it's 8:00 here on the east coast; monkeygirl is fast asleep after reading 'if you give a moose a muffin' (twice!). i am relaxing with a yuuuummmmy cocktail while i read about what all you other mamas have been up to, and i wanted to share the recipe with you all so you can try it for yourselves! i promise you'll love it----read more >>

Hey, mamas, I just realized that we're all going to be getting our 'economic stimulus' checks soon! Yay for extra $$! I can't wait to get mine--I'm behind on some bills (boring!), and I want to take Monkeygirl somewhere fun (like the aquarium, maybe?) if there's any extra money leftover. And I haven't bought any new books in a while...hmmmm.
Have any mamas started getting their checks yet? How's everyone planning to spend theirs?

so my best friend jill (i've known her for 16 years!!) is getting married two weeks from today; i'm her maid of honor and monkeygirl is her flowergirl, and i know it's going to be a great day. i am totally freaked out, though, because i know i'm expected to give a toast in front of all 150 people during dinner. i'm sweating a little right now even thinking about it.... what if i lose it and just start sputtering in front of everyone?? what if i'm trying really hard to be funny and nobody even cracks a smile?--read more >>

i'm just kind of thinking out loud here, so feel free to ignore. i just read back what i wrote earlier and i'm feeling bummed by how negative the whole thing has become. i wish the whole process didn't have to be so energy-sucking, and i wish i could have more faith in the end goal, which is that BD will get the help he needs so that he can be the healthy, positive influence in *DD's (*whom i shall from now on refer to as monkeygirl due to her impressive climbing ability and her abundance of affection for the banana*) life that he claims to want to be.--read more >>

tuesday is the final hearing in the 'parenting case' between my BD and i. he needs anger management and drug/alcohol help before my daughter will be safe spending time alone with him. DD is 18 months old and this process has been going on for over a year now. he just keeps fighting me on the whole thing, and apparently as a mother i don't have the right to keep my daughter from people i feel could be harmful to her. has anyone been through this lameness before?--read more >>

i'm new to the hip mama site and just wanted to say hi to everyone...i read some of ariel gore's books a few months ago and am so excited to realize there other mamas like me who want more than the bullshit that's usually in other parenting mags/sites! real mamas with real kids and real lives that are as complicated and (occasionally) shitty as they are fantastic. i love hearing everyone's stories!!