I just won't go to the bathroom when I'm flying. Okay, maybe I do... if I've been holding it a really, really, REALLY long time. But my phobia of being found in the bathroom when the plane crashes is just too real. I guess the one consolation is that the "lavatories" are usually in the back of the plane and they DO say that's the safest place to be... right? The engines WILL save me? (crickets chirp)

what a pleasant surprise it was to see you on the today show (which i only watch every other day when i'm grumbling on the treadmill at the gym). you looked stunning -- i have to laugh that THAT'S your version of "fat."

You were great on the Today show yesterday! Congratulations, and I'm looking forward to the book!

congrats - can't wait to read the book. and you're totally one hot mama!

When the video started I thought "WOW she really HAS put on a TON of weight" but then I realized that's a PANDA bear not dooce! ;-)

Great job!

Can't see the video here at work, but i will definitely check it out at home. But your statement 'the camera adds 10 pounds' reminds me of the same line from Friends. The gang is watching an old home movie of Monica when she was in high school and very fat. Monica says, 'The camera adds 10 pounds.' And Chandler responds, 'How many cameras are on you?' Hee! :D

Ok, around 2:42, your eyes are darting, doing the classic "lookin' her up and down" kinda thing. I must know what you were eyeballing.

Well atleast you're dad didn't call you a chubby tree like my brother did every time my mom wore her green sweater and brown leggings. I think I'd rather be told straight out than have some absurd moniker like chubby tree, haha. Great job on the show!

I mean 4:24!
Tell me everything, even if you have to make it up.

Great job!

Great today show segment!

Parents just have a way of making us feel good about ourselves, don't they?

-FringeGirl

I watched it yesterday and you were GLOWING!

At least your dad talks to you! My dad looks at caller ID and walks away. How do I know? My mom is nice enought to tell me.

Who's worse?

Great job, Heather! Even more polished than last time and you didn't have to contend with that glorious wackjob, Kathie Lee. And you look great!

I love Matt Lauer, I'll bet he was delicious.
No seriously, you looked fantastic.
I think your blog contributes to the way I view my own life and my relationship to family and the written word, so I hope you know that you are connected to more that just mothers out there... unless you count my chihuahua as a child, then we're totally on the same page.

You look fantastic!

Oh, you are so not fat. Good God. All pregnant women should be so lucky.

Hope you're having a nice, quiet, restful day at home today!

First of all, you're six months pregnant and they made you sit on a STOOL?

Second of all, you look pregnant, not fat.

Third of all, @ the mom who is online 6 hours a day with a newborn attached to her boob and thinks it makes her a better mom ... really? I thought caring for your infant, paying attention to and stimulating him/her, etc. makes you a better mom.

Love your boots!

Very nice segment, and at least Meredith didn't seem disapproving as another host we know! :)

Heather-
You looked beautiful! Please drop the "fat" talk though, some of us really do need to lose weight and it hurts when pregnant people who are our ideal weight call themselves fat. Love reading your blog.

The segment was great. You hit the nail on the head with the point of helping women not feel so alone.

On a totally superficial note, you do not look like you ate Matt Lauer. As fantastic a mental image as that may be.

Great segment, and likely the most stylish 6-mth pregnant lady I've ever seen. Your adult daughters will be proud of you!

Hi Heather.

Lovely interview. You looked great... especially given the lack of sleep. I've never commented before, but I love your blog and daily pictures. You're so freaking funny! You really make being a mom seem less scary and daunting... and pretty darn hilarious. Thanks for keeping this blog and sharing your life with the world.

Wow, I commend you for being able to go to an airplane bathroom not once but six times (but obviously you have no choice)! How can your fear of doom inside the loo be more powerful than the unbearable stink in there? Bathrooms in airplanes smell god awful. You're a real trooper! :::Applause:::

Dooce you rocked it and looked totally adorable in the process. It's always good to see you out there doing the media thing, and you do it with dignity (and without the shameless plugs).

Heather, you look great, and even beautiful. While I don't believe you ate Matt, did you at least get a nibble? I am so curious what he is like in person. You are a very lucky/blessed/amazing woman. :::GREAT JOB:::

Great segment! I didn't catch it when it aired, so glad you shared it here. I think the discussion topic is so relevant to so many of us mom's online.

And honestly, I totally wish I were as skinny and svelte as you when I was preggo!

Heather, you are beautiful.

What wouldn't I give to be your size right now? After 2 children, I - like my mother before me - am struggling to lose weight. I am not just a little pudgy. I am not just overweight. According to all classifications I am obese at 184 pounds. It's awful, and a daily struggle, and I am embarrassed to leave the house most days.

I love this site, and love you, and have devotedly read every hilarious and touching word. But you are not fat. Take it from someone who is.

Interesting point, Heather, about how much one should share about one's children.

I decided, in my book, Acquainted with the Night--a memoir of raising children with depression and bipolar disorder--that I would be as open and truthful as possible about myself and the children, because I wanted to tell a true story. I was particularly careful to include the mistakes I made, and things I did that now deeply regret, because it would not have been fair to do otherwise.

I've taken some heat for this. You're welcome to write whatever you want about yourself, some readers said, but what gives you permission to write about your children when they are too young to consent?

I don't have a good answer for that; perhaps others can help me with their thoughts.

While you may not feel super cute and adorable, you really do look it.

How is that fat? My non-baby belly is bigger than that.
Great job! Looking forward to the book, and wishing you were heading to Calgary on the book tour.

I thought I would see a giant balloon on the screen but you look fantastic!! No more of this self-deprecating crap- not acceptable. You look better pregnant than most people look daily.

Noo, if you eat Matt Lauer that means the scientologists have won!

P.S. My computer thinks 'scientology' is not a word. How true.

Embrace the lbs. They look good on you! Glad you're back safe and sound, I tried to find this story on the Today show website for like, ever, but kept getting thrown off by the lady with the red hair and the boob surfing the web.

One thing I was hoping you would say to Kathie Lee about including Leta in your blog is that you are providing a detailed keepsake for Leta of her childhood and the things that were going on in the lives of her family when she was little. When Leta is older I hope she is thrilled with the ability to go back and read so much about her childhood.

You looked fabulous!

I never thought about dying in an airplane bathroom before. Your description had me laughing so hard I was in tears...my co-workers are staring. oh my!

You ARE glowing. Although I supremely loathe the Today Show, I thought you did great. You should know that the only time I can bear to watch it is when you are on!

Am I the only person a little horrified about the mom chatting online with people in Australia while breastfeeding? What about - I don't know - just focusing on the baby and having some quiet time?

Frankly, if one day mom whipped out an old video of her paying no attention to me while I ate I'd be a little un-okay with that.

I am dad to two young ones, so I remember the days when every second of quiet was like a gift from God. But this, this just seemed creepy to me.

Heather, now you did a great job. Kudos.

Heather, you looked gorgeous. And MY GOD, you are growing a human. Remember that. That aint' no small feat.

My baby is 9 and I STILL look like I swallowed Matt Lauer.

But you, my dear, will be all gangly again real soon.

Big improvement on the Today side from the first segment (no Kathy Lee freak out, hooray!). You were great as always - loved the boots! Thank you for focusing on the positive side of blogging.
Phoo-D

You looked totally relaxed - don't know how you did that - and you were very articulate. Good job!

Thank you for sharing that video with those us in Europe who have a hard time watching these things :)

Airplane bathrooms are fun. Much more intriguing is how did you manage to climb onto that chair?...

PS: Matt Lauer wishes!

I haven't used an airplane bathroom in seven years. They freak me out. The dehydration is worth it.

And as so many have already said - you looked fantastic.

You looked fantastic, and besides Matt Lauer doesn't look like he'd taste very good.

You forgot to mention how when flying pregnant your entire body swells so you actually look like someone inflated your ankles and wrists like water balloons, as if you aren't already feeling blimp like (this was me en-route to Italy a few years ago while 6 mo preggers).

My other favorite is for moms of babies and toddlers - don't you love it when people give you a dirty look for changing your kid's diaper on the airplane seat instead of in the nasty lav. Seriously how are you supposed to change a diaper on a squirming kid when you can't even turn around in one of those? It's only like 1 out of every 100 lavatories that even has a changing table inside. The best part is the horrified looks on the flight attendants faces as they make you double bag your "groceries."

you ate matt lauer because he was being glib, right?

I tried to catch it but they aired it here while I was on the way to work. You did great! I'm not crazy about the way they did your makeup though, I think they way you usually do it for your own photos is much better. Suck on THAT fancy Today-Show makeup people!

HOW CUTE! You didn't look enormous ... Love, Love, Love your blog and can't wait to see the newest addition to your family!

At 8 1/2 months pregnant, after a long day, while walking to my car, the local wino stopped me and said "you'd be pretty good looking if you just dropped some weight." Ummm...still trying to figure out if that was a compliment, but think mostly that it was just plain sad when the town drunk thinks you are too fat.

So that was 22 years ago and I am still trying to "drop some of that weight".

Cheers Heather, you look maaarvelous!

I like when Meredith says "but we can't leave out digital dads" but...you have to be digital enough to go online to find out about digital dads.

I clicked on the video, expecting to see Meredith introducing you right away, and the first thing I saw was a giant panda, and I could just think, "OH".
So all things considered, just tell yourself it could be worse (and you were really smaller than I thought you would be, from listening to you).

I think you looked beautiful. Full stop. No further explanation needed.

Heather,
I dvr'd the segment and couldn't wait to get home to see it last night. Great responses to Meredith. That odd woman next to you seemed robotic to me and her list of "5 kinds of digital moms" seemed just plain silly. You looked great and I was crazy about your boots. Thanks again for your honesty and openness about your PPD experience. You are an excellent example for everyone.

You're so smart!

I wish I could communicate my thoughts verbally, the way you do! You're awesome...oh, and absolutely beautiful (or 'glowing', but I prefer 'beautiful')

I have just learned that Ryan Air is threatening to charge passengers to use the toilets. Can you imagine? Fishing for change because the flight attendants don't have any? Traveling with children? CAN YOU IMAGINE???

Dude - ADULT DIAPERS!! I was thinking about selling them at the airport after I read that article about smaller airlinese starting to charge for using their precious germ infested torture chambers. Did you know airline bathrooms are the single most germified environment on the planet (maybe a *slight* exaggeration...) something about the high pressure exploding vaporized fecal matter all over the walls/sink/etc every time the toilet flushes. They should put some people to work making every gate at the airport a decontamination chamber. Jobs and public health service! Woohoo!

I saw the 'Today' show appearance - you were great!

Your dad is a funny man. My first thought: that's one hot mama rocking the chic little black dress and knee-high boots look.

And, gosh... Kathy Lee should be put out to pasture.

Fat? You wouldn't have even known you were preggos has Meredith not mentioned it if someone watching didn't know! You looked great! Just look at that photo of the four of you on vaca at the beach--that picture is incredible. You can totally carry off a pregnancy with your height!

And the book is awesome! Cuz I already got to read it! Yay for me! Loved it!

You looked great! Since you don't have comments open on the post "Eliminating Checked Baggage" I'm cheating and leaving you a little suggestion here. I have those same containers and the tops don't stay closed very well. Even worse than a bunch of unlabeled bottles of *semen* is a bag full of *semen* that has leaked out of all those bottles. Here's a little tip I read somewhere that I am generously passing along. Put a little piece of plastic wrap over the top of each bottle and then put the lid on. Brilliant, huh? Enjoy your travels.

I saw you on the Today Show yesterday morning and got all excited! You were great!

i just noticed that the daily chuck is actually coco! i can just imagine chuck's reaction being one of two things: complete and utter indignation that coco is being featured as chuck, or absolute glee at escaping having something balanced on his head for one day. haha.

also, i know what you mean about the checked baggage. last time i was in an airport, i had a brand-new bottle of water in my purse that i had completely forgotten was in there until the security guy told me i couldn't have it. so i said i would just drink it right there, and he said, no you have to go all the way out and all the way back in with all your stuff, my huge purse, my knapsack, my computer. i just said fuck it and threw the brand-new water in the trash.

I looked like the stay puff marshmallow man when I was pregnant and wore only slippers (I tried to call them driving mocks, but let's face it they were slippers) for the last 5 months! of my pregnancy. You look like a rock star and don't let any one tell you different. Loved the spot and wished I could have seen it live, but thanks for posting it here.

I thought you looked very nice, Heather. The lady they featured on the video looked "fat". Does she ever get away from her computer to walk her baby in the stroller? Oh yeah, she said she sits in her recliner. Geeze Louise! Not what I would want to see as an example of a "Video Mom".

First off, you looked lovely.

Second, why do people discount what a huge gift the archives will be to Leta, and only focus on her possible future resentment? This website is like a love letter to your daughter, and I can't imagine a better gift than for her to be able to look back over the years and to see how much she was loved. To have such insight into your childhood would be amazing.

You were great on the Today show. I Tivo'd it and watched it last night. Congratulations and I can't wait to read your book.

to be honest, as much as leta has been around it already - i don't really think she'll think your blog is that big of a deal. *shrugs*

and you look cute "fat" ;)

Loved this piece, much better then that nasty Kathie Lee one. You don't look fat, you look beautiful. Thanks for sharing yourself with us, I know it can't be easy.

Great job! You look beautiful.

I think that you and Leta are both going to enjoy re-reading your blog for many years to come. In fact, I bet she laughs much more often than she feels resentment. I wish that I could read some of my mother's feelings and thoughts as she raised me.

love the hair!

God, that other lady could not stop plugging her effing website. She made me never want to go to cafemom.com.

You look simply radiant. Keep on being fabulous, Heather!

Heather,

My first comment! I was so excited to see that you were going to be on the Today Show, I even made an agreement w/myself to sit through Matt Lauer (what was the deal witht the dog show thing?), and I waited as long as I could, but had to be to work before the segment was on. I am so glad you posted it so quickly as I've been wondering how it went.. and as I thought, you were awesome! I love how you can express yourself so clearly, and never looked lost. And hello, you looked so cute. Congrats on the book, its on my wishlist and barns and noble, can't wait to read it.

You rock, and I love to read your blog! Have a great day!

Ok, to be totally and brutally honest, my first reaction when seeing the clip yesterday was WHOA GIRLFRIEND. But it's only because you are seriously the thinnest person in the Northern Hemisphere, possibly also the Southern, but they have SE Asia and those Thai women are tiny. I can't believe you're not mentioning the fact that you actually DO have a Southern accent. I always thought you were joking, that you really talked like a New Yorker or something. That was probably most shocking for me.

Regardless, you were fab-tastic, and I got to work and found it before doing anything else.

I feel you in terms of the discomfort of gaining weight/carrying around extra weight. As someone who has also always been slim, I am now (and have been for awhile) 10lb more than I was when I was in college, and although it isn't a very large difference, it FEELS like it is. Forget about the fact that I feel I look like I need to lose weight in pictures. What really matters to me is that is that I don't feel as comfortable in my skin, so I totally understand how you would feel discomfort, although you may not be overweight or obese. It is all about perspective people. We all have different perspectives just as we all have different bodies. Please take that into consideration before you chide.

I read you every day and enjoy your comments and outlook on life and motherhood so very much!
The TV piece was great. Your honesty and intelligence would make anyone want to be a 'cyber-mom' too!
And you looked SO good!!!!

Love that you are rockin' the knee high boots.
And, hey Heather's Dad: I totally see the GLOW. :)

Oh i wished that lady next to you would just shut her trap. cafemom, cafemom...yap yap...and the giant cow who sits in a recliner for 6 hours twittering? dear god. It makes moms who blog look bad. YOU however looked great and so glad there was someone representing the cool side of blogging.

To 96. Kathleen: Do you not care that you consider overweight 'normal'? Or, just because it is the norm, does that make it a good standard?

As someone who was naturally thin like Heather for most of my life, the shape of pregnancy was fat for me. And now, 150 on a 5' 6" frame is fat for me. Heather's perspective, like mine, is her own. I don't see fishing for compliments when I read Heather's posts. I simply see her telling us how she feels as she goes through this pregnancy.

Keep telling it like it is FOR YOU, Heather!

I was so glad that you put the video on your website. Didn't get around to watching the segment the other day and not with it enough to tivo the thing. I hope I can get the kind of readership you do someday.

I thought you were great...but I gotta be honest...you kinda looked like you might start a fight with Laura Fortner.

And yes. Glowing :)

You done good! I read everyday and usually end up sharing something from the site every couple of weeks with my co-workers so it was funny to come in to work yesterday and have them all ask me if I had seen you on the show and that they thought you were great.

Oh,come on ... Ally Crumley could eat you as an appetizer. Please lay off the "fat" whining ... some of us really do get huge while pregnant,and although being a size 6 or whatever may feel humungous to you,it really isn't,and you must know that.

You were good!

Boy oh boy oh boy what a load of marketing bollocks did that woman next to you spew...gushing from all pores! She looked like the crazy one, which, if you think about it, is logical - you're a certified sane person :)

You look great and you sounded intelligent, which is more than I can say for whatever her name was next to you. She needs to lighten up! Enjoy each moment of this pregnancy, because before you know it, that little gem will be going to preschool!

Okay, that is just mean.. i don't have the time to read all the comments, so if this has been said before sorry. But, Screw anyone for saying anything about you being fat!! Jesus, you are creating a LIFE!!! And why the HELL did those idiots at TODAY have you teetering on those spindly bar stools during the interview?? I mean, a pregnant woman trying to sound intelligent and interesting while simultaneously balancing atop a bar stool and really just worrying about when she can get to the toilet next!! Really?? how mean
You rocked it anyway.
Good job, can't wait to see you in SF!

Strange post, like you're trying too hard. And very insensitive about plane crashes. Just not something people casually joke about these days.

You are beautiful!

pack it on. you've earned it! i'm so glad you're around and made it through ppd and you give me hope that i could make it as a mom someday.

Wow Heather. You "swallowed Matt Lauer" is what I look like normal. Thanks. I guess that's bad.

Damn, girl! I wish I looked that hot. LOVE Your boots.
You were great... but I kept wishing you would say "crayon".

I thought you looked amazing for someone who got so little sleep before being grilled on live television. What struck me more was how faint your accent was. Have you been practicing your annunciation of different vowel sounds for your upcoming book tour?

Wow. I think you did awesome! (Why is it I only use the word "Awesome" while living in Utah?)

GREAT boots!

You should take David Sedaris' advice and invest in a stadium gal for all those upcoming plane flights in the next few months. You would have to be ok with having a piping hot bag of urine strapped to your leg for the six hour flight but you wouldn't have to worry about contorting into a pretzel in the lavatory. "The window seat on an overbooked cross-country flight? Don’t mind if I do Stadium Gal!"
http://www.biorelief.com/stadium-gal.html

Great job speaking at a slow, conversational pace. I couldn't follow Laura's fast speal (maybe she was nervous). Anyway, you looked composed and confident.

I'm so glad I watched that video. This may sound odd but from just reading your blog and looking at your photos I got a weird impression of you. The only way I can explain it is ... sharp? Ok, yeah that makes no sense. It's a good thing though. Watching you on the video, you somehow seemed more 'normal'. Maybe it was putting a voice and movement to what was just images before.

Personally (and not just because I'm a total chubbo), I think you look BEAUTIFUL. I actually prefer you with a little more weight on, your face looks so much softer and you just look lovely. :)

Love the belly pics too! I am unable to have children so I am living vicariously through you.

At first, when the clip started....and the new mom went on about being online for 6 hours with 2 kids (?!?) and thinks she's a good mom. What went through my brain was, "How did we do this mom thing before the internet?" (being totally sarcastic) and then you had a great line...paraphrasing...how the village isn't there anymore.
But seriously, my mother was just as busy as any mother today. Motherhood hasn't changed over the years.

Great interview.

You looked wonderful! (:
I'm a young, faithful reader and I had school during the time the show was on, but as soon as I could I looked it up online and you were amazing, very gracious.

Thank you so much for the countless hours you give me (and my boyfriend because if I laugh, SO MUST HE, ha!)

*hugs*

** countless hours of LAUGHING, sorry. :)

Enough fat hate, dooce. Some of us look pregnant all the time when we're really not. You are like a string bean with a tiny belly.

Wow, good job. I'm always amazed how people on TV (you included) are so good at summarizing their thought into attractive soundbites. Makes me glad I've never been on TV, I'll tell you that.

And, you looked beautiful.

You are so articulate. Composed. And able to keep your legs crossed in a short skirt, on a tall stool, while pregnant. A woman of many talents. Nice job!

YAY! You were perfect (AND FUNNY!!). Can't wait til you come out to visit Book Soup.

For those of you who felt the need to chastise Heather because she commented that she feels "fat", get over your fat selves. She is a slender person in general, who I am guessing, eats right and exercises. What a concept. If you are fat, deal with it--don't tell Heather to stop feeling what she is feeling because YOU are fat. As someone who has always been slender, gaining 34 lbs while pregnant was odd for me--I knew I had to do it, but it was still odd.

Please, don't berate Heather for saying she feels fat--those are her feelings. This is her website. If you are bigger than her and you are not pregnant, then you need to exercise and eat better. For yourselves, for your children, heck, even for our health care system!

And the obese women detailed in the segment who breast feeds her child while surfing the net--please start paying attention to child. Get off the computer and go for a walk. The "Today" show could NOT have picked a worse person to highlight as a digital age mom.

You look GREAT! Wish I could have seen it live! I love your website and your wonderful pictures...thanks for sharing your life with us interested readers! You are fantastic!

Hey chicky -- nice job with the interview.

You look Beautiful and Glowing and your hair is hot.
Great interview Heather. You are articulate, charming, engaging and intereting - you've got all good things to say in a good way. Plus, you give nice props to your readers. that is very kind of you.
Your lack of sleep did not show, either.
Can I get WHAT, WHAT for Heather B. Armstrong!
What! WHAT!??!
P.S. I want your earrings. I have been admiring them on Momversation.

I love what you had to say about needing to connect because we don't have a village anymore. Here we are in this modern world, so many people have been so lonely. I LOVE that we have all taken over technology to serve our desire to connect to each other!

What you said reminded me of a conversation I had a few yrs ago:
I have a good friend from India and she had her first baby here. She was really surprised at how people take care of new moms here. She said that in India her whole family would have come to stay for three months. THEY would have taken care of the baby and all the cleaning and the cooking.

They only give the baby to the mom when the baby is happy so that the mom and baby can bond. The mom's job is to take care of herself. She is given food that helps her to recover from childbirth and gets lots of rest. Hmmm... No wonder so many moms here have such a hard time with their new babies! Its not that anything is wrong with most of the moms. Its that our culture is not very responsive to our human needs.

ps: My friend did go home with her baby to get that rested time.

aaaw you looked lovely and I'm sure Matt tasted just yummy.

Heather you look beautiful! What a cool opportunity

Really, really nice, Heather. It was nice to see you speak for the first time since being a reader. You've become part of my social network and community that I rely on for support every day (thank you RSS feed). And you might be the coolest digital mom I know.

If that's your version of fat, then you are not welcome at my house.

Seriously, you looked great and I watched the Today show, something I would never normally do (let alone admit).

Well done.

OH MY GOSH HEATHER!!! DO NOT BE RIDICULOUS! You are so beautiful in this segment! You do not look fat, and you're so well spoken. Congrats on a successful interview!

I'm a Flight Attendant and I think that is hysterical that you don't want to use the bathroom in case the plane go's down! I actually never had an issue with the airplane lav until my mom said one time after a flight..." You know the FA used the bathroom in first class, I couldn't believe it." What???? She actually made me realize people pay attention when I go into the bathroom, thanks mom for the bathroom issues: )

I think you look great. But if you do want to lose weight, you should try cooking school (I'm a culinary school student). It seems counter intuitive, but being surrounded by all that food makes me NOT want to eat!

Better than first trimester nausea!

See, school is good for something after all.

Cheers.

Oh please, you are not fat. You have a baby bump! I hate to imagine how I would look pregnant. I pretty much look the way you do now all the time.

And I love that you still have your Southern accent. I think if I ever moved out of the South, mine would be gone in a matter of days. And that's not a good thing. I like my Southern twang!

Heather- you look beautiful. I think the extra weight actually looks awesome on you (not to imply you don't look awesome anyway). You are definitely glowing!

And I totally sympathize with the whole airplane bathroom thing. Sheesh. There's a reason why I often have nightmares about not being able to find a bathroom!

Way to go scoring Meredith!

Heather... ooohhh I'm so excited to comment... I haven't gotten here in time... of course I've only been following a little while.. Great job on TODAY. I would have loved to have seen you in NY, of course I'm going at the end of the month.. after 7 years I cannot WAIT!!!.. the bathroom... good GOD I always think about that... because the turbulance ALWAYS!!! gets worse when I cram my "too much chips and salsa" butt in there... Too funnY!

Happy Traveling the next few days..

Robin

I'm so glad I found your blog. Nuff said.

Thanks for posting this and for making that trip you brave
brave thing, you.

I like what you have to say about the online community/support aspect of internetting. I think folks who don't have an interest in it tend to miss the incredibly affirming aspect of finding connections without concern for geographic distance. The new topography makes it possible to make those contacts and move on to something more like community in a way that would not be possible without instant access to an archive of thoughts & experiences otherwise separated by distance and time. At its best it can broaden our own perspectives by sparking discussions (online or off) about those issues that push our boundaries (politics, religion, child waste removal systems, etc.). The ability to read more into the places where we overlap and learn from where we clash almost makes me feel like less of an opinionated shrew. It makes me a better friend offline.

You did a great job on the show. You really did.

However, you have no idea how alienating your "fat" comments are to readers who weren't blessed with your body type. I know you sincerely feel that you're huge and nobody can ask you to feel otherwise.

But compared to many (most) of your readers, you're not huge. In fact, even significantly pregnant, you probably still weigh much less than some of us. And every time you berate yourself for how you look with a few extra pounds on you, it's kind of a knife in the gut to those of us who will never even come close to you on our skinniest days.

In our culture, "fat" is shorthand for "lazy, disgusting, worthless slob who doesn't care about her appearance or take care of herself." Look at CA Mama's cruel, judgmental, *inaccurate* comment (research actually shows that weight alone is a very poor indicator of overall health) if you're not sure what I'm talking about.

Just...be careful, please. This is a very important issue to a lot of women, and you're usually such a strong voice. That's all I'm asking.

Enjoyed the interview, and don't pay attention to the people telling you not to call yourself fat. While you look great, and you're, you know, growing a new person, you are allowed to say whatever you want.

I think this who website is going to be a great gift for both of your kids someday, even if they are mortified!

You look like you're stuck inbetween the glow of pregnancy and constipation..but that's okay because you look great! Besides, like you said, you're pregnant, so enjoy it all.
I'd blame the pump for the altitude change.

I'm looking forward to buying your book in your Oakbrook IL visit--My town..Let me tell you a few things that I really feel that your little in utero will thank you for later:
1-eat at Portillos..it's JUST down the street from Butterfield/route 34..the best hotdogs and they have a chocolate cake shake,...can it get better? Yes, they have crinkly fries..omg..try it.
2-eat a pizza at Lou Malanti's..deep dish it.. butter crust..and trust me, from one weight gaining no prego crusty mom, you will love it..try it with the sausage slab..if you can manage.

3-OAKBROOK MALL-SHOP IT!!!!
4-uh..damn it, you're pregnant so never mind the bar crawls with the snuggies.

Looking forward to getting the Dooce signature on your book..
meet you soon..
Respectfully,
Crustybeef
a jacked up mom to three boys with three different types of post partum depression. GOOD TIMES!

:)
any chitown chitchat, you are welcome to email me. I'll try not to spam you.
I hope you're flying into Ohare airport. If not, and you're flying into Midway...don't get scared,...it looks rougher then it really is. Besides no one comes out to mess with us suburbanites and travelers from Utah when it's so fucking cold out. You may get lucky and have a windowwasher..they don't listen for fuck even if you say no, and push on the gas pedal. lol

Safe travels and I look forward to standing in line..why? Because it's a night out for me..Can you make sure you stick me at the back of the line so that my time out of the house away from my husband and three sons lasts longer? My only fear, is that I'll need to crap.

yes..happened on an airplane..NOT FUN!
Pregnant at the time too, while traveling alone with my two sons..
paint that picture in a GOODnight Moon Format and Dorasize it. :)

okay..I'm done hurting your comment box..
too much starbux.

I can't watch it and am going to have to send my flash player to time out!

So instead I'll just tell you I thought the picture you posted a few days ago of the four of you was pretty damned cute =) I wish you had open comments on your photographs sometimes, but I guess I could just click over to Flickr and quit my whining, huh? Anyway, cute photo!

Ah, you look great.
And given the chance, I'd swallow Matt Lauer.
Can't wait to read your book!

Your hair looks awesome and honestly you don't look fat, you look super healthy!

Just watched the segment with my four-year-old son, and when you appeared, he gasped and said, "She's beautiful." And you are!

You look great, by the way! Your face has softened quite a bit and I find it very pretty.

gorgeous and eloquent as always.

I did see you on the Today Show the other day and I thought you looked great!!!! Great job! Sorry the flight was so cr@ppy.

You look fabulous (read: not fat). And your blog is fabulous. I hope to be the hip digital mom that you seem to be SOON!

Just sticking up for the web-surfing new mom: So she surfs the net and calmly and lovingly holds her baby? She's giving her baby exactly what her baby needs. And she's taking care of herself, too, by staying connected when new motherhood can be so incredibly isolating.

No wonder women are such wrecks. Anytime they do for themselves they are BAD, BAD, BAD.

I say good for her. If staying connected with friends and family makes her feel good, then, yes, she'll be a better parent for the other 18 hours of the day (and night).

You are beautiful!
Can't wait to read your book :)

1. I can't believe they made you sit on a STOOL? That WFC really is hitting home isn't it. Comfy sofas? GONE!

2. You were AWESOME - I think I could listen to your accent all day and still call it sweet sweet music

3. Today show = FAIL. I mean COME ON - are we really going to have a whole segment on mummy bloggers as if its an entirely new phenomenon? In 2009? Pffft.

I didn't think you looked fat at all ~ dad's what do they know ;) I thought you were great! Dh was impressed I knew who you were and that I read your blog - LOL!!
Rock on chickie!!

I have watched the show and you're really lovely. I like the way you write and your honesty too. I just can't wait to have your book. By the way, thanks for sharing.

you are so great in this segment. you really do well when you are put on the spot. you handle yourself with great poise. i really enjoyed it!

Fantastic job Heather! I loved everything you said! I'm so glad the mommy-bloggers have as fantastic of a representative as you.

holy crap, you are freaking gorgeous! I can only hope that I could look even half as good pregnant as you do.

Also, great job on the Today show!!

you looked absolutely gorgeous Heather!! and the boots are HOT.

Great job! MUCH MUCH better than last time. Meredith over Kathie Lee anytime. At least Meredith let you finish sentences.

Really nice job, Heather. Those kind of segments can be really tough because they are so structured to the point of being stilted. I thought your input was very good and you looked fabulous! And pregnancy weight is not the same as Girl Scout Cookie weight. You've earned those pounds so enjoy it while you can.

I think I would totally have a panic attack or three if I had to use the airplane's restroom while pregnant! Ugh!

Great segment, you look fabulous!

Heather, you looked lovely and did great, but I think the segment was kind of lame. Like, "OMG! Guess what?? Women are using computers! WOMEN!!! Can you believe it? Next thing you know, they'll be driving cars!!" I think the Today show is a little behind the times.

Your are one of the funniest women that I've never met. I just rewatched this segment for the third time. Using my fake forensic specialist telepathy mind reading ability, I came to the conclusion that you are kicking KLG's ass in it. Thank God for second chances and Dooce.com!

Good Job! Loved the outfit. As I was watching the clip, my husband heard your voice across the room and said WHO IS THAT, I WANT TO JUMP HER!

The last half of pregnancy is the most uncomfortable but I hope that you have any chance to feel as incredible as you look, especially in those boots!

<3

heather--you're glowing and beautiful!! you were so eloquent in speech and it was wonderful! congratulations! :)