MOMocrats Nabs Obama Exclusive

Our press release:

Headline: MOMocrats EXCLUSIVE with Barack Obama

MOMocrats step up where mainstream media and traditional debates let the American public down, "Things we wish they'd asked in the debates..."

Recently, MOMocrats asked the Democratic Presidential candidates the questions we all wish reporters or moderators had asked in any interview or debate. Today, Senator Barack Obama sent back his answers to the MOMocrats questions. This is the latest example of the influence political blogging groups are showing in the presidential campaign

The most recent debate between the Democratic candidates was disappointing to most citizens. We felt that the questions were directed more towards mud slinging between the candidates than substantive questions about domestic and foreign policy. So the MOMocrats and their readers came up with a list of "Questions We Wish ABC Had Asked." Then we submitted them to the candidates.

In a MOMocrats exclusive, Barack Obama answers the questions that should have been asked during the last debate. Click here to read our interview, in which he finally gets to discuss the issues, not his apparel or acquaintances.

We haven't heard from the Clinton campaign yet, but the MOMocrats' invitation for her to weigh in remains open.

The MOMocrats are politically savvy and active pundit moms dedicated to putting a Democrat in the White House. You can read more about them at MOMocrats.


Obama selected 5 of our questions and responded, covering everything from human rights and poverty to the mortgage crisis and family friendly policies. I know you want to go read our scoop!

Get your butt over to MOMocrats, pronto!

Rockabye by Rebecca Woolf

It's always exciting when a blogger publishes a book. But Rebecca Woolf's new book, Rockabye: From Wild to Child, was even more exciting to me. Rebecca writes the wildly popular blog Girls Gone Child. I have to admit that I am not a devoted Girls Gone Child follower. I read Rebecca's blog occasionally. She always makes me feel something and I've been struck many times by what an outstanding writer she is.

No, I've been dying to read Rebecca's book ever since an encounter I had with her last year at BlogHer. Joanne, Pundit Mom, introduced us and I immediately moved into blogger small talk mode and started talking about her blog. But unlike 90% of the population, I could tell that Rebecca was uncomfortable talking about herself, uncomfortable at the BlogHer cocktail party, and even more uncomfortable with the idea of being a Rock Star Blogger. As an introvert myself, I immediately understood Rebecca's discomfort and wanted to put her at ease.

I liked Rebecca even more that night when I somehow ended up in a conversation with her and Bite My Cookie about plastic surgery. I was thrilled that both of them were willing to talk to me about it candidly. But if you want to know Rebecca's position on that, you're going to have to read her book!

To get to the point, when PBN gave me the chance to review Rockabye, I was thrilled.

Rockabye is Rebecca's story of becoming a mother. She writes honestly about her unexpected pregnancy, her wonder over her son Archer, and her ambivalence about her new role as a "Mommy." One thing I love about the book, and about Rebecca, is her complete indifference to what everyone else is doing. She forges her own path, and that comes through in her book.

But the most compelling thing about the book is, of course, Rebecca's writing. She has a gift with word pictures. She brought me into her life and, even though we have very little in common on the surface, I found myself strongly identifying with her turbulent emotions as she passed through early motherhood. A scene you absolutely can't miss is Rebecca's description of child birth and seeing her son Asher for the first time. It's an amazing piece of writing and a powerful passage. I find myself thinking about it from time to time and I've had to go back and read it again.

So if you haven't gotten the jist of this review yet, GO BUY ROCKABYE. I want Rebecca to keep putting out books, so buy a few copies for friends too!

Make A Wish

I have a new post up on Dabbles, with the story behind the photo above. And, of course, more photos.

Three for the Price of One

New post up on Lawyer Mama Dabbles. It's all about where I live, in case Jenny wants to stalk me.

New post up on DC Metro Moms. The sexist commercials just finally went too far!

New post up on MOMocrats. Want to read about the Evolution of a MOMocrat?

Who's Going to BlogHer?

So who's going to BlogHer in San Francisco? I'll be there. If I've had a few martinis, I'll be the one dancing on the tables.

New post up on Lawyer Mama Dabbles. It's all about new perspectives.

Us

Missing Her

I have a post about my grandmother with some very personal photos up on Lawyer Mama Dabbles. No, it's not that kind of "personal." Get your mind out of the gutter. (I'm talking to you, Jenny!) I don't post porn on the internet. (Although I bet my ad revenue would dramatically increase if I did. Hmmm....)

Missing Her

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Also, the D.C. Metro Moms are discussing education today, all day. I have a rant about public schools that should be up as the introductory post by Wednesday morning. Go check it out!

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Joanne, aka Pundit Mom, will be on Blog Talk Radio for Kristin's Motherhood Uncensored podcast to talk about how moms are getting involved in the elections. A few other MOMocrats may be calling in too and I know you won't want to miss it. (I may even call in myself. Ahem.)

Anderson Cooper Is My New Best Friend

I heart Anderson Cooper.

What's not to like? He's great at his job. He's super intelligent. (There is nothing more attractive than a man with a decent brain.) And yes, guys, that silver hair he has is sexy.

Of course, I'm sure he's off being famous and reporting something important at all times.

So when I opened my email earlier a few days ago and saw that someone named The Coop was now following me on Twitter, I assumed it was our friend, J. Cooper, who, for some strange reason, can't stand Anderson Cooper. (Personally, I think our friend is a tad bit jealous.)

When I checked out The Coop's profile, however, I had quite a surprise.

It appears to be THE Anderson Cooper!

Anderson FRIGGIN' Cooper! Following ME on Twitter.

Never mind that he's following like 1,200 other people. Or that it probably isn't even the REAL Anderson Cooper anyway. The guy is hilarious. Here's a quote from his Twitters:

Unthinkable tragedy: At appx 5:30AM this morning I found a non-silver pube infiltrating the Coop Carpet. I gotta go buy a silver Sharpie.

A girl can dream, can't she?

Wil, you may have been replaced.

* Photo shamelessly lifted from CNN.

Fire Ants at a Funeral

Taken with my camera phone.

This title makes me think of Snakes on a Plane for some reason. It's not nearly that bad, but it's still pretty itchy.

When you're out of town for a funeral, the last thing you want to worry about is wearing heels when your foot is swollen like a football after fire ants have gotten you.

Ouch.

Thanks, everyone, for all of your comments, emails, tweets, and calls about my Nonnie. I'm here in Alexandria until Sunday. The funeral was yesterday. It was heart wrenching but it was wonderful to see extended family I haven't seen in years.

Now I'm distracting myself on Twitter....

April Fool's Day Isn't Funny

My grandmother died this morning.

She landed in the hospital a few days ago from a nasty case of pneumonia she just couldn't shake. Her lungs filled up with fluid, and off to the ICU she went. Nonnie was on a respirator and her body just couldn't take any more. I don't know any of the last details right now. I hope that she was asleep and peacefully dreaming.

It's funny how we never see our parents and grandparents as real people until we're adults. Then, we're always surprised to find that they've had lives and experiences we knew nothing about.

When my grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary several years back, I had a clock engraved for them commemorate the event. It ended up being a late gift because I discovered that no one knew my grandparents' real wedding date.

It seems the sly couple had snuck off and gotten married about a month before the real wedding. I was shocked! I couldn't believe my sweet, tiny, white haired grandmother had done such a thing.

When T and I visited a few years ago (pre-baby), I had her drag all the photo albums out and show me people and places I'd never cared to hear about as a child. I was struck by how young and beautiful she was as a new bride. I looked at her happy smile in the photos, and her wistful gaze as we paged through her albums, and I realized something. Oh yes! My grandmother would definitely have snuck off to get married. It made her that much more interesting and special.

Over the last few years, as H&H came along and I got caught up in work and my life, I haven't been as good about calling Nonnie or sending her photos. A few years ago she and Poppy got internet access, so I know she saw pictures of the boys on a regular basis. But still, I know how much she loved to get my all too infrequent calls.

My father was already on his way to Louisiana when we got the news this morning. I've been calmly making arrangements to fly down on Thursday and I was amazed at how well I was holding it together, despite the loss of my sweet, sweet Nonnie.

The damn broke this afternoon when I read a post by Amie at Mamma Loves about her grandmother and why she always told Amie she loved her. The long and short of it is, we never know if we're going to get the chance to say "I love you" one last time. So we should say it as often as we can.

I didn't get the chance to tell my Nonnie "I love you" one last time.

So I guess this is my chance. If there is a God, a heaven, or an afterlife, I'm sure Nonnie knows how much I loved her. How I wish I'd been able to see her more often. How I wish I'd stepped out of my life for a moment and called her more often.

How I wish she'd had the chance to meet Holden and to see H&H together. As the mother of three boys, I know she would have loved that. I know she would have loved to watch me, her only granddaughter, in my new role as mom to two boys. She often joked about how if I tried for a girl, I would definitely have three boys. That's exactly what happened to her!

I'll wallow in regret for today, but then I'll try not to do so. I'll try to live my life and remember her every day. I'll remember her patience with me and the way she would play card game after card game with me, endlessly, when I was little. I'll remember how she would whisper in my ear, "Let's go Visa Poppy," and whisk me off for some clandestine shopping. I'll remember her hugs and her soft Southern drawl.

I'll remember her perfume.

I love you, Nonnie. I'll miss you so much.

Stephie