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Reality strikes, and farewell
Filed under: Babies, Toddlers Preschoolers
I believe parenthood has brought on many positive changes for me, but I'll be the first to admit I've grown downright pedantic when it comes to movie or television scenes depicting pregnancy, childbirth, or the post-partum stage. "Oh, COME ON!" I'll snap, flinging a hand out in disgust at the actress whose strap-on belly, supposedly containing twins, barely pushes out the confines of her hospital gown, as she heaves a delicate sigh meant to convey the depths of her labor pains (Natalie Portman I am looking at YOU). "WHY ISN'T SHE THE SIZE OF A NARWHALE AND POOPING ON THE TABLE."
Newborn babies are always pudgy and adorable, probably because they're actually three months old -- they never look like underdone, angry little pot roasts. Post-partum parents are delirious with joy, sitting in soft-focus pools of light, and no one is furiously scratching their C-section scar or rooting around under the sink for yet another Super-Plus-Flow-with-Wings! maxi pad.
Well, I suppose I can understand why these vignettes might not make for a pleasant viewing experience, but I have to say, I LOVED last season's Friday Night Lights for the scene showing the coach in a grocery store a short time after their baby was born. Did you see that, where he's completely disheveled, wearing stained sweatpants, with purple half-circles under his eyes and a vacant, drooly expression? Now that's REALITY.
Oh, I guess I just like it when parenthood is shown for what it is: a beautiful, blissful endurance trial. It's like an endless, brutal trek up the slopes of a sky-sweeping mountain, where every day you wheeze and gasp and think, holy crap this is so much harder than I thought it was going to be, and yet you are constantly treated to the most glorious landscape. Every step seems so critical, and there are so many paths to choose from. It's indescribable. It's terrifying. Like gazing upon the face of God. A god with many, many bodily fluids.
I'm terrible at goodbyes (and segues!) so I will quickly close by saying that this will be my last post with ParentDish, and I want to thank you for reading. It has come to mean a lot to me to be able to talk about my motherhood experiences -- the good, the bad, and the yeeesh -- and I am so grateful for having had this outlet. Take care of yourselves, you hear?
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 3)
8-01-2008 @ 10:50AM
Linda L. said...Thanks for your nice comments, guys! If you'd like to read me elsewhere, please shoot me an email at sundry@gmail.com.
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8-01-2008 @ 11:02AM
Kristen said...Frankly, I'm glad you are leaving PD. They way people treat you here is atrocious. You don't deserve that! Hopefully the trolls won't follow...
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8-01-2008 @ 11:40AM
J said...You were the only person left actually writing about the dirty everyday 'joys' of mommyhood. And that was the only reason I kept checking in here. Wherever you are going to be writing, I hope I can find you again. Best Wishes.
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8-01-2008 @ 11:19AM
squandra said...Congrats, Linda. And with that, I return to a troll-free online existence. PEACE, PD!
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8-01-2008 @ 12:35PM
SART said...I don't comment on here often, but I will say this news makes me sad. This site used to be a great blog for parents with real people posting about real life as a parent. When it was blogging baby I read it everyday and loved the community built around the site.
Now it's degenerated into a glorified tabloid and the viciousness of the commenting has turned me off many times. Good for you for taking your writing elsewhere. I'll be doing the same with my readership.
My husband and I will miss reading your blog here. You seem like one of the few "real" people on this blog, and someone who I can totally relate to as a mother of a 3 year old boy myself. Good luck!
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8-01-2008 @ 12:40PM
Heather said...AHHH! I can't believe it! I love reading your blog. My girls are about the same age as your boys, and it's always guaranteed we're going through the same thing around the same. I wish you lots of luck. It's been a joy to read your blogs.
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8-01-2008 @ 1:24PM
jen said...Where is Linda's blog from yesterday on potty-training? Was it removed? I thought it was hilarious!!
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8-01-2008 @ 3:32PM
suzr said...thanks for the fun reads!
deleting bookmark...
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8-01-2008 @ 3:55PM
mj12 said...Linda.....I'm sooo happy I just found you elsewhere!!! Just about to delete one RSS feed for another!!!! Yippee
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8-01-2008 @ 3:58PM
Sara said...I am not a mom yet, and followed Linda here from her website. She was definitely the best thing about Parent Dish. I am sorry to see her go, but at the same time glad that she will no longer have to put up with the vicious comments. Some of your PD readers need some manners and a life.
Bye Parent Dish.
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8-01-2008 @ 6:44PM
ablndmomnt said...I just found you! Noooooo, what am I supposed to do now? I will miss you.
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8-01-2008 @ 7:15PM
Nancy said...You were the only reason I visited PD -- I'll keep reading you elsewhere! Happy trails :-)
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8-01-2008 @ 10:29PM
Anne L. said...I have always enjoyed your writing here... the trolls can SUCK IT. I'm glad that you write elsewhere, Linda! Ah, well, no more reason to come *here* anymore! TA, ParentDish.
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8-01-2008 @ 10:08PM
Shannon said...You were the only reason to go to ParentDish. Now where do I find you? I love reading about your day-to-day struggles of parenting. It makes things seem a little easier to read about someone going thru the same things I have or will.
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8-01-2008 @ 11:29PM
ninainindia said...I enjoyed your writing even though I didn't always agree with you. Best of luck to you and your family.
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8-02-2008 @ 9:11AM
Allison said...Drag! I understand why though. Like a few of the other commentors, I only came here to read you (and then Kristen, until Kristen left too...). Oh well, see you in the funny pages!
Reply
8-02-2008 @ 9:27AM
Niki P said...Kristen is gone, you're gone and this is the last time I will be at parentdish.
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8-04-2008 @ 12:42PM
Andrea said...Yay for moving on, Linda! I'm glad you're at peace with this decision, and I'm sure you will have no trouble replacing this gig with something else, if that's what you wish to do.
Off to delete my PD bookmark. No reason to read, now. You're the last of the real people who write here. To the commenters who sucked the soul out of this website: you just might want to think about what your judgment has done here. And ParentDish, you might want to think about ways to take back your content from those who feel this place is their own personal toilet and can take a dump here on whomever leaves their writing open for comment. It's not a good community when there are stones being thrown so consistently that the writers feel beat up regularly.
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8-14-2008 @ 3:05PM
Spring said...Good Luck with your future projects!
Spring
blog.SignsOfFaithBook.com
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8-24-2008 @ 11:56PM
Marni said...NO!! Like several others, you were living my life and describing it much more humorously than I ever could have. I also used to read just you and Kristen and now will also not return to ParentDish. All the best to you. I will look for you elsewhere. Thanks for the laughs. Honestly, this whole "Mom" thing is pure craziness and you were the one person I could count on to get that. So thanks for being a great support. All the best to you and yours.
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