AM I A STEREOTYPICAL BLOGGER?

I know there isn't a 'one size' for bloggers, particularly parenting bloggers because there are so many of us. All different family make ups, spread across the world and all doing our own little thing. But I can't help that feel sometimes I am not quite a stereotypical blogger. I see things sometimes that is the 'done' thing, and just think it's so not me, I'd never do that, I couldn't do that. Other times I do thinks that would be frowned upon or shrugged at by the more professional bloggers, I don't put on a facade and I don't mask who I am, my home isn't a scandi dream (though I am trying) and we don't go on long whirlwind adventures to national trusts every day. I'm just me.

It wasn't too long ago when I started to realise that I really wasn't your obvious blogger. It first came to light actually when someone - an actual fellow blogger, pointed out I didn't act a certain way on social media and shame on me because I am a brand. Hold the phone. I'm no brand, I'm me. Don't get me wrong, there are some bloggers out there who make a living and are a brand, perhaps they share only a microscopic, polished version of their life online - that isn't me. My blog I can take or leave. Should it no longer bring me joy, I can log out and never look back. I will always choose my integrity. I feel half of the reason my readers come to my blog, or follow me on social is because I am a bit more upfront about who I really am. I'm not portraying to be someone else, or hiding my fundamental views to appeal to people. One of my ultimate favourite bloggers is the beautiful Harriet she is possibly the most upfront and honest blogger about who she is. She's herself and not masking that on social media for the benefit of others. She shares both the highs and the lows in her life which makes her so relatable to me, not everything is ship shape and shiny for social media. I like to roughly follow the same track in my own little way. I didn't create a blog to become a brand and earn a living, I created it to document our life and sometimes that means I might have a good old moan on twitter, I might say someones made me grumpy on instagram stories and I'll be just sure to let you know my toddler is being a bit of an arse - because that is life and if it makes me an un-stereotypical blogger then I am ok with that. I don't want to look back in a years time, and have got so caught up in pretending to be professional, I no longer know who I am anymore. My blog was started as a reflection of life, and so that's exactly what it shall still be, the good, the bad and the ugly.

A few other things also got my ticker going, I don't like gin. I know, gasp. I just don't, I would go as far as to say I detest gin. Maybe my taste buds will change over time but I can't see it happening soon. I just cannot relate nor join in will all the gin related fun. Yet it seems every blogger in the history of blogging is pouring themselves a gin on a Saturday night and cheers'ing away. Not me, I'm usually sat with a spirit and mixer or a glass of good old prosecco, or worse, something not alcoholic! Coffee was recently on the list of things that made me feel very un-blogger, because I disliked that too. Though very recently I tried a cup that so was so delicious it's now an everyday staple. I know people will read this and tut in thinking 'You don't have to be a certain way, or like certain things to be a blogger' and I know that, of course. It's just when almost the entire blogging community does those it definitely makes me feel the odd one out from time to time. My toddler isn't eating kale chips and singing nursery rhymes every day, he'll gobble up some nuggets and sing the paw patrol theme tune a lot easier and I'm ok with that too. I guess it would be easy to portray a perfect blogger picture online, conforming to what others believe I should and shouldn't act like but it wouldn't be authentic. My life isn't full of coffee mornings, sitting in beautiful cafe's eating cake it's more me sat on the floor trying to stop my baby from yanking at my hair whilst sipping on cold coffee, wearing Mondays pjs on a Thursday. That's life for me, and if that doesn't make me your typical blogger and that's just fine by me. When I started up Babies and Beauty, I didn't really think of the future or know what being a 'blogger' really meant, I just knew I wanted to document my pregnancy and so I was going to do just that, blogging has turned into a hobby with perks. I didn't intend to become a 'blogger' as I say I wasn't all too familiar with the blogosphere on a whole back then, there wasn't a strict set of do's and do not's, I didn't know what was frowned upon and I really wasn't aware that if you can be a bit of a bitch sometimes, it's best to do it sneakily in group chats than just being honest and open. I think the past year has taught me a lot about what kind of person I am as a blogger and what kind I wish to be. In truth, I don't think you'll ever find me singing the hokey-cokey at baby sensory, more so sat on our baby sick stained carpet (who knew that shit stained) singing spice girls.