Dear Oprah (again)

Yes, it's us again, the women of Chicago Moms Blog. We're not trying to be pesky or even get on your next Favorite Thing show (although we certainly wouldn't balk at the tix and we'd be happy to share a few fabulous bebe recommendations of our own). We're not trying to snag seats in the Amen Corner and we're not trying to get in good with Bob Greene (although my husband the personal trainer would love to talk shop and it would be fun to get the skinny on the Best Life straight from the source).

We're here because we wanted to let you know that in twelve short days, a gajillion women and a few men will descend upon Chicago with a mighty typing force for BlogHer '07. It will be the biggest blogging conference anywhere and it is happening right here in our beautiful, bustling city. We will basically be talking blogging for three days in your backyard.

I bet you're wondering exactly how much one woman, let alone thousands, can talk about blogging. The answer is: A lot. When we finally get to meet each other face to face after all the screen time we've shared, we will want to talk about the sisterhood among mothers. We'll talk homeschooling and selling our homes, getting away from home with the kids, kids at home and (even better) sending the kids away from home for camp, skate park invasions and more camp.

We will commiserate about paying for the sins of our past in potty training hell and hitting the bar with toddlers (to pee, really...you can even ask Dr. Oz how fast you must act when a kid's gotta go).

After that fab green episode, I'm sure you'll appreciate our conversation about Freecycling (*love*), trying our very best to get even the teensiest bit green and the pleasures and paranoia of turning our kids into eco-snobs.  And ohhhh, the glory and the grrr of the 'burbs.  Grrrlfriend to grrrlfriend, we know you'll appreciate how much we love to go on about Ribfest, kid's menus, milkshakes and super tasting and (ugh) trying to get back in the effing skinny jeans.

And speaking of you, the Chicago Moms Blog community is so Six Degrees of Oprah Winfrey. Catherine M. happily sat in your audience as a Dunstan Baby Language tester and Karen's getting fit with other women (oh so much like you did over Mother's Day with Gayle and many mamas at Canyon Ranch), Wendy was just at the beach and you live just steps away from the beach (coincidence? I think not) Marcie wants to talk about Obama (we all know you love some Barack, my friend) and Meagan's a transplant Chicagoan just like you (spooky, huh?).

And, of course, we will talk and talk and talk some more about mommy blogging. Because it's what we do. It's what we do when we're exhausted and out of breath from carrying the stroller, a diaper bag, four trucks and a doll, our own purse and an off-the-charts toddler up three flights of stairs. It's what we do when take out's on the way and when we're trying to just breathe through those awful cry-it-out afternoons. It's what we do when we feel hilarious and happy and full of it, and what we do when we're overwhelmed and irritated and so over it. It's what we do because it's our career and because we can sneak it in between projects and conference calls at our other jobs (shhh), because we're writers as well as being mothers and wives and partners and professionals and most of all, women together in this little space on our little corner of the internet.

It's what we do and we will keep sharing it with each other, with all the other women about to share our city for a few inspiring days and with you.  Care to join in the conversation, Oprah? I mean, really, darling. How can you possibly resist?

We'll have a cocktail waiting for you. Call us! No, seriously, O. Call me. I mean it. I'll even give you my personal cell number, not my assistant's or even his assistant. OK, who am I kidding? I don't have any people. But I do have a phone line that's way open, so call!

Jessica & the Chicago Moms Blog crew.

Jessica also spouts sassiness daily at Sassafrass.

photo credit: Oprah.com