Every Sunday I open up my social media to my followers to ask me anything. The Question and Answer is beneficial for not just my readers, but for me too. The open forum allows me to share old blog posts or answers to frequently asked questions. After years of Sunday story questions, I’m giving your Most Asked Questions about Caitlin Houston Blog a permanent place to live.
Your Most Asked Questions About Caitlin Houston Blog
How did you start blogging?
I started my first blog, Think Happy Thoughts, on Blogspot in 2008. You can see my FIRST POST EVER here. The url, www dot bear-yexcitedbride dot com, gives a little insight to what my blog was all about: planning my wedding. Since 2008, I did not stop documenting my life on my blog. From marriage to becoming a teacher to pregnancy and motherhood, you can read all about my life on Caitlin Houston Blog!
Do you make money blogging?
Want to start a blog to make money? I did not start my blog as a way to make money, but it is now a source of income. Want to know more? Here are four myths about making money as a blogger and my tips for starting a blog.
What size do you wear in Lake Pajamas?
I am a pronounced lover of Lake Pajamas and chat about them frequently on my social media stories. One question I am asked A LOT is about Lake Pajamas sizing. Lake Pajamas come in women’s sizes XXS to XXL. In flannel and pima cotton, I usually size UP to a Small because they run small and shrink easily. In Lake’s specialty fabric- like dream knit – I wear an XS.
Did you have Postpartum Depression or Anxiety? What did you do?
I had a little bit of both Postpartum Depression and Postpartum Anxiety mixed together. After weaning Annabelle and Ailey from breastfeeding, I fell into a brief period of postpartum depression and anxiety. It was pretty horrible with Annabelle because I didn’t know why I was crying every day. When I had postpartum depression with Ailey I was aware of what was happening, but I still felt awful. Read all about my postpartum depression after weaning here. As far as feeling baby blues immediately after giving birth – I suffered postpartum depression after delivering Arbor in 2022. Read about my experience with postpartum depression here.
Postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety can occur any time after giving birth to a child. I have heard so many different stories about WHEN it happens and what works/doesn’t work for a Mom. My best advice is to seek advice from a medical professional ASAP. No one, not any Mother, should suffer in silence.
What is your daughters’ age difference?
My daughters are 9, 6, and 1. The oldest are two years and eight months apart while the oldest and youngest are eight years apart.
Why did you choose to have a third after saying you were done having children?
In 2019 my husband and I made a very big decision to cap our family at two children. I am thankful we didn’t actually take any medical actions to ensure we would not procreate anymore though. Our lives changed considerably during the 2020 pandemic and we realized we wanted another baby. When I announced my third pregnancy I had a lot of longtime readers questioning our decision. Are you one of them? I listed Our Reasons for Having a Third Child and explained why we wanted to grow our family.
Do you want to have another baby?
I know I said this once before, but I mean it now: We are officially done having children. Even though I love having a baby bump, I have a lot of physical complications when I am pregnant. A fourth pregnancy would be extremely painful and uncomfortable. We don’t want to ‘try for a boy’ either. My husband and I are very happy with three daughters!
Why did you move to Connecticut?
If you have followed Caitlin Houston Blog since 2008 then you know we have not always lived in Connecticut. Even though I was born and raised in Connecticut, I lived in the south for 12 years. I transferred from the University of Connecticut to the University of Tennessee in 2005 to be with my boyfriend. After graduation, my boyfriend (now husband) and I moved to Georgia to find jobs. After our wedding, we moved to Maryland for our careers. Three years later, we moved back to Georgia to buy a home and start our family. Finally, after four years in Georgia, we moved to Connecticut.
Our decision to move from Georgia to Connecticut was a huge deal! Not many people relocate from the south to the north – but our northern move was driven by a desire to be closer to my family. We love New England’s four seasons, as well as our proximity to the beach and mountains.
Were you a teacher?
I taught elementary school for five years – four years in first grade and one year in third grade. I actually earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature with hopes to teach high school students. However, when I joined a teaching residency program in an inner city, it made most sense for me to teach younger students.
I took a break from teaching when we moved from Maryland to Georgia after becoming pregnant with Annabelle. Then I taught at a private school for talented and gifted students until I became pregnant with Ailey. Even though my dream career was to be a teacher, my passion for teaching children no longer exists. Someday, when my children are grown, I think I would like to be a college professor. But I don’t foresee myself in a classroom again for a very long time.
Did you have skin cancer?
I never thought I would be someone diagnosed with skin cancer. However, I greatly underestimated the potential of damage to my skin after the number of years I spent in a tanning bed. My experience with Basal Cell Carcinoma and Mohs Surgery was traumatic enough that I will always stay covered in the sun (and out of artificial tanning lights).
Why are you so passionate about Therapy?
I am passionate about therapy because I want to squash negative stigmas about mental health in society. I’m a firm believer in telling my mental health stories as a way to normalize discussions about anxiety, depression, and postpartum mental health care. My hope is that my conversations will encourage others to start their own.
I suffered from untreated catastrophic anxiety for a very long time. Even after I took Zoloft when I was a teacher for anxiety and depression, I didn’t seek continued support for my mental health. As a result, I didn’t know how to recognize my postpartum depression or navigate difficult situations in life. My experiences with therapy have been life changing – teaching me tools to navigate anxiety and depression and ultimately strengthening my marriage.
How did you meet your husband?
When readers learn I have been with my Tennessee born husband since I was 18 they presume we met in college. Fun fact: I met my husband before college on a cruise during our high school spring break. We will be celebrating 19 years together this May – read more about our marriage here. Or take a look below at where we started in 2003 and where we are today.
I know all of these details but love to read it again. Thanks for sharing.