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Friday Baby Blogging

Vanessa

I have recently learned of the term “Moo” used to describe women with children (and I think we all remember that 600-comment-long monstrosity of a thread). I have decided to emulate gangster rappers everywhere and embrace the pejorative.

I am the Moo of your worst nightmares! Watch as I force innocent strangers to view photos of my offspring being cute! On her birthday!

1st Birthday 035

I am an evil woman.

25 thoughts on Friday Baby Blogging

  1. Technically, “moo” is supposed to refer to a parent who doesn’t parent properly—someone who is negligent or entitled, and not to mothers who actually attempt to rein in their kids from being public nuisances.

    It seems to have jumped, on occasion, to apply to any mother.

  3. Technically, “moo” is supposed to refer to a parent who doesn’t parent properly

    Ah, to me it was explained as standing for “mother obsessed with offspring.”

    But please, let’s not go there again.

  6. I have been referred to as both a breeder and a moo and my usual response is- “and there is something wrong with that?”

    Beautiful picture, is that videocamera glued to his hand or is he just unaware of the universal baby ‘pick me up’ signal?

  7. See, there’s supposed to be a difference between a “parent” and a “breeder”. Amongst the childfree, you DON’T want to be a “breeder”.

  8. Aaah! I am scarred, scarred for LIFE!

    Okay, maybe not. That’s a great expression she’s got there!

  9. …if that’s the eyeroll she’s got now, I’d hate to see how well she hones it over the next ten years …

    Heh.

    All she has to do is add the put upon sigh.

  10. Wahaha, that’s begging to be made into a macro. Like putting the word ‘whatevas’ in a large font underneath. *snicker*

    And tragically, while you’re doing this as a joke, I have complete faith that, somewhere, some extreme childfree person is bitching about you ‘showing of your [insert derogatory word for child here]’.

  11. So how old is she, 13?

    She’s one, and will tell you if you ask her by holding both index fingers in the air and shouting “Uhhnnn!”

  13. She’s adorable, attitude and all. LOL

    I’ve been told that any pregnancy that does not end in abortion automatically makes me a moo. Though the person who said such was 15 years old and buying clothes n Hot Topic with her mommy’s credit card, so I don’t give it much weight.

  15. See, there’s supposed to be a difference between a “parent” and a “breeder”.

    Yes, a ” breeder” is a heterosexual (with or without children), and a “parent” can be homosexual. “MOO” refers to mothers, not fathers; note the use of the letter ‘m’ and the witty allusion to farm animals. Occasionally one of the Loud Internet Childfree squad will realize this is not totally inclusive and will mumble that it means parents, but really, they’re as sexist as the next guy.

    I will send that picture to my 12-year-old with the notation that she is being WTFPWND in her eye-rolling by a baby. 😉

  16. Actually, childfree groups can greatly differ from each other.

    And there IS a term for breederiffic fathers – they’re called DUHs.

  18. Actually, childfree groups can greatly differ from each other.

    I gotta agree. Some of them are places where people can go to vent their frustrations about getting immense pressure from friends and family to have children, and receive support without getting more of the same from strangers. That, and it’s a place where you can make genuine criticisms/rants of bad parenting without being lamblasted.

    They’re places to let off steam. Problem is, rant communities can become just plain hateful communities. That’s why I left one years ago, as it changed from the former to the latter.

  19. Some of them are places where people can go to vent their frustrations about getting immense pressure from friends and family to have children, and receive support without getting more of the same from strangers.

    Can I just say really quick that this pressure doesn’t end when you have a child? My mother asked me when I was going to have another one, oh, about 15 seconds after giving birth. Literally. So it’s not like I’ve crossed over to the other side. The Patriarchy is never satisfied.

    Also, ref # 16, I gotta say, DUH as an insult is really underwhelming compared to MOO. DUH sounds stupid, but MOO makes me feel like you think I’m a big, fat, brainless, dirty, lactating animal that’s too dumb to realize it’s going into a slaughterhouse.

    And the fact that there’s a male insult, even though it’s a weak one, doesn’t really make it any better.

  20. Funny – after reading your post, I find I’m wearing the exact same expression as your daughter.

    ed. Chet, be nice or I will be forced to turn your comments into links to pictures of kitties on Cute Overload. I’m still on the edge about hating the internet right now. I could snap at any minute. – Vanessa

  22. She’s adorable Vanessa. I love seeing babies roll their eyes!
    Oh, and agreed that the patriarchy is never satisfied… I started getting questions about having another baby before I had even left the delivery table with my first. Everyone left me alone after my second, but only because he passed away and I feel like they were scared of making me cry. After my third baby was born and was fine, though, the pressure started right back up and I am constantly bombarded by questions of when we’re having another one. Although, I will say it is a lot easier for me than moms who have two girls, because I at least get to skip the never ending “When are you going to try for that boy?” that I hear so many people say. When my son was born I heard so many variations on “Oh, Chris must be happy to have a boy” Yeah, we’re both thrilled to have a healthy baby boy. We would’ve been equally thrilled to have a healthy baby girl. People suck sometimes.

  24. but MOO makes me feel like you think I’m a big, fat, brainless, dirty, lactating animal that’s too dumb to realize it’s going into a slaughterhouse.

    That’s kinda the point of the term.

    childfree groups can greatly differ from each other.

    Duh (or should I say, “DUH”?). That’s why I was careful to note that I was referring to a particular self-indulgent segment of the online childfree community, and not “the childfree” or even “the childfree who post online”. I don’t particularly care if or where people go to complain that Mom is still sending them clippings about adoption, but it’s tiresome when it’s just one more expression of sexism and exceptionalism. (“Oh, I’m not like those stupid cows who have babies, I’m a SPECIAL FEMALE!!!1!:”!)

  25. but it’s tiresome when it’s just one more expression of sexism and exceptionalism. (”Oh, I’m not like those stupid cows who have babies, I’m a SPECIAL FEMALE!!!1!:”!)

    Yes, and it’s kind of reminiscent of those people who really, really want the right to call women like Ann Coulter or something a ‘cunt.’ Because, you know, a cunt isn’t any old woman, it’s a particular type of woman. So you shouldn’t be offended, unless you’re a cunt.

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