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I feel a little awkward blogging on this site, since I am not a parent, nor am I even pregnant. So why am I here?

Well, I am the project manager/team leader of the group of staff at The Bakersfield Californian that is bringing you RaisingBakersfield.com. This site is something that is very close to my heart and in a sick, workaholic kind of way it has become my baby. And it has made my biological clock a ticking time bomb, especially since I just celebrated my big 3-0.

I am an Aunt to two boys and my favorite nickname in my whole life came from my nephew and Godson Ben. When he was first learning to talk he had lots of trouble saying "Aunt Mary." It came out "Ahuht Mama"- or as I preferred to hear it "Hot Mama." Is it bad that myself esteem was so low that having a toddler unintentionally calling me a hot mama gave me such a boost?

I did have one of my co-workers say to me during this development process for Raising Bakersfield- "you can't blog on this site, you are NOT a parent." So, of course, my inner-teenager screamed out in my head "Dern it, I'll show you!"

Well, here am I like am idiot. So, what kind of experience do I have that I can add? Ok, maybe not that much. Maybe my co-worker was right. But, I am too stubborn to believe that.

Besides being an Aunt, my only real "parenting" experience was in my early 20s when I was an Au Pair to 3 kids in Switzerland for a family of an executive banker.

But I do hope all of the work the team and I have done makes being an actual parent here in Bakersfield easier and just good ol' plain fun. I am glad that you are here!