Monday
Mar292010
Delurk! (or in other words...please say hello)
Monday, March 29, 2010 
I have some post ideas percolating in my mind. But I've also been busy and haven't had a ton of time to write. Last year at this time, I did a delurking and open thread post and encouraged people who read the blog, but don't get around to commenting, to come out and say hello. So, I've decided to do it again.
Last year I wrote:
You see, every day hundreds of people visit my blog. Sure, many of them come in from search engines and only look at the one post they landed on and then never come back. But a lot of people do come back, over and over again, and I really appreciate that. But most of them never leave a comment. And that’s fine. I know not everyone wants to jump in and comment. But I’m curious. Will you satisfy my curiosity for me, just this once? Pretty please?
And 33 people left me comments, including people like Tamara from Parenting by Nature, , Desiree Fawn from So Fawned, Shannon from a Crafty Mom, Heather from the bee in your bonnet, Anji from ghostlove, VDog from Room704, Tara from Feels Like Home, The Noble Savage, Amanda from Family Nature, Loukia from Loulou's Views, Jessica from This is Worthwhile, and many more. I've gotten to know these fine bloggers of the course of the year and would like to get to know many more of you.
If you are a regular reader and you haven't commented before or haven't commented in a while, would you drop me a comment to say hello? If you need a topic to write on, tell me what you would like to see me write about in the future. Or just write whatever you like.
No more new posts until enough new people fess up to reading this blog and say hello! :) Let's aim for at least the 33 comments I got last year.
Ready...set....go!
Image credit: miuenski on flickr
Reader Comments (192)
Jusy saying hi. :-)
Not sure how long I've been reading, but I'm mainly here to read and think and learn and don't usually have anything to say. I'm about to become a first-time mom in May so I'm just taking it all in right now.
I really enjoy your posts, but don't often feel like I can contribute much which is why I don't comment! But, Hi!
I'm in the same boat as another commenter - I read a lot of my blogs via a reader on my phone, so I don't comment as much as I like. But if only you knew how often I told other people about what I read here! :)
I have been following you for well over a year. I am a very AP parent in an area of the US that is decidedly "mainstream." Your blog has been invaluable to me as a resource, and support, for the choices I make. I rarely comment because you and your readers say the things I am thinking far more eloquently than I can.
Oh, to hold us hostage.
I don't think I've commented before, since I seldom comment any where. But if by chance I have can I still count towards your 33? Please?
I love your site. I enjoy your writing and 'alternative' topics that I don't see a lot in other Mommy/parenting blogs that I read. I also greatly appreciate your Canadian-ness. While I'm not Canadian, I am married to one and it's always a good reminder about how cool people are there. Please keep up your excellent work!
hi there - enjoy your blog and tweets! In addition to my crafting blog - I am the tweeter for a local Breastfeeding Support Center (@BRC4Babies). Nice to "meet" you =)
Hillary
Hi, lurker here! Not many folks around me in real life talk about attachment parenting ideas. I had lots of great support for breastfeeding, but the rest is foreign and strange. I've been reading current and past posts that fit with my ideas about attachment parenting that I'm forming. Thanks for being a great resource to a new mom.
Hi - I'm a relatively new reader. I enjoy your blog immensely in that it gives me a chance to THINK about parenting and related topics. I don't update my own blog nearly enough, but you're welcome to visit it.
I still read, even if I don't write! Lots of big changes going on for us now so I'm kind of absent from the online world for a bit. Still enjoy your posts!
I've been reading about a year. I started when I found one of your posts about cosleeping back when we were very new to it ourselves. And I found much of what you said so reassuring that I stuck around.
When my daily life is overflowing with the voices of mainstream parenting (formula, cribs, sleep training, scheduling) it is so good to have a place, even a virtual one, that makes a case for some of the choices we've made. A place that argues that many of the choices we are making might even (gasp!) be better for our babe than the mainstream alternatives.
Thank you.
As for a future post, there was a NYT article recently about some schools hiring recess coaches. Perhaps something about how important it is for kids to have unstructured downtime.
Hi, guilty as charged. I am a blog lurker. Not just yours, lots of other mama/parenting blogs get the nightly read. I was first turned on to your site with one of your insightful pieces on the cry it out theory. I've loved you ever since. Your site is funny and smart and says things I need to hear. I love it because I feel like you've done your homework on tough subjects, thus saving me precious time. I'm not much of a commenter because I don't feel like typing, "Yeah, sing it, sister!" adds anything to the discussion. But maybe it does. Maybe I'll give it a try. Until then, I'm here, lurking and loving!
I agree with many people here - it's sometimes hard to think of an interesting comment when my sentiments are "I totally agree!" I'm a new blogger too and I find your blog inspiring and informative.
Let me join the throngs here! I started reading a few months ago (I think via a link at Dani's Postcards from the Mothership). I love reading other people's stories about parenting--thanks for sharing yours!
I am one of your many (adoring) lurkers! Mostly, I do "drive-by" blog-reading since I'm generally chasing around a toddler and a preschooler in between blog reads. :-)
Thanks for all of your great work on here!
hi annie! i'm an on and off reader from SEAsia. Waving and saying mabuhay! :D
This was one the first blogs recommended to me when I found out I was pregnant and it's definitely been one of my favorites! It's so...reassuring and sane!
Hi Annie,
Your blog is falls in the "must read" category of my overwhelming RSS feed. I rarely comment here on your actual blog (I'm much more of a Twitter gal), but I RT countless posts by you adding my own "Yes, this!!!" or "Best. Post. Ever".
Kate (@hygeiakate)
Also guilty as charged. But in my defense, I tend to read your blog while nursing and my son's favorite nursing position makes it very hard to type simultaneously. I really like reading your insights on the different topics you touch on, and you convinced our family to join the Nestle boycott a while back. So thanks!
Hi there - I read your blog all the time after someone posted a link to one of your posts on baby carriers downunder - yup a 'downunder' Mum. I love what you have to say (though most of the stuff about the North American health system etc doesn't apply to me it is still very interesting) I often don't have time or inclination to comment - though what you do is fabulous so please keep it up!
Hi Annie, I'm not really a lurker but wanted to post anyway. It's amazing how much your blog has grown in the past year. I know you work hard at it and have put a lot of yourself into this blog. Great job. Where are you planning to go with this blog? There are some bloggers out there with multiple feeds, books written, forums on their blog, book tours in addition to Facebook and Tweeting that you already do. Just curious where you want your blog to go in the next year.
I love how you've created a great space for impacting and useful information! I'm a regular reader, sometimes commenter, but always an admirer.
hey im new too, i like to see whats happenin anytime i catch you on the twitter feed. i need all the help i can get. lol :) thanks!!
If a post "speaks" to me, i comment. Sometimes I just come for a read, sometimes I'm half-way through and life come calling so I can't comment, even though I want to :)
I'll definitely be back
I honestly can't remember if I've ever commented here... so, hi- just in case :) I am a regular reader and enjoy the information and opinions you provide!
Alina:
Thank you. Regarding your question... oh my...so much pressure. I'll have to think on that one. :)
Hello! I can't remember if I commented last year or not. But in any case, I enjoy your blog, and appreciate the intellectual emphasis that you place on motherhood/parenting. I had a beautiful home birth 3 months ago and just received sample formula in the mail. I of course thought of your blog and am totally on my rampage to find out who sold my name. The only source I can think of is the birth certificate/social security application. (sigh)
Topics I've enjoyed here: breastfeeding, nestle, 'discipline,' baby-wearing, vaccines...
Hi - I'm still here and reading - but not commenting as much these days. Seems the more involved I've become in facebook and twitter, the fewer comments I make on blogs. That said, I still write my own blog - and find I read the ones who post links via facebook and twitter posts the much. That's usually how I know about your latest posts. :)
I'm a regular reader-- I just don't often have much to add to the conversation! :)
I comment regularly, I think. I enjoy reading your blog because we have very similar views on thigs, but you're a much more succint writer than I am. Glad you surpassed your 33!
Hello :-)
I don't comment very often but I sure appreciate reading your blog and find a lot of posts both inspiring and helpful, especially when I need some reassurance that my parenting decisions are not completely whacky! It's not always easy to talk about extensive breastfeeding, co-sleeping, attachment parenting to people when they just think you are some granola-eating-hippy-tree-hugger... Thanks again for posting so many interesting things here :-)
melissa:
Never worry about interrupting the conversation. Nothing makes me happier than welcoming new people into the discussion. I don't consider it an interruption at all!
Hi Neil! Haven't I met you somewhere before? :)
Thanks for jumping over from twitter to say hi Lori!
Thanks Sandy! I agree that breastfeeding is fantastic, although I think I'm pretty much done with it.
I'm so glad you're enjoying the wrap and that you've started a blog too! I will check it out for sure.
That is so true Lynn. I often "star" tweets on twitter of posts I want to read and comment on later. I get to some of them and not to others. There are only so many hours (and hands) available.
Thanks Erin!
Amber:
I would take away any pressure to perform if possible. My doctor seemed to sense/know that my son was shy, so at his 2 year and 3 year appointment, she listened to us talking by lurking outside the door and got a sense of how well he was doing language wise before coming into the room (at which point he clammed up completely and didn't say another word).
I'm not an expert in this field by any means though, so I don't have any specific advice.
Mine came back at around 14 months and I was regular pretty much right away. But I know each mom's experience is different and certainly nursing can contribute to lack of regularity.
Hey there, I'm delurking too. A friend of mine (@breebop) was sharing a lot of your entries with me so I just added you to my reader, and like a few others have mentioned, the reader doesn't allow for simple commenting via my phone. I really appreciate your posts. It wasn't until I had my son and experienced (am experiencing) that I realized what some of my views are. And they're still changing. So, yeah, hi!
I'm almost at the point of saying "that's it" too Sarah. Emma just turned three and only asks every few days now and I find it less comfortable now that there is little or no milk.
I have recently subscribed, but had visited a few times before that following links. I've enjoyed the quality and thoroughness of your posts. You're one of those bloggers that I aspire to be like, but don't come close. My blog is at descentintomotherhood.blogspot.com
That happened to me. After a homebirth I was like, how the heck?!?! I called the number on the can and I reached one of the best operators ever. He was really nice, told me that motherhood maternity sold it to them and asked me to donate the formula to a foodbank.
I see I'm not the only one who surfs while nursing. :) I think I have commented a couple of times, but I read it everyday. I love hearing about breastfeeding, esspecially as my daughter goes outside the "normal" range of nursing at 15 months old now.
I don't usually post comments because by the time I get here the comments thread is usually huge and everyone's said what I wanted to anyway. I'm an APing, geeky, feminist, full-time mum to two boys (aged 8 and 4).
Hello,
I am a new mom of a six month old boy. I found and follow you on Twitter. I usually read on my phone while nursing my son to sleep or on a "break" at work so commenting is a bit time consuming. I am new to the parenting blogger community and still getting a feel for things. I really enjoy your blog and can't wait until I have time to read through the archives.
I've been reading your blog for about a month or so and I'm here to tell you that I'm a fan! I've commented a few times before but not regularly. I will say that your blog is an inspiration for me as a somewhat new blogger (6 months) - you write beautifully and intelligently and speak on topics that interest me and grab my attention. I don't find that too often out in bloggy-land.
I'll make sure to say *hello* more often.
-Aimee
I wanted to comment on Amber's post because my oldest daughter (who is 27 months) also is a late talker. There is a group called Natural Late Talkers somewhere on the web that I used to visit, and that was helpful. She (my daughter) is like your son in that she has great receptive language, but delayed expressive language. When she was 24 mos., she had only about 8 or 10 words. However, she could follow two-step directions (like, "Take off your socks and put them in your laundry basket." when the laundry basket is in a totally different room). Our doctor told us that they are much more concerned when kids are not pointing and do not seem to understand what is said to them. In other words, an expressive delay is much less concerning than a receptive delay. So, we just made sure that we were talking slowly, simply, and clearly. I tend to be a fast talker, so I slowed myself down a little bit. We also started natural environment play-based therapy, which you can read about here: http://www.latetalkers.org/index.php?p=More_than_words
Hope this helps!