Hello there!  I go by “Mrs. Tootie” (I loved cookies “tooties” as a child, I still do) and I am a lesbian and mother, amongst other things. I live in Oakland, CA with my wife, “Mrs. Squawks” (her childhood nickname, she was a screamer), our little girl, “The Beast” and our three year old Boxer mix, Milo (pronounced Mee-low).  We call ourselves the “girl tribe,” which (if you care) is how I came up with the name for this blog.  I love old world wine, truffle cheese, olive bread, chocolate covered raisins and kale, of course.  I like to cook and run long distances on occasion.  I meditate (to stay sane), and teach yoga for trauma healing.  I am also staying home to raise our daughter, at least for the time being.

I have been in search of a community of other queers who have kids… WHERE ARE YOU!?  As Brené Brown says in her Ted Talk, The power of vulnerability,  “In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen.”  So I am here to allow myself to be seen, with the intention of connecting with others related to their experiences building a family outside of the traditional heteronormative structure.  My goal is to create a place that fosters these connections for LGBTQ parents and their families.  I found few voices that represented or echoed my own experience as a non-biological mother, so my hope is to add some diversity to the parenting chorus.  Please comment, ask questions and build our community!