This was supposed to be a “What I learned at BlogHer” post, but then I realized that I didn’t really learn anything, and I had a horrible time, so there was no way to spin it in a positive light.

I did learn one thing, but it wasn’t at any of the sessions (since I missed them all, while TRYING to talk to brands in the Expo hall). Since I have come home, I have been trying to process all that was BlogHer. I am reading recap posts from other bloggers, and going “Were they at the SAME place as I was?” because people are talking about the great time they had at parties and wonderful connections they made. Yes, many of them had the same experiences as me, as far as the hotel being a huge disappointment, and that is something for another post entirely, but for now, I want to tell you the thing I learned while NOT at BlogHer.

This is MY blog. I don’t have to be politically correct, if I don’t wish to be. I can put personal notes out there, and show pictures of my children, if I so wish. I can tell stories of my life, and talk about plush uterus toys, if that is my desire. And then it is up to YOU, my dear readers, to decide if you wish to come back and keep reading. I am no longer going to pretend to be someone else, I am going to be ME. No, I am NOT perfect. I sometimes swear, and I have the occasional drink. I also start talking to my kids about life, at a very young age. We talk about how things work, how babies are made, and NO, the stork does NOT come to our house. They know that babies are made through eggs and sperm, and where each of those cells are located in the human body. And so you have it, my 2 year old daughter, hugging a stuffed uterus while she sleeps.

This plush uterus was one of the items being given away at the Expo Hall during BlogHer from Novasure, at their “Change the Cycle” booth. I never did make it over to them, they were always full with women, and I didn’t really care to hear about heavy periods. I didn’t even know they were giving away these plush uteri until BlogHer was over, and I found this gal in the Swag Exchange room. Apparently someone didn’t think it was quite as cool as I did…or they just couldn’t fit it in their luggage for the way home. I don’t really care which it was, I am just glad that they dropped it off, so I had the chance to snatch it up!

I have 6 kids. I had my first when I was 16. Yes, I was a very young mom. My mother never gave me the talk…the first time we discussed it, was when I was 3 months pregnant. She didn’t know I was pregnant of course, she just thought that since I was now sixteen, that I should know. I say 16 is far too old to start talking about the birds and the bees. It was right then, that I told myself that, no matter what gender my child was going to be, that I was going to educate them from a very early age. We don’t have who-haws (or oshes, as my mother called them…yes, i really thought that was the proper term!) we have vaginas. Boys don’t have pee-pees or wieners, they have penises. When I became pregnant with my second child, and my oldest asked me where babies came from, yes, I got those butterflies in my stomach, but I told him that babies were made in womens bellies, and answered questions shortly, but correctly, as he asked them. At only 3 years old, he didn’t need complete details, but I wasn’t about to brush off his questions, or flat out lie to him. As time went on, I have done the same thing. Given him the info he needed, while not giving too much. He is 12 now, and he knows that he can come to me with ANY questions he may have. we have a great relationship, and I think it is tightly related to my view on answering questions.

So, back to the stuffed uterus. My daughter carries it around by its fallopian tube arms, and even brought it to the store with us yesterday. Of course, she dropped it, and my 6 year old proudly announced “She dropped her uterus!” Yea, I got some looks, but, you know what? I am proud that my daughters know what their bodies are made of, and I am proud of my 2 year old for almost mastering the word “ooter us”. The body is a wonderful thing, and we should all be proud of ours. Part of being proud of your body, is knowing what it can do.

And that is what I learned while NOT being at BlogHer this year.