This is a blog

As I was going through Joseph's backpack yesterday I came across a stack of notes. When I asked Joseph what they were he yelled "Augh! I don't want to talk about it!" and ran away. As far as I can tell either Joseph's teacher had the class write down nice things about him or Joseph has a stalker. Either way it's pretty cool. I want this next one on a t-shirt.
Not real sure what "grat" is but I'm sure it's something nice.
"the gradest person on my frend?" I have to assume there's more to this one that I'm missing. Still, being the gradest anything is pretty cool.
I love the crossed out "good". Joseph is a person. Jen is a blogger. This is a post.
This next one is my favorite.
Come on! That's just damned cute right there. Thanks for indulging me by reading this all the way to the end. You are a reader.

One year ago today I yelled at my family and then went shoe shopping.
Two years ago today I went to a mommy group and then wrote one of my favorite posts ever.

For once I'm not talking about vaginas ..... much

I have a question about blogging and commenting and I was wondering if anyone could give me some input. It occurs to me that I should have asked this yesterday when I was asking everyone to leave a comment. That would have killed two birds with one post. It's because all my great ideas come a day too late that I will never be a blogging super star. That and because I mostly just talk about poop. And vaginas. And boobs. And every time I type "vaginas" my spell check tells me it's wrong so what in the hell is the plural of vagina? Vagini? Vaginies?

Aaaaaanyway.... Here's what I'm wondering: When you leave a comment on a blog how important is it to you that you get a response? Do you find that you are more likely to comment on a blog if you know that your comment will get a response? Some blogs answer comments right in the comments section, I did that for a while too. If you comment on a blog that does that do you ever check back for an answer to your comment?

I enjoy responding to comments but I want to do it in the way that works best for my readers. I see blogging as a give and take activity and if you take the time to comment on my dopey little posts I feel like the least I can do is respond. So what do you think is the best way for a blogger to respond to comments?

I am thinking of changing the way I respond to comments. For people that use a valid email address I will respond via email. For other people I will respond right in the comments section itself. Does that seem like a good solution?

And seriously, what is the plural of vagina?

One year ago today I talked about my confusion regarding Dooce.
Three years ago today showed how he got the nickname Drama Joe.
Four years ago today I used an obscure Simpsons reference but oh my god, how boring was I? Very.

This is only a test... Beeeeeeeeeeep

I am futzing around with some things on my blog and I wonder if you all could help me out. Could you please leave a comment for me on this post? It doesn't have to be interesting or witty or long. It can just say "test" or "hi" or "you're lame" or whatever you want. It would mean a lot to me.

If you have a blogger account could you please leave your comment under that name? And if you don't can you please use a valid email address when leaving your comment?

Consider this my early birthday gift. (Please note that if you planned on buying me a birthday gift for my 32nd birthday (which is on the 20th) this does not take the place of said planned gift. You still have to buy me something. And leave a comment.) Thank you.

One year ago today Joseph got his own blog.
Two years ago today I talked about my fragina.
Four years ago today I ate trash.

Kicking it old school style

I was looking through my archives for something in particular but then I forgot what I was looking for because I kept getting distracted by funny stories and cute pictures of my kids. In my searching I came across something I would like to share with you. It's a video of the kids dancing and me laughing like a donkey. Watch it for the cute kids. Pity me for my horrid laugh. Enjoy seeing Elle as a chubby cheeked baby* and Joseph as a tiny slip of a boy**.

So even though it's lame to write a post that's nothing but a plea for you to go read an older post, please humor me and click it.

*She's still chubby cheeked but she has grown into them a bit. I kind of can't believe that she was ever this small. Or that he hair was ever that short because now she has a long, curling mane that is constantly in her face.

** He's still a tiny slip of a boy. I don't think he's changed much at all. He must have grown a little bit though since Elle now wears the pajama pants Joseph is wearing in this video.

One year ago today I expressed myself in German.

For Maddie

I would imagine that by now nearly everyone in the blogging community knows about the heartbreak that has hit Mike and Heather Spohr. Their lovely little girl, Maddie, has passed away.

I have been trying for a while to put into words how I feel about this but I just can't do it. Part of me questions if I even have the right to mourn for this child that I never even knew, to grieve for the loss her parents have to endure. Right or wrong though, I am sad. I am sad because Maddie was a true bright spot in this world and now she's no longer with us. I am sad because her parents now have to find a way to pick up the pieces and move forward after an unimaginable loss. I am sad because no family should have to go through what this family is going through right now.

Someone has put together a beautiful tribute to Maddie (if anyone knows who can you let me know so I can give credit?) and I would like to share it with you.


Maddie's parents are taking part in the March of Dimes this year. Their goal was to raise $3000. As I write this they have raised over $18,000 in Maddie's name. The March of Dimes raises money to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. If you would like to donate you can go here and do so. It's a wonderful cause and fitting tribute to Maddie that so much money was raised in so short a time. She certainly left her mark on this world.

Two years ago today people used Google to find strange things.

Joseph saves the planet

The other day Joseph and I were walking across a parking lot on our way to an appointment that we were late for. As we neared the sidewalk Joseph stopped short. I was about to tell him to hurry but then I noticed he was staring at a piece of trash on the ground and muttering to himself. I took a couple of steps closer to him and listened as he tried to decide if he wanted to pick the trash up.

"Oh man, who would do this? Who would just drop a piece of trash here like that? It looks like it's a fruit snack wrapper. Maybe some kid did it. Their mom and dad should tell them not to do that. I'm going to throw it away. There's a trash can over there. Why didn't they throw it away in that trash can? I'll pick it up and do it. Augh! There's some rotten water in here! I can't pick it up. No, I have to. I refuse to not do something about this. Some people on this planet just don't care and I have to help out if I can. Why would people be so inconsiderate to do something like this? I don't know but I have to take care of this."

With that he picked up the wrapper, threw it in the trash, wipes his hands on my jeans and walked happily into the building. I don't think he has ever looked so grown up to me before.

One year ago today we went to the zoo and my kids were fracking adorable.

Did I say I didn't want to humilate my kids?

Today when I picked Joseph up from school his teacher walked him out to the car. She said "Joseph wanted me come out here with him so that I could be here when he told you something very important about his day. He was worried you might be upset so he wanted me here to explain things to you if he couldn't."

Of course I was a little worried when I heard that. What could be wrong? Was someone mean to Joseph? Was he mean to someone? Did he get in trouble? What could it be.

I looked at Joseph and he looked at me, his brown eyes as wide as dinner plates. He looked at his teacher and she nodded, encouraging him to speak. "Mommy!" he said very seriously and in a voice loud enough that one might want to use it if one wished to be heard over the sound of an airplane taking off nearby "I had a really bad stomach ache today and so I went to the bathroom and I pooped. And it was a big poop. A very, very big poop. Now I feel better. I just wanted Ms M here so that you wouldn't get too worried."

I glanced at his teacher and she was nodding as though she agreed that this was a very serious issue. She has been a teacher for a long time and has apparently perfected the skill of looking very serious when presented with something very ridiculous. I have only been a mom for eight years and and I have not perfected this skill.

So I stood there and I tried my best not to laugh. I tried, I really did. I'm sorry, he was so worried about the size of his poop upsetting me that he had to bring his teacher out for moral support? How do you keep a straight face when that happens? Thank goodness Joseph is not really very good at picking up on subtle facial expressions and I don't think he notices that I was milliseconds away from bursting out into hysterical laughter. I waved him into the car and then stood there on the sidewalk and giggled for a moment.

Then I got in the car and drove home. All along the way I kept glancing in the rear view mirror and smiling at my sweet, sweet boy. My darling boy who worried that a story about poop might upset me and who wanted to protect me getting upset. That kid is something else.

One year ago today Elle was cute and her hair was really short.
Four years ago today I had fun in the ER with two hot doctors. I had also not yet discovered spell check.

Blog constipation

Do you ever have blog constipation? You know, when you want to blog but you just can't?

I'm having that right now. There's something I want to talk about but for various reasons I can't. I mean, I guess I can, there's certainly no law against it. I choose not to though for the sake of peace and harmony in my off-line life. I have to say though, it's killing me. It's taking something that I'm already tense about and making it ten times worse.

It's not until situations like this come up that I realize how much I really rely on blogging. It's an emotional release valve for me. If I can get it all out here then it doesn't eat at me as much. If I keep it inside and non-blogged then it pick, pick, picks at my brain.

Now this thing I'm tense about isn't a big deal and in a few days it will be a non-issue. I have chosen not to talk about it through because it involves people other than me. There's not a lot about myself that I won't share on this blog. I talk about almost every aspect of my life. I do censor myself on a few topics though. I try not to say anything about my kids that will hurt or humiliate them in the future. That's not to say that I shy away from talking about when they are being horrid little monsters but since they are good most of the time I think the overall tone when I talk about them is loving. The same goes for Jesse. He might get a little teasing on this blog but if there's an actual issue between us I keep it between us and not on the blog. I don't talk a lot about my extended family or Jesse's extended family because I am not interested in causing family strife with my stupid little blog. That's just not worth it.

So now I find myself in a situation where I can't talk about what I want to talk about and I can't talk about anything else! I can only talk about how I can't talk about something. Oh blogging, you have warped me.

What about you? Are there things you consider "off limits"? Why? Does the potential reaction of people you know cause you to censor yourself? Or do you just let it all out there, consequences be damned?

One year ago today we had a fixation situation with Joseph.
Two years ago today my bra tried to kill me.
Three years ago today I had a cold. And I'm getting one today too.