“Yeah, This One Right Here Goes Out to all the Baby’s Mamas, Mamas… Mamas, Mamas.”

Dear Diary,

I would like to dedicate this blog to my mother Malvane Hopson, sister Farah Middleton and my daughter Caithlynn–three generations of the Hopson clan.

My mother and sister, along with a host of aunts (including the late Vanessa Neal), my grandmothers (June Hopson and Clara Stephens–may they cheer me on from above), cousins (too many to name!) and my friends (including one of my bff’s who was a teen mom and made it her mission to make sure we didn’t follow suit, and despite the odds, she overcame and is one of the best moms I know!) all made me into the mother I am today.

They taught me that you don’t need a lot of money, but you do need a lot of patience and a lot of love to raise a child. They extended their hearts and their homes and babysat Baby C when I needed a break or a drink! They listened to my stories about what is mundane to some but memorable to me. They gave me tons of advice, but even more space to make my own decisions. They wiped my tears, supported my dreams and inspired me to live my life–making mistakes and all! I want to make sure I didn’t forget to thank them for everything they’ve done.

So, I wanted to merge the two things I loved most—Journalism and Baby C. I was a stay-at-home mom who spent a lot of time reading baby blogs, chasing the latest parenting news and exposing my daughter to videos, books and classes. Although I enjoyed being a mom, I missed being a reporter. So, God poured lots of ideas into my brain–I really can’t take the credit as I was sleep deprived and forgetful! I connected with other bloggers, a production company and a graphic and web designer. After a long labor, Diary of a First Time Mom was born!