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Postcards From Mommy Land
"Things do not change; we change." - Henry David Thoreau
Hello all! I am writing from that outback territory in time, space and sanity called Mommy Land. It’s a blend of the Twilight Zone and Good Housekeeping turned bad, along with a touch of Mommy Amnesia.
Most moms I know have moved into this place - at least for a time. At first it will bother you, but after a while, you begin to like it.
There is no map into or out of Mommy Land. Until you become a mother, you don’t even know it exists, though most of us have heard the stories from other moms. Still, I never quite believed them, until I found myself there.
If you aren’t sure whether you have entered Mommy Land yet, here are a few markers to guide your way:
Who is Justin Bieber and why do I care if he's dating Selena Gomez?
I no longer have a clue who the celebrity is on the cover of People Magazine. Nor do I know any of the songs on the current Billboard Top 10.
A year used to be long.
Now it’s quick and measured in the steps your child takes, or his first word or tooth, or the first time she says, I love you, and your heart melts.
LOL.
Laughter, a lot more of it. The average baby laughs 300 times a day. How much do moms laugh? I don’t know, but I laugh much more than I used to - though boogers and poo are now in my repertoire of humor. Good-bye Martha Stewart! Elegance and decorum are things of the past.
Shopping sprees, please.
Neiman’s has been usurped by Diapers.com. Louboutin stilettos are replaced with Tom’s flats. I used to shop for Chanel handbags; now Nose Frida the Snotsucker tops my list.
Who knew you would become a sherpa?
Even a minor trek out of the house requires more survival gear than a mountain climber. Bags once reserved for weekend vacations have morphed into your daily Mommy Packs. Maybe I should have taken that Mount Kilimanjaro training course.
Me, myself and I.
Forget romantic getaways. I now sneak away to be by myself for an hour every Saturday morning. Mom time is a must have - love it!
How do we moms do it? Most of us don’t know - not because we don’t actually know somewhere inside - but we rarely have time to stop and think about how thoroughly we should congratulate ourselves.
In Mommy Land, though your house may be disheveled, your hair a wreck, and your old markers for success seem like hieroglyphics from another planet, it helps to remember what motherhood really is: A powerful induction into the wonders of life.
If we look at our children as the mirrors that they are - reflections of ourselves, I have learned much about what I’m good at, and what needs improvement, and yet - it’s all fine the way it is. There is too much to learn in one gulp, so take it in small bites and savor each one. Raising a child is a gourmet experience with a variety of flavors - the sweetness, the tart tangy freshness, the bitter, too, sometimes. Every day has a thousand shades of colors and silence and bright loud voices. I never knew there could be so much in a single hour.
Ciao,
Princess Ivana
www.princessivana.com
Ivana is a modern princess married to a real Italian prince! Follow the Modern Princess on Facebook and Twitter 2PrincessIvana.
Illustration by Rima Hawkes Graphic Design
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About the Author
Ivana is a modern Cinderella married to an Italian prince. She came from modest means and met her Prince Charming while on scholarship at Pepperdine University. Their 2 fabulous kids (ages 2 and 3 years) are the latest additions to a 1000-year lineage that includes kings of Sicily and Spain, and Catherine of Aragon, a pope and a saint. She has a Masters of Education and has worked with kids for over 20 years - from designing learning toys to tutoring homeless children. For Ivana, life is more about attitude than money. She’s wild about kids and motherhood. The Super Mom juggling act between life, love, kids and career inspired her new book, A Simple Guide to Pregnancy & Baby's First Year, co-written with her mom, Magdalene Smith, and sister, Marisa Smith. Their blog is a blend of humor, practical advice and lifestyle tips on the essentials--how to live well on any budget. Consider Ivana "Dear Abby" with a tiara and baby sling.
