily blog and become authors of their own autobiographies. The following are some of the most acclaimed Mommy Bloggers turned authors and their must-read books:
Kelle Hampton
Photographer and writer, Kelle Hampton, began writing her blog, Enjoying The Small Things , in 2007; shortly after her first daughter was born. She began her blog as an outlet to share her photography and stories of motherhood. Hampton’s life changed after her second daughter was born with Down syndrome. Her struggles of acceptance and understanding as she trod unfamiliar territory unfolded in her blog; and eventually lead to her first book, a New York Times Bestseller, “Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected – A Memoir.” Hampton and her husband recently welcomed their third child, a son, into their lives. She continues to blog about motherhood, life and her role as a parent of a child with Down syndrome.
Stephanie Nielson
Stephanie Nielson is a Mormon mother of 5 who has been blogging about the joys of motherhood since 2005. In 2008, she and her husband were in a plane crash; burning 80 percent of her body and putting her in a 3 month coma. Nielson overcame this life changing event with her children as her motivator. She went on to share her story in her book, a New York Times Best Seller, “Heaven is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph and Everyday Joy.” Today, Nielson continues her blog, The NieNie Dialogues, with the same positive attitude that carried her through her darkest hour. She writes about motherhood and living in the aftermath of a life-changing event.
Rebecca Woolf
Los Angeles freelance writer, Rebecca Woolf, has been blogging since 2003. She started the blog, Girl’s Gone Child, in 2005 after the birth of her first son and her instant catapult into the start of a new, rocky marriage. She wrote “Rockabye: From Wild to Child“ in 2008; chronicling her rebellious transformation from free-spirited wild child into the unfamiliar roles of mother and wife. Her story reads inspiring; as she fell in love with her new life, but never lost sight of herself. Now a mother of four children, she continues to blog about her roles, life and what rocks her world.
Bunmi Laditan
Montreal mother of two, Bunmi Laditan wrote for websites such as Parenting.com, Mothering.com and The Huffington Post while taking care of her children. During one particularly trying week in 2012 with her then 2-year-old daughter, she opened a Twitter account @HonestToddler and began venting in the voice of her child. Over the last year, her “toddler rants” have gained her a Twitter following of over 200,000 followers and mass media attention. Written as a spoof on popular parenting books, and from a toddler’s viewpoint, Laditan recently published her first book, “The Honest Toddler: A Child’s Guide to Parenting.”
Heather Armstrong
Heather Armstrong is a mother of two and professional blogger without fear. She started the blog Dooce in 2001 after moving to Los Angeles and beginning work as a web designer. Her truthful chronicles of her days as a single woman working for “drug-addicted executives” actually caused her to lose her job. She continued her blog through the years; writing candidly about her marriage, descent into motherhood, leaving the Mormon church, and her stint in a mental hospital. She’s gained a mass following due to her humor and honesty. In 2010, Armstrong published her first book, “It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown and a Much Needed Margarita.”
Photo Credit: With A Red Bird On My Shoulder
