The Mother's Day Gift That Keeps on Giving

I have been trying to make time to participate in Her Bad Mother's Great MommyBlogger Love-in. Truly I have. But between the Mother's Day festivities, the packing, the traveling, the working full-time, the blog reading, and...what am I forgetting? Oh right, the actual MOTHERING--it's been a little tough to squeeze in.

I feel like the one dorky friend arriving at the party just as everyone else is leaving, and saying, "whooooo! Let's get this party started! The Lizenator is here!" And you're all like, "Yeah, whatever. It's midnight you idiot and the party started at 7."

So here I am scraping up the congealed brie from what's left of the cheese platter, grabbing a warm beer, and begging you to stay. Just a little longer. For I too would like to share a few of my fav-or-ite things.

I need to start by saying I have a bazillion blogs on rss. That is the actual number. I counted once, and it took many hours. I do my best to read them as often as I can because each one, in its own way, inspires me, motivates me, makes me laugh, makes me think. If I ever comment on your blog then you know I'm reading you with some frequency. And let's just say, I don't read stuff that sucks. It physically pains me.

But since I can't possibly call you out each by name for the aforementioned reasons (and since so many participants in the Love-In have already done this so beautifully--one of the downfalls of coming so late to the party), I'd like to mention just a few very special blogs to me: My first loves. Those early reads/readers who got my site meter up to a good 10 or 12 hits a day. As I've said here recently, an audience, however small, is my heroin; it's the drug that keeps me writing day in and out. And these women were my benevolent dealers.

Rebecca was the first. I found her through the Crazy Hip Blog Mamas Mom of the Week. The site instructed me to leave a comment and so I did. And--surprise of all surprises--she commented back. It was like coming home to find a celebrity hanging out on my couch, reading my magazines. A real live Mom of the Week! A popular blogger--here! Writing to me! I am constantly awed by her writing, not to mention her headlines. I mean, come on-- Placenta: A Woman? It takes a Village, People? Brillllliant (delivered like Jon Lovitz as the Thesbian). And as someone I've now been fortunate enough to meet live and in the flesh, I can only assure you she's every bit as enjoyable in person.

Next came Mrs. Fortune. I immediately fell in love with her humor, her introspection, her wonderfully observational, stream-of-consciousness writing style, particularly as it related to her pregnancy. Her response to a bumper sticker advertising employment for one-ton diesel drivers: I was relieved to find out that in the (increasingly likely) event that I do pork up to 2,000 pounds, a job awaits. Good stuff. Wish I could take credit for it, like pretty much everything she writes.

Then came Kristen, my blogging soulsister and now business partner. A truly nurturing spirit, she actually took the time to email me a comment since dorko here messed up the commenting options on blogger. I can't imagine anyone who reads Mom101 doesn't read Motherhood Uncensored. In fact, I can't imagine that anyone who reads any blogs doesn't read MU. She's the next Dooce (you heard it here first, folks). She'll having you clutching your stomach with laughter one minute, and weeping the next. That's talent. And one day very soon I guarantee you'll be paying full price for it through Amazon. Get it now while it's free.

Next came Carrcakes, Binky, and StephanieRJ, a remarkably supportive trio, with enjoyable blogs to boot. Caroline seems so sweet and genteel, and yet is perfectly comfortable telling you how she farted in her anesthesiologist's face during labor. Binky is a novelist in the making and nearly any post of hers will confirm this. Stephanie was described by Izzy as being "like a perfect sweater, warm and cozy." I can only concur. I mean, the woman used to be in the Peace Corps. What I love about these three is that these are probably not women I would have met in the real world. But somehow we've found each other here and I feel both my life and my writing are richer for it.

Finally, I will always have a soft spot for Jenn, a real live fancypants playwright. Hers was the first blog which compelled me to go back and read pretty much everything she'd ever written. And then--ohmigodohmigodohmigod--she linked to a post of mine. I went from six readers to about sixty overnight, which is a testament to just high her blogging Q score must be.

I wish I could do more. But I'm jet lagged. And I have a beautiful sleeping baby in the other room with a restless leg in search of a head to kick all night.

Happy Mother's Day (again) everyone. Let's remember that we can all be nice to our fellow moms the other 364 days a year too.