I’ll be updating this post throughout the day, to save everyone from a crazy number of posts. So check back later for more updates.

8:45am – The swag! My God, the swag!! Gift bags, free jump drives, books, nipple pasties (dude, you know I’m going to try those!, and even condoms. (But still no KY Personal Mist. Sheesh.) I swear, my favorite word has got to be “freebie”. The intro has just begun, and then we’re off to the first session.

9:50am – I’m currently in the first session – Blog in Box. Nice overview of all of the different blogging platforms out there. Yes, I will not be sticking around Blogger forever. I appreciate all they’ve given me, but they are unreliable at best. One gem I’ve already been told about is Blogsome – a free hosting site that lets you try out and customize a WordPress blog. I’ve been thinking about WordPress, and now I can try it out without paying for hosting, to decide if I like it or not.

We’re also discussing blog etiquette, which is always fun. When is it OK not to link back to someone? (OK, my Blogroll is out of date – sorry everyone!) What do you do with trolls? (Don’t feed them, don’t talk to them, don’t poke them with a stick.) When do you delete comments? (When they’re from Blogtards?)

LUNCH

Have I ever mentioned that I’ve never been in a convertible before? Like, never. So where else should I have my first experience but in California, and with the fabulous Mir? We were offered the chance to test drive Saturn’s new cars this afternoon, and it was impossible to pass up. It. was. awesome.

And, just to be practical as well, I test drove this:

The new Saturn Vue hybrid – mom-mobile with an environmental edge. It does lack the horsepower of the convertible, and it’s not going to have everyone turning heads, but you can easily hold a family and a toddler’s amount of crap in it. And it has leg room in the back, which is lacking in my Sentra. And A/C. Me likey.

During the shuttle ride from the airport to the hotel, I met my first blogger – Mayberry Mom! We had arrived at the same time, and started chatting right away. We decided to get dinner together after we checked in. I was really nervous that no one would know me, or want to know me for that matter, but after running into Mayberry Mom I felt much better!

As I was taking my bags to my room, I heard someone yell out my name. I turned and saw the adorable woman walking towards me. She asked, “Now do you know who I am?” and I yelled out “Izzy!” We hugged and talked for a bit, and then she had to run off to some special gathering for those in the BlogHer ad network.

After dinner with Mayberry Mom, I wanted to find my roomie, Her Bad Mother. Turns out I had seen her on the patio, but I just wasn’t sure it was her and was too scared to walk up to the large group of women and ask. So I grabbed a drink and planned to walk out to the patio, but I never made it to the patio. Catherine (HBM) found me in the bar, and soon I was surrounded by all of these blogger I know and love: Liz (Mom101), Julie (mothergoosemouse), Suebob from Red Stapler, Izzy, Amalah (yes, THAT Amalah!), Karen (Troll Baby), Mocha Mama, and the list goes on an on and on!

It was wonderful to meet everyone, and to meet several bloggers I had never known before. It felt like we were all old friends, just catching up. And I did get all of those hugs I needed so badly.

Even more of these lovely women are arriving today, and I must run and shower to get ready for breakfast and registration.

I’m in Dallas now, and I can confirm I still hate flying. I tried to play it cool when I got on the plane – sat down, pulled out my knitting, and looked like I did this all the time. Too bad I blew my cover after liftoff, when I started practicing Lamaze breathing (wow, I guess I did finally get to use it), and grabbed the arm of the (amazingly understanding) older gentleman when we were hitting some bumps. Yeah, it was clear at that point that I was a fraidy-cat.

My lamaze breathing and panic continued until we reached cruising altitude and they pulled out the drink cart. At that point I was begging for them to hurry up and get to me. One travel bottle of chardonnay and three Advil later, I felt a little more relaxed. The dynamic duo – advil and alcohol – once again saves the day. I even mostly finished the knitting project I was working on. Anyone going to BlogHer who can loan me a Xanax for the ride home?

Some questions about flying: why is the pilot the one who gives you all sorts of details about your destination? Shouldn’t she be the one focused on flying the plane? Also, what’s up with the contortionist device they call a lavatory? Thanks to the alcohol, I had to pee while on the plane, so I had to maneuver myself into that broom closet. Wait, I think broom closets are bigger.

And Dallas is so far unimpressive. (No offence to anyone who lives here – unless you live in the airport.) It’s 100 degrees outside, for starters, so getting anywhere close to an outside door bakes you slightly. And while Columbus was a free wi-fi area, Dallas charges for the service. It is interesting how every sign in the airport is in both English and Spanish, though. I’m learning a little Spanish while I’m here.

I will repeat the medicinal combo for the second flight today. Maybe it will help me rest a little. Going across two time zones is bound to screw me up, and I’m already tired from getting little sleep the last two nights. I’ll get into San Jose around 6pm, get to the hotel hopefully by 7pm, where everyone will want to hang out. 7pm is 10pm for me, and I’m usually heading for bed by 11pm. If I can just stay up tonight, I’m sure I can get myself on track for pacific time.

I’m now at the Columbus airport, waiting for my first flight. I managed to keep down a light lunch, and I am mentally rehearsing getting on the plane every five minutes or so.

(Stand up, get in line, hand them the boarding pass, walk onto the plane. Stand up, get in line, panic and run away…no, wait, hand them the boarding pass, walk onto the plane.)

My mother is watching Cordy today, and she also dropped me off at the airport. I took a pic of Cordy and I in the backseat of the car. Saying goodbye to the warrior princess was probably the hardest goodbye I’ve ever done. I cried, I hugged her, I held her hand in the car. She responded by picking up her Blue’s Clues toy, hugging it, and saying “Awwww…itza Blue!” Thanks kid, good to know where your loyalties lie.

I’ve left her before, but usually only for one or two nights, and Aaron was with me. This time I’m all on my own, and I’m going to be much further away. I can’t get to her right away if I’m needed.

I’ve also made a fool of myself in the airport already. I haven’t been on a plane in 10 years – a lot of things have changed since then. For one, it was weird to not hand my luggage to the people at the counter, but to take it to the TSA people and hand it over to be searched while I continued on. I also didn’t realize what going through the security checkpoint was like. I had to give them my purse, my laptop bag, my laptop (YES! I have a laptop for the weekend! It wasn’t an ideal situation for us, but we put it on a credit card. Anyother 3 years of debt isn’t that much more, right?), and then they asked me to take my shoes off. Shoes? Yep. I’m wearing sandals, so I felt a little odd walking through security barefoot.

So, I will get on the plane, and I will hopefully update when I get to Dallas. One more big thank you to everyone for your support after we were robbed. It is a very sucky situation, but deciding to head to BlogHer will help me with getting my life back to normal. So thanks – you’re all awesome, and I wish all of you could be at the conference!

Now I must go pee before the plane is here. There’s no way I’ll be able to manuver into one of those airplane bathrooms.

I’m currently sitting on my couch watching my daughter dance to Blue’s Clues. I know I need to finish packing, and I will soon. I’ll be leaving for the airport in 2 hours.

I had wanted to show up in San Jose looked polished, poised, and ready to party hard. Sadly, with the way the past two days have gone, I will show up looking disheveled, stressed and tired. I’ve barely slept the past two nights, so I have a sleep deficit of a size I haven’t seen since Cordy was much younger. I’m going to have fun, and I’m going to enjoy myself. I just may need to skip one of tomorrow morning’s sessions to catch a little extra sleep.

The issue of flying is hitting me hard right now. I really wish we had health insurance this week so I could ask my doctor for a Xanax for the flight. (Our health insurance is back as of Aug. 1.) I woke up this morning feeling sick to my stomach. I know I’m not sick, because this is how I feel anytime I fly. Whenever I’m nervous, scared, or stressed, I always feel like I’m about to vomit. And flying makes me more nervous than anything. It’s been 10 years since I last stepped on a plane, and I’ll happily go another 10 years without being on a plane after this. It’ll all be fine as soon as we land in San Jose, because then I’ll only feel excitement.

And I’m going to miss Aaron and Cordy. This is my first time away from both of them at the same time. Aaron is a great dad, and I know he’ll keep Cordy entertained all weekend, and hopefully keep her distracted from wondering where I am. I’m so lucky to have them both.

Well, time to get packing. Depending on time and internet options, I’ll try to give updates from the airports.