Feb
3
Your Baby’s Development at Week 39 of Pregnancy: You may notice that your baby is not moving around very much — he or she is in cramped quarters at this point!
Well, part of that statement is a big old no-shitter, but apparently Smalltopus has not been doing his Required BabyCenter.com Reading, or maybe he’s gotten wind of this whole cutting-into-the-belly-with-sharp-objects business that’s supposed to happen tomorrow and he figures his best bet for a safe exit is to simply mosh-pit his way out of there. I have grave concerns about this child’s ability to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time, based solely on his fetal activity level, which I would describe as “excruciatingly energetic”.
I am having a very hard time wrapping my head around the fact that this baby is going to be on the outside of my body tomorrow. I mean, I am more than ready to make good on his eviction notice because DUDE, human beings just shouldn’t get this pregnant, we should eject the babies when they’re about the size of a grapefruit and then keep them in fur-lined pouches or some such thing, but I can hardly believe that I’m going to meet my youngest son in a matter of hours, and that he will have a tiny little face that I will be able to look at.
Will he look just like Riley did? Or completely different? What if he looks like Trogdor — coupla beefy arms, consummate Vs? What if the ultrasound tech got her anatomy screwed up and STP is actually a girl, which would be fine, except the whole coming-home outfit would be ALL WRONG.
I am awash in anticipation. Also: fear. Also: chocolate peanut butter ice cream.
We go to the hospital tomorrow at 6 AM, and I’ll need to spend a few hours on some medication (NOT magnesium, thank god) before going into surgery. My guess is that they will stash us in some room where JB and I will languish for the entire morning until someone remembers we exist and whisks me into the OR. During that time, I imagine I will be oscillating between a full-body freakout and mind-numbing boredom, so I’m hoping you might indulge me with some bloggy entertainment.
I know lots of you have already sent your good wishes and I sure appreciate that. Here’s what I’m thinking: if you’re up for it and you read this in time, will you hit the comments box sometime between now and Monday afternoon and tell me a little bit about yourself? I’ll be able to read your comments from my phone, and it seems like a fun, distracting thing to do while cooling my jets in a depressing hospital room.
I have a little questionnaire in mind:
1. Your name (you can stay anonymous if you like)
2. Your age (you can lie about this if you like)
3. Your life in a nutshell: who you live with, what you do for work (category includes raising children and going to school, obvs.)
4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back?
Oh, I know, I know. That last question is so lame, sorry. What can I say, I’d love to know your answers.
At some point tomorrow I think one of us should be able to update this site with some baby stats, otherwise check in with my Flickr page. Will there be at least one crappy newborn photo taken with a cameraphone? You bet.
All right, friends. I’ll see you on the flip side.
Comments
-
My product review site:
[
1. Name: Kelly
2. Age: 24
3. My Life in a nutshell: I’m married and unfortunately live with two roommates who just happen to be hubby’s brother and best friend. It’s just as much fun as it sounds. :-) I also have a cat. But life is good. I work for a homeless shelter and also at the YMCA.
4. How long and why I’m still here: I found your blog late one night, and I think it was when Riley was around 3 months old or so, so I went back and read through the archives. Yours was one of the first blogs I’d ever read, and I’m glad I found yours first! I love your style of writing and sense of humor, it’s always fun to read your updates. Best of wishes today, I can’t wait to see pictures of your newest little man! :-)
1. I’m Sandra. Hi!
2. I’m 25, and I live with a boy named James. We hope to soon add a Boston Terrier puppy to our home, whom we plan to treat every bit as cruelly as you and JB treat poor Dog. :) We shall name him (Snuffleupa)Gus.
3. I’m a TV News Producer. One of my co-workers summed it up best: “Write a lot, pick out the news, try not to get yelled at.”
I’m a student, too, technically — in English and Journalism. I left the full-time school/ part-time work life a few years ago for my first “real” job, and have chipped away slowly ever since. To date, American Lit I, Spanish IV, and a directed study in Ernest Hemingway still await me.
4. I’ve been reading this blog since way back in those FT school/PT work days — which is to say, somewhere in Diaryland. I keep coming back because you’re funny, you’re honest, and you’re talented. If there are any qualities uniting everything and everyone I like, those three are it. It doesn’t hurt that — to my mind — you’re pretty much always right. :) Everyone likes being agreed with.
Name: Elizabeth
Age: 35
Life in a nutshell: I am from Austin, TX, but I live in Hampstead, NC, with my husband who is in the Marine Corps. I do contract work from home for IBM and just graduated in December with my Masters in Instructional Technology from UNC Wilmington. I do not have any kids but have a mini Dachshund named Winston who is my invaluable buddy during my husband’s many long deployments and just on a daily basis while working at home. I ran my first marathon in October and went to Europe (Spain) for the first time last spring. I love to cook and just learned to knit a few weeks ago and am loving all of my newfound down time now that I am finished with school!
Your blog: I’ve been reading your blog for about a year or year and a half and keep coming back because I think you are one of the giftedest writers I’ve ever read. You make me laugh on a daily basis and I love your honesty and candidness about motherhood. I also love your made-up words. My husband and I remain firmly on the fence regarding when and whether to have children and you frequently put into words the very things I think of and get scared about.
Good luck today! Can’t wait to see pics and learn the name!
P.S. OMG the baby is coming/here! Gah!
1. Micki
2. I just turned 39 (only a little freaked out by this.)
3. I have one child, a son, Braxton. He will be 7 in May. I have a fantastic husband, Blake. He’s a mechanical engineer. We’ve known each other all our lives–dated for 10 years, married for 10 years. I work at Clemson University (small town in South Carolina) at the library where I work on the webpage. I write the blog (www.lib.clemson.edu/weblog), plus other web stuff.
4. I’ve been reading since before Riley was born. I may have stared when you were pregnant with him. I really like your writing. I read your other gigs too. I really enjoy Sundry Buzz. I emailed you a question about a bag to take on a cruise and you emailed me back. I really appreciated the advice. YOu made me laugh when you said I would have to carry all my husband’s crap too. Because I totally did!
I’m so excited to hear the baby’s name. I’ve lived vicariously through you and this pregnancy. I’ve only been pregnant once and won’t be again, so it’s been great to sort-of experience it again. I also had a c-section, mostly because I had a 9lb 14oz baby!
I know everything will go great. Good luck to all of you!
Best wishes for all of you. I know you aren’t big into the prayer thing, but I am sending one your way anyway…this seems an appropriate occasion.
1. My name is Kayte.
2. Age…OMW 52…always sounds so old when I write/say it, and undoubtedly when people read/hear it!
3. I live in Indiana; wife of almost 30 joyful years to Mark who is a trial attorney; mother to two wonderful 15 year old boys; carpooling wizard, but hope to retire that title later this year when the boys get their driver’s license. I do a lot of volunteer work which I find very rewarding at this juncture of my life.
4. I have been reading your blog for almost a year. I connected to it through another blog’s site when I first stumbled upon the whole blogging world and did not know anything about it at all. The blogger recommended your site to her readers for the laughter and I agree completely…I keep coming back for the laughter. I’m normally all about the laughter in life, so, I thank you for the laughs each day. And, I thank her for introducing me to the whole blogging world.
Can’t wait to see the photos of the newest member of your family.
Name: Beth
Age: 40 (!)
In a nutshell: I live in Atlanta with my husband and almost 4-year-old twins and our 12-year-old yellow lab, Annie. I work full-time for a non-profit health agency, managing budgets for their publishing department.
I’ve been reading your blog for several years now – and your point of view and humor keep me coming back. Love your take on motherhood and work/life balance. Love your photography. Love that you update often.
Best of luck with the latest and greatest!
WOW! I am poster #248 Yay you! Lots of reading to do.
My name is Nicole, I am 35 and I live in cold, icy Upstate NY. Think directly north of the city on the VT border. I am between horse racing in the summer (Saratoga) and skiing in the winter (Killington.)
I am divorced (much better now thank you) and I live with my 2 sons, ages 12 and 10. I have a good relationship with my ex husband- he isn’t a bad guy I just don’t want to be married to him or live with him or cook or clean or for him anymore. Get it?? ANYWAY I am the branch manager for a large New England bank located in a very small town. I love small town USA. I love my job and I love my customers (for the most part!)
I have been reading you since just after you had Riley. I don’t even remember how I stumbled onto your site. I keep coming back because of you. Your writing-totally inappropriate- funny-self depreciating- loving- a tad insecure in yourself. These things could decribe myself but I don’t have the ability to put my thoughts down like you do.
You make me laugh, you make me cry and you make me feel like maybe i am not so crazy after all. I used to talk about putting my boy in a wood chipper. Yup. Way before you mentioned it. See??? You write like I think!!
Thank you for all that you do. I know you will be fine with your new boy and your old boy will be great too. Best wishes to you and JB and Big Brother Riley.
1. Shannon
2. 26…spring chicken here
3. I live with my husband and 2 sons in Reno, NV. My oldest is 2.5 years and my youngest is 2.5 months.
4. I’ve been reading for about 1.5 years and I come back because your fucking hilarious! Also I love seeing pics of Riley because he almost always has on the same things as my son. Oh and I’m a former Touareg owner..and I know all about the naughty love you can feel for a car!
1. I’m Anne
2. I’m 30, living in Bloomington, IN. It’s home to Indiana University, so the restaurants are many, varied, and awesome. Um. Eating is clearly a hobby.
3. I’m a trainer for healthcare software systems (ooh..EXCITING)and I live with my boyfriend of eight years. We’ll get married when we can both take a lunch hour to go to the courthouse.
4. I’ve been reading since 2002-ish, because you’re FUNNEEE. I don’t plan on kids, so I thought I’d stop reading when you had Riley, but I’ll be damned if I don’t continue to read every entry of every journal, including the Club Mom/Parent Dish ones.
Good luck today Sundry!!!
I’m Christy.
When I was 28 in Boston, MA, I finally got fed up with my boring life and my very well-paying “day job,” and decided to chuck it all and apply to grad schools for literature (the idea being that after another 5 years of education I could either be a very-well-educated fry cook at McDonalds or a college-level teacher of literature). Now I am poor but extremely happy 30-year-old in Gainesville, FL. I teach freshmen composition and typically read 1000 pages a week for my graduate coursework. I’m supposed to be writing my MA thesis right now but I’m commenting for your enjoyment instead.
I live with my boyfriend of 1 1/2 years, Matt, our dog, Homer, and our 4 cats. What’s that, you say? 4 cats is a bad idea? Don’t I know it. Matt had 2 and I had 2 and we moved in together. THEN we had the bright idea to get a dog. It’s a bit of a crazy house, but we love it. Except for the vacuuming. And the hairballs. And the bitchiness at feeding time. And the….ahem. We just love it.
I’ve been reading you for 4-ish years, I think. I love your writing and your sense of humor. Also you sent me an invite for a gmail account forever ago and I like it when people I don’t know do things for me :o). I can’t wait to “meet” Secondtopus!!!
1.Cindy
2.28
3. I live with my husband and 5 year old son in MA and I work for a Biotech company.
4. I’ve been reading for about 10 months and I keep coming back because you are hilarious and a lot like me in many many ways.
I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE STP!!!!!
Greetings and GL!!! All will be wonderful & well I am sure!
1. Christina
2. 34
3. I live in small town Midwestern USA (IN). I am married to Kevin (for 5 yrs, been together for 8 yrs on Valentine’s day – ain’t that so sweet it makes you want to barf!?) with one little peanut named Matthew with another on the way (July/August 2008??? Whenever the baby wants to makes his/her way out!) We both work in the same place doing the same thing only different specialty areas (His: Emer. Med; Mine: Pulm/Critical Care/Slp Med.) We are dreaded Physician recruiters.
4. Probably since March 2007. That is when I discovered the world of blogging. I know a day late and all that jazz. I read your blog because I identify with you, you make me laugh and really as lame-O as this sounds (and this is mostly the reason I read only certain blogs) I could see hanging out with you in the “real world”. OMG, I SO want to delete that – it sounds like I want to date you ;)
Cannot wait to see the little peanut!!
Hi!
1. Haley
2. 28
3. Living and working in London Ontario at a University as a Gross Anatomy Lab Tech. (I’ll leave it to your imagination what that entails) was a funeral director for 5 years. Live with my new husband and see his three children every other weekend.
4. I’ve been reading since just before you were pregnant with Riley. I keep coming back because I usually laugh my ass off, also because reading about your trials with Riley and JB are relatable. One more thing, is your honesty. That is so important to great writing.
Good Luck today, there are thousands of us cheering you on! Can’t wait to read about smalltopus.
Good luck, Linda! Big day ahead of you! yay!
1. Stacy
2. (17X2) + 1
3. upstate NY, reside with husband, 2 year old and due in a month with another boy. Work part-time at a university. Biggest fear: postpartum depression again.
4. I think I found your blog when you were preggers with Riley, and I was with Jojo. I like your writing and your son’s face. Our sons are in or near the same developmental stages, so it’s comforting to read your same frustrations/elations.
1. Erin
2. 28
3. I am married and live with my husband and my dog in the typical suburb setting of Chicago. We struggle with the idea that we are not ready to live in the suburbs and are contemplating moving back into Chicago. No kids yet, but they are in the near future. I am a consultant in Chicago – that means I spend 1.5 hours morning and night traveling from my suburban home to my job in the city. Thankfully it is on a train and technology has made the internet available to me during this commute.
4. I have been reading since sometime after Riley was born, but before he was crawling. I don’t remember exactly when. I come back for your stories of your family, life, challenges, and successes. I am impressed by your ability to write about your life in such a way.
1. Your name-stephanie brown
2. Your age-23
3. Your life in a nutshell: I currently am living back with my parents after a 4 year time period of living “on my own”. I moved back in to recover from brain surgery and just kind of stayed (I’ve been “home” a year now). I work at a private hosptial in Raleigh, North Carolina and I’ve been here for 5 1/2 years now, I started 2 weeks out of high school. I am first level (aka: bottom of the totem pole) desktop support for the employees of the hospital, it’s a pretty okay job. I also just started going back to school. I want to be a counselor for families, couples, individuals, etc. and I’m going to a Bible College to obtain that degree (Heritage Bible College). I’m assistant youth leader at my church (Crossroads Church of Clayton) and I lead up a singles group at church for ages 18-26. I am so completely in love with my life right now. I am single, and i have the bestest best friend ever, except that he is in Missouri for school and I miss him terribly.
4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back? I have been reading this blog for approx. 4 1/2 years, I believe August of this year will be 5. I found you back in my diaryland days and me and my ex-boyfriend used to just laugh our butts off at the great stuff you write. Even though we are broken up we still talk and sometimes we talk about the funny stuff you write. I can proudly say that I introduced you to Sami and that is how Josh heard about you. What keeps me coming back is your incredible ability to capture my attention fully and totally and I love to read what’s going on with you. My mom thinks it’s creepy, lol. I told her yesterday, “you know the lady that I read her blog from Washington? She has her baby tomorrow!!!” and she just rolls her eyes because she.doesn’t.get.it.
Anyways, it’s been a lot of fun watching your family grow. Hopefully this questionaire helps you get to me a little bit too!
1. Jennie
2. 31
3. I work in the financial industry doing product implementation management. Snooze. I live with two Basset Hounds (Lucy and Linus) on the south side of Indy. We just moved into a new house and can’t find anything.
4. I started reading your blog back in 2003-ish and I stay around because of your insight and hilarity.
1. Jackie
2. 30
3. New little family over here – It’s me, my Husband (an IT technician)and our 4 month old baby boy, Kal-el. I’m an admin. asst. and have a small personalized cake topper / figurine business that I started b/c of my own wedding in ’05. (see my website link!)
4. I happened upon your blog during my pregnancy and greedily tore thru your archives like the afore mentioned chocolate peanut butter ice cream, as our due dates were very close. Why do I come back? Gosh…your way with words has left me in tears of laughter and in tears because you’ve touched on something close to my heart. Riley is beyond adorable; you and JB are a riot. Your observations of parenthood (early poems and all!) are so REAL and so well written, as a new mom, how could I not come back?
Good luck today!! Can’t wait to see and read about your newest addition!
258 comments! Holy crap. :) I guess that’s what happens when a lot of people read your blog, huh?
But if you’re in the hospital bored while you wait, you should have plenty to read, so I’ll add my answers to your questions.
My name is Denise (last name withheld because the Internet is scary)
I’m 38.
I’m single, but newly engaged on Christmas Day. My fiance and I live together, with my two dogs and five cats and his two dogs. We don’t want kids, but then frankly we already have nine of them – they’re just four legged and furry.
I’ve been reading your blog for about three years, I think? Somewhere around there. Before Riley was even a thought, anyway. And I keep coming back because you’re funny, and you’re a great writer! And now I feel like I know you and your family, as much as I can since I don’t really know you, and I like keeping up on what’s happening. And I can’t wait to see Smalltopus, and learn his name. :) I hope your delivery goes well, and that you heal quickly.
1. Kirsten
2. turned 31 on Saturday!
3. I live in the midwest with my husband and 10.5 month old daughter. I work at the public university doing alcohol education (total job security!).
4. I don’t know how I found your blog but I’ve been reading for about 2 years. I enjoy your humor and the fact that you tell it how it is. Being a new mom, I appreciate that.
Good luck! And congrats. As you know, babies are so special.
Name: Lisa
Age: 26
About me: I’m a civil engineer working just outside of Chicago. My husband and I have been married 3.5 years and bought a fixer-upper house 6 months ago. No kids yet, but hopefully in the next couple of years we will start with that.
Why I read: I love your wit and great writing style. Your stories about Riley, the house remodel and just life in general are interesting and fun to read. I can’t wait to read about Baby #2 as well. Good luck!
Um? Am I really comment 273? Yikes!
My name is Janssen
I’m 22
I’m married, getting a masters in library and information science at the University of Texas, and working part time at a medical transcription office as a personal assistant. Good times. Except for the homework bit and all that.
I think I’ve been reading your blog for around a year, maybe more. I originally found you via Amalah and now I keep coming back because your blog is a great mix of the hilariously everyday and thought-provoking posts about other matters.
Good luck!
Wow, that’s a seriously large amount of comments. Here’s hoping you don’t have time to read all of them!!!
1. Shannan
2. 28
3. Live near New Haven, CT with my husband and 17 month old daughter. When I’m not toddler wrangling I’m a research assistant at Yale (I study brains).
4. Phew, I think I’ve been reading since I was about 5 months pregnant…soooo a little under 2 years. I love your blog tone (funny, some smart-assery, and also sweet and sentimental).
Congrats on the ejection of smalltopus!
I’m just reading blogs while eating breakfast and I just glanced at the clock. 6:05. “OH my god!” I thought, “Linda’s probably starting surgery any minute now!”
I think I may need a life? Good luck again!
1. Melanie
2. 28
3. I live with my husband of 4 1/2 years, my 5 1/2 year old son, our cat Marcel and our hamster Sarah. I work full-time as a “service administrator” (basically order entry/customer service) and go to school part-time (business) so that someday, hopefully, I can make more money. We live in Connecticut, about 2 miles from the ocean, which is awesome, except that it’s also really boring and strip mall-y and I wish I lived in a city and could walk places instead of long boring drives everywhere.
4. About a year and a half, maybe? I keep coming back because you crack me up, pretty much. Your blog is just hilarious.
1. Meg
2. 28
3. I live in the Boston area with my husband and baby boy who just turned one. I work 2 days a week doing data systems work for a government agency (wow, that sounds really horribly boring written in black and white! I used to be a consultant, but the constant travel made me crazy.) I may stop working at this job soon and stay at home with my baby. Or I may find a different part-time gig. Or I may invent some ingenious product and make millions.
4. I’ve been reading since sometime in the middle of your pregnancy with Riley. A friend sent me the link to your blog and I’ve been hooked ever since. Mr. Riley was born the same day as my nephew, too. I keep coming back because you are hilarious and have such a fantastic writing style. I don’t think I laugh out loud as much reading anything else.
Good luck with the entrance of baby boy the second! Can’t wait to hear the name!!
1. Erin
2. 29
3. I live with my husband Mike, our 20month old son Logan and our two crazy dogs Foster and Guinness
4. I have been reading since October 2006. My husband just returned from a one year deployment in Iraq so you helped keep me sane and laughing while I spent thirteen months trying to survive raising a little boy who seems by your descriptions to be A LOT like Riley :)I love your stories and look forward to your updates each date.
Can’t wait to see pictures and find out his name! Congratulations to you, JB, and big brother Riley!
OHMYGOD! Best wishes on an easy C-section. And happy birthday to the Smalltopus!
Now to help avoid boredom…
1. Christine A. B.
2. Twenty Six. I frequently forget and apparently in my mind I got stuck at twenty four.
3. Life in a nutshell…I live with my fiance in the house we’ve had for two years now (crazy!) we were just engaged this past October and despite all manner of questions I have no idea when in the hell we’ll actually get married. I, at least, am not in much of a rush. Plus we’re poor right now. The fiance sells advertising for a television station and I am a lowly law clerk on state pay. My life at the moment mostly centers around trying to find my next job which I need by September. Uh, what else? Oh we have a cat. The Ginger Ninja. Or just Ninja. I am slightly obsessed with him and seems to suit him just fine.
4. I’ve been reading this blog a little over two years (shortly after Riley came along.) I think I came over through Beth who was “Whinger” at whingingit.com…which is sadly no longer. I keep coming back because you crack me up, and because in my very active imaginary world, I think that you are the very cool neighbor who I get coffee with and bitch about my day with before sharing a fondness for Zombies and random references. Indeed, my boyfriend asked me about why I read the blogs I read, and that was my answer for most of them…that I think if I actually knew these people we would really get along.
Oh, best of luck Linda! Here are my answers: 1. Claudia
2. 41
3. Live in Va with musician husband and two daughters – 7 and 3 1/2. Yes, the second one is the one that makes you want to post your womb on ebay because you are DONE. I work at a college in the fund raising office. I am writing (and writing) a novel.
4. I’ve been reading you for years. Long, long before Riley.
1. Aimee
2. 34
3. I live with my husband, Kevin, and two-year old son, Harmon, in Ann Arbor, Mich. We both work at the University of Michigan (part-time for me since having Harmon), which is where we met back in 1994. We bought our house right before having Harmon (big stress) but things have worked out nicely. We’re planning for baby #2 soon. Oh, we have a pet bunny, Isabel, that definitely does the bunny-trance thing.
4. I started reading your blog when you were pregnant with Riley and I was pregnant with Harmon (Harmon was born in Nov. 2005). I’ve kept coming back because I love your writing and I can relate to you and all that goes on in your life. I talk about your blog all the time that it sometimes feels like we are friends (I’m not a stalker, I promise). Good luck today. I’ll be interested to hear all about it, especially because I’ll also have a planned c-section with #2. The idea already is freaking me out!
I am AMAZED that you received almost 300 comments OVER NIGHT, but I am going to go ahead and add to it!
1. Karly
2. 24 for another month
3. I’m married with two kids, boy and girl, and I homeschool them.
4. I’ve been reading your blog for about, oh, one week. I LOVE IT and have been stalking it obsessively this last week. Please do not get a restraining order.
Good luck with the eviction!
Wow, at this point you’re at the hospital. It feels funny to be so excited for someone I’ve never met in person, but hooray! Today’s the day! It’s cool to have your kid born with a built-in fan club cheering him on. ;-)
I’m Kelly (veralynn online). I’m 35, living near Philly. I live back and forth between my house in the burbs and my boyfriend’s house in the city and have one freakcat, Taz. I’m a communications manager for a biotherapeutics company. I’ve been reading you for years, since diaryland time. Good luck to your whole family today! :)
1. People call me Peggy
2. 56
3. Registered Nurse, wife (30 years), Mother (daughter 27, son 21), community volunteer, unfinished Masters in Fine Arts degree, trustee for large community foundation, vice president for county intermediate school district, I live in the freaking woods one hour away from any major city in any direction. I own a dog, a cottage on Lake Michigan (one hour away), I’m 6 years out from metastatic breast cancer diagnosis.
4. I read Bitchypoo and Nance and follow their links and they both link to you. I read you because you obviously love & enjoy your husband and son, and I identify with your relationship. It’s very interesting to be living a life similar to yours only 25 years later. I have frustrations and joy with my kids (I know they’re adults but the dynamic does remain the same), with the pain of home repair and the struggle for fitness. My son was a c-section baby born with an auburn brush cut and hollered like a hun when he didn’t get what he wanted. My daughter was quiet and watchfull and we were concerned she was retarded. Her first words were when she was 15 months old. She looked at me, put her baby hand on my mouth, and said “don’t sing”. She now teaches string orchestra, plays harp, piano, sings and has perfect pitch. I do not. It must have been a year of hell for her because I sang to that baby every day for hours.
Good luck & God Bless. Try singing & see what the baby says.
This is the point where I think, Good Lord is she still really reading these? Which is what keeps me mostly a lurker instead of a commenter.
1. Hi, I’m Kelsey.
2. I’m 31.
3. I live in suburban Ohio (Really, does it get anymore exciting?) with my husband, three-year-old daughter, a mostly insane wheaten terrier, and I’m currently pregnant, due in May, with a son. We’ve been married for five years. I taught first grade before my daughter was born. This fall I finished a master’s degree in library media education. I want to go back to work, and also, I don’t. Since I have the degree I will almost certainly return to work at some point. . . if not my husband is really going to question the painful year and a half we had while I was a full time student! In the last three plus years I have learned a lot about myself including the fact that maybe being a stay at home mother isn’t the dream job I always thought I wanted (hence the return to school). The most difficult thing we’ve had to deal with as parents is my daughter’s severe peanut allergy, not something I would wish on anyone.
Sorry, that was a long “nutshell.”
4. I think I’ve been reading this blog since right before Riley’s first birthday? I’m too lazy to go look but I seem to remember homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting? I had recently joined the blogging world, and was sharing some blogs with another friend and I think she suggested your blog. I keep reading mostly because I really enjoy your writing. You make me laugh and I appreciate your candid take on life and non-sugar-coated parenting stories. Although now I would probably keep reading even if the writing wasn’t so good because I feel sort of invested in your family — in a non creepy way of course. Riley is adorable and I am so looking forward to learning about the new baby and seeing him grow. I also read Purple is a Fruit and I check in with the Parent Dish entries. Like everyone else, I’ll be thinking about you all day today! Good luck!
Oh, oh, I love questionnaires!
1. Amy
2. Just turned 32 on Jan. 24
3. I work as a biologist with the state DOT (or, THE MAN) in Raleigh, NC and find it fun to roam around wetlands looking at dirt and endangered plantage. Oh, and I also like to chase after birds and generally look like an all-around dork :). In my spare time, I feed, clothe, and entertain my two year old daughter, Sydney. I also just found out that I am pregnant with my second (hold me!), who is due on or about September 30.
4. I’ve been reading since just after Riley’s first birthday (I think?), and I believe I found you through ClubMom when Amalah featured you on mom’s daily dose. I keep coming back simply because you make me laugh and I can relate to alot of your Riley stories, having a two year old myself. I also like that you are a WOHM (at least part time), because I am too and I often can’t find that perspective elsewhere (it’s just nice to know that you’re not alone, you know?).
I hope everything goes well today (boring is GOOD)–good luck! I look forward to your stories of two!!
OK – first off good luck and congrats on the smalltopus! I can’t wait to see pics and hear the name. Anyway…
1. Gina. For the first few years I used a pseudonym, but recently moved to a new blog and decided to go crazy out and use my name. I figured that all my fives of readers already knew my name anyway, so what the hell.
2. 39 going on 12.
3. I live in the Pittsburgh area, have a husband, an 11 year old son who knows everything and a 4 year old daughter who rules everyone. Also, stupid dog and fat cat. I work in epidemiological research (also known as: geekdom).
4. I’ve been reading about 5 years or so. It was the first blog I ever read and it remains my favorite.
YAY! so exciting! i hope everything goes like clockwork, and you’ll soon be seeing the face of your little guy…
1. alice
2. 27
3. i’m single, although with a fantastic boyfriend named karl. i’m currently going through a weird housing situation, wherein my awesome house + roommates mysteriously turned into “living with an entire korean family, most notably BOTH PARENTS who are weird and manipulative.” so! that’s fun.
4. i’ve been reading you since before i even started blogging myself. i keep coming back because you are a really fabulous writer. no matter what you talk about, i feel like i can relate, and i love your sense of humor. also, i am sort of addicted to your recommendations (THANK YOU for bare escentuals, btw)
i can’t wait to meet smalltopus! thank you for sharing your life with us :-)
I couldn’t sign in on Yahoo because it hates my computer.
I bet he weighs in at 6lb 3oz.
Hi Linda!
1. Kristin
2. 26
3. I live in Pittsburgh with my husband, two dogs and a cat. We’ve been married a year and a half. I’m a legal secretary by day and a journalism major by night. We spend our free time snow skiing, going to see live music, remodeling our house (GAH!), and watching deliciously geeky movies and tv (OMG! Battlestar comes back on in April!!). We think we might want to try for a baby of our own this year. I spend a lot of time alternating between randomly yelling, “I want a baby!” when I see all those cute little onesies in the store and thinking, “Dear God, I can’t be somebody’s mother! I sleep until noon on Sundays and I don’t floss!”
4. I think I’ve been reading about two years, maybe a bit more. I keep coming back because you’re goddamned hysterical.
Good luck today! I can’t wait to “meet” him!
Let’s see, it’s just now 9 am here, so you’re probably at the hospital by now, although you’ll probably have been whisked away to the OR by the time you get to this comment since I’m like, 5,376th. :)
1. Jenny
2. 30
3. I live with my husband and our 120-lb hound mix named Clifford. I’m a commercial real estate attorney, which means you can blame my clients for suburban sprawl, because most of them build giant shopping centers.
4. I’ve been reading since before Riley was a twinkle in your eye, but I don’t comment much.
Lots of luck today and may the drugs be with you — can’t wait to see Smalltopus on the outside!
Good luck! Looks like you’ll have a metric arse load of comments to help occupy your time.
Let’s see… I’m a thirty *ahem* mother of an almost two year old. I’m an American living in Canada. I don’t particularly care for the town in which I live. I’m a city girl and this place is just a little too, ummmm… cozy? I work from home in a job that I despise, but they have been good enough to keep me employed despite my location (I telecommute) and temperament. So I try to keep some perspective.
I moved to Canada about 3 years ago to be with the love of my life. We married in short order and have lived happily ever after. Or, as happily ever after as a hot-headed Texan (me) and a hot-headed French Canadian (him) with a hot-headed toddler (monkey butt) can be. Our poor son doesn’t have a chance.
I stumbled upon your blog about a year or so ago. I don’t comment really, as by nature I am shy. Even with the veil of anonymity that the Internet provides… I enjoy your sense of humor immensely. I’d like to think that if we met we’d be fabulous friends. Wait, was that too far?
Anyway… good luck to you today. I’ve been waiting patiently for Smalltopus’s arrival, and I’m so excited for you & your family!
1. Elaine
2. 33
3. I live in the Washington, DC area with my husband and our adorable son who will be 2 in a couple of months. I work for a direct mail company 4-days a week. Wish to move to a less hectic town/city some day…we’ll see if that happens. Also hoping to have baby #2 in the next year or so.
4. I’ve been reading your blog for about 8 months –when I finally crawled out from the rock I must have been living under and figured out what a blog was. Honestly, before that I had no idea! I come back b/c you are honest, HILARIOUS and write about things that I can relate to. Plus, I have an incredibly short attention span at work and Google Reader is an excellent distraction. Wishing you all the best today!
You already have a novel!
1. Your name
Penny
2. Your age
33 (no lie)
3. Your life in a nutshell:
I live with my husband and my 1.5 year old in a cramped apartment while our new house is being built. I work from home part time as an environmental consultant but will return full time to work at a large company later this year, mostly because I don’t have enough consistent clients. Am thinking about a career change.
4. How long have you been reading this blog, and what keeps you coming back?
Your sharp wit, which shines through the average suburban landscape you so often describe. Also I always hope that you will divulge more of your teen self, back when you were a goth Rebel.
I’m a little late to the party, but maybe this will find you when you have some down time!
Name: Kristin
Age: 36
Nutshell: I was an English major and worked as an editor of magazines after college. But I felt like I was sort of pigeonholed–the only thing I knew was where to place commas and how to produce magazines. So I came to work for my family’s company doing oil analysis (like the oil out of your car). It’s a great job and I’m really happy where I am. I also have 2 kids: a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son. My husband, who I was friends with for 10 years before we started dating, works construction. My God, I’ll stop now. Didn’t mean to go on. Sorry!
Why I come back: I like to read good writing, and you are a great writer. Also, you’re funny. Also, now that I’ve been reading you for so long, I want to know how you are. I’m so, so happy for you with your second! Good luck with it all. I read the post over at Family Dish about whether it’s easier the 2nd time, and I found that it was, in all respects. But I think you were wondering about hormonally, and yes, I was MUCH more even keeled the 2nd time. So much so that I wondered if there wasn’t something wrong with me–where were the tears? Did I not love my boy as much? But it has been really, really good. It look me a long time to bond with him and I think that’s something no one wants to admit–that the love can take longer with the 2nd child. But it has come, and it’s good. GOOD LUCK!
Oh man, I am sure thinking of you this morning! I believe I have a mild touch of the Nervous Tummy on your behalf (excitement brand, of course).
1)Tessie
2)30
3)I’m a CPA living in Texas with my husband and 18-mo-old daughter. We’re Yankee transplants and our daughter says “Ya’ll”. Not sure why I chose that sentence to sum it up, but I guess it does.
4)I’ve been reading for at LEAST 3 years, possibly 4? Since the Diaryland(?) days. At any rate, I’ve read all of your posts at one time or another. I think I left my first comment a few months ago or so. Was pathological lurker before I had my own blog. I guess I come back for the same reason many of these guys do–I relate to many of the things your write about, you are funny and interesting, and the type of person that I WISH I knew in my regular life. Also: to stay current on zombies. Just in case.
Congratulations to you!
Hi, Linda, I’m Candace (33 yrs).
I live in Just-North-of-Detroit, MI with my wife, Melissa. We were married in good-old, open-minded Toronto, Canada last May. Olive and Surly our 2 cats and American Eskimo dog, Mosey fill the corners our bungalow with drifts of multi-colored hair. I’m a pediatric nurse, working in a PICU in the burbs and also on a “regular” peds floor in Detroit.
This morning, I’m finishing up our homestudy and foster care paperwork. Hoping to get us a baby up in here in the next year or so.
I have been reading you for years. Between 4-5 yrs, I think. You were living in an apartment, no kids in sight. It has been a pleasure following your life. You have surprised, entertained and even inspired me (I made the glass bead magnets).
Best wishes for your surgery. I can’t wait to read the adventures of Sundry and the Two Boys! Love the new one’s name, too. I’m positive that I’ve guessed it from the two clues you dropped over the last few months.
Hi!
1. Megan
2. 34 years old.
3. I live with my boyfriend and our dog (the cutest beagle ever – then again, i am rather biased) in NJ, just over the GW Bridge from NYC. We’ve been together about 4 years, and people ask me constantly when we’re going to get married already. Because god, you know, you aren’t getting any younger. (And to those people I say “Bite me.” As if I don’t know how old I am. perhaps there are reasons? hmmmm?) We’re happy and thats what counts. I work in a small insurance rating office and while my official title is IS Manger, it means a whole bunch of nothing as I seem to do just about everything. jack of all trades, wear many hats – pick your cheesy phrase and thats me.
4. I’ve been reading you for years!! I can’t remember how long exactly, but it was long before Riley. You are the first blog I check in on every day to see what you have to say. I keep coming back because you are hilarious, warm, intelligent, and just someone I would totally hang with if I knew you. Its quite possible I’d stalk you if we lived on the same coast! :)
Hope all goes well today and can’t wait to see the pictures!
Hey hey! My name’s Jenn, I live in Atlanta with my husband of three weeks and our scottie dog, Knowshon (named after a UGA football player, of course). I work in government relations for a very large company, and I’ve started to dabble in invitation/stationery design on the side.
I’ve been reading your blog since 2003 or so, I guess. It was definitely the diaryland days, which is kind of awesome. Does Diaryland even still exist?
1. Karen
2. 31 (gah! – when did that happen?!?!)
3. Life in a nutshell: live with my fiance, our two insane cats and one giant horse of a shepherd husky mix named Betty; work for a company owned by children’s hospitals, helping them connect to their peers and improve patient care; getting married in may; this year’s hopes/dreams include: traveling to india, spending tons of time with my family (niece and nephew, especially), doing something with all those papery craft supplies that have been languishing in our guest closet…
4. man, I honestly don’t know how long I’ve been reading… a few years? I come back because you’re honest and funny and insightful and real. I still don’t get the zombie thing, but it makes me laugh anyway.
Thinking about you and JB today. Hope all goes spectacularly.
P.S. Thank you for replying to my email about honeymooning in the Pacific Northwest. The jury’s still out, but Seattle is definitely in the running.