You've probably heard the term "mommy blogger" before.

At nine months postpartum, I started to wonder why they are so prevalent. The transition into parenthood is so jolting, so huge, so irreversible, and so utterly without a blueprint for guaranteed success.

When we become parents, our waking hours increase dramatically. However, the hours we spend engaged in conversation with someone who speaks in words and sentences drastically decreases. This leaves a lot of time for contemplation. As new parents navigate our “new normal” and reflect on our mistakes, obsess over what we wish we'd known, and replay what we would have done differently, it dawns on us. "I bet what I’m learning would be helpful for other new parents!" Could we save them from making the same stupid mistakes? Help them feel how we wish we felt? More confident, better rested, less isolated?

We have so many ideas, stubbornly playing on repeat, yet no one to talk to. Have you ever felt desperate for an outlet, to speak to someone, anyone? Talking to your partner about baby poops doesn’t usually take the edge off.

Countless mothers are claiming clever URLs, sharing their birth stories, giving advice on how to pack a hospital bag, sleep train, attachment parent, and start solids. Some are good, some are garbage, and some are simply a nice place for the blogger to direct their perseverations. Instead of taking up a similar path, I’ll leave those topics for the other mamas.

Those topics fill my days, but aren’t necessarily what interests me. I am interested in what I’ll call “My Great Experiment”: figure out how to maintain a studio practice, make money at it, feel connected to community, and experience daily joy, all while working as the primary caregiver for my first child. My first step in launching this undertaking involves connecting to my community, so this is where I’ll be sharing the progress of My Great Experiment.