“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