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Evil Mommy is the story of the day-to-day life of Karen, her husband, and their three-and-a-half-year-old adopted daughter. She's passionate about politics, her friends and family, and knitting and weaving, which she discusses on her other blog, the Spinning Goth. We talked her about blogging, choosing a church, and being an unconventional mom.

When did you start blogging?

I started about 3 years ago. I had a Live Journal that is now "friends-only"/private, mostly for the benefit of some close friends from when we lived in Charlotte, NC. I began a knitblog not long after that, which I still have, and I started Evil Mommy at the end of November 2002.

Continue reading Blogging Baby Talks: an Adoption Month interview with Evil Mommy

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Johnny of So, it's come down to this is a Taiwanese-American.  He and his wife are the parents of a two-year-old daughter adopted from China.  While Johnny's only been blogging since August, it feels like a lot longer - mostly because he writes amazingly long and honest posts about a variety of topics: some about the actual mechanics/politics of Chinese adoption, some about how people have reacted to his daughter's adoption, and, most poignantly, about the death of their first daughter.

We talked with him about blogging, adoption, and introducing his daughter to his four dogs.

Continue reading Blogging Baby Talks: an Adoption Month interview with So, it's come down to this

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Cubbiegirl is a 27-year-old veteran with a lot of love to give: for the Chicago Cubs (of course), her boyfriend, Geo, and especially for her nine-year-old daughter, Bugaboo. Cubbiegirl has wanted to be a mother for a long time, and, for a variety of reasons, decided that foster care adoption was the way she would become a mother. She's blogged about the first time she met Bugaboo, the ups and downs of foster placements, and why she feels people shouldn't call her altruistic for adopting her daughter. She's already introduced her daughter to another love, musical theater, and taken on the role of the embarrassing mother who runs through the neighborhood in a state of undress. On Tuesday, Cubbiegirl will be adopting Bugaboo.

Continue reading Blogging Baby Talks: an Adoption Month interview with Cubbiegirl

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It's that time of the week again for Blogging Baby Playdate, a wrap-up of some of our favorite posts of the past week. Here's what we worked on that we found nifty, intriguing, or just plain bizarre in the world of parenting.

First off, I posted the last segment of our top 10 low-tech toys series.

Stefania Butler was left speechless when she heard that Katie Holmes will try for a Scientology-approved "silent birth" with her offspring by Tom Cruise. You know, when it comes to all matters TomKat, silence sounds like a wonderful option, don't you think?

Jen Creer wrote about the Duggar family, which made headlines this week with the news that Mrs. Duggar has given birth to 16 children - and wants more!

Sarah Gilbert wondered why Parents Magazine has such a hang-up over Halloween candy.

Beth Hoyt, who's usually busy telling us about recalled products, took time to rave about a booster seat.

Keith McDuffee wrote about a Swedish man who got something he didn't expect when he donated sperm: an order for child support!

Last but not least, Melissa Summers received the most comments I've ever seen for a post about peanut butter and jelly...frozen peanut butter and jelly, mind you.

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I started this as a straight news piece. I tried to write it as such. But I just couldn't contain myself. CBS News has a story out on the Bush administration's abstinence-only policy for teens. The piece interviews the man behind Silver Ring Thing, an organization that encourages young people to pledge abstinence until they're married. Founder Denny Pattyn spends most of his interview with Bill Bradley spewing misinformation and half-baked conceptions. Pattyn talks about "what the safe sex teaching has created both here and internationally". What is he yapping about? Safe sex education is the norm in Europe, where teen pregnancy rates are well below those in the US.

Continue reading Opinion: Abstinence-only program advocate is a danger to kids

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Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who were featured on the Discovery Channel in a program called "14 children and pregnant again" are now 15 children...and pregnant again. In October, the Duggar family will welcome baby number 16 into the fray. The kids they have now range from age one to 17, including 10 boys, 5 girls, and two sets of twins. "We love children," Jim Bob Duggar said in an interview. "We consider each one a blessing from the Lord and we would both love to have some more."

The family has its own Web site which gives tips from both mom and dad about maintaining such a large family. They are currently building a 7000 square foot all steel home in Arkansas to fit their needs, including 4 washers, 8 dryers and 10 bathrooms. According to the news report linked below, the show about the Duggars' life was the highest rated show every on the Discovery Channel. The Discovery Channel is planning a new documentary called "15 and pregnant again."

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Carrie Richmond has been journaling online since way back in the twentieth century, putting her life out there for the world to see at RedHairedGirl.com. You might call her one of the original "mommy bloggers." Through her journal she chronicled her struggles with fertility issues, her pregnancies, her homebirths, and now her life as a parent of four-year-old Sam and 8-months-old Gabe. We talked with Carrie about her journal and weblog, and about being a parent online.

Continue reading Blogging Baby Talks: Five questions for Carrie of RedHairedGirl.com

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