“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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