sorry, that last one was me :P

1. Heather
2. 32 I’m a Christmas baby!
3. I live in Joliet, IL with my husband of 7 years and our two mutts. I work for a local radio station and spend lots of time on the train getting to and from work, but I love my job it so it’s worth it.
4. I’ve been reading you for several years and I love your complete honesty with the good and the bad of life. Life ain’t no freakin’ bowl of cherry’s all the time and some days it helps to know you aren’t the only one who has highs and lows :) Good luck with the new one and keep writing!

1. My name is Frannie

2. I turned 27 on Feb. 1…god, can’t I just stay 26??

3. I’m an LPN, working on my RN–still in school fulltime and working fulltime. I have a boyfriend and a cat Mazey. I live in downtown Orlando.

4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back?
I started reading your blog when I had diaryland-that was EONS ago. I was a young early twentysomething/brink of divorce/living in Bumfuck, OK. I found your writing to be completely hilarious, interesting, honest and cathartic. I really want to start a blog soon!

I’m happy for you and your family. : )

1. Your name (you can stay anonymous if you like)
Shana, rhymes with banana.
2. Your age (you can lie about this if you like)
I just turned 38. :/

3. Your life in a nutshell: who you live with, what you do for work (category includes raising children and going to school, obvs.)
I’m a SAHM to 5 kids. 16 yr old twins, one who lives with my mother because he’s very disabled. I also have a 4 yr old, 2 yr old, and a 6 mo old. I’ve had 3 VBACs, and the last one was a homebirth which lasted only 1.5 hours! I only have one daughter (the 16 yr old non-disabled twin) and 4 boys. I live with my passle of children and my Canadian husband in San Francisco, where I was born and raised. I’m one of those environmentalist whack jobs, but I still use toilet paper (for now). We cloth diaper 2 of my boys right now and buy ll organic and local, if we can. Oh, and I’ve gone back to school because I’m a glutton for punishment.

4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back?

I’m not sure. I think I started reading blogs right after my 4 yr old was born, so I could do something while I nursed. I’m pretty sure yours was one of the first I came across. And are you kidding?? You are a fantastic writer and your life is interesting. I love the pictures you paint with words.

Good luck tomorrow, Linda. :)

My name is Irene and I’m 40 but feel more and think more like a kid and sometimes behave like a teenager.I live with my hubby Kevin and for the moment we are staying at his Mom’s.We live on Cape Cod and just before we moved back we were living on Martha’s Vineyard for awhile and that was a different experience let me tell you.Everyone knows more about you then even you do and the gossiping that goes on is amazing.I’ve read your site for like 3 years maybe 4.I keep coming back for the humuor and great writing.
The personal lubricant photo and story still gives me a chuckle and disturbs me to this day.Please never stop this kind of thing.
Good luck with the new wee one.

Hiya, all the best for tomorrow :).

I’m Heather, 36 years old, live in Brisbane, Australia, with my deliciously nefarious husband Ian and our two dogs, a few chickens and several Siamese fighting fish. Incredibly excitedly yet still somewhat surreally expecting our first baby in early July, so 18 weeks up the spud :).

I’m a qualified EEN, choosing to work in the mental health arena which is an endless source of all sorts of fascinating and rewarding things. I LOVE it. I am also planning to start maternity leave at 36 weeks, a mere 18 weeks from now, the idea of which I also LOOOOVEEEE.

We’ll all be thinking of you!! :)

What a great idea! Plus it will definitely kill some time if you are waiting!

1. Elissa
2. I am… 34. Not so good that I actually had to think about it.
3. I was born and raised in the North Seattle area. My parents still live in the house where I lived from the age of 5 until I was an adult. I live with my hubby and our cat, Lucy, in Lynnwood. We have a VERY small house that is driving us nuts and have been looking for a nice house with land. Which is apparently impossible if you don’t make more money than we do. :P My brother and sister live within a half mile of me. One in an apt and the other in a condo with her teenage son. I am a Registered Nurse and work in North Seattle. Currently I work in a locked psych ward but am transferring to the special care unit. My husband got tired of me being assaulted by patients and wants me to work on a “safer” unit.
4. I have been reading for….. Geez….. I don’t know! Maybe 4 years???? I came across you from someone linking to you and keep coming back for many reasons. You are honest and have a wicked sense of humor. Those are my top two reasons. Plus, the way you speak about your family is really enjoyable. You love them beyond reason and are able to share with us hysterical stories that makes us feel like we know you. You are a very funny lady!

I’m Emily, 22 years old and I live in Victoria (BC). I just quit my job and started a new one at a brand new hotel downtown. I love ‘the industry’ because in the summer there’s always so much going on here and after more than a year of non-stop school and unemployment it’s GREAT to just be responsible for showing up at work every day and nothing else!
I can’t even remember how I found you or when I found you but I read Purple is a Fruit and this blog for probably almost a year? Anyway, I love your sense of humor (I don’t mean to stroke the ego, but it’s hard! Obviously we all come back to read you because we like what you write) and think the stories about your family and pets are hilarious.
I hope all goes well tomorrow! Congratulations in advance :)

1. April
2. On the verge of 25
3. In my final year of grad school at the big university in the metro where you live. I’m married and have 2 dogs. When I’m not studying I’m knitting and reading blogs. And trying to get myself to the gym.
4. I can’t remember how I initially came to your blog (maybe 1-2 years ago? I can’t remember), but I keep coming back because I think you’re hilarious, I love your pictures, and I like that we share the small connection of living in the same area of the country. When you post something about the weather, I think “oh yeah, I know that weather!”.
I’m looking forward to new baby pictures!

Also I’m adding you as a contact on my flickr (I think my contact name is emilygrace or emilyoliver… I can’t remember) but I thought I’d let you know I’m not a creep!

1. Lisa
2. 34
3. Nonprofit arts pro, married, buried in Chicago winter snow, breeding my own acrobat who is due to show me her face in late March.
4. A good friend in Seattle just introduced me to your blog a few weeks ago (she was hoping I’d be inspired to emulate your belly henna, which I’m still contemplating if we can get a damn pediatrician chosen and I can get enough damn work done to stop panicking about what will happen when I leave the office for three months…). I keep coming back because 1) you’re hilarious, and 2) I can relate. Fuckit Bucket is my new favorite phrase.

Good luck! Can’t wait to see the new little guy.

Hi Linda and fans. First off, I wanted to alert you all to my attempt to make a slightly healthier “Gooey Butter Cake”. It didn’t work. Click my link to see.

1. Amy Katrina.
2. Age is 30, 31 this month.
3. I’m living in Shanghai, my husband was offered a job here for a year. We have also lived in Spain (beautiful), Japan (wild and weird) and Portland (sweet, sweet, west coast home). I work on the internet for a student exchange organization – it’s not exciting.
4. I’ve been reading All & Sundry for 5+ years and keep reading because you make me feel like I’m at home. Also you’re funny and also, it’s like getting periodic installments of my favorite book.

PS: See, I keep coming back! HA!!

:::Clears throat::: Ok, I keep coming back because you write very, very well, take some great pics, are so clearly in love with yet real about your little family (even Dog, heh ;)) it’s joyful to read of and also? You’re fucking hilarious, Dude!

Oh crap, so excited to be writing about ME that I forgot to say – all the best for today, you have a global network of well-wishers going along with you. Internet hugs!

(can’t wait to read all the other comments; one of the other things I come back to your blog for is you have the most amazing community of sane, funny, open-minded commenters).

1.) Josie

2.) 26

3.) I work for a Large University doing administrative-ly stuff, but I also write novels, the first of which is getting published soonish. Divorced and single (thank god…honestly) but I hope to, you know, change that at some point. Your own story of finding love and family gives me hope.

4.) I’ve read you for years and years, and have found you to be quite an inspiration. Sundry, you are an eminently beautiful and creative writer, with an amazing view of the world that always makes me say “Christ, I wish I thought of wording it in that way but if I couldn’t I’m glad SHE could” And that’s why I come back. Well, that and the cute baby pictures.

Best of luck with this next life change! I’m keeping my fingers crossed and will be thinking of you tomorrow.

Hi Linda! I hope you are not too bored and am enjoying the experience as much as possible.

1. My name is Teresa, but everyone except my family calls me Tess.

2. I am 24 (11/22/1983)

3. I was born and raised in Tacoma, WA. I started my B.A. at UPS, but then met my boyfriend online and moved to Tampa, FL. I finished school in FL and my boyfriend and I just celebrated our fourth anniversary. I work as a supervisor at an insurance company in the mental health claims department. (Not very exciting, but always interesting).

4. I started reading your blog in the Diaryland days, about the beginning of your pregnancy with Riley. I keep coming back because you are hilarious and I love the way you present parenthood with a real face and still convey the true emontional purity that comes with it. I hope you keep up some sort of blog for years to come!

Good luck!

Val, 22

Uhm…rather boring. Decided that I hated my first degree 6 months after college, decided to enroll in nursing school, decided that yes I do like to torture myself becasue that’s all that nursing school is. Have a boyfriend…he’s a fair to middle-ing kind of guy. My first love is more like it. :)

I’ve been reading you for ages…and by that I mean a little over a year. You were linked from another blog and I think that I see my particular brand of crass/sarcasm in you…sort of upsets me becasue I thought I had that one trademarked.

I have my fingers crossed for you tomorrow. It’s kinda cool that you will increase your family by 25% tomorrow. Doesn’t happen too often.

1. I’m Amy. There seem to be a lot of us here!
2. I’m 32
3. I live in Atlanta, Ga with my husband of nine years. We own a plant nursery near Athens, Ga. (I read your updates on my phone during the commute, mostly.) No human kids, but we have 4 dogs. I am interested in photography and invested in my first DSLR recently thanks to your great photos. I love to read, shop and cook.
4. I started reading you just before Riley came along. I love your writing and I almost feel like I miss you guys when you don’t update. We’ve been really busy getting our business started, so keeping up with online journals is sometimes all the “socializing” I’m up for at the end of the day.

Aww, good LUCK! I am SO excited for you.

1. Debs

2. 23

3. I live at home (ha. ha!) because up until the end of last year I was doing my Bachelor of Music with Honours majoring in performance violin. Now I just don’t have a full time job and I don’t know what I’m going to do this year, I wasn’t accepted into Masters which I was relying on, so now I’m thrown for a loop. I’m applying for a job with Air New Zealand for longhaul international concierges which is a new position, and the interviews are this weekend…I don’t think I’ll get the job as I don’t really have any experience in travel, however no harm in trying (I guess). My life is kinda up in the air lately.

4. I’ve been reading this for years, way back before you left diaryland…but I think you know that already. I couldn’t leave now, I like your humour and I’m invested in your life. lol

Kathryn, 28, originally from PA, but live in Chicago with my husband of two years. Wish I also lived with a few dogs and cats (especially after watching puppy bowl today), but my husband is horrible and cruel and mean and maybe allergic. Allegedly.

Anyway, as for the rest of my life, I’m a brand-new lawyer, kind of hate it, kind of expected to. Unfortunately, student loans have locked me into it for now.

I’ve been reading your blog for maybe a little over 2 years? Maybe 3? Not sure…but I always return because you just crack my ass right up. Wow–3 years. I just checked, b/c I found you when someone linked to the entry with Cat, Dog, and the cracker box. Funny shit, seriously.

Anyway, good luck tomorrow!! And welcome, Smalltopus!

1. Janet
2. 26.5
3. Married, live in DC, work at a nonprofit advocacy group (for kids! saving the kids from evil dictator Bush!), 2 cats, no kids because jeez, have you heard about home prices out here?
4. Reading for a long time, at least a few years. I link to you on my blogroll and keep coming back for the hilarious, honest writing and the cute kid pics. I can’t wait for STP pics!

1. Heather from Calgary, Alberta.
2. 30 + several months. I still can’t believe it.
3. Life story? Hmm. A writer, as well as a full-time cubicle dweller. Diagnosed with MS a couple years ago (major suckage), own and share home with parents (no suckage – pretty decent, actually), work full time (often suckage), just started a part-time master’s degree in European philosophy (confusing suckage, so far, but I’m having a lot of fun), and just generally happy, despite occasional suckage. :)
4. Only a couple days, actually – I stumbled across it on Blog Explosion and I like your blog a lot.

Best wishes for tomorrow!

My name is Jess. I’m 23. I live in DC with my fiance, who is German. I really want a dog but our building doesn’t allow them. I also really want a child but want to wait until we’ve been married for a couple years first. I’m a writer/editor at a public health nonprofit.

I can pinpoint the day I started reading this blog because I posted about it in my own blog–it was July 18, 2007. And I started reading Purple is a Fruit first, on April 4, 2007, another date I know because I also blogged about that. It was back when my blog was new and an addition to my blogroll was worthy of a whole post. Also, yours was the first blog I discovered, really. I keep coming back because you are an excellent writer, a great photographer, and a generally nice-seeming, interesting, and relatable person.

Sorry about the novel of a comment. Hopefully it will go some way toward distracting you during tomorrow’s interminable wait.

1. Belle (not really but I don’t use my real name, ever.)
2. I’m 58 friggin’ years old. So far, I’m your oldest reader! I am SURE I do not look that old, tho. hahahahahaha
3. I am married to the love of my life – and it will be 36 years next month. Met him through a mutual friend after a disastrous and abusive 1st marriage to my high school sweetheart//jerk. That was the worst 3 years of my life and it would be a best seller if I ever wrote about it.(mayhegethitbyabigtruckohIreallydidn’tsay that).
My lovely man and I have two kids, 32 and 28. Loved raising them but we are really enjoying the empty nest. I’ve always worked but gave up the big “career” when kids were 14 and 10 so that I’d have time to enjoy their sports and other activities. We about went broke for awhile but I don’t regret it a bit. I later went back to work part-time, then full-time, and have now been working at a university as a dept ass’t for 20 years. I love my job. Mostly.

I never finished college but I wanted to be a translator for the U.N. because I killed at foreign languages. The aforementioned jerk and I got married and then after that phase of my life was over, I just never made time for it. I do regret that but live and learn. I have a ton of hobbies and started taking piano lessons again last year, which I love.

4. I’ve been reading for over a year now. I can’t remember whose blog I came from, but they linked you. I love hearing about the life of a young wife and mother and you write about it so well that I just keep coming back. I miss those days! Enjoy them!

Can’t wait to see the fuzzy picture of the newest darling baby. (And I still think Riley is the cutest kid ever!)

1. Heather from Calgary, Alberta.

2. 30 + several months. I still can’t believe it.

3. Life story? Hmm. A writer, as well as a full-time cubicle dweller. Diagnosed with MS a couple years ago (major suckage), own and share home with parents (no suckage – pretty decent, actually), work full time (often suckage), just started a part-time master’s degree in European philosophy (confusing suckage, so far, but I’m having a lot of fun), and just generally happy, despite occasional suckage. :)

4. Only a couple days, actually – I stumbled across it on Blog Explosion and I like your blog a lot.

Best wishes for tomorrow!

Name & Age: Naomi, 35

Nutshell Life: Manager at a movie theater. Live with my 12yo daughter and recently moved to Texas from Florida for the job. I’m your basic eclectic nutter who likes to spy on people’s lives….thus I’m a blog fanatic. Want to grow up to be a published writer. I’m too wordy for my own good.

Your blog: I’ve been reading your blog since 2003. Found you via diaryland along with Weetabix and Disco. Your wit brings me back all the time.

Adding my well wishes and congratulations to the growing list. Can’t wait to find out the younger one’s name.

Brenda, 38
I live in New Mexico with my husband and almost 7 year old daughter. I work part-time in a home daycare. Most of my free time is spent reading books or reading blogs. The rest of the time I’m taking my daughter to Brownies, cooking, cleaning, and all that fun house stuff.
I started reading your blog a few years ago when I discovered Dooce and found this wonderful word of blogs. I love all your blogs and read them every day (that you post).
Can’t wait to see your new little one! Congrats!

hey there! my name is jill. i’m 36 (where has time gone?!) and live in portland working in a relatively unfulfilling career. i live with two cats, they’re both freakin’ crazy but i don’t know what i’d do without them. i recently (maybe not that recently?) broke up with my boyfriend of 4 years. it was hard losing the companionship but damn, it’s nice just to ‘be’.

i’ve been reading your blog a couple/few years? specifically, the post of you putting a cracker into a box and watching cat and dog try to figure out what was in it. i hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time. i keep coming back because you always have interesting things to say, you express your thoughts in a way that i could never do; and mostly, you make me laugh. your writing and stories are kick ass..!

(great ideas on sundrybuzz too!!)

i wish you, JB, Riley, and STP the best..!! my thoughts will be with you tomorrow…let us know how you’re doing.

1. Tannis

2. 23

3. I live in southern Alberta with my husband of 4 years. He’s a working cowboy, so that would sum my life up right there… We’ve moved three times now since we’ve been married, him working at different ranching jobs and me finding interesting work to keep our heads above water (cowboying pays dick-all really, but it’s good life so that’s why we love it).

We hit the jackpot last summer, he got a managment position that pays decent and we live so far out of town I have been able to just work alongside… I love not having deadlines to meet, and just getting up to saddle my horse at 5am and heading out for the day to check cows with my best friend…

We are expecting in April, so that was a bit shocking for me… no more carefree summers of riding and roping. Ah but we are excited to start a family and I am sure this wee one will be able to ride soon enough : )

4. I found your blog while surfing the net during a BOREHOLE of a day working in reception (3 yrs ago maybe?). I have been peeping in ever since. It’s your writing that keeps me coming back, honest and very real. Thanks for sharing… and good luck for tommorow!

1. Missy
2. 30 in October
3. I work for an accounting practice in Sydney Australia, I live with my boyfriend of 6 years and am currently in the process of nagging him to death about making an honest woman of me! We have two spoiled rotten kitties (aka fatty catty and Mushu) that we treat as our kids as we are currently unable to have any of our own.
4. I have been reading your blog since a few months after Riley was born. Your humor and honesty have kept me coming back.

Good luck with your newest addition, hope we can successfully keep you from both the crazies and boredom during your hospital stay!

First off, Congratulations. I can’t even begin to imagine how anxious, excited and nervous you must be tonight.

1. My name is Andrea

2. I am 32, where the hell has the last decade gone?

3. I live in Seattle with my husband and 18 month old son. At this point I stay home with the above mentioned child, but will likely someday lose my mind and beg to go back to working outside the home. Not quite sure what that will entail, perhaps I should be using all this free time I have to reinvent myself

4.I have been reading your blog for about 1.5 years. Didn’t realize this whole spectrum of blogging existed until after I had a child and felt the need to figure out how the hell everyone else does this parenting thing. So glad I found you as your writing never fails to entertain and amuse me.

Good luck tomorrow!

1. Name: Cari
2. Age: 30
3. Life in a Nutshell: I live in the Minneapolis area with my husband, my daughter (who will be one on Friday), my dog, and my hedgehog. I am a former massage therapist turned student; I’m studying to be a court reporter. Most days I stay home and care for my daughter and think about studying without actually doing it. I am ridiculously sarcastic and can’t eat dairy, but am drawn to anything chocolate nonetheless. I recently learned to knit and it makes me feel a strong sense of accomplishment to watch a boring ball of yarn turn into something beautiful. If only I could do that with other aspects of my life…
4. I’ve been reading you since I was newly pregnant, so it’s been almost two years. I found you through Kristin and then found her again through you. I come back because you have a beautiful way with words and often seem to say what I only wish I could. I also love your photographs, your sense of humor, and your honesty.

Good luck tomorrow – I will be thinking of you, which seems like a strange thing to say because it’s not like we actually *know* each other or anything. The internet is strange like that.

Well hi there! I’m Chloe, and I’m 24.

Um, I still live with my parents, shitastically enough, but I also spend a fair bit of time at my boyfriends house– which unfortunately, is also his mom’s and brother’s house. You know what that means, regarding sneakiness… but he should be moving out within six months, we hope. We’ve been together for… um, about 16 months, and I’m all mushy for him, but I try to not be nauseating about it, at least online. Um, let’s see, I go to college part time, because I am hoping to get into grad school for the fall semester, but I don’t know if they will take me yet. I have a truly horrible job in retail, at a hardware store which slowly saps my will to live.
Today’s example: Old man walks up to me, at the customer service desk. I say, “Hi, can I help you?” He says he’s looking for heat-proof ceramic lube. It can also be used for glass. This is among the most obscure (and specific) items that I’ve ever been asked for a location on. I don’t even know what you could possibly use it for. I say, “Okay, let me see if I can find out where that is for ya.” I call paint, who I can see standing 50 feet away. Their phone doesn’t ring, and they chat away. I finally tell him to wait, walk over and ask them if they know anything about it. Of course I get the ditzy girl who doesn’t know anything, and she says “LUBE? WE DON’T HAVE ANY LUBE IN PAINT. TEE HEE. WE HAVE CAULK.” Okay, so I call toolworld/hardware. No one answers either of their phones. So I page them. Twice. I give up, and call flooring. They don’t have a phone, so they don’t pick up. I page them. Four times. No one calls back. The old man wanders off to find a step ladder, I tell him I’ll keep trying to find his lube. Hardware calls back 10 minutes later and says they’ve never even heard of ceramic lube. I serendipitously find a phone number that flooring will answer; they also don’t have any ceramic lube. We don’t have ceramic lube. The old man never comes back, making all that effort to find his lube for nought.
That is my life. I said “lube” eight times (now 9) in this entry alone, but I didn’t get to giggle about it EVEN ONCE while I was at work. Apparently, that’s “unprofessional.” :-(
I am looking for a different job, however initial job-seeking hasn’t yielded anything. I really wanted a bakery job, too. No ass kissing is really all I want in any job right now. And actual work instead of standing around while customers slowly sap your will to live.

Let’s see, I believe I started reading your blog a few years before you left diaryland. Um, I believe it was a few months before you got a job at Workplace. Yeah, I’m pretty old school, right? Do I get a prize for loyalty?
I keep reading because you’re funny and honest and I dig your sense of humor. Your life has changed a lot from when I started reading (your readership has a ton more moms in it then it used to also, back in the uniboob/ Aragon-obsessed days), but I still enjoy reading about your life and experiences, what can I say?

Good luck with the c-section, tomorrow! Can’t wait to see little D!

1. deanna marie gabriel [insert last name here]
2. 26 [it kind of scares me that sometimes i forget how old i am and have to do the math…]
3. my life in a nutshell (now i have the barenaked ladies song in my head…”your life in a nutshell…” heh.) i live by myself in a 1 bedroom apartment in astoria, queens, just outside nyc. i LOVE my neighborhood, but often miss my hometown of buffalo ny. i am a pediatric icu night nurse in a busy, high acuity childrens hospital in the city. i also sometimes work on the oncology floor, where i spent the previous two years. when i can see through the bullshit at work, i realise how much i love my job and what a privilege it really is to take care of the kids. in between my 7pm to 7am shifts, i am a part-time student at columbia getting my msn as a pediatric nurse practitioner and a sometimes spinning/dance/pilates/yoga instructor with a large group of gyms in the city. translation: i have no life, let alone time for a boyfriend. although i do somehow find time to attempt to perfect my culinary skills and frequent the many awesome pubs and restaurants in the city.
4. ive been reading your stuff more or less since riley was born. i basically enjoy your sense of humor, honest writing style, taste in music, pictures and general stories of family life in the seattle area. some days you satisfy the little biological twinge inside that reminds me how i would LOVE to be a mom, just not right now.

ill be at yoga tomorrow and offer up my practice for a safe and blissful birth for you and the lil un. good vibes for strength from nyc to seattle! looking forward to seeing pictures.

1. Your name: Cara

2. Your age: 32

3. Your life in a nutshell: Live with my husband Danny, son Payton (b. 9/15/05) and daughter Tori (b. 3/2/07). I build websites freelance for very small businesses (www.MoxieMediaDesigns.com), print & ship state certificates of completion for an online defensive driving company, and stay home with my two babies.

4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back? I’ve been reading since January 2007. I don’t remember how I found you, but maybe it was through Amalah? Riley is 2 weeks older than Payton and they always seem to be right at the same stage. I always find myself reading your entries and just nodding my head thinking, “yep, that’s exactly how it is!” A bit of sad stalkerish info….whenever I’m relaying a story from your blog to my husband, I refer to you as “my favorite blogger-chick” or “Riley’s mom” so he’ll know who I’m talking about. But I love your writing style and your honesty about parenting.

I know it’s ridiculous, but it feels like a good friend is having a baby tomorrow and I am so excited for you! And I definately understand all those “this is the last time x happens before the baby comes” feelings. One of the strangest/saddest for me was putting Payton to bed the night before Tori was born and realizing that that was the last time he’d go to sleep as an only child. Aaaand now I’m crying like a freakin’ loon! Good luck tomorrow!

Good luck tomorrow!
1. Heidi
2. 45 (and I feel very old after reading the other comments)
3. Live with my husband, 16 yr old daughter, dog and sometimes my son lives here (he is 19 and in college.) I work out of my home for a large international company and I live in northern Minnesota.
4. I’ve been reading for 1-2 yrs. and come back because you’re funny, the commenters are funny, you write about a wide variety of topics and I’ve grown to care about you and your family.

1. Your name: Claire Brooks
2. Your age: Just (last week!) turned 30 and LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT. (My 20s were a bit of a mess.)
3. Your life in a nutshell: I live in the middle of nowhere Mississippi for grad school, but am from the beautiful South Carolina. I live with my boyfriend and our 9MO Love-of-my-life son. He was unplanned, so we’re adjusting to grad school, scrape-by living, but we’re doing well and love abounds. A crazy 4YO black lab/hound mix also lives with us. He often puts his head in my lap as I read your blog, and I fantasize that he knows there is a beautiful yellow dog like him just across the webiverse.
I am an English grad student but have neglected my Ph.D. in order to be a mother, which I don’t regret in any way whatsoever. One day, I want to live in the Pacific Northwest and teach folks to love literature.

4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back? I have been reading this blog for 18 months. I know precisely because I started reading when I found out I was pregnant and a friend sent me your way. I read all your archives about your pregnancy with Riley and it honestly helped me fall in love with my child.
I keep coming back because, honestly–in a hopefully-non-stalkerish-way, I think we would be fast friends if (when!) I ever run into you in real life. We have a lot in common (see: music, movies, baby boys, etc.). And of course, you write in a way, as many have said, that “we” wish we could write: truly, painfully, joyfully, eye-to-eye.
I often find myself choked up when I read your posts because I see so much of my own life in what you share with us from yours. Don’t EVER stop.
Wishing you all the best tomorrow. I will be anxiously checking for the soonest update. I think it’s absolutely beautiful that you have such a web community behind you, so many cyber-friends! I like to include myself in that category. Be well tomorrow. Have the time of your life.

1. i’m heather.

2. 34

3. i live in san francisco, and live alone in a lovely neighborhood called the tendernob with my two cats, ghosty and smoove b. i’ve been single for almost two years, and keep myself entertained by going out on dates with men who are horribly wrong for me. i’m an IT recruiter by trade, but i’m taking a few months off at the moment to travel (and read and write and laze about with my friends and/or cats).

4. i’ve been reading this blog since 2003, i believe. i love your writing, and it’s been so cool to watch all of your changes.

so excited for you tomorrow!

Oh, by the way, do you read pioneer woman?
http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/
I just found her site a week or two ago (which is crazy, cause she’s like, apparently HUGE! She has a wii ad that’s customized to her site– that’s pretty goddamn insane!), and I see she isn’t on your blogroll. I find her writing pretty enjoyable, so maybe that would be a nice addition to your slowly-filling-with-medication loafing hours!
She also has a bunch of butter laden recipes that look super delicious, that I’m not quite ballsy enough to try.

1. Hi, I’m Lara (purplelara on flickr, where I comment on your pics too).
2. I turned 38 in December. I just realized today that means I turn 40 NEXT YEAR. I mean, really, it’s about 2 years away but in 2009? I TURN 40 eeeeeeee. Sorry, where was I?
3. In a nutshell: I live in North Vancouver, BC, not so far from your neck of the woods. I just moved into a condo I reno’d with my brother after living with him for nearly 2 years after a VERY short marriage (15 months? I rule). The breakup left me owing the ex half of MY (MY!) condo so there I was was…broke(ish) and the etc etc that goes along with a breakup…even though I initiated it, right thing to do blah blah blah. Life is way better than ever. Not sure I’ll even have kids due to the advancing age here (god), but that could be ok…I think? I’m not sure. For a living I do application analysis stuff – QA, BA blah blah computer nerd. That was a larger nutshell than I intended.
4. I’m not sure when I started reading, but long before you had Riley, so years and years now (wow). Gee I feel like I’ve known you forever ;) I come back because you are hilarious and even though our lives are at different stages, I find I have things in common with you. Your writing is amazing, you have told some inspiring stories and your family is darn cute. You seem like someone I’d be friends with in real life and I look forward to your posts every day (yours is my favorite blog, btw).
Hope I killed a minute or two of your boredom. Or at least changed up the boredom, heh. Good luck and congratulations.

1) Marilyn Caroline

2) 27, which blows my mind

3) Partly because I was out of school for three years but went back (for more computer science, and to fulfill my dream of living in NYC, here’s hoping the Paris dream might still happen one day), doing the long-distance thing with a wonderful guy who’s also a rockstar even though that sounds like an oxymoron. But his band is down in Athens, GA, so I might move down there to finish my PhD next year. I dunno. Life decisions are a pain in my ass.

4) Snippet from my journal, April 2003 (holy geez!):

“and I was going to go on more, but jesus, I’m even getting on my own nerves about what a whiny thing I am. to borrow a sundry-ism, you guys are probably all thinking, oh, what an awful morning! I’m so sorry! (…you psycho.)

)()()()(

speaking of sundry-isms, sundry mourning is so my new favorite journal. she is the cutest and funniest. and those lips are alluring as hell. they are addictive. it is a good thing for me that she has pages and pages of archives. it is a bad thing for nick’s dislike of dogs and for our tiny apartment that she has the funniest and most adorable dog ever. I want a dog! ”

Not living with nick anymore. (Very good life move there.) Still have a tiny apartment, still have no dog, still reading. I feel a little guilty how it’s like you’re part of my life because I’ve seen you grow up so much in the last 5 years (but still keep the badass child-of-heart thing that’s one part of why you’re hilarious (and a good mom)) and that’s maybe weird because you don’t know me at all. But you’re a tremendous writer because you express so much emotion in every single sentence, even if a lot of it is everyday stuff, it makes the sentimental snippet here and there that much sweeter.

Here’s hoping your day is full of those sentimental snippets– but not so much that you’re in gushy tears all day or anything. Gotta have some Real Life in there with your Creating a New Life thing, too, right? Best of everything to your incredible little family. All your readers have fallen in love with them right along with you.

Hi Linda! Hope you’re hanging in there in the last moments before STP arrives!

1. Tracey
2. 36
3. I live by myself in Ontario Canada. I am divorced 4 years and now newly engaged (to a different guy). I’m getting married in November. No kids yet but we can’t wait. We just bought a house, closed on Thursday. Pretty much gutted it this weekend with the sinking feeling of…oh-oh now it looks worse, maybe we should have just left it alone!

I am in my last year of my PhD in clinical psychology and am doing my full-time internship in a town 200 miles away from my man and said new house. It’s a bit hectic travelling back and forth on weekends and lonely during the week but I LOVE what I’m doing.

4. I think I’ve been reading your blog since Riley was about 12 months old. I come back because you’re my absolute favourite blogger! You are funny, brutally honest, uncouth (in the best possible way) and you update often! Also you seem to have the best little family.

All the best tomorrow…I’ll be thinking of all 4 of you!

hi, i am “bouncy” (28).

I live in CT with my hubby and my awesome Sister-in-law. I am currently unemployed and almost 4 months pregnant. We have two dogs. You were the one who introduced the concept of “power shedding” into our house dictionary. Thank you.

I am coming back to you because (and this might come off weird) I feel you are like my friend and I have to “check up” on you. I realize this is silly because you don’t know me at all and blahblah OtherGoodReasons blahblah but somehow I can’t help it :)

I have been reading your blog since the diaryland times and I enjoy your photography as well.

Good luck tomorrow! This is so exciting!

p.s. my son was crazy-active even into many hours of labor, and he sleeps like a dream, through the night from 3 months on. I wish the same for your STP.
Can’t wait to see him!

Name: Melissa
Age: 20 callow years old
My life in a nutshell: I’m a junior in college and I live with three other 20-year-old girls. I just recently relinquished my dream to be a teacher and am now wondering what the hell I’m going to do with a degree in English and I’m so curious and intrigued about the kind of writing you do at your job.

I’ve been reading this blog since I was 14 years old. What drew me in then was your excellent, excellent writing voice and whip-smart sense of humor, and what keeps me here is the relation between your role as a mother and your unabashed use of the word “fuck.”

1. I’m Cassandra. Hi.

2. I’m 22.

3. I live with my boyfriend in Chicago. I’m going to graduate school. Psychology. When I’m done I’ll take and test and they’ll like… license me to counsel people. And stuff. The world should be worried.

4. I’ve been reading this for about a month. I keep coming back because you’re hilarious, your son is adorable, I like your clothes, and I’m excited for more adorable-ness.

Good luck with everything!

1. Marilyn
2. 32
3. I live in Reno, NV with my husband of nearly 10 years and our 8 year old son, Harry and our 18 month old son, Liam. I have been staying home for so long that I don’t think the workforce would have me anymore. I’m also pregnant again (31 weeks!) with our third and last. It’s a girl this time and I feel woefully unprepared.
4. I’ve been reading off and on for years now but have been a loyal reader ever since I discovered the delight that is Google Reader. I’m a terrible lurker though and rarely comment. I think I read just about everywhere you post, to be honest. You make me laugh out loud ALL THE TIME and I really enjoy your candid accounts of motherhood. Someone has to tell the truth, right? Anyhow, keep it up and I can’t wait to see stories of life with the new little one. I’ll be obsessively refreshing until news is posted, for sure!

oh, i almost forgot:

Best, best, best of luck with all the Operational Procedures going on tomorrow… oh–and HAPPY BABY!

Hey, Linda!! CONGRATS to you and your family on your new addition!! I can’t wait to see new pictures and hear all of your wonderful stories!!

1. Hi, I’m Jamie :)

2. I’m 24, though I often feel like I’m 30…

3. I’m a first-year first grade teacher (six and seven year olds are a blast–you’ll love it when the boys get to this stage!). ;) I live with my dog, Charlie, who is a Maltese-poodle and a big, lovable, pain-in-the-butt. I live for college football, celebrity “news” sites (Yay, TMZ), and hanging out with close friends on the weekend.

4. I’ve been reading your blogs for years now…since I was in high school, I think…since Diaryland…I absolutely LOVE your writing…it’s smart, it’s witty, it’s honest, and it always makes me think (or laugh, or cry). I sincerely hope that you someday publish a book because I know that it would be hugely successful and I would definitely make sure that all of my friends received copies… Okay…now I’m done kissing your virtual ass…thanks, for entertaining me on a daily basis! And CONGRATS!! :)

Good luck tomorrow, Linda!

1. I’m Tracy.

2. I’m 34.

3. I lucked out and met my great husband back in college. We’ve been married for 8 years and live with our fabulous and fluffy dog in the DC suburbs. Moved here right after grad school for my job, in research, and am still sort of bummed that my hometown isn’t a place where one can find a good job. So I live over a 6-hour drive from my family (and my in-laws) and that’s depressing sometimes.

4. Hard to say exactly when I started reading, since I read some of your archives after I found you. Think I started reading right before you announced you were pregnant with Riley. I think I keep reading this because this is the kind of blog I’d like to have, if I had the nerve to be so open and the writing skill. The way you share your experiences and the humor with which you are able to do so is entertaining and often moving. Also, you seemed at least a little ambivalent about children before Riley came along, so I find reading about your experience as a mother interesting. I am as sure as I can be, without having had the experience, that I don’t want children. Somehow reading about your experience informs mine, in a weird way.

Lastly, since I’m going long here, I thought I’d mention that I am thinking about giving up reading blogs for Lent (I’m not religious, but was raised Catholic and some traditions die hard), due to the huge time suck it has gotten to be. It’s missing out on your blog that is giving me the most pause about this.