Girl’s Life

I’m one of those people who was convinced that motherhood wouldn’t change my life, wouldn’t cramp my style, wouldn’t interfere. Just this morning The Husband and I were enjoying a lazy Saturday morning eating a fabulous breakfast that he had whipped up. I was so happy — my baby in her exersaucer, entertaining herself and squealing; my food thoroughly satisfying; my coffee hot. I turned to him and commented about how our life is not so different than before, besides a little noisier, but in good ways.

Sophia’s been carted around town with me since the beginning. I know many new moms wait a couple months before venturing out with their babies. I wasn’t one of those. After less than two weeks, I was already getting antsy inside the house, and so the adventures began: a trip to breakfast, a run to Target, Christmas shopping, book club, tea with grandma, up to the mountains, out to the beach. The Daughter’s been all over this fair state of ours. And so my statement this morning was pretty true. Our lives really haven’t changed so much. Whatever we do these days, it’s now just plus one.

But tonight I got a good glimpse of this parenting thing for real. Here I sit in puked soaked clothes because I’m too tired to go change. We were supposed to attend a birthday party tonight for our good friends, so I sent The Husband to represent for the Fraziers. Today is one of those times I can’t just cart my baby along. My poor girl is teething, upset, not wanting to nurse and projectile vomiting when she does. I finally got her to sleep, after we had to make an emergency Walgreen’s run to stock up on Baby Oragel, Baby Tylenol and Pedialyte. My kitchen table looks like a pharmacy.

But now she’s peaceful as can be, all snuggled in her crib. And you know what? Besides the dried puke between my toes (not kidding about it getting everywhere) and the fact that she’ll probably be up at least four or five times tonight, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

So maybe my life has changed more than I thought, if only that I’m now less selfish.