See You Later: Patch Editor's Got an Independent Project This Summer

A lot of you have noticed that I'm on the verge of a big change in my life.

I didn't say anything at first, but sometime this spring, I started to get double-takes from people I regularly see at school board meetings and community events.

"How are you feeling?" they asked. And then, "When are you due?"

I'm expecting my first child in July, a boy, and my husband and I couldn't be happier. In between the excitement of receiving baby clothes from generous friends and family and painting our little "baby closet" at home, I've been hard at work covering a busy news period in South San Francisco and who've done it before me.

I've so appreciated hearing your kind wishes for me and for the baby, and I've been working so hard that it's been hard to believe I'm on the verge of a (temporary) stop. 

But the end has nearly come: tomorrow is my last day of work before I start my maternity leave. 

I leave you in excellent hands; , who is currently doing great work over on Pacifica Patch, will be covering South San Francisco Patch while I'm gone. She'll be devoting her considerable energy to covering local schools, business, government and community events just as you're used to, while putting her own unique spin on things, I'm sure. You can reach her at southsanfranciscopatch@gmail.com.

I will be back this fall, but you'll hear from me before then. When the baby comes, I'll be posting a birth announcement here on Patch so that you can ogle his funny-looking features (because every baby is funny-looking in his or her own way).

Now for some fun: my colleagues tried to convince me to put a poll on Patch and let readers choose the baby's name. I declined, but I think I have an even better idea.

In the course of name discussions, my husband, Aaron, and I haven't agreed on everything. There's always a name one of us loves that the other finds unthinkable. In the poll below, I offer you two such names, one beloved by me and one by Aaron, though I won't say which is which. Vote below on the one that you prefer; the result will be insufferable bragging rights by the winning spouse. 

Thank you so much for your support, and I look forward to returning to editing South San Francisco Patch this fall.