Friday Featured Blog: The Prissy Mommy Chronicles

Today's featured blog, The Prissy Mommy Chronicles, is yet another fun little blog I've recently come across. Yakini, the author/owner, is a 30-something mom to a little boy named Chase (he is soooo cute!) so I feel like we have a lot in common already. Reading The Prissy Mommy Chronicles is like having coffee with a good friend and talking about all kinds of interesting topics like beauty tips, fashion, cooking and surviving motherhood! Yakini and her son and husband are at this very moment enjoying the sun in Disney World (lucky gal) so I'm sure she'll love reading your comments when she gets back next week. In her own words, here's Yakini.

What is your blog about?
I just love being a wife and mom so much but, as a career-woman by day, don't really have an outlet to talk "baby stuff" as much as I'd like. So on my blog you'll find me unabashedly sharing my experiences with balancing a new baby, household, and career, while also maintaining my identity as a woman.

Having two fellas in the house now does keep me on my toes! I'm learning to manage a bouncing, boisterous baby boy along along with a husband who is 100% man's man! Baby Chase is already a ball of rough and tumble energy at 6 months,and he keeps me laughing and giggling and tumbling right along with him! With so much testosterone exuding from our household, this is also my personal space on the web where my girlyness and frou-frou can reign wantonly! So in addition to Baby Chase updates and special milestones, you'll read sporadic posts about makeup, paper-dolls, arts and crafts projects, cake decorating and, finally, my fervent efforts to reclaim my lost (inner) super model figure since the baby! *smile*

Where does your blog title come from?

I'm a real "girly girl" and I love it! In fact, I've always embraced my naturally "prissy" nature. I'm also one of six sisters--no brothers! So I never imagined it possible for me to have anything BUT a girl! I just couldn't fathom producing a boy. So imagine my surprise when we were told that we were having a son! DH teases me to his day about how I tried to convince our ultrasound technician that she was mistakenly looking at the umbilical cord.

Of course, I fell in love with my baby boy the instant I laid eyes on him... and now I couldn't even imagine having a daughter! I realize now that there's only room for ONE princess in our house, and I'm (secretly) glad it's still me! *smile* In retrospect, I'm pretty sure God gave me what I needed, rather than what I "thought" I wanted! Isn't that the way it always works?

When and why did you start your blog?
I'm from New York City by way of Maryland by way of South Carolina! Always the social media enthusiast, I started this blog while pregnant and in an effort to include out-of-state family and friends in our lives during this exciting and busy time. I wanted to document my thoughts and feelings about my pregnancy experience as well as reflections on motherhood, as I'd waited my entire young adult life to experience this Blessing!

After the arrival of our baby, I knew I wouldn't have the time (or energy!) to regularly call and email folks with Baby Chase updates, so I decided to put it all in one place--the birth announcement, the pictures, videos, and my first-time-mommy ramblings too! My blog became a way for DH and I to share our lives with family and friends who aren't able to see the baby on a daily basis. I've been told that, through my blog, they feel like they are a part of his life every day. That makes me feel so good!

What would you like to add to your blog in the next year?

I recently started doing giveaways and product reviews, and I'm pretty excited about that! It's amazing the number of people who visit my site then contact me wanting me to sample and review their product. It's flattering and humbling. Plus, I just love giving free goodies away to my readers!

I'm also working on getting DH to become a more active voice on the blog. *smile* He contributes now by sampling products with me and giving me feedback toward reviews as well as by reading my posts and sharing his opinions/insights. However, I'd love him to guest post on occasion with his own reflections about fatherhood. Both of our friends and family read the blog, and I know they'd really appreciate hearing his voice. Not to mention, there's a real under-representation of African-American dad bloggers.

What are some of your favorite blogs?

I really like supporting those undiscovered gems... the blogs that are awesome but not as widely read. Among those, my favorite is "It's Not Easy Raising Green." Other blogs I enjoy are "The Mocha Peach," "Baby Makin' Machine," "My Brown Baby," and "Blacktating."

What is one of your pet peeves about blogs or bloggers?

One pet peeve is when I leave multiple comments on a blog, in an effort to get to know that blogger and perhaps establish a relationship... and said blogger doesn't come by to visit my blog--EVER. I definitely understand that folks have time constraints, especially those with the more popular blogs with have tons of followers. However, it would be lovely if bloggers would take the time to return the favor, even if only on one occasion.

What advice would you have for any new bloggers?

I would encourage new bloggers to join a social media networking site, like Facebook, Circle of Moms or Twitter, in order to meet other bloggers with like interests. I've met so many really lovely ladies in the mom blogosphere through Twitter, who I might never have connected with, and it's just awesome! I've established some great relationships that I value.

What is something that people might not know about you?

I think folks would be surprised at how low-maintenance I actually am. People seem to have the perception, based on my online persona I suppose (dating way back to my BP days!), that in real life I'm this diva who is always made up. HA! I just really enjoying playing with makeup and of course love to take pictures when I'm going out. Who doesn't try to look fabulous and their very best then? But as DH would say, I'm a real "cheap date" who prefers flats, an au naturel face, flowing peasant skirts, and Pizza Hut over Nobu Berkeley any day! Save the stilettos for Naomi Campbell, 'cause I'm so over it!

Thanks Yakini! I hope you and the boys enjoy the trip!