I’m Anne and I’m 34 years old (until tomorrow). I live in Denver with my husband and am currently 15 weeks pregnant with my first. I’ve been reading your blog for about 3 or four months… lately mostly for fashion advice. I cleaned out the Liz Lange clearance rack last weekend thanks to you, getting 4 outfits for $75. Thanks for the laughs and the pictures I gobble them up instead of taking my life too seriously. All the best for a beautiful baby. Oh, and February is a *fantastic* month to have a birthday.

name: Gina
age: 18, seriously. I think I’m the youngest here or at least the youngest to come out of hiding.

I live in Maryland and go to high school (bleh), which I will escape soon THANK GOD in favor of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design where I hope to go into graphic design but who knows. I was accepted probably about two weeks ago, which triggered extreme schoolwork related apathy. I like design and photography and other art endeavors and I work at a library shelving books which is really boring, but far better than having to deal with people.

Oh god I’ve probably been reading this blog thanks to my Mom since it was up on the ol’ diaryland. I keep coming back because you can somehow make something that would be boring coming from anyone else…worthy of reading. And hilarious. Also I enjoy your cat and your son.

With my timing Smalltopus could be upon us right now, I hope all is well and can’t wait for pictures!

1. Sabine
2. 33 as of yesterday
3. I own a home in South Texas with my 135 lb four legged kid, I am a petroleum geologist by day and a tribal bellydancer on the weekends. I am on the beach every other possible second.
4. Since 2002… I think mostly I keep coming back because you validate me – the things that I can’t quite figure out how to say, you bring them out and clarify them for me often times. You validate my dorkiness and my fears. Best of all, you make me laugh from my belly.

Ya’ll are in my thoughts today, congratulations on STP!!

Kari, 36 (almost 37), Seattle, attorney. No longer married, no kids, one bothersome dog.

I have been reading a couple of years, I think. I found you through amalah. I read because your writing is damn near perfect.

Best of luck to you and your family today. I can’t believe how often I am checking for an update.

Well, OK.

1. Scott Dierdorf, of the Fishsuit Dierdorfs.

2. 34, at least for a few more weeks.

3. I live with my lovely wife and daughter and about 25 cameras. I work on a small team at an unnamed large software company (that is not Microsoft) doing product design, coding, and whatever else is needed.

4. I’ve been reading since…er, 2001? 2002? I’ve lost track. I read because you are teh r0x0rs, and because you are a great writer, and because you’re hilarious, and because I like to live vicariously through you and your awesome writing career. (How many blogs do you have now? 7? You will soon rule the world.)

Best of luck tomorrow! We’ll be rooting for you.

1. Jen
2. 27
3. Live with my boyfriend of 3.5 years in the midwest, no dog (yet!!), started out as a newspaper reporter, now am a first year associate attorney. (ahh! when did I get all grown up?)
4. I think I’ve been reading for a couple of years – might have seen the link on dooce? Anyway, I keep reading because I love, love, love your writing style! Super funny, honest, just awesome. Never change. Also, your son is adorable. Best of luck with STP. :)

Holy shit, woman. There are 604 comments on this post.

I’m Lumpyhead’s Mom. I’m in my mid-thirties, and I work on Capitol Hill. I’m taking a break from the mind-numbing fun that is the President’s budget to see if you’ve had that baby yet. I come here because you curse in an interesting manner. Also, you recommend things that I realize I must have and then can’t imagine what I did before. (example 1: replica swiss gas mask bag. I use it as a small diaper bag, because, come ON, it’s funny. A gas mask bag. For diapers. example 2: wire cutters. I bought them for my husband for Christmas and he worships at my feet every time he has to open a new toy, for it is awesome.)

Kelly

Age: 41

I live in Idaho with my youngest daughter, she graduated high school last year. I am not married. I lost my husband in ’93 and haven’t remarried. I’m a legal assistant/secretary (same damn thing really). I’m probably posting this late but I just wanted to wish you and your family all the best and to say congratulations. I’ve read your blog for about 2 1/2 yrs. The reason I keep coming back is because you are funny as hell and 9 times out of 10 you update every day and I love that. I hate when I start reading some people’s blogs and then they only update like once a month. Again, Congrats!!

1) kali
2) 24
3) i’m an artist/student, getting a post-bacc certificate in fibers arts at the moment. i live in philly with my cat and my loom.
4) i’ve been reading since… the end of high school? ’01. there have been a few breaks when i didn’t have computers or internet, but i keep coming back, for many reasons- your humor, writing style, my long term lurker investment… (though i used to not just lurk, back on d-land- but that was years ago.)
best of luck today!!! i’m so excited for you!

Name: Elizabeth
Age: 32 on Feb 11
Stats: Mother of 3, 8 yo boy; 5yo Boy and 2 yo girl, married 10 years but together for 15 on March 5th. Work from office and some days from home to try and spend as much time as possible with my kiddos.
Why: I’ve been reading since the club mom thing started, found you there first then realized you had this blog and have been subscribing to all three ever since. I keep coming back because you are freakin hilarious, honest, (I keep waiting for mom parenting poetry,) your family is totally awesome! and because I like you… GOOD LUCK with #2…

Adding to the really long list of comments!

Name – Kate
Age – 28
Loc – MN (transplanted here from NY)for my husbands job, we have our first baby due April 1.

Found you from my husband actually who found you on a ‘best of’ list, humor I think, and he quit reading blogs altogether but I’ve read since just before you got pregnant with #1. I love your mix of day to day stuff, navel gazing, pictures, and interesting info on stuff like roomba and face powders – it is just right for me :) I think you have a baby by now if I calculate the “30 more min” correctly.

Well, I’m a little late to jump on THIS bandwagon, as it is already Monday afternoon, but I will anyway.

Name: Jen (but don’t tell anyone)

Age: 36

Occupation: Chauffeur, maid, cook. I mean, mom.

How long and why: Not too terribly long, I clicked over from somewhere. I will stay forever on the off chance you will introduce me to something like that Gooey Butter Cake again (that WAS you, right?)

Oh, I forgot the part about who I live with. My husband and four daughters (13,7,5,1). A cat and a fish (we cycle through the fish fairly regularly).

1. jillian
2. 26
3. AA at large Redmond software company (perhaps you are familiar?) Have a one year old baby boy, 1 stinky dog and 1 sweet fiance.
4. love the updates on Riley. Gives me a peek into my future! Been reading for years (since before babies). Love the photography of Seattle and to see what local spots we have in common.

Aw shucks – how can I not add my little bio in? I’m refreshing evry five minutes anyways!

name – M.
age – 36 this year
place – Bellingham
Heard about you originally through Karli at momonawire, but have been reading for about two years…I come back b/c you are a brilliant writer and b/c I have a 4 and 6 year old and you help me remember it’s all normal. Can’t wait to see your new one!

Katherine
Age 44
Live with my german shorthaired pointer, Sophie in Seattle.
Access your blog via my BFF’s blog.
Have no kids or looming baby woes–just find your writing candid and funny and well, just wildly entertaining. Love the pics too, and envy you your seemingly wonderful little family (even with the issues you’ve written about).
Hope the delivery goes well, and you both come out of it healthy and with all your parts.
Cheers.

My name: Sharri
My age: I will be 37 this year. Yikes!
Life in a nutshell: I live in MA with my five year old son. Going through a divorce this year after 11 years of marriage. Pretty much sucks, but I’m learning to deal and thinking that life could be better than I thought it could be. I’m a teacher. Er. Um. Is that really my life in a nutshell? Couldn’t it have read like something more interesting?
I started reading your blog last year, I think, and I found you through Purple Is a Fruit and followed you here.
Thinking of you! Be well!

1. Ulli
2. 32
3. German living in the US for 11 years, lived in Hawaii, live in Boston now, divorced, dating, dogs, a bit insane
4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back? 3 years at least. Because of your talent with words and photography. Because it’s great to see Riley grow up and just because I think it’s a great read. :)

1. Vicki
2. 33
3. I’m Married. 8 years in September, we live in Denver CO with our 2 1/2 year old son Payton and our 2 cats. I’m a business analyst supporting Oracle financials. Not all that exciting. And I just started selling Mary Kay to suppliment my income and hopefully not work at my job anymore and stay home with my son!
4. I started reading your blog about 2 years ago. You had the funniest post about your son and teething. And have read from that day on. You are an amazing writing and put into words my feels on parenting, babies, life all the time. I totally relate.

Best wishes to you and your family! Can’t wait to learn his name.

1. Your name: Susan

2. Your age: 26

3. Your life in a nutshell: I live in Texas with my husband, Eric, our two dogs, Lucky and Scout, our mean-ass cat, Chibi, and our screeching cockatiel, Chicken Little. No kids yet, but we’ll probably start sometime within then next two or three years. I’m in my last year of law school. It blows.

4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back? I’ve been reading since, oh, probably a year before you got pregnant with Riley. I remember thinking, “oh jeez, I hope she doesn’t go soft on us now that she’s going to have a baby.” Yeah, that didn’t happen! Your writing continues to get more and more entertaining with each entry. I find your written voice to be so honest and fearless and poignant and funny. More than that your writing skills kick some major grammar skills butt. Plus Riley is heartbreakingly cute, I may or may not have a minor Internet-crush on your husband, and I like your living room.

P.S. Holy shizzoli with the number of comments!

1. Chrissy

2. 20

3. A nutshell, eh? I’m currently living and going to undergrad in the Hudson Valley of good ol’ New York State, leaving behind the snowy winters of Buffalo for the….still-pretty-damn-cold-weather of the lower part of the state. I’m a junior majoring in English/Creative Writing, with minors in Spanish and Urban Studies. One day, I hope to be broke-ass poor, freelancing my badonkadonk off and doing some good in the world (ideally while turning that first bit into “living fairly comfortably”). Clearly I have a five-year plan. I live in a house with 7 other girls, which is sometimes about as chaotic as it sounds, but most of the time pretty mellow (although we’re currently in the throws of a mouse invasion, so it’s fairly safe to say the dull moments are kept to a minimum.) I swim for my college team, so I have an appetite like a wolverine, am a little crazy, and around this time of year, a few days away from our championships–I live the most rockstarry of lifestyles, when I strive to rest my legs as much as possible and be in bed around 10, making me the most lame college student in America. I dig good books, music recommendations from any source, baking like a fiend, outdoorsy-type things, high fashion I’ll never be able to afford, the cheapest wine man can buy, and the song “Low” by Flo Rida.

4. I started reading your blog in its diaryland-born infancy on the reccomendation of my superhero sister, she’s “Caitlin” from New Orleans a few comments back. Occasionally we’ve pointed our parents in the direction of your blog too, and let’s just say my Dad may or may not bust out with “Cattio Cattio sitting on the mattio” every now and then to this day…I keep coming back because your writing is quite simply everything I love. Consider everything that’s been said about your general bombasticness seconded, and best of luck for today and all the crazy totally-rewarding-in-way-ill-never-understand-until-i-have-kids-of-my-own-many-many-years-from-now days to come!

Name: Trina
Age: 30
Life: I am married with a 3 year old daughter, and 3 week old son a dog (beagle) and an evil cat that is an awful lot like yours. I live in Seattle and have lived here my whole life.
I became a reader: I started reading you at clubmom then over at sundrybuzz. Then someone over there commented about a post over here so I came over here to check it out and I have never left. :) I don’t know when that was. I love your writing so much. I am waiting for you to write a book.

Good luck today. I am sure by now you have the baby and hopefully you are resting. Can’t wait to meet him and learn his name.

I know it’s too late…but there’s always recovery time to read more comments, right?

1. Melissa

2. 23

3. I’m a college student, waiting to get into grad school. I’m from Texas and I live with my Boston Terrier and fiance. I don’t have any kids, but I hope to have them one day…when we finally finish school.

4. I started reading your blog my sophomore year of college..so…for about 4 years now. This is my first time commenting..which is kinda creepy now that I think about it. My roommate stumbled upon your blog when we were looking up some instructions on how to knit. We found your hilarious entry about the difficulties of actually knitting something other than a scarf and I’ve been hooked ever since. I love your style of writing and enjoy getting parenting tips [even though I have none of my own- yet].

Anyway, I’m sure STP has made his grand arrival. Hope everything went great!

1. Courtney
2. 29
3. & 4. Live with my hubby in NC … we are expecting our first child (a girl!) in June, which brought me to your blog. A very close friend, a blogger herself, found it and passed along the link, and I’v ebeen hooked for a few months now. I am an editor for two furniture magazines and also waitress part-time because I’m crazy and a workaholic!

Best wishes to you, can’t wait ti hear the news that baby boy #2 is here.

624 comments?
Holy cow. Actually with that number it qualifies for a bull. A small milk cow ain’t cutting it.

To quote Lloyd Bridges in “Airplane.”
“Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit smoking … Johnny, what can you make of this?”

“WHHHHY I can make a hat, a pteradactyl or a litle boat …”

1. Tina
2. 33
3. Married, have 2 boys aged 4 and 2 (Been meaning to comment and tell you two boys are SO MUCH fun, you’re going to SWEAR your oldest grew a ton while you have the baby, and it’s fun to see them a year or so older when they start to play together. And fight. And hurt each other while playing.
4. I’ve been reading you at least a year. Love your take on life, love hearing stories of the boy, love your pictures. I live in the mid-west…nice to see a slice of life that’s a bit different.

Best wishes!

1. Your name: Shannon
2. Your age: 28
3. Your life in a nutshell: husband, 2.5 year old daughter and I live on a small farm in NJ with pigs, goats, bees, and way too many chickens. He lawyers, I teach and gestate – our scheduled c-section is the 22nd. (Gi was a 10 lb emergency c section, then I had emergency surgery for a ectopic pregnancy last Jan, rendering that whole area quite a risky business, hence the c-section this time around)
4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back? Found you through The Fish Said, have been reading every since – nice to find someone in the same boat.

1. Charlott

2. 33. And a half.

3. Live in the south of Sweden with my man, just moved to a house and am enjoying it and freaking out about it at the same time. Work in the educational field, not as a teacher, though.

4. I found your blog via Chiara’s, have been reading since I don’t know, a couple of years? I love that I recognize myself in you allthough I have no kids, no tattoo, don’t work with marketing and live on the other side of the world.

Name: Margie
Age: 41

Work full time for tech company. Have 4 boys (ages 10,8,8,6)

Been reading for about 2 years – love your honest and humorous writing style!
Hope all went well – brings back wonderful memories/nightmares of my deliveries!

God, the suspense is KILLING me! (Not that it’s not killing you or anything…)

You sorta know me, but…

1. Lavinia
2. 41 next week (god…)
3. Seattle, 6-year-old son, building a house, tons o’ volunteer work, an unfortunate addiction to World of Warcraft
4. Found you a year (more?) ago via some local friends, keep reading because you make me laugh so hard my C-section scar hurts.

Holy Cow you have a lot of dedicated readers!

Here’s a bit about me:

1. Julie
2. 33
3. I live in San Diego, have two great boys—ages 3 & 5—and a great husband. We’ve been married for 7 years. I handle the advertising & marketing for a local movie theater chain. It’s a great job and I am able to work a couple of days from home so I can spend more time with the boys.

4. I’m not sure how I found your blog, but I’ve been reading since Riley was a baby and I LOVE your sense of humor and how you just say it as it is. It seems like we have a lot in common and it’s nice to read what you have to say. I’m really thrilled that your little one is on his way (maybe he’s already here!) and I can’t wait to read more. Congratulations!

Okay, since I tried to post a comment earlier (before you went in to surgery) and it didn’t work and now I’m assuming STP has arrived safely, you may get to reading this sometime next October. So, I’ll make it very short. The most important thing is that I wanted you to know that I hope all goes/went well and you and your family are in my thoughts. Congrats!
1) Laura
2) 36 (but feel more like 25!)
3) Married for 4 years, have an adorable son named Ben who is Riley’s age so I love to hear what he’s up to. I stay at home with Ben for about 9 months of the year and the other 3 months I am a golf professional – pretty good gig.
4)I have read your blog for about a year now and I continue to read it because of your amazing writing and your honesty. Please don’t ever quit – I really don’t know what I’d do! I know, sounds creepy, but don’t worry :)

Just saw the picture of Dylan Emmett on Flicker! He is beautiful and you look great! Congrats!

Hi! I’m Caroline, and I’m 25.

I am a SAHM to 4 kids(ages-4,3,1,8 months) My husband is in school AGAIN and that’s pretty much my nutshell

Plus, I’m new and I just love you. In a non-creepy sort of way. And I don’t remember how I found you. I blame blog hopping.

1. B
2. 27
3. Live in the mitten state with my wife/girlfriend/life partner/whateverthecrap the PC phrase is for long-term lesbian relationship, trying to conceive our first child while working full-time. Lemme tell ya, it’s fun! Did I just see that you have over 600 comments?! That’s just redonk. There’s no way you’re gonna read mine. Hrmph. lol
4. Since right after you had Riley, and ever since. I love it! Of course I’ll be back. I read you at Purple is a Fruit and now at ParentDish, also. You rule the skool.

I just saw the picture of Smalltopus, henceforth known as Dylan Emmett, and he’s perfect. Good job, you guys make beautiful babies!!

Dammit, Linda, Flickr is down! I’m so excited to see Dylan! Congratulations and I hope everything went perfectly. :)

1. Meredith
2. 21
3. I’m a nanny from Minneapolis. I live in an awesomely large and cheap apartment with someone I found on craigslist.com. My boyfriend of almost 2 years is leaving at the end of the month to study abroad for 6 months – it’s probably going to end before he leaves. I have 2 cats (Vanilla Ice and Bowie).
4. I’ve been reading since a few weeks before Riley was born. Your frankness and wit (and product/recipe suggestions!) keep me coming back.

Marolyn, 40 in 20 days
~
married my prince twice in ’04 ( once legally, 2nd time 3 months later in an october Medieval Wedding Celebration for all our family and friends ~ it was awesome ) and we live in a tiny town in mid-misouri by Lake of the Ozarks where I do all the marketing/advertising/website stuff for a real estate biggie in this lovely tourist area. Today my only child, Sam ( 18 ), signed with his first pick school to play football! I could not be a happier momma right now!
I keep comign back because when I first started reading you on Diaryland ( pre-Riley ) I fell in love with your writing style and am constantly teeling my zombie loving husband new zombie news I read here!

Congratulations on the birth ( flicker just updated!) on your BEAUTIFUL new son !

~ m

1. Holly
2. 60
3. I live in Inverness, California in a 320 sq ft house with Stephen. This weekend was our first anniversary. We met when my stepbrother brought him home 40 years ago. That was all until I found him online a few years ago and finally got the courage to call him in 2006. I am a graphic designer/illustrator and work from home.
4. I think that I started reading you about 2 years ago — maybe a link from SJ?

1. Regina (Rug-Hee-na)

2. 33

3. Live with my hubby, and 2 boys (2 yrs, 4 months old and 5 months old), and one dog and one cat in Victoria, BC. On mat leave right now, but I work for BC Hockey in recreational administration a couple of days a week. Soccer player, kindergym wrangler, stroller walker and blog junkie in spare time.

4. I love your blog because your life situation is close to mine and you make me feel sane (and laugh a lot) when I am having insane days. I have been reading here for about 2 years and I can’t wait to have you write about having two! It is crazy and wonderful all at the same time. Good Luck today and in the next few newborn weeks (if you get through all of these comments from people who adore you).

Oh congratulations Linda, JB and big brother Riley! Welcome to the world Dylan!!!!

Squeeee!!!

oh my gosh, it took nearly five minutes to access the flickr page! we’ve all been dying to see your baby. :) he IS perfect! congratulations!!!

Oh Linda, congratulations! He’s beautiful. I love his twee little finger, as if he’s saying hmmm…

Dylan is the PERFECT name for Riley’s little brother. Congratulations!

congrats!
he’s gorgeous.

Congratulations on the birth of your son, Linda. I hope his older brother adjusts well. So very cool!

Hey, hope we’re providing you with good entertainment here… and that you and smalltopus are doing well!!

1. Your name (you can stay anonymous if you like)
shygirl (yes, I *am* so shy that I’m staying anonymous)
2. Your age (you can lie about this if you like)
37
3. Your life in a nutshell: who you live with, what you do for work (category includes raising children and going to school, obvs.)
Live with my SO of 15 years and 3 cats. We want to have kids; the idea alternately thrills us and freaks us right out. Hence the appeal of your parenting writing :) Used to live in Seattle and work for Amazon back in the early days. Now I live in California and work for myself, and vastly prefer the latter!
4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back?
Been reading for a couple years now, after a friend hipped me to it. What keeps me coming back: some of it is nostalgia for the Seattle area, but mostly it’s your writing, plain and simple. You and Anne Lamott are seriously my two favorite writers EVER. Your style is just so engaging… seriously, you could probably write about cleaning the bathroom sink and make it engaging. Good writing is such a pleasure in life. I actually started reading the Workplace blog regularly last year too, because one of the posters there had a great writing style– and then I realized that duuhhh, that’s because it’s the same person! So now I check all your blogs, every day– it’s like a treat for me in the afternoon, when I take a break from my work and get to be self-indulgent for a few minutes :)

HE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONGRATS

Both of you look so incredibly beautiful!!! Congratulations!