Leta will be a computer geek just like you and Jon and my kid, who is almost 16; started playing chess on a computer at 3, and now loves nothing more than to code a site for 15 hours at a time if I would let her. Oh, its tru, a teen's insecurities/independence does at times play out in resenting the parents, but its just a stage. You have a beautiful healthy family and an stable yet excitingly creative reality, and its proof positive of what this world has to offer. So sad; people are so weird that they want to rescue a white, upper middle class, stable family from the horrors of existance....isn't there somewhere else their concern would be better utilized.....oh, right, that would require an effort beyond that which I just expended at my keyboard. Yeeeeaaah.

Ha,ha 190! I tell my kids the same thing.

thanks for this post. It spoke volumes about motherhood, societal pressure and conforming to cultural norms.Do you think the people who got cross have ever spoken out against ths people who do the same thing but in print? Hmmmm.....

I, too, have a 4 yr old little Princess... just a month younger than your Leta. When she was only a few months old, i found myself sitting @ the computer at some ridiculous time in the early morning... begging for sleep... and i stumbled on your site. I felt relieved. At last!!! Some other poor new mother was pulling her hair out just like me. And i've continued reading ever since. I love drinking my morning coffee and checking in on your cozy, often hilarious life before i start my day. Thank you, Heather, for this site.
And for all those naysayers - give 'em a big ol' one-finger salute!

I Love your site and have been reading it for years, it has helped me through many a hard day with my own child, and life in general. You are wonderful, please continue always!

Bravo, Mama.

Bravo.... =))

One can get all the positive reinforcement, comments and praise in the world but the one that seems to stick out and be remembered is the hate one. I am so very tired of letting the haters get the best of others.

Please don't ever stop blogging and please don't ever stop writing the Leta Letters. So often I read them aloud to my family and wish I was as eloquent. Whether you realize it or not, you are THE role model for the 21st century mother.

Hi Heather,

Love this months letter, BUT, especially love the pictures of little Miss Leta. Could she be more gorgeous? I don't think so. I would hate to be in your shoes when she is in High School……Jon might as well begin reviewing the best shotguns on the market, or perhaps you could have a microchip implanted under her skin so that her comings and goings can be monitored. Remember Leta, College graduation first, boys much, much later.

Heather, I really wish you wouldn’t let the idiots and their comments get to you, you shouldn’t even address them at all, it’s kind of like walking passed a construction site, all of the fat and sweaty men are wooping and hollering filthy things at you as you walk by, you certainly don’t address them in return do you, NO, you continue to walk on and know that those fat slobs will never get to touch what you have, they can only dream about it. So Heather, ignore the fat sweaty slobs and continue strutting your awesome and very hot stuff.

All best to you and the family!
Gabi

Hi from Russia :)
I've found your site just a few months ago by chance, and now I've got absolutely stuck with it.
I have a 4-year old princess too (and a growing 1-year old another one), and a blog about them, I'm writing since their birth. I started it, because of too many people who attacked me with all the same questions "O, how is she doing? Do you have enough milk? And what is it all like?" I'm sorry my blog is in Russian, and I can't share it with you :) But my fist is in the air too.
Thanks for saying all those things, so important for moms all over the world.
I think our blogs would beсome very significant to our girls, when they become mothers themselves. So lets keep bla-bla-blogging :)

just one more amen... to the list of many

Lonnnnggg time reader, first time commenter. Leta is just adorable and I had to come out of lurk-dom to say that my daughter and yours could be sisters (or at least second cousins). My daughter's resemblence to Leta is particularly noticeable in the litte vimeo video on my websiteh.

Connection and community...You nailed it, doocie! Reading about your trials and tribulations is always a pleasure, and everything you're attempting to do--you're accomplishing. My impression of your voice is that you're not squeamish, yet you have a good sense of where to draw the line. The way you write about your life feels inclusive rather than self-absorbed. You're a talented writer with important things to say and you have the balls the say 'em...so thanks for saying what you say and doing what you do :) cheers!

Your ability to be honest and plain spoken, often in the most humorous way, is quite awe-inspiring.

I don't have children but today's post moved me so much that it brought tears to my eyes.

And I just put my flipping make up on too!

Keep up the good work.

Sing it, Sister.

Beautiful, Heather: You, your writing, your daughter, your family, and your work.

It is a most lovely idea - these newsletters - i'm sure that Leta will love them when she is all grown-up! We started blogging a few yrs ago - & i love it - i love that there is a record of my son's growing up! & love the idea that he will one day get to read & see it all! My parents are wonderful in that we always talked about mine & my bro's childhoods so we both have a sort of verbal record so to speak - but nothing beats print or in this case, digital print.
Keep at it!

Brava to you, for this and every other newsletter. You inspire me in a variety of ways - ways of being a better parent. You validate my feelings of fear and inadequacy and joy. You inspire me to think more about the important moments in my children's lives and less about the stuff that doesn't matter, like whether anyone in the house is wearing pants.

Thank you, most sincerely.

She's so beautiful...I hope that she realizes how much she is loved by her mama...that you took all the time out to document your observations of who she is and has been...she's very lucky...

That was lovely!

D: i hope you're wrong too. and there's room for everyone to see things differently. i see a site where a mother is sharing her happiness that she is a mother, and is so overwhelmed with all the little happy things that happen as a result of motherhood that she just *had* to share it. it makes me look for all the little happy moments as i raise my son, and remember it's not all sleepless nights and messy feeding times.

Hmmm? Children of Bloggers being exploited? for Money?

Oh I think I will start a union "CHildren of Bloggers Union" C.O.B.U. Perfect. I will charge outrageous dues I can make a mint.

Excellent post.

BEAUTIFUL.

Thanks for sharing... I don't have a child yet, but your online scrapbooking of your lives makes me look forward to (and sometimes fear!) being a mom. You are honest about both the frustration and the amazing aspects of being a mom. If anything, the world needs more honest sharing. Thanks again!

I definitely wish I had monthly newsletters from my mom. I can't think that it would be anything except totally awesome--online or otherwise.

But then--if my parents tell a poop story I tend to share it in my own blog anyway.

Maybe Leta will become a crazy famous blogger too. :)

I suppose that my initial problem with all this is that I can't believe you have to write this in the first place. I can't wrap my mind around what other people must see when they read this blog, to find anything to hate on. I mean, sweet mother of all that is holy, how do their brains even work? How can anyone who has eyes in their head not look at the photos you take, something so simple and requiring little to no skill, and not see that, whatever else one might accuse you of, you definitely are desperately in love with your daughter (and husband, and dogs)? I keep underestimating the ignorance of others, to my own detriment. You, however, are on a constant basis showered with it, and I applaud you for blogging despite the tidal wave of bullshit that must come your way. I would go ahead and wish that my mom had done the same thing, but you know, I see how much she loves me whenever I look at her. I am sure that Leta sees, or will come to see, the same thing - I suppose I hope for her that she doesn't even need this website to know that. :)

Dear, dear Heather,
I have been reading these letters you have written with love for about two years. Sometimes I just look at the pictures of your beautiful Leta and sit and stare at her with marvel. My son's birthday was April 30. He was killed in a car accident shortly after his 18th birthday. Everyday, every single day, I wonder whether he knew I loved him as overwhelmingly much as I did and do.

Your letters to Leta help me to remember that our struggles were simply the times of a young man and his mother searching for ways to be independent - both of them. And we were. This meant that there were times that we didn't like each other very much. But I know we loved each other. Your letters provide that gift to me in an intangible, inexplicable way. Thank you.

How can saying I love you to Leta, be exploiting her??? Perhaps it would only seem that way if you never let yourself take all the risks that love involves. You know that it is a risk. But if you didn't accept it, your lives would be so much less.

Rosalyn

Rock on, Heather.

BRAVO!

Delurking here to send kudos your way, for your writing gift, your parenting skills, your honesty and courage.

My son, who is almost 40(!) recently told me "I have almost no memories of my childhood" and I simultaneously thought, "Thank the gods" and "How sad is that."

I was an isolated single mom, struggling to keep a roof over our heads while dealing with an intense 2-year old who was suddenly thrust into an entirely new state, home, and fulltime daycare. I was unsure of myself as a person and as a mother, and so listened to the well-meaning "advice" of people who didn't know a damned thing about the important things, instead of listening to my heart as I did when I left his father, who destroyed any little bit of self-respect and confidence I had, but went too far when he began to destroy my firm belief that I knew the right way to be a mother to our son. But under the pressures, I not only didn't keep a record of his progress, but I didn't PAY ATTENTION to his progress toward adulthood, nor enjoy that journey in the many ways I could have. I was the best I could be at the time, I guess, but it didn't come anywhere near what I had hoped for us. And I think we both have paid a high price.

Thank you for helping all who read you remember what's important and know that they're not alone; for so clearly painting a picture of life in general, and child-rearing in particular, that says "I am an individual. My child is an individual. We will deal with it all as individuals, and find the ways and methods best suited to US." Thank you for being a voice for the voiceless, the light in a sometimes long, dark tunnel. I only wish you'd been available to me when I was struggling...but, I think you weren't even born then (and neither was this amazing electronic world)! You cut to the chase in a world of contradictory input.

Naysayers be damned. Ironic that they're READING your blog.

I pump my fist to you.

I for one love reading your blog. Plus I love writing my own. Just about my every day life with four kids!! Moms have lots to say for sure!

PS. I have written about poop for a couple days now!

Leta is a stunningly beautiful little girl. I think you are an incredibly strong and brave woman, thank you for pouring your heart out daily.

Ahhh. How refreshing to read this particular newsletter. I agree with you 100%. She'll hate it in her teen years, but when she has her own child she'll GET IT. So many things clicked between my mother and I when I had my child.

Such a classy way to address the nasty naysayers you hear from every day. You are awesome. Have fun in New York!

Word!

I only wish I would stop censoring myself. I'm horrified to publish my most embarrassing/shocking moment as a mom (so far) but, like you wrote, it might actually help another mom if I put it out there. I still can't share all of our family moments with "just anyone" but I'm slowly working toward it. You really are an inspiration.

Fuck the naysayers. We moms know why we write. Let the rest jack off to Internet porn.

I don't know if you read all your comments, but just want to say thank you for your site. People will look for anything to twist around. Glad you are strong and smart enough to ignore it. Reading about your life is like watching reality tv, only it's more honest and without the hos.

There are lots of times you've made me laugh and nod my head in agreement, so please keep writing.

Dammit. I wanted to be post 666!

Hey, you just called me a Troll on Twitter! A 24 hour one at that! Woo hoo.

I love these newsletters and this website. I've been reading since before Leta was born and it is the one site I visit every day without fail. It's like postsecret and for just a moment I get to glimpse into other people's lives and see how exactly the same we are or how different. At the very core we are all humans just trying to comprehend and understand this thing called Life. I must admit that I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to see you and Jon on the news and the recent interviews. I hope your book is wildly successful and that you can stop in at the Barnes and Noble on 15th Street in Plano, TX and do a signing. I love you Dooce but I also love convenience.

Thanks for sharing your life with all of us. We love you!

Thank you. Thank you for writing and making me laugh. Thank you for writing about your experiences with PPD and making me feel a little less isolated. Thank you for being brave enough to write about how motherhood isn't fabulous all the time. Thanks for keeping it real. XOXO Tracy

Everytime I visit here, I'm reminded that it's okay for me to be a mother and still retain my independence, my intelligence - and my soul. You do indeed make me feel less alone.

Leta will grow up tall and proud and comforted in the knowledge that we're all groping around in the dark and that none of us are perfect. She will also know that her mother endured an ungodly and quite frankly unnecessary tide of disapproval simply because she was brave enough to admit that she's not perfect.

V.

Heather, I always look forward to your monthly newsletters. I love that you write about the challenges of every day life and truly honest. Every time I read about Leta, I think about my sister and her challenges with motherhood, and I think about the heartbreaking entry you wrote after your second miscarriage--two months after my sister miscarried. Your ability to be witty and funny and--above all--brutally honest has made me a better aunt and a better sister.

I always enjoy seeing pictures of Leta and hearing about your life. Thank you for sharing it.

The world needs more Dooce, and less dipshits.

Heather, thank you for doing this. Over and over I read how the internet and technology has killed a sense of community. Sites like yours PROVIDE a sense of community. It's not the same sense that past generations had, the physical neighborhood sense, but it's no less important.

Thank you so much. I love your words!

Leta:
Your mommy loves you more than you will know until you have your own children. She has helped countless women get through the tough, unpaid job of motherhood. She is a hero and you know you are tougher than the critics. Rock on.

Heather, I don't have any children *yet* but I hope when I do that I can write as corageously, and be as witty, and loving adn caring as you are. Leta (and Jon, and Coco, and Chuck and all of us on the Interwebs) are lucky to have met you.

P.S. Shame on Coco for eating Barbie's appendages...just a reminder....Chuck would have never done that!

You are a beautiful woman for doing all that you do and that last picture of her is stunning.

My Memphis fist is in the air for you. Leta your mama has got it. Ya'll all rock,

No matter what you do, she will think you are definately from Mars. But only for a short time. She'll come around one day! BTW, she is a cutie!

I can tell you everything you never want to hear about child abuse because I see it and hear it 40 hours a week. For someone to call what you are doing child abuse is asinine.

People need to lighten up.

It's posts like these that make me proud to say "I have a friend in Utah and she has a hot husband!".
Except, you wouldn't know that I think of you as my friend, nor would you think I have glorious dreams of your husband (HI JON!)
But I do.
Thank you for being open.
Thank you for being honest.
Thank you for still inspiring me to do what I want to do, no matter how scary it may seem.

Jennifer

Beautiful.

Blogs like this give reality to the day to day struggles of raising a child, as well as the simple beauties children remind us to appreciate.

Not having had any kids yet, it makes me look forward to the day I do have kids, yet prepares me to know that everything doesn't go perfectly like in Mayberry (like on my own mother's fantasy couch).

Thank you for writing this and making it public.
I am sure your daughter will thank you once she is old enough to understand the significance of your blogging journey.

I have read a lot of funny autobiographical books and novels written by educated women (and sometimes men) about their children and family lives. In today's "new media" this website is no different than a series of novels written of your life experience. You are a fantastic writer Heather and the idea that this website amounts to exploitation and child abuse is ridiculous. I'm sad that you have to put up with people who bombard you with comments like that.

So I'm not sure...I may be a bit younger than the majority of this website's readers. I'm twenty. I have no children. I'm still trying to figure out my own life and can barely comprehend the complexities of handling someone else's, but you give me a lot of hope. I check Dooce EVERY day, and your stories make me so excited for the rest of my life, to be able to officially call myself a 'woman', and join the ranks of those who give up so much of their independent lives to strengthen somebody else's.

I don't think you're exploitative. I think maybe, as Leta grows, she may see the sharing of her stories as a bit of a sacrifice. She is giving something to the rest of us, and we're grateful for it.

But naturally I don't know Leta like you do. So we'll see. :)

I've gotta say - this whole thing about children being exploited by these blogs is just ridiculous.

You mothers who make money off your blogs - you are not making money because you're children are adorable (which they are) or because the things they do are interesting and cute (which they are), but because you are talented writers and storytellers. You are making money off of YOUR talents, not off the talents of your kids. There are plenty of people with adorable kids who make no money from their blogs because they don't have the writing/storytelling talent.

It's just like famous singers and poets - they don't make money because their lovers or children are particularly interesting, but because they write songs and poetry well. Making money off of your OWN talents is not in any way any kind of child abuse or exploitation. Come on lame-o people, really.

I think you're completely right that one day Leta will love you and be proud of you for writing this website. I think, as women, we rarely appreciate our mothers until adulthood, and then we see them in a very different light. I made my mother's life hell when I was a teenager, but as an adult, I have a lot of respect for the (often difficult) decisions she made, about how she supported our family and how hard it was for her.

My mother worked a job where she was often away on business and often pulled 12 hour days. As a child and a teenager I resented her for never being around, for not being there to act as referee between my father and myself. As an adult, I appreciate how hard it was for her to leave me every day, and I am in awe of the amazingly important work she did.

No mother gets to have it all. You and Jon will be there for Leta, all the time. She will not be raised by nannies. You put food on the table and you can buy the things she needs. She will not lack medical or educational care. The trade-off is a lack of privacy, but honestly, I think you're doing a wonderful job as a mother. It is good for Leta to have such a strong female role model in her life, a real feminist who breaks open taboos about the difficulties of motherhood and mental illness. There is so much pressure to be perfect, and no mother is. I think your blog goes a long way towards letting society know that really, people do the best that they can and it's pretty much okay most of the time.

I suffer from depression and anxiety and until I started reading your blog, I thought I could never possibly have children. You have made me realise that it's possible to raise a child when you're mentally ill. I think you do a lot for mentally ill women, even if they're mothers or not.

dooce, you rock the mothership. while i may not agree with your every thought and opinion ... you most likely wouldn't agree with mine either ... what inspires me is that you are completely self-expressed, true to yourself and uncensored. if only everyone could see the beauty in that instead of focusing on making you wrong so they get to be right ... in their own tiny little world. so here's my parenting philosophy ... i will, no doubt, unintentionally embarrass my kids with my unbridled affection for them. as i'm not willing to alter or compromise that in any way, shape or form ... i say play big and embarrass the hell out of 'em when you can!

p.s. - write your next book about mothers embarrassing their kids on purpose and i will be one of your contributing authors!

There is an awful lot of child abuse going on in the world that people should be seriously worried about. Maybe those who oppose what you say/do/think should stop reading this blog and spend that time doing something about the real tragedies in the world.

Leta is so beautiful! Congratulations on raising such a humorous and sweet girl.

okay, first off. i adore your writing and truly, my favorite thing to read about here is Leta. I loved reading years of posts about the honestly of motherhood; you tell it like it is.

also, i think you can do whatever you want with your blog and your life. it's not my blog, it's yours.

but, all this being said, i would NEVER blog publicly about my kids.

I think of it like this, had the technology been around, would *I* have wanted my mother to write about details of my life to 4 million viewers a month? Hell to the no. I enjoy my private life immensely. I can't imagine millions of people knowing my name, what I look like, approximately where I live, details about my poop and eating habits, or watching videos of me singing and dancing. It's a terrifying thought.

but okay here's more to chew on. #703, said this: "I think maybe, as Leta grows, she may see the sharing of her stories as a bit of a sacrifice. She is giving something to the rest of us, and we're grateful for it."

See, this is the heart of the debate. Heather IS sacrificing Leta for the good of others. and i think here's where people differ in their ideas of morality. I Personally think it's a very American idea, the sacrifice of one individual to help countless others.

If I knew I could help other people, but potentially destroy my kid's psyche, I Would Not Help Others. each family should help itself FIRST, then others (not that they do in America, for the most part; I guess that's the problem), and this is the mentality of my culture.

This really gets down to how Americans are raising families. They (the benevolent ones, anyway) always seem to want to help others, but never help their own families; that's someone else's job. Some other benevolent stranger down the line will help their children. I don't think that's right. But maybe others think that is the way to go.

Reminds me of the Congresswomen I know who are such great Democrats and try to help so many others but their kids end up being alcoholics and drug addicts because their mothers were too busy saving others to help their own children! But Americans don't mind that; one mother helped countless others, and along the way, only a single child was hurt beyond repair. Sacrifice of one for the good of others is seen as O.K.

Not to me. Well, regardless, I'll still enjoy posts about Leta because I believe people are free to do whatever the heck they want. and even if I wouldn't personally do it, doesn't mean I can't enjoy when others do.

Seriously Heather, I am a fan, I just wanted to address this point. I was getting annoyed by people shouting "they're just jealous!". Maybe a lot are, but maybe others just have a different (not better, different) moral standards. No one seems to consider all viewpoints anymore. I'm glad you did, and that you came to a decision. It's just not one I would have made.

Don't let her read the introduction to THE BOOK. I just read the introduction and stopped cold at

down on paper I felt like had just had my brain dissected...

Has someone murdered every single editor on the planet?

Wow. I can hardly wrap my mind around the idea that there are people who FEEL this way about what you write! Are they AUTOMATONS? I have been obsessively (in the nice way, I'd like to think) reading all your archives ever since I serendipitously found your site a few weeks ago and I've turned into a Dooce Evangelical, spreading the word of your delicious candor far and wide!

My friends and family have long wondered at my compulsion to talk about the grisly underbellies of pregnancy and mothering. I don't get why people shift uncomfortably in their seats when I say I had a total breakdown on the third (fourth? So hard to say!) day after we'd brought my son home from the hospital. I mean, I got BETTER.

Aren't we all better off if we discard this myth that Being a Mother is a simple, natural, effortless thing? I work fucking hard to try to do a good job at this and I often am dogged with the fear that I'm inadequate in spite of that hard work. You've shone a bright light into a dark spot in the world and I am so very grateful to you.

What a beautiful love letter! :)

Beautiful...absolutely beautiful.

You've been inspiring to me as I bring up my 3.5 year old daughter and have always found respite in the fact that it's not just me that these things happen to. Even better, they happen to you about 8 months earlier than they do to me! So I get great reading AND perfect early warning system all at one time.

Thank you...thank you....thank you!

Beautiful!

Heather,
Please look at the numbers. How many of us send our love to you and your family? How many send hate mail? The ratio for haters must be 1 to 1,000. They really should go un-noticed.
Leta, you are the most beautiful child!

As someone who has a blog filled with pictures of his son, I couldn't agree more. I think that in the long run, he'll probably appreciate having his own little patch of memories recorded further down the track. To anyone that *may* get off on a picture of me kicking a football with Henry, well, who cares? They could just as easy be watching us from the sidelines.

Kids have never been more safe than they are today, we should celebrate that, not look for new things to frighten them or their parents.

Beautiful! You're raising a little feminist, and I love it. Motherhood is so exhausting, I have no idea how you have the energy to be so unique. *pumps fist in air*

Hi Heather,

Even though hundreds before me have voiced their support for you in every way, I also wanted to let you know that I absolutely love your blog. As a first-time mother, your words of wisdom have helped me so much. I sort of stumbled upon your blog almost 19 months ago--as I was struggling to breastfeed my daughter, I Googled a phrase approximating "breastfeeding is making me crazy", and that's how I found your site (ha!). Everything you had to say about your struggles through Leta's early months resonated deeply within me, and I really did feel like I wasn't the only one out there having a hard time. And of course I have loved all of the beautiful things you've written about your family as well! ;) Thank you for having the courage to put it all out there. Again, it has meant so much to me.

Thank you for all that you do - for writing about your life and your family, for sharing your absurdities, and for giving women around the world hope that even through the worst of times, miracles like Leta and your relationship with Jon still happen and are still able to make it all worth it.

Thank you.

SO well said.

There's not much more to say that hasn't already been said, but that was a great post. Thank you for sharing your stories. They've helped me many times and give me hope.

You know what has always bugged the hell out of me? That they devote 10 minutes or more -- roughly one-third of every newscast, be it 10 minutes of a half-hour news show, or 20 minutes of a one-hour program -- to sports. Why would I be interested in 10 minutes or 20 minutes or any minutes of SPORTS? Or SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS???

It has nothing to do with raising my kids; working in my garden; writing; having, you know, impromptu surgery in the middle of my week, thus screwing up my entire schedule; PTA politics; the way my girlfriends and I look out for each other; BUNCO; whatever...

Can I get a witness, for real? Because it has always pissed me off, this whole "focus on sports" thing, the money that is thrown around, the rabid devotion, the "sacrificing it all for the big game," thing and I've always, my ENTIRE LIFE wanted something equal for women. But what? A report on this week's bunco game? An update on someone who went through a rough childbirth?

Then came blogs. And all I can say is "Thank you," cuz now we've got it all.

You're a little better than the regular competitor, my friend. Keep playing.

Nancy

Bravo. 'nuf said.

Wow. Thanks for writing that, even if it was more for Leta than the rest of us. I stopped writing on my blog about how difficult it is parenting my stepchildren, after being bashed (and called abusive) by other women. I still long for it. Thanks for being stronger than me.

Lovely daughter, first of all, and lovely site, second of all. This kids'-privacy-in-the-blogger-age subject is a sticky one. On the one hand, for better or worse, parents control all the "PR" for their children for the first several years of their life; any of our kids could grow up and say "i HATE your friend so-and-so, i can't believe she was an intimate part of our family's life during my childhood!" / "i'm converting to judaism, i can't believe you baptised me in the catholic church, i feel like such a fraud." (parents can have different values than their children) or "you didn't know it but coach / pastor joe molested me" (parents may let the kid have contact with a bad person without realizing it). on the other hand ... i think your grocery-store comment was weak. sure, pedophiles could see any of our little girls walking down the street and go home and masturbate to their image; sure, any of us could be spotted in a public place and subsequently victimized. the difference is that there is no screening online, as in, if we come into contact with a questionable person in real life, we do whatever it takes to protect ourselves and our family. but that same crazy person could be visiting your site every day, ANY of our sites, and you'd never know and he / she would be allowed to have continued access, to increase knowledge, etc. it's like letting any random person on the planet with an internet connection come into leta's playroom, make her a part of their lives. no physical contact, sure, but the potential for harm is undeniable.

You cannot ever know how grateful I am to have stumbled onto this site when I was 3 weeks postpartum. Actually you probably have an exact idea based on the the very things you spoke about in this particular entry. Heather, thank you. Leta, please know that even though you will totally resent your mom (because that's how good parenting works) at the very very least she helped me not feel so alone. I worked through it. Dooce helped tremendously.

This speaks volumes! It really touched my heart.

I wish my mother had written me newsletters, let alone take tons of pictures. Leta is extremely lucky to have so many documentations of her childhood.

These are things she can show and share with her own family and children.

Simply beautiful. You're amazing!

while reading this, I was sad in my heart for the comments that must have prompted this post from you. For the readers out there to you, I'm sorry. I don't believe I've ever commented anything but good and positive stuff . . . but clearly the asshats win. And, for that, I am sorry.

I've seen some of that criticism floating around and it just dumbfounds me. WE ARE WOMEN, we talk to other women (and any men who will listen). It is in our nature to want to express ourselves by any medium we can. Maybe some things we should keep to ourselves, but child abuse? Give me a flipping break.

I think a blog is a wonderful gift to a child. It is no different to me than how my own mother related the horror stories of my childhood to me. It doesn't anger me that she actually does this in front of other people at times. It's not a big deal and it makes me feel like I am not alone. I hope that someday my son can read my blog (that is, at this time, more about ME) and learn something from it. Whether it's where that particular quirk of his comes from, or an understanding that everyone gets frustrated in this parenting game.

amen, sister.

Beautifully put. I couldn't agree more.
In fact, I've thought a hundred times that if I HAD to go back and re-parent my teenagers as babies & toddlers, if I had my blog and others and the support that I feel from that community, that I would do it.
Maybe.

(and may I say too that the support and community was just a bonus! That's not why I started it all.)

thanks!

No where in anything that Heather posted did she say women who don't blog about their families and/or children are not brave. Reading for comprehension is important. That's like saying, two soldiers complete basic training at the same time. One goes off to war in Iraq and the other stays stateside. Neither is more or less brave than the other, it's simply different. And if I were finishing basic training, I'd want details of both so that I knew I wasn't alone.

Also, I wish, with all my heart, that my mother had had the technology to write something like this for me. I'd give anything to know what she was doing, thinking, feeling, seeing, experiencing, etc... at varying times in my life, for so many reasons.

Team Heather!

Heather,
You speak from a place deep in your soul. I know of few moms that have the beautiful brutal honesty that you do. People/humans/Americans/Moms have some sort of sick need for judgment and you are the antithesis of that – and it is for that reason I admire you most. I am a mother of a nearly 2-year-old and am petrified of those hateful, the world-is-against-me teenage years. Of course she will resent you, ... and then she will go out in the world and realize that you are her number one fan and her true best friend and the unconditional love of all time and her heart will grow three-sizes-too-tall and she'll thank you just for being her mommy which is simply what you were trying to be in the first place.
Best to you and your pack of wild dogs,
Alli (from Lyons, Colorado)

ps. be nice to chickens

I am a new reader of this blog... I believe that it is only my third day. And do you know what is interesting is that I have already shown it to about ten people. I find it interesting not because I am a mother facing the same challenges but in fact quite the opposite. I am a 19 year old male in college... and I read this blog because it is a point of view that I don't have the opportunity to experience while spending the next 5 years of my life in a dorm room. It exposes me and gives me insight into something else in the world other than the inside of the library. So you know what I say... keep up the good work. Keep moving forward and sharing you life with the world.

She is so beautiful. Jon better be ready to beat off all those boys who wants to date her when *heaven forbid* she turns 16.

Leta, hate the Game, not the Playa. They are Haters because no one can do it as well as your Mommy! She kicks ass and so do you.

Rock on Heather. Don't ever stop writing. As a fellow SAHM and occasionally depressed mom, you've brought so much laughter and inspiration to me, and so many others I know. And laughter is the best medicine! As for your daughter, I think as long as you remain confident that your writing isn't what those horrible people say it is, then she will be confident it is a good thing, too.

Dude, BOTH my parents embarrassed me as a child. I'm 23 and they still do. Love it. Can't wait to do it to my own.

No matter what you do, your daughter will hold it against you when she turns 13. So screw it and do what you want. Then when she is about 20, she'll get over it. ISTTITNOJC, Amen.

fuck the fucking fuckers.

heather, i'm not a mother. i never wanted children. but the way you write about leta (and jon, and chuck, and now coco) moves me in ways i can't even explain.

don't ever stop.

Heather,

1. Great post. You inspired me, too, to start blogging. Thank you for being a pioneer in the field. :)

2. It doesn't matter what you have done, are doing, or will do, when Leta is in middle school, she will find some reason to be embarrassed by you. It's a given.

3. You're not doing anything wrong. It's not like you're advertising your address or posting photos of her that some sicko could construe to be suggestive.

4. I've been reading your blog since 2005, and I hope you keep it up for a long time. I really enjoy it.

5. Anyone in a position of high visibility such as yours is going to attract at least a little negative attention. Let it roll off your back, sister, they don't deserve a second thought.

I started a blog of my family about 1 month ago and to me it is like online scrapbooking. I was tired of feeling bad for not doing cutesy scrapbooks for my kids 1-because it is too expensive, 2-I am not that creative, and 3-who wants to think of a different theme for each page. I was, however, at my computer for a good amount of time so I thought, I would just record my thoughts and pictures there.

I wonder if anyone complains to the Editor of Parents magazine for putting her kids picture on the inside of the magazine and sharing stories, vacations, or personal insights to her readers. I see no difference. She gets paid for her job and you have created something that you were originally doing without getting paid but it has turned into something where people want to pay you so they can put their logo on you blog. Big deal! I congratulate you for being interesting enough that people want to read your site and probably check out the sites advertising. Win-Win situation. I love that you have diligently (minus month fifty) kept track of your daughters progress and personality.

I agree with 713. I'm a fan, I love your writing and as the parent of a willful child I laugh or cry alongside you when I read about Leta. However, you're comfortable crossing a line I wouldn't cross and, because of that, I couldn't assume my kids would one day be okay with it regardless of the bigger picture.

It's a tough call and I'm sure this is an issue you'll always have to assess and reassess. No small task.

There's a whole lotta fisting goin' on here...

Lurker delurking...

I love reading your blog because it's refreshing to see someone being so open and honest about their lives.

Sometimes, though, I do think that I'd prefer not to see any responses to the haters. Now, don't get me wrong, I love reading your comebacks, it's just that in doing so you're giving them a power they don't deserve.

This is YOUR life. Ok, we love to read about it and feel a sense of connection but it doesn't mean you owe us any justifications. Stay true to yourself, it's what we love about your blog the most.

You are one of the most courageous, inspiring, awesome women I have ever come across. Don't let them get you down.

Yes, yes, yes, Heather--thank you for this rebuttal (of sorts), and you are so very right. What you are doing is good.

Even in Belgium I (and my husband) have heard (an gotten) those remarks and it's soo true what you are saying. If my blog is going to be the only reason they hate me, I'll feel so lucky.
Keep up the good work!

Very well said, Heather. A beautiful letter.

Right on Sista!!

i have been reading your blog since...hmmm...forever...from singapore, a mother myself. i love your blog...love to read about your journey as a mother and wife :)

this is your blog, your own space...write whatever you like, it is your rights. and to those who have issues with things you write and that you are making a living out of your blog...well, who cares! if they do not like the things you wrote about, just move on...there are alot more other sites to visit in the internet!! do not understand why they will still want to read and give negative comments...like too free nothing better to do, izzit? (singlish slang for "is it" just in case...)

Heather, when I started reading your blog about 3 years ago I decided then and there that when I have a child, I will write them letters. Maybe not on the internet and maybe not every month, but they will have letters because what a beautiful record of their life as seen through the eyes of the one person who knew them best and loved them regardless, their mom.

Three years I've visited daily and your monthly letters were always and continue to be my favorite part of this blog. I actually get a little shot of joy when the page opens and it's the newsletter.

I've always wanted to be a mom. I don't have kids yet and signs point to my husband and I not being able to have kids at all. You would think, then, that reading such a detailed record of all it means to be a mom would just be salt in an already gaping wound. But it's not. I feel like I get to experience a little part of being a mom through you and it's actuallly cathartic.

So thank you. Your love for your daughter is so intense it's almost tangible and some day when Leta prints all these out to make sure she always has them it will be tangible. It's your love, in print, and it's beautiful.

Leta is one beautiful, lucky daughter and you are an exquisite mother.

Amy

I feel like I just finished watching Erin Brochovich! I must admit, I am one of those that has asked before whether you worry about Leta being resentful someday...but just know that for some of us asking the question, it's because we're slightly dense folks who never considered that perhaps you've heard that question before, dozens and hundreds of times, and don't stop to wonder how our curiosity might appear to be judgement of some kind. I think I can speak for those of us who are truly just dense when I say that WE LOVE YOU! AND LETA! AND JON! Can we please come live with you, too? And have you write US love letters on the Internet?

XO

Heather Armstrong,
You are AMAZING!

I really don't understand why people are envious you can make a living through your blog. You are a writer. Millions of writers can and have made their livings through writing. The medium may be new-ish, but that doesn't make you any less of a writer. If their writing was as tight and entertaining, they'd be earning a living, too.

As far as exploiting your child, that is pure baloney. There isn't anything else to say on that. It just isn't exploitative.

Keep doing what you're doing, and reap the rewards. Your site is a gift to us Internets, and we thank you.

Well, I only wish I had your writing to read 12 years ago when I thought I was the only mother on earth who felt these things. Retroactively: THANK YOU!

By the way, are her eyes really THAT color!!! wow

What better present can there be than a mother giving her daughter evidence of their existence together? You're creating a well of love and inspiration that Leta will be able to access her entire life. And when you're old you can look back on this collection of humanity that is your website and say, "Look. I existed. And what an exquisite existence it was."

How perfectly put! I love reading what you have to say, because most of the time that is exactly how I feel. Who knew there were other mothers out there who want to strangle their children? Why do we feel that we always have to compare and tear each other down for the things that we do, or not do. I feel better every day knowing that I am not alone in the "mother 'hood"!

Well said! Not to mention the fact that when and if Leta ever decides to become a mother she's going to feel that it's ok to (gasp) make mistakes. Be human. Be articulate. What a wonderful disservice you are doing for her.

My parents didn't have a blog, but they managed to haul out the slides of me when I was a naked toddler. I survived.

Annie Lamott's book Operating Instructions came at a good time for me. It didn't have pictures, but it told the whole story, not just the fun bits. We need your stories to stand up to the sugar machine that tries to commodify motherhood as self-sacrifice.
The love is real; that's what Leta knows and will know.

I loved your blog even before, but now that I have a 3-month-old of my own, well, you've become something of a hero to me, and your blog, my therapy.

Thank you.

Heather, there's a lot that you say that I can relate to directly - I have a husband and a 6 month old and two dogs! Life is crazy, and what goes on in a family is never simple.

From reading your site everyday for years now, I can tell that there is MUCH that you leave out, MUCH that is edited, and I think that is the hardest part of being a blogger. Where do you draw the line, does the line move, etc.

When I met my husband I was already a blogger, and before we ever got serious we had to sit down and talk about what was OK to post and what was not. That definition has changed many times over the past few years, and will continue to change as my son grows older and we add to our family.

I applaud you for having the guts to give Leta the chance to have BOTH her parents at home with her during the day. She will never forget the years of attention and love that gave her, especially when she gets older and realizes what a sacrifice it can be to stay home with a small child 24 hours a day.

Keep doing what you do. It inspires so many people, and allows so many others to admit they need help to get through it all.

Thank you,
Liane

I can honestly say I never understood the beauty of having children until I started reading your monthly newsletters. They are so sweet, and I'm sure one day Leta will read them knowing how much her parents loved and doted upon her. To the critics who judge you, I ask: When did it become a crime to work from home so that you (and Jon) can support your family AND spend time with them? Personally, I call that brilliant.

If only Erma Bombeck was still with us. For decades - DECADES! - she wrote articles about her suburban home life. Certainly she got her share of hate mail in those years. I mean, can you imagine? Here she was, exploiting her family for money! Oh, the humanity! All kidding aside, she was a hilarious writer & I know her articles and books brought a lot of joy to my mother while she was raising us kids. Luckily for us, Erma didn't let the hate mail get her down. She just kept on writing. And so should you.

By the by, Heather, I don't think of you as a "mommy blogger". You're just a kickass human being & a fabulous writer who has blessed us by sharing herself with the world. You kick buckets of ass. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

You are an amazing mom.

That last picture of Leta, at the end of your post? It's as if she is saying, "Oh Mom, I know that's just how you are. That's who you've always been to me. I might get embarrassed by you (many) times in the future and I'll say thinks like, "I want a new mommy!" but I won't really mean it. Because the truth is, you're really awesome. And I'll never forget that day we were picking chips up off the floor together before Coco could get them. That's when I knew you were on my team for good, even if it doesn't always seem like it. If I ever called you at 3 a.m. with a major problem, you'd come right over to help me sraighten the picture frames in the living room with me. I love you, Mom."

Ahh Heather, bravo for all you said. In my 48 years I have learned that no matter what you do or how you do it, there will ALWAYS be people who want to tell you how you did it wrong. Big things, small things, important or frivolous things...always, always there are people who will believe the complete opposite of you and want to tell you so as if it's their God given right and 'for your own good'. Because of what you and others do on the internet, it's just on a much larger scale LOL.

But you have to know that for every 1 naysayer who just doesn't get it, there are 100 of us who do and respect and even love you for doing it. And there isn't enough love IN this world, and in my opinion, getting less and less every year as people become more and more afraid of touching each other's lives. I think that it has been one of the great assets of the internet...being able to reach out and touch each other again, safely I guess. I think the popularity of your blog and others like it, has shown that people WANT to touch each others' lives again, crave it even, but are so fearful of so much now. I feel so much when I read your blogs and then so much again when I read your reader's comments. It pleases me to see that there ARE so many smart, quick, witty people out there...God, there is so MUCH ignorance and unintelligence on the internet that it can get scary when that's all you see LOL.

If/when Leta looks back at any of these blogs you gave us, how can she not feel the love and support out there. How can so many people loving her, watching her grow ever be a bad thing? I look at those lovely pictures of her today...she is SO beautiful!...and I feel the same things I feel for my own friends and family; love and happiness and pride. I know there are thousands more who feel the same thing as we've watched her grow. So you have to fear a few crazies...like you said, there are crazies in stores, in parks, everywhere; if you look hard enough it can make YOU crazy.

I think you and others who blog about their lives are brave pioneers giving people back some of what we have lost in this politically correct, don't say the wrong thing, every man for himself, cover your ass world...a look into each other's lives where we can see we are not alone, others feel the same things, survive the same things, to see that we ARE all basically the same and just trying to live happy, successful lives. Thank you, Heather.

I am with Sarah poster #269 - Sarah #259 is an asshole.

P.S. I LOVED the raccoon. I would have been right there with you wanting to keep it as a pet.

The people who think blogging about your kids is a big deal are the same people who don't want to give their credit card no. over the internet - but don't hesitate to hand it to every clerk, restaurant server or bartender they meet. Ludicrous.

I'm sure Leta will be thrilled to have this artifact of your life (and hers), and your relationship with her as a child when she is an adult.

I put on my wedding dress for the first time yesterday. My fiance said to me today that he can't wait to have children with me.
He too reads your blog, and the things you share, good and bad, have influenced us both.

One day, when I am ready for my own little one I'll go back to the beginning and read each news letter and reflect on how I am not alone, and how wonderful that is.

Thank You!

Thanks for continuing to share.

I had to comment on here because I could not agree LESS with #713. The example she makes of a Congresswoman who serves her country to the detriment of her kids - who are you thinking of? Are you not paying attention to the news at all? Else you would see a woman there who, whilst I may not agree with her politics, is running for president, has served her country in a myriad of ways including having a career as a lawyer and serving as a senator, not to mention being 1st Lady for 8 straight years to a man who did not make that an easy job, and no matter what you may think of her, her husband, or their politics, they raised a young woman who is well-spoken, well-educated, not an alcoholic or on drugs, etc. etc. etc. What do you call that? A fluke? This is an old argument, and not even necessarily one I'm qualified to argue for or against as I do not have children, but seriously, come on. If you think blogging about HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILD on the internet is going to turn said child into a drunk, then go ahead and do so. But thus far, Heather seems to have proven that good, honest parenting, love, and a commitment to one's family will outweigh any negatives that come from blogging. In fact, the only thing egregiously negative about the whole situation seems to be the energy required when dealing with people who take time out of their day to criticize her. And that, Alanis, is ironic.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here.

Heather,

Thank you. Thank you for sharing your life with us and having the courage to say out loud the things that some of us mothers only think to themselves. Your website has helped me through my pregnancy and the last three years. As a single mom with little friends that have children of their own, your honesty about your feelings and life has made me feel less alone. It has made me feel like I am not in the trenches all by myself. Thank you.

I honestly don't get the hate mail - child abuse? HONESTLY? That is just INSANE.

Your love for Leta shines through every word you write, and you are the kind of mother I hope to be - honest about your own fears and doing the best you can for your child and your family, giving everything you have to give. You have inspired me and obviously many others as well. Your bravery in baring your heart to the internet is amazing.

You have made me feel that it's OK that I don't have all the answers, that maybe no one does, no matter how confident they seem. And I no longer feel like I have to measure up to the cloud of smug that is everywhere around me.

Thank you Heather, and to the trolls? SCREW YOU!

I hate people who judge for what we (mothers) write about online. Who cares if we post our kids pictures! Like you said, they are out in public anyway.
I love your blog, keep up the good work!

Amen, Heather. You, and the other very brave "mommy bloggers", bring us ALL closer together and remind us that we are never alone in this horrifying, glorious mothering thing that we do. Leta, what a lucky girl you are, what a wonderful gift your parents give you every day.

Heather,

People should get a grip, a life and leave it...and you alone. Maybe they're jealous. Most bloggers plumb for material from somewhere and a lot of it is from life and personal experience. Twenty-eight years ago I was a stay at home mom and would have loved to have had the opportunity to do what you do at home to help my family financially...instead I did clerical work at home...boring! Do what you love, raise you beautiful baby girl and do the best you can...I enjoy your work.

`nuff said...

Hi Heather,
I've always been one of your biggest fans, and I totally loved your month 50+51 entry. My question has nothing to do with that...

What I am perplexed by is the fact that for the last couple of weeks there are LDS banner ads all over your site. The paradox for me is a). as someone who has rejected the church, why would you willingly sell them space and support them on your site? b). as you yourself believe, Mormonism is not truth, yet you are supporting multiple messages - an entire ad campaign in fact - from the church with the tagline "truth restored". On their part, this is either the single most idiotic advertising move they have ever made, or the most brilliant ~ I'm not sure which. It feels to me a bit like you're selling out (my comments here are not based on my faith; I'm not a Mormon, however I am a Bible believing Chrstian). I realize you must sell ad space in order to earn money and support your family, but this just seems hypocritical.

Still am and always will be a huge fan and supporter, but had to let you know this one disturbs and confuses me...

Hell yes. Fist pumping in VA. You are so eloquent.

Yay for moms!

I'm not one, but I probably will be some day. And it will be awesome to be able to remember the things I learned from blogs like yours.

Leta is a beautiful child and I appreciate your honesty about your life. This newsletter seems more like a list of reasons why you write about her on the Internet vs a newsletter about your daughter.

I've been reading your blog off and on for years. Today I understood your letters more than ever. I held the son of the love of my life today.

Oh man oh man. It was one of the best moments of my life.

i think it is absolutely beautiful what you do.

as leta grows up, there may be times when she appears to resent your exposure of her childhood, but more than these times, i am sure she will be EVER SO thankful to have a mother that loves her so much that she cannot help but share it with the world.

keep writing the newsletters. they inspire many of us.
<3

Thank you for this post. I've been struggling for a few years with not feeling like I wanted children. I think you may have changed my mind today.

Thank you. For the site, the words, the laughter and the strength you share.
For refusing to be stopped by those who don't understand or only know that 'different' must equal 'wrong'.
I only hope the love and support of so many who do understand are enough to help you carry on. I can honestly say my life will be a smaller and dimmer place without your talent being shared.

First time commenter WEE!

I have to say, the only thing I thought of while reading this was "When the heck did Leta grow up?!" She looks SO much older in these pictures, it makes me weepy and I'm not her Mama!

Rock on Heather!

I have been reading your site for 4 years and have never posted a comment-until today. As a mother of 3, I appreciate reading your frustrations and celebrating your joy of raising a child. Who cares if you are drawing an income from it? Damn..I WISH. My dad always said find something you are good at and then find a way to make money doing it. You are fantastic at raising that little girl and you are making money doing it. Brilliant! Rock on Heather.

I don't have any kids of my own [being single, 23 and blah dee blah], but when I first started reading your blog I thought 'these letters are amazing'.
One day I hope to have kids and do the samething for them, that you do for Leta. I see it as a beautifully unique expression of love to your little girl and something tells me she'll appreciate that rather then resent you for it.

i guess i just don't understand some people.

money has to be earned. food doesn't grow on trees people..or does it?! lol.

although you and i often do not see eye to eye heather - i love your wit and honesty.

what i would give for a mom who wrote me letters. you go girl.

Simplesmente brilhante.

Totally agree with HeatherRobyn. I don't begrudge Dooce for making a living off blogging. In fact, I think it is fantastic that she is telling her story and her voice deserves to be heard. Personally, I would not share as much information about my child as she does. I do think there is a small security risk, but my bigger concern is the loss of privacy and having your story exposed to people when you're not of age to make an informed decision. That 5% is too much for me, but I recognize it isn't for the Heather and Jon. Whether it is too for for Leta only time will tell. It's a calculated risk and I respect her choice even though it's not the same one I'd make.

That is exactly how I feel too! Every week for the first two years of my son's life I wrote him a letter and then when he turned 3 I started writing them every month. (I totally got the idea from you)

I know this might seem morbid but it gives me comfort to think that if God forbid I was to die for whatever reason before my son reached adulthood he would be able to look back at those letters and never doubt for even the slightest second about my love for him.

Heather -- I know you probably aren't going to read down this far in the comments. I know a lot of what I say has been said. But I have to tell you, you are amazing. Thank you for sharing your life with us. You don't know how much your struggles -- and public discussion of your struggles, especially with PPD -- have helped me.

When I was hospitalized for postpartum depression and felt like my insides were hollowed out being away from my son, thinking of your post about how much better you felt once you recovered gave me hope. I know I am a stranger on the Internet, but you made that connection and changed my life in that instant. Thank you for that, and for yet another blisteringly honest, essential post.

Thank you SO much for this and for all that you do. You're a total inspiration to so many of us "mommy bloggers" (and not because of the much-publicized-and-demonized-lately $40,000 a month!)....

So very well said.

Hi, posted earlier and just wanted to add:

A lot of people are talking about the potty-training enema pooping thing as being an invasion of Leta's privacy. Well, only Leta and her family can determine that.

But just found it amusing because the whole "bathroom" privacy issue is a social construct. It is different in different cultures and different in say, the disabled community, where body function is often discussed openly. I'm not saying how anyone views bathroom issues and privacy is right or wrong, but either should you. It is a socially constructed thing that is going to be different for everybody.

Theoretically, it is hypothesized that those of older generations in the west have such a problem with bodily issues because of how they were often shamed into potty training. Nowadays, kids are potty trained more often on their own timetable and without shame. So I imagine that by the time Leta can type, she will not only be blogging about her own bathroom issues, but making fun of her parent's as well.

Point being, if you are uncomfortable with that issue, it doesn't mean that Heather is or Leta will be...and it doesn't make you right and them wrong. It is just different comfort levels.

The lump. in my throat. makes it so hard. to swallow. and to breathe.

You are fabulicious Heather.

Blog on.

With the rate that technology moves ahead these days, who know what Leta will be doing in 10 years time. Blogging might be old news by then.

Great post. She's a beautiful little girl.

I know I am most likely the 500th person saying this but I know for a fact that a mom never tires of hearing this..." Leta has the most beautiful eyes in the whole world... just gorgeous".

I started writing a small blog recently about my life as a stay at home mom to my 3 yr old and then I read about you in the WSJ. I have been a fan since then. I am so going to try and see you in NY. You are a rockstar. Keep rocking!!

she'll grow up to be a stunning lady. i'm pretty sure of that

Brava. You give me goosebumps, girlfriend. Nicely done.

Go Heather! I have wondered often about many of these questions, but also know that you don't seem to do anything without a lot of thoughtfulness. It's such a good point - of course Leta will find this mortifying one day, as she will everything else about her parents. I'm still a little uncomfortable with everything you post about Leta, as one who believes in obtaining others' express permission before I post a photo or quote from them online, which you clearly can't do here. But it's your life and your blog and your decision. And I applaud where you're coming from, and will certainly keep reading.

I'm not a mother but I have one. And anything that glorifies what mothers do, what families do, to care for each other, I'm all for it especially if it makes money :) I say it every time I read both your blogs but to cancel out the naysayers, I will say it again. Thank you for being here.