I'm Totally That Mom

I hate you already and I'm only 1 week old.

Our munchkin is almost 2 months old now. I don't remember life before her - it's a little hazy, but life is hazy in general right now. She's fantastic, funny, happy, and all around perfect. I have no problem passing her off to my family members when we're all together. It's not that I don't love her, it's that I want to share her with everyone. But I'm totally THAT Mom.

• I took her to Irish Fest when she was 12 days old.
• I took her to a college football tailgate when she was one month old.
• I breastfed her in the middle of Starbucks.
• I changed her diaper (twice!) in the middle of Starbucks. *Starbucks should put a diaper changing station in the bathroom. Maybe not in urban areas, but in suburbia it would really help me out.
• I take her to lunch with my friends.
• I have no problem leaving her with any of her grandparents and going to a movie.
• I dressed her up like a hotdog for Halloween.
• I let her cry for a few minutes before I pick her up.

This doesn't look cute, I look stupid! I can't even EAT candy!

I'm totally that mom ... the mom who believes that my life doesn't stop because I had a baby. That mud and dirt are toys. Imagination trumps video games any day. Sesame Street is better than Barney. Camping is more fun than staying in hotels. We'll go to Disney World when she's too heavy to carry, potty trained, can tell me if she's hungry, tired, hurt, or happy, when she's old enough to remember how magical it really is.

I love her more than anything in the world. I can't imagine how she experiences every day, but mine starts with her smiling and squirming when we get her out of her crib. I can't stand the thought of something ever happening to her, and I'm so lucky that she's healthy.

So I'm just like every other mom I know. I love my kid. We're figuring it out. There's no perfect system. I'm going to make mistakes, but I'm also going to do my best to raise her with a sense of humor, love, and compassion. I'm totally that mom.

I Just Realized I'm Really Married

4 months ago, Patrick and I got married. We had decided that it was going to happen anyway, the baby just pushed up our timeline. At first it was so bizarre saying "my husband" all the time. I got used to it. We've been looking for a house for a month now, and soon we're going to be doing a second look at some top choices and taking my mom along for advice and or approval. Actually, she'll probably disapprove of the house we end up getting if it's not in her school district but whatever.

Patrick started a new contract this week (yay!) and asked if I could pick up groceries since we've been out of town and had no food. He left me his American Express Card. THE CARD WITH NO LIMIT. The card that gave us enough points for my KitchenAid mixer, cookbook stand, and deep fryer. It's gold colored for a reason. Instead of thinking about the shopping spree I could go on for baby and me at Target, all I could think about was buying groceries. Not at Whole Foods, either.

That's when it hit me. I'm really married. We're in this together. There's no I or me anymore. There's us. There's doing what's best for us. And all those years I scoffed at wedded bliss - I guess I just wasn't ready for a team sport. I would never give advice on marriage or "making it work." I'm usually the cheerleader, telling my friends to go for it or that their significant other is great. I've been given a good blueprint from my parents - married forever and to see them enjoy the relationship Patrick and I have is a pretty good blessing.

With all the obstacles we've been through this year (and it's only July?!?) we've grown closer. Which is more than I could have asked for. You don't know how much better life can be when you're with your best friend. Luckily, I realized I'm married to mine.

I Think I've Been Brainwashed

One of the things that has been an interesting side effect of the growing basketball in my belly is my lack of desire for new clothes. I love shopping and now I'm so apathetic about it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME??? I used to be a pj's collector. My aunt gives all of her nieces pj's every Christmas. I can't walk past the pj's at Target without picking up a new pair. I probably have 2 dresser drawers full of pj's. Now I'm dipping into Patrick's drawers for flannel pants, Notre Dame (ick!) shirts, anything big and loose and not cute.

So as usual, I check the weekly reviews and updates at One Bored Mommy and there she is in cute nursing pj's!?! Sign me up. I also have a friend's baby shower that I should probably buy a cute outfit for. It just seems like a chore at this point. Who knew I would become a non shopper? Another unsung side effect of pregnancy.