I Just Wanted To Say Thank You!

If you were to ask me why I started this blog my answer would be that it was just a snap decision; I was feeling a bit bored and frustrated at not being able to find a job flexible enough to fit around the kids, and considering I have always liked to write, it was something to occupy my mind.

I knew I wanted it to be honest, I read baby book after baby book in my early days of motherhood and I swear they were responsible for sending me to a pretty dark place. I didn’t plan for it to be funny and I certainly never expected so many people to read it and resonate with it.

It’s lovely, it really is. Yet  it’s also slightly nauseating if I think about it too much, because I am putting myself out there for complete strangers to review…

update

Annoying… yes. A bit of a dick… I can be. But the drawings are crap?!?!? WTF?! HOW VERY DARE YOU!!!

You see more the stats grow the less people seem to see that it’s just one person sitting here, X Factor on in the background, writing about her life, warts and all.

I don’t know what happens to people when they are sat safely behind computer screens, it seems to bring out the vilest of their sides. In real life if you disagree with someone or find them annoying, then for the most part smiling and politely nodding before making your excuses to leave, is enough.

On the internet however the reaction can commonly be…

depressed

And yes that was a real quote too. One of my particular favourites!

There are times when I feel like deleting this blog and shutting down my facebook page. I get that not everyone will like it but do I deserve to be personally attacked for it? It’s like going to a really harsh appraisal for a job I don’t even get paid to do.

shit

I’m lucky though that it’s only a very small minority of people. 99% of the time people get that what I say is very tongue in cheek, that I obviously appreciate all that I have, love my boys to Toys R Us and back, and am just trying to raise a smile along the way.

On Friday night I got another little bit of validation that perhaps I shouldn’t be sneaking out the back door clutching my P45 just yet, because I won Blog Of The Year at the 2015 MAD blog awards!

And although awards aren’t why bloggers blog, and they don’t really make much of a difference. It came at a point where that boost meant quite a lot to me, as did seeing all of your amazing comments on Facebook, Instagram and twitter.

So a massive thank you to you all for reading, voting, sharing and always having my back against the meanies, you are the reason that I carry on xxx

P.S please do check out some the amazing finalists in my category Brummy Mummy Of 2, Don’t Be Sorry, Rainbeau Belle, Stolen Sleep and The Unmumsy Mum – I’m sure you will enjoy their blogs as much as I do!

P.P.S Haters – never feel sorry for my kids, they life the life of fricking Riley! It’s me who needs the sympathy.

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P.S. I have a new book OUT NOW! You can nab it on Amazon here or in your lovely local bookshop :)

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59 thoughts on “I Just Wanted To Say Thank You!

  1. lindsey kettle

    Congratulations on the well-deserved MAD award. You are by far one of my favourite bloggers to read. You make me howl sometimes with your realistic view of life. If people claim to not like it then they must be mad or lying to themselves. Many of my friends love reading too – even the ones without kids. x

    Reply
  2. MyLife MyLove

    huge bloomin congratulations. You and your words are awesome. My husband never reads, not even my own blog, but yours… He loves it.
    And to the haters…. They were engaged enough to read your whole post for them to write a comment. So I reckon that’s a win to you! Lots of love Ali x

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  3. Bethany

    Huge Congrats on your recent award, well deserved. Keep on with what your doing but please don’t give the meanies any mind or attention. Love your posts

    From a truly sleep deprived mom who finds comfort and solace in parent bloggers like yourself xxx

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  4. Jenny

    Everyone has a voice on the internet and I really don’t know if that’s a good thing or an awful one? It means I can find blogs like yours that brighten my darkest days when I know my kids are possessed and I am the worst mother ever and it tells me I am not alone. But it also means that every mad, cat crazy, curtain twitching, humour bypassed lunatic who wouldn’t dare go out in normal society gets to cast judgement too.

    Don’t stop – there couldn’t be enough gin in the world!

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  5. Becky

    I love you. I really do. Becoming and being a parent doesn’t (shouldn’t) involve the removal of your personality & sense of humour…it’s amazing, rewarding, frustrating and revolting…to be honest about the teeth grinding aspects of it in a funny and bloody heart warming way is awesome to read and makes me feel NORMAL!! If you think that being a good parent is about counting how many chick peas your kid’s ingested today (in the commonly accepted way) then this isn’t the blog for you. If you adore your kid’s but are have enough intelligence to be honest that being a parent is not all that you are, then it is. Please don’t stop :-)

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  6. Schoolrunstyle

    Absolutely well deserved, your blog makes me laugh out loud so much. I just wish there were blogs like yours when my two were tiny babies, it would have made me feel normal! Amazing achievement and the most wicked sense of humour, thanks so much for brightening up this too-serious-world of parenting xxxx

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  7. clairebear

    Jeeeeez. What is wrong with these people! I think youre utterly brilliant and you bring sunshine and smiles into my day. If they can’t tell how much you love your kids they are quite a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Please Please please dont stop writing! ( I have a nearly 1 year old boy and a nearly 4 year old boy so I pretty much use your blog as a training guide).

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  8. Richmond Mummy

    Katie, you are incredibly talented and hilariously funny. Fact. And I love your blog. Double fact. And you deserve every bloody success, so shake it off and to all the haters #whatever Loving your work xx

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  9. Di

    YOU have kept my strength up, my chin up and my gin topped up!
    You ARE the reason why I get through each day with 5 year old twins and a 7 year old…and a husband, who, has to work late your posts maker feel human and normal, and make me want to laugh out loud!!
    ATTA girl for winning this award..well deserved!

    I wish for MORE of you and your wonderful blogs….HURRAH FOR GIN!!!!

    ❤️❤️❤️❤️

    Reply
  10. Carie

    I was absolutely thrilled to see you win, it was long overdue, and I’m glad that it came at the right time to give you a boost when you need it. Anyone with an ounce of common sense and see how much you love your boys, and the trolls just need to go back under the bridge!

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  11. Claire @ Clarina's Contemplations

    I’ll be honest and say I’d heard a lot about your blog, but never made it over here… Until now! Now I see what all the fuss is about! I think you HAVE to have a sense of humour as a parent… Either that or you go mad! Congrats on the award, I will be popping back!

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  12. Holly

    Your blog is the best thing I found on the internet. I utterly love it, the honesty, the sentiment, the humour. I love whenever you publish a new post, it’s like going to read a favourite book or sitting with a glass of wine with a best friend. One of my favourites of all time is your one about trying to parent when hungover. I was going through exactly the same thing on the Sunday evening when that popped up in my newsfeed! Thank you for taking all the time and effort to keep the blog going. You utterly deserve that award. x

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  13. jessie

    you ought to track those meanies because I wonder. . .are any of them dedicated gripers who continue to read and complain and on and on. when really they should just. stop. reading. if they dislike it all so much. it may make a delicious pie graph. mmm. pie.

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  14. Leila Boukarim

    Congratulations Katie! Your blog is hilarious and wonderful and I can’t imagine anyone being “offended” by it (is that what they are? Offended? Or maybe just jealous?)

    There are bound to be haters. And the confidence they gain while hiding behind a screen is nauseating. But the fact that they’re after you means yours doing something of substance (which is obvious by growing stats and the award!) and that’s it. Nothing makes these people happy. Nothing.

    Congrats to you and all those fabulous bloggers (Stolen Sleep is also one of my favorites… I love that Emily-Jane).

    Enjoy your success!

    Reply
  15. Seychellesmama

    Somehow I managed to miss all the news from the MADS so firstly a huge big fat amazing well done that’s awesome!!
    I’m sad that people feel it’s ok to write shit like that though :( I’ve heard a few stories of some bad mouthing recently it’s horrible. I definitely think people forget there is real people behind all our blogs and that mostly we are pretty normal!!!
    Anyway, congrats again on winning hope you had loads of fun celebrating!!! Xx

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  16. Amy

    I had no idea you’d had such vile comments. I hope you took them up on the social visitor one? Totally agree. People forget we are little people just writing on our wordpress sites.

    Well done again, YOU WON (long overdue) x

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  17. Helen Connolly

    I have never followed a blog, I was never interested in them, I may have been the person that rolled their eyes when someone started talking about their blog, but hurrah for gin changed all that!!!
    Love your writing, instantly relatable, laugh out loud!!! I’m a bit of a fan☺️
    Plus- who knew you could portray so much emotion through stick people???! I honestly don’t know how you do that
    Delighted on your win, well deserved

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  18. Abi Smith

    I for one do not feel sorry for your kids. They seem to be growing into lovely little boys who you can be very proud of. Children just have a habit of driving you absolutely insane sometimes.
    I am at home nearly every day with my 2 boys, and honestly, a new post from yourself can brighten up some of those darker moments that come as I watch (another) twirlywoos, remove sucked cheerios from my hair, and stare in despair at my house which looks like a bomb has gone off in it, while my unruly toddler & baby have a good go at destroying everything that I own.
    Does it make me a bad parent to use humour to laugh away the moments where I wish I could just sit back with a glass of prosecco, afford a holiday or have a wee in peace?! No. It makes me normal. Those who tell you otherwise are in serious denial. Either that or they are a bit too Stepford Wives like for me to get on well with anyway, so who cares about their opinion.
    Congratulations on the win, you definitely deserve it! Have a large gin for me! I just hope the hangover wasn’t too bad the next morning ;) X

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  19. Aileen

    I never really understand why people have to be completely nasty about bloggers. I love your blog as it is genuninely the most honest one I have found out there and is bloody hilarious at the same time. Keep up the good work :) x

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  20. Sarah (Grenglish)

    You are my blog of the year! I may not always comment but I do read every post and I LOVE them all. You crack me up online and are possibly one of the loveliest bloggers I have met in person. You deserve every bit of your success. Haters gonna hate but we’ve got your back. Congratulations once again on your award, the first of very many I am sure x

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  21. Helen

    Congratulations and well deserved too! My children are now both teens but I remember all too well the early years and you hit the spot with exactly the things that enchant and infuriate at the same time! As for the haters well in the words of Taylor Swift ‘…goin to shake shake shake. Shake it off…’

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  22. Emma

    Katie-You are fabulous and you so deserve all of your success and the Blog of the Year award. Who knows why people lash out at you- I’m quite sure jealousy and insecurity play a massive part though. As your own card says babe, haters gonna hate, so don’t let the bastards get you down. Congratulations love- I’m only sorry I wasn’t there to say it in person, Emma xx

    Reply
  23. Leigh - Headspace Perspective

    Congratulations again Katie! Was lovely to spend time with you on Friday. You know, I am very sensitive because of my situation and there are some other people’s blogs that I don’t read because of that. While I don’t have personal experience of the situations you write/draw about they do make me chuckle. I see your drawings pop up on the FB timelines of non-blogging friends all the time and they help them – that’s a wonderful thing. Some people, those who write mean things are weird xxx

    Reply
  24. Jo

    I don’t normally comment on blogs, but I think yours is great – honest, and reflecting a load of other people’s real experiences with kids (mine are 8 and 4). (The drawings are great too.) I suspect there are legions of us (normally) silent appreciators out there, so please think about us when you’re feeling discouraged and need motivation. Also re-reading these comments would have to give you a lift!
    Hurrah for Hurrah for Gin! (and gin!)

    Reply
  25. Hannah Woods

    Congratulations on the award! I first came across your blog just after I’d thrown Ewan the f******g dream sheep across the room and was trying to work out why this apparentry miracle sleep cure wasn’t working on my 4 month old (who, 6 months later, still thinks sleep is for losers). Despite many of my friends not having children, we all read and love your blog even if we don’t comment. We’re these grumps never told that if you don’t have anything nice to say, to say nothing at all?! I say keep up the good work, drawings and all! X x x

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  26. Katie @mummydaddyme

    I LOVE YOU! And your blog. I will always be one of your biggest fans and you deserved every single bit of recognition for your award the other night. I have been here since the very beginning and always will be. Stuff the haters, it’s tongue in cheek, funny and you are a bloody lovely lady. That is all. x

    Reply
  27. Sophie U

    Yours is my favourite blog! So so funny, insightful and anyone who reads it who thinks you don’t adore your children is, frankly, a moron! Parenthood is hard and blogs like yours provide much needed laughs and solace. Congrats on your win, you so deserve it xx

    Reply
  28. VickyS

    Many congrats on a well-deserved win. I have a five year-old and twin toddler boys and you seem to be going through many of the same experiences as us at a similar time. When I fail to see the funny side of parenting, you are there to point it out for me. Thanks. X

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  29. Anne

    For every hater you must have at least a hundred lovers! oops! that doesn’t sound quite right :) Take no notice, the blog is brill and the award well deserved xx

    Reply
  30. Cate

    Well done for all your brilliant writing and well deserved prize! I am mum to a 2 and 4 yr old boys and they are my absolute loves and also drive me insane. I’m also a very happy step mum to a 12 yr old boy and he is also my gift as I know no matter how crazy it gets in these young days, teen boy kids are just ace and your boys will LOVE what you are writing now when they are older. Please never stop. We all need you :)

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  31. Notmyyearoff

    Huge congrats Katie, you so deserve it. Your blog is fantastic and funny and I love reading it. And how dare people criticise your drawings. Keyboard warriors eh? Must be sad for them to invest so much emotion in a complete strangers blog.

    Reply
  32. KentOwl

    I love your blog – it makes me laugh so much. I have recommended it to several friends. I’m not much good at social media and don’t look at blogs much, but I make sure to check yours every week or so!

    Reply
  33. Pingback: Tots Good Reads #3 | Tots 100

  34. MrsK

    My friend just introduced me to your blog with the accolade “best parenting blog ever” so you’re clearly doing something right and I like what I read so far. Including your visual aids. Keep trucking and congrats on the award!

    Reply
  35. jo

    I think you’re ace… I am a new mummy (Flora is 13 months, can I still say that?) just scratching and scraping my way back to work with my raggedy, bitten fingernails. You are an inspiration and the only negative feeling i have towards you is jealousy… well done!

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  36. Helen

    Well done! I love your blog, completely resonates with me! Why are some people so mean??? Ignore them! And the drawings are great:) Hxx

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  37. Mrs O

    I’m a latecomer to your blog having only found it tonight after a friend shared your bedtime routine post on facebook. I’ve spent the past (looks at watch.. ahh f*ck).. erm far too many minutes reading some of your posts and laughing out loud like a loon, to the point hubby is asking what I’m laughing at. I have a 3 year old and a 8 month old and your blogs are so true and life with kids really is like that! So not sure why people think you sh*t, or they feel sorry for your kids at all!
    Keep doing what you’re doing… xx

    Reply
  38. Hampshire Cat

    Hello there – I only discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago but I had to leave a comment to say how awesome it is. I just can’t stop chuckling at your posts. As a Mum of a 4yr old and nearly 2yr old, I can absolutely identify with so much of what you say. It’s honestly brightened up my life over the last fortnight. Thank you for making me feel sane again! Your drawings are just brilliant too – ignore what the nasty people say, they are absolutely fantastic. Your latest one about pinning down arms during teeth brushing has had me giggling to myself all day – so glad it’s not just me!

    Many, many congratulations on your win – really well deserved!

    Reply
  39. Iain

    Congrats. Retrospectively, refusing to read parenting books was possibly the best decision we made. I had a look at a couple of baby sleep ones, and found the problem with them all is that babies can’t read, and thus have no appreciation of what you’re trying to get them to do.

    It’s sad how much criticism mothers get from other mothers. As a father who splits care with my wife, I definitely benefit from the Samuel Johnson effect (‘like a dog’s walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all.’) :-)

    Reply
  40. julia

    no, thank you for such a hilarious blog, i swear i have never laughed so much at something seen on the internet. and i find that what you say is helpful in understanding there can be an ironic side to the worst days with your kids, without having to abandon them on the highway. i feel i love my toddler even more, now. you totally deserve that prize.
    love!

    Reply
  41. Jess

    I am currently in the blissful limbo of BC (before kids) where you envision having kids will be all snuggle time and passing on your profound knowledge. However, because I work in schools, I see the reality on a daily basis. Your blog is snort aloud funny and so easy to relate to even though I have not experienced ‘the horror’ yet! My partner is somewhat bemused why I am laughing till I cry, but I’ll have to keep quiet as he is considering the shape his mid life crisis will take and I don’t want him to get ideas from Daddy! Topsy and Tim are absolutely wonderful, please, please keep writing and remember that haters gonna hate, but nothing says you are doing a good job like making a childless adult snort out their tea in laughter!
    BTW I dress like a Mum too! WT….?

    Reply

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