Real Answers to Imaginary Questions …

What’s Your Name?
Leo

Wait a minute - that’s a man’s name. You’re not a man are you?
Is your name really Leo?
No, I’m not a man. Yes, my name is really Leo. My little sister and I both have feminized male names that we love. In fact, given that I spent my earliest years living in an apartment above my parents’ store - a head shop named after a Tolkien novel, we count our blessings that we aren’t Moonbeam and Rainbow.

What’s Your Sign? Are you a Leo? Because that would be funny.
Wouldn’t it, but no, unfortunately, I’m a Virgo.

Do your friends and family read this or is it a secret blog?

I did tell my friends and family about this blog. I sent them all links and begged them to read and comment. They seem to be gradually stopping by… so far they’re all pretty quiet, though.

Why isn’t there a picture of you on this blog?
I have kids. I haven’t actually been in a picture since 2001. I’m working on it.

In the meantime – do you look like anyone famous?
Sometimes people say I remind them of “Pam” from The Office. I think it’s because I am not above wearing tennis shoes with my business attire, not because I bear much actual physical resemblance to Jenna Fischer.

So, is this a mommyblog? Ok.

Just ok? Say more.
Well, I set out to discuss whether moms could talk about something unrelated to momdome. But then I put Mommy in the title of the blog and wrote about the trials and tribulations of motherhood. A lot. About the time I wrote a poem about my minivan, I figured I had better embrace the “mommyblogger” label. But I think the questions we should be asking are:

• Why are so many moms blogging?
• Why does the label conjure a negative image?
• Are we snubbing it, and if we are why do we snub everything to do with parenting?

People with way more literary and feminist credibility than me are answering the questions. I just have a lot of questions.

Wait a minute… you wouldn’t really wear running shoes with a business suit would you? That’s just wrong.
Yes. I was the kid in junior high who actually wore a hat when it was cold outside. I work out in my husband’s old tee-shirts because I can’t bear to spend money on clothes just to sweat in them. And if I have a long way to walk, you’d better believe I’m NOT doing it in heels. But don’t worry, I’ll change them before the meeting.

Ok… moving on - since it’s a mommyblog you should tell us about your family.
Thanks for asking. My greatest blessings in life begin with a happy marriage to a man I adore. I’ve been married almost ten years. My husband makes me laugh. Daily. A lot. I still get butterflies when I think about him. We have three kids who were born within 4 years. Two boys and a girl. As of today the boys are 6 and 2 with a middle daughter age 4, sandwiched between them. All three are beautiful, creative, empathetic, intelligent and amazing in every way, and they are a source of constant inspiration.

Were they all planned?
I think that’s the weirdest question I actually do get asked. Yes, they were planned. Hubs likes to refer to them as his hat trick. We are both oldest children Virgo lawyers – we plan everything.

Do you work outside the home?
I don’t like mowing or gardening. Sometimes I shovel the snow, though. I like to shovel snow … Oh, you mean as a professional woman with a career? Yes, although at the moment I am not on the big firm partnership track.

With 3 kids and work, when do you have time to write this blog – or even to pee?
I don’t actually have time for either. Sometimes you find time in places you didn’t know it was lurking. Melissa Wilkins wrote a great essay on Mamazine about this very issue…

“I may write while also playing house with a five-year old or in between identifying types of dinosaurs for a two-year old. I may pause while making lunch and run to the computer to record an idea—or maybe just a phrase—before it’s lost to the fog that is my sleep-deprived brain. I am lucky if I can see the whole computer screen behind the stacks of books and papers that inevitably clutter my little shared workspace.”

Every once in awhile you read something and wish you’d written it. This was one of those for me.