A 2018 Re-Cap Including a List of Our Top 12 Most Popular Posts

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There’s nothing like looking back to see how far you’ve come. We feel pretty proud of how far we’ve come at Albuquerque Moms Blog!

2018 was quite the year for Albuquerque Moms Blog. We truly value you, the fantastic community of moms in our city and region. We love creating content and events with you in mind. It truly is an honor to be able to do what we do. 

Top Posts of 2018HIGHLIGHTS OF 2018 

Growth::

One of the big focuses of 2018 was to grow our page views and unique visitors to the blog. We’re happy to report that from 2017 to 2018, we’ve seen an 140% increase in page views! It sure does excite us to be able to reach and connect with more moms. Our social media following has grown as well with over 5,000 Facebook likes and close to 2,000 Instagram followers. Did you know we’re on Pinterest and Twitter too? We’d love to connect with you on all of those channels! 

New Contributors and Team Members::

Our contributors wrote 475 blog posts in 2018. These committed contributors put in time and thought every month to deliver content to you. What a gift they are to our community! And it’s been such a joy to welcome many new contributors to our blog. New voices. New perspectives. New ideas. New content. These are always great things!

Neighborhood Groups::

In 2018 we launched four neighborhood groups! Neighborhood Groups are online (private) Facebook groups that will allow moms to connect, ask questions (mommy or non-mommy related), discuss local happenings, and attend events like playdates and meet-ups. If you haven’t joined a neighborhood group yet, you should! 

Updated Newsletter::

Have you seen that our newsletter has gotten a face lift? If you don’t receive our weekly newsletter, you can sign up here to make sure all the local happenings and updates land in your inbox once a week. 

New Partners::

We’ve partnered with dozens of different Albuquerque businesses in 2018. We love introducing brands we love to our readers. And it’s such a privilege to support local business men and women in our community. 

Fun Events::

We had a great time planning some fantastic and well-attended events this year. Lots more events are on the horizon for 2019, for example our Galentines Moms Speed Dating Event coming up on Jan. 31. Get excited! (I know we are!)

Lots of Local Resources & Guides::

Another goal we’ve had is to put together more guides and local resources to make your life easier and promote some of our favorite places and spaces in ABQ. Look below to see some of readers’ favorite guides. And keep your eyes peeled for more of these local resources coming in 2019!

Without further ado, we want to share our most popular blog posts from the past year. We hope you enjoy re-visiting them as much as we do.

1. Your Big Kid Still Needs a Booster Seat (Yes, Really!)

Booster Seat Albuquerque Moms Blog

Now your little one is not so little anymore–he’s over 4 feet tall, styles his own hair, and his shoes approach yours in size. Or she insists that she’s a ‘big kid’, car seats are for babies, and all her friends are riding without one. At this point, it’s tempting to let your child graduate from what seems like the last remnant of early childhood -their car restraint. But you should resist the urge to ditch the booster before the right time.

2. Foster Care :: A Child’s Need for Attachment Outweighs My Fear of Loss

foster care, attachment, get attached, Albuquerque Moms Blog

I was standing over her crib in the NICU, just watching her sleep. She was seven weeks of pure preciousness! A hospital volunteer walked up behind me and asked. “Are you mom?” I proudly said, “Yes! Foster mom.” My heart was soaring. For the first time in my life, I got to acknowledge that I was a mother.  After several miscarriages, almost unbearable losses, there I was, a mom.

3. The One Thing To Look For When Choosing Activities & Sports for Kids

team, activities, sports, one thing to look for when choosing team for kids

As parents, most of us want our kids involved in sports and activities. We want them to do gymnastics, play an instrument, or join scouts. We hope they will be enriched or maybe learn some new skills. Being involved in sports or activities may even keep our kids out of trouble, especially as they get older. . . . After seven years of signing my children up for various activities and sports, I have learned an important lesson.

4. Four Things Your Child’s Teacher Wants You to Know

Letter From the Teacher 4 Things Your Child's Teacher Wants You to Know - Albuquerque Moms Blog

Parents, there is so much your teacher wants to tell you at the beginning of this new year. I asked my teacher friends to help me out with this post, and you know what? They all had the same things on their minds. So since they can’t fit it all in their one page letter, I’m writing it for them here. Here’s what your teacher wants you to know.

5. Pampering at Home: Five Simple and Low-Cost Ways to Treat Yo’ Self

pampering, self-care | Albuquerque Moms Blog

6. Three Reasons Why We Don’t Post Pictures on Vacation

We Don't Post Pictures on Vacation :: Three Reasons Why We Wait to Share Photos from Albuquerque Moms Blog

It started as something my husband asked me not to do for safety reason and quickly grew into a firm family rule. The rule is one I follow joyfully. And I plan to keep around when my kids are well into their teen years. It may sound silly. But today I would like to tell you why we don’t post pictures on vacation. 

7. Why I’m Tired of All the Wine Mom Memes

Wine Mom Meme from Albuquerque Moms Blog

First of all, this is not a judgment—I’ve sat on the sofa, trying to take deep breaths to calm my frustrations, doing the math to count the number of hours left until her bedtime, and taken mental inventory of the available alcohol in my fridge and pantry. This is a confession from one mom to another, an epiphany shared between friends. I’m tired of wine mom memes.

8. Entertain Your Toddler with Amazon Echo :: How Alexa Became My BFF

Entertain Your Toddler with Amazon Echo :: How Alexa Became My BFF from Albuquerque Moms Blog

Amazon Echo, a.k.a. “Alexa,” is a lifesaver for this mama of two. The magical little device can occupy little ones when you need to get stuff done. Simply say these commands and Alexa can be your BFF, too!

9. The Five Love Languages :: Are You Sure Your Partner Feels Loved?

five love languages

When my husband and I got engaged, we received the book The Five Love Languages. We were eager to dive in and see what it was all about. The book explains that you and your partner receive love in different ways and your love is measured by a tank. . . . Being in love and living together is completely different than expressing love to each other. Knowing exactly what makes your partner FEEL loved is a game changer. 

10. My Go-To Weeknight Slow Cooker Meal

slow cooker meal

A few years ago I was perusing Pinterest for healthy slow cooker meals and stumbled upon this chicken recipe, which has become my go-to when I don’t know what to cook for dinner or don’t have time to cook. I make sure I always have at least the majority of the ingredients on hand so I can dump everything in and go! So far, everyone I have made it for has liked it, and I hope you will too! 

11. Thrift Shopping in the 505 :: A Guide to ABQ Thrift Stores

Albuquerque thrifting, thrift stores, consignment

Thrift shopping is one of my favorite hobbies. I love finding unique items at a great price. It’s also a budget friendly way to clothes shop for your kids. I have found some pretty awesome second hand stuff in the Duke City, from designer clothing to vintage furniture, and even brand new baby clothes! The next time you need to go shopping, consider hitting up one of these local thrift stores. Check out these Albuquerque thrift stores and get some tips to help you save even more!

12. What No One Tells You About Miscarriage

miscarriage Albuquerque moms blog

After giving birth to two wonderful, healthy sons, I experienced multiple miscarriages in a row. Pregnancy loss is very common, and although recurrent losses are less common, it’s still something many women go through. We all know someone touched by miscarriage, yet it is still somewhat of a taboo topic. I found myself in uncharted territory.

Some of Our Readers' Favorite Local Resources & Guides

Guide to Date Night | Albuquerque Moms Blog
Photographers (5)
preschool, pro, childcare, albuquerque
Guide to Private Schools
Guide to Private Schools (7)
Guide to Womens Healtj(2)
Guide to Coffee Shops

We have all kinds of exciting things planned for 2019, and we are so glad to be on this motherhood journey with you!