Follow Friday - Katie from Sluiter Nation

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great week.

The new job is going REALLY well, but man has it been busy! Plus I'm going through major internet withdrawal - no Facebook, no Twitter...Ahhhhhhhh.

This weeks featured Follow Friday blogger is none other than Katie from Sluiter Nation. I was introduced to Katie by one of my e-besties, Miranda from Not Super...Just Mom and I'm so glad she did. I hope you will check her out and leave her some love!

Who are you (name/blog/things we should know)?

My name is Katie Sluiter! It's so fun to be here today! I am a mom, a wife, a teacher, and so much more! I have a couple blogs: Sluiter Nation and Katie's Bookcase. Sluiter Nation is my place to talk about me and my little family. We have lots of ups and downs...more downs lately...but we always seem to find the funny in it. I am a PPD/A survivor and through the blogging/twitter communities have really found a passion for helping to advocate for woman who suffer postpartum disorders. My son, Eddie, is quite literally a blessing to us. We suffered two miscarriages before he decided to "stick". And since he has been in our life? We have never laughed more!

What got you started blogging and what do you blog about?

I started blogging at Sluiter Nation back in 2007. It was really just a way to have a place for all our family and friends to see what was going on in our life. This past spring I sort of learned more about the blogging community, and I found twitter. I also found out I have PPD/A. When I decided to tell anyone who wanted to read about it on my blog, the response was overwhelming. I went from 7 little faces in my GFC to over a hundred! I couldn't believe the support out there!

I blog about PPD/A, but I also blog about everything else that goes with being a working mom and wife. Whatever is going on with us? I share. Sharing (and sometimes oversharing) is who I am. I am a communication addict.

This past summer I started up Katie's Bookcase as a way to talk about books and all things reading. I have been a high school language teacher for the past eight years and have come to realize how very important it is to become a life-long reader. After realizing that there was no way I could read books fast enough to satiate the thirst my readers had for new reviews, I took on nine contributing authors to help me out. They have been doing an amazing job and it's really becoming a little community of people who love to read and talk about it!

If you were another person would you be friends with you?

I would totally be friends with me! I am hella fun!

I wrote a guest post once about why I am a great guest to have over. I will seriously bring the fun.

I try very hard to be the kind of person that thinks of how others will feel/react to things. I know I am no good at hugging you when you cry, but I WILL make you laugh. And I would rather laugh than get a hug, so yeah. I am my own kind of peep.

What has been one of your favorite moments of being a mom?

The best thing ever about being a mom was the moment I realized that I was Eddie's mom. I was his. And he SEES me that way.

It happened at a time when most people would be tired and annoyed and ready to just put him down and let him cry. He had woken up just as the hubs and I were going to go to bed. I don't know if he had a nightmare or what, but he was inconsolable. The ONLY person he wanted to cuddle with was me. Daddy did NOTHING for him. Suddenly in that stressful moment I felt sudden peace. My heart smiled and sang. I am a momma. I am HIS momma.

What is one piece of information you would give all new moms and moms-to-be that you wish you had gotten?

I wish I had known more about postpartum disorders. The only thing I knew about were the Baby Blues and what I had seen on For Keeps (you know, with Molly Ringwald ignoring her baby and then she suddenly gets better with no help from doctors or meds? Yeah, that). That was not how it was AT ALL. I know it's different for every woman, but the literature and passing comments I got said NOTHING about feeling an overneed for perfection or the guilt or the resentment or the anger toward people who WEREN'T my baby.

I would tell moms that feeling all emotional for a couple weeks? Totally normal. But if any of those feelings feel out of control or manic? That is NOT normal! Tell someone! Don't wait and think it will go away. I waited 9 months. Nine months I can't get back with my son, my husband or anyone else I lashed out at. If you're not healthy? Neither is your family.

Other than Taking It One Step at a Time, what are some of your favorite blogs?

Oh man. This one is SO hard because I am SURE to leave SOMEONE out! Well, I never miss a post by Kris at Pretty All True or Adrienne over at No Points for Style. And of course there is Miranda over at Not Super...Just Mom. She is like my etwin! We are both teachers, both have blond curly-haired one-ish year olds, and we are both awesome. But I can't forget Emily of DesignHer Momma. She is my IRL friend as well as my bloggy friend. There are many, MANY others who I adore. My reader is always jam-packed with tons of great reads!

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I hope you have a fantastic weekend readers - don't forget, I'm looking for more featured Follow Friday Bloggers so contact me if you would like to be included!