Hello Again, MV Readers!

MomVesting Readers, how I've missed you! As you all know, I've been away for a few months. No, not playing hooky. I took this time off from writing for one huge yet tiny reason: getting to know my newborn baby girl. And let me tell you: she's a doll. She has a full head of straight dark hair that I can now put into pigtails. Her huge, pink chipmunk cheeks and large dark eyes give her a Gerber baby appearance. And she's begun to squeal, laugh and otherwise “talk” her way through her days of flirting with the ceiling fan, kicking like crazy and asking to snuggle.

As I've focused on this newfound wonder in my life, my visions of perfect parenthood have fizzled into a reality of sleepless nights and fog-headed days. Yet I wouldn't trade this mommyhood reality for the perfect, airbrushed parenthood showcased on TV shows. Television misses the mark on so many things, and in this parent life, it cannot capture the knock-you-off-your-feet love and adoration that I feel for my daughter. Now that is perfection.

Despite all the love and sleeplessness accosting my household, I do miss writing and connecting with you, MomVesting Readers. So now is the time to return to my MV duties with a newfound respect for and understanding of parents everywhere. I hope to add more topics to MomVesting, beginning with some baby-focused finance posts (because I now know how much babies truly do cost...and it ain't a dollar!).

So, without further adieu, I welcome you all to share in new MV topics as we continue to tackle topics of old, all focused on investing in family, friends, work, life...and oh, yeah, personal finance!

Also, it's Friday: time for Friday Round-Up! I could have listed hundreds of wonderful posts that I missed over the last few months, but I need to keep the list manageable. So here are a few of the more recent posts that caught my attention:

• Joe at Retire by 40 helps out stay-at-home parents with his article “Life Insurance Tips for Stay-at-Home Parents.” Check out this must-read for SAHMs and SAHDs.
• Stock choices spinning in your head? Check in with Marie at Prairie EcoThrifter for surprisingly modern advice from a 1960s stock investment strategy book.
• Average Joe takes a look back at 9-11 through financial eyes and sheds some light on how to safeguard your financial information. See how 9-11 and personal finances are connected – and how you can keep your info safe should disaster strike.
• Interested in joining a lending club but unsure what to do? Bryan at Pinch That Penny details his personal strategy for lending to those in need.

Photo Source