How my son’s teething reminds me of his birth
The poor little guy was in agony and couldn’t quite figure out what in the world was happening inside his mouth. My heart broke a little as his eyes pleaded with me to fix it Mama. So I scooped him up in my arms and spent much of the day rocking him and stroking his head. As I rocked him I thought back to the day he was born — it was the greatest and scariest day of my life.
19 tips for raising a trans kid
Reader LJ recently sent us this piece from Autostraddle: 19 Terribly Interesting Tips on Raising a Trans Kid (from a Trans Kid) written by M., the blogger behind translabyrinth.
Why does my neighbor get a say over who is eligible to be my valid life partner?
Aly and her partner, Elroi, live in North Carolina with their two sons. North Carolina is getting ready to vote on whether or not Aly and Elroi’s marriage, and the marriages of so many other families, are valid.
I’m about to become a lesbian mother: any books or websites I should be reading?
As the non-bio mom, I am super excited, and know that I have a huge and important part in this — but I don’t know where to start looking for resources! I’ve been scouring the web for blogs, articles, and other resources for non-bio moms. Many of the blogs I’ve found are out of date and/or no longer being updated. The articles I’m finding don’t quite fit our situation. I can’t find any sort of pregnancy journal for the non-bio parent that isn’t for a dad.
One super sweet monster/ugly doll/rainbow-themed kid’s birthday party
Eryn and Laurie recently shared photos from their daughter Izzie’s birthday that I am SO IN LOVE WITH. They’ve nicknamed their kiddo “Izzie Monster” and felt like a monster party would be the only way to really celebrate. Between the ball pit (kiddo pool + balls = instant kid fun) and coloring wall I think they most definitely did that.
What questions do you always ask other parents and then immediately regret?
There are a few questions that I always find myself asking other parents — whether or not the answer is something that’s interesting, let alone worth discussing. The number one is (in the case of parents and their kid) “Who do you think he/she looks like?”
The Incident: my son was bullied for having gay parents
A few months back, I wrote that my son had never been bullied at his Texas public school. Perhaps it was inevitable, given that Waylon is in third grade now, but a week or two later there was an incident. The story unfolded over dinner at our favorite neighborhood Texmex restaurant. Waylon was well into his second bean and cheese taco when he broached the subject. “Mom, B– said that being gay is bad.”
Gender, adoption, and identity: how being transgender will help me be a better dad
When I began testosterone replacement, I was giddy and excited. Surgery made me anxious, but I was relieved when it was over. And now: nothing. The elation I expected never came. I had rejected the most basic gift from my mother and father — I had declared myself someone other than the daughter they had welcomed two decades earlier.