Are we boring, now that we're moms?
It's a question we debated while hanging out one Friday afternoon. Sure we were mostly talking about baby things, and early bed times, and we hadn't left the house for anywhere besides Target in a while..
But were we ever really exciting? We used to go to the movies more, that's for sure. More comedians and concerts and random outings. Trips to fun places. But just as often we'd be ordering in calzones and watching Bones on DVD while cuddled under throw blankets.
We're more tired, that's for sure.
So we may not be going to see Black Panther on opening weekend with the rest of the world. We're not up to date on the latest Olympic gold medal or what happened on Fallon last night...
And we may not have been at the Beanpot, as much as we wanted to be. Instead we're in the watching it from home phase, and going to sleep after the first period instead of staying up like we would have in years past. Further removed from the excitement, but still excited. When we won, (FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS!!!!) I sent E into school wearing all NU gear and bought donuts for my coworkers to celebrate.
Still I'm not sure we're boring.
We're singing and dancing and making up games to keep our babies entertained and maybe win a laugh from them. We're coming up with creative meals filled with spinach muffins and banana pancakes to make sure the little ones are excited about eating healthy. We're exploring new places in our towns that we've never been to before because we think it might be fun for a baby.
I also think we're super women. Our bodies GREW humans! That's got to be way cooler than any accomplishments we managed in our twenties. Oh you pulled an all-nighter and watched every season of American Horror Story on Netflix? I grew a human. Oh you traveled to Tahiti and slept in a hammock over the water? Well I grew a human. With ten fingers and ten toes. Ah I see you saw Lorde in concert recently. WELL I GREW A HUMAN FROM NOTHING!
I realize it's not unique (there are, after all, babies born every minute), but it is special. Where there was nothing, somehow there is now a person! And I grew him? It's not like I wasn't aware that women were growing humans all around me. But it wasn't MY body. My body which never felt that special to me, suddenly amazes me. I'm full of wonder at a body I thought I knew after 30 years.
Still I couldn't help but wonder recently, as I was telling a friend the story of how E had spit up just before bed the other night, and it got all over his hand and PJs. As I was asking Tom to grab me a baby wipe, E reached up and stuck his gross fingers in my open mouth. And giggled.
So maybe we're not boring, but we're definitely not glamorous...
Just like every other family in the area with young kids looking for something to do on the weekends, we went apple picking! I actually dislike apple picking, and never know what to do with all the apples you end up with, but it is a great activity for children. It’s outside, running around, a very unique activity they don’t get exposed to every day. Oh and there’s donuts.
I also love any practice of tradition. I think it adds a great rhythm to the year, and really cements memories for the kids. They remember that we did it last year, since they know what to expect it’s easier for them to look forward to leading up to it. It’s also a great moment as a parent to notice how much they’ve grown and changed over the past year. (cue sobs!)