A New Phenomenon

The category of superhuman has become a phenomenon to me. Mainly, because I often wonder how to maintain a clean and organized house, provide healthy fresh *real food* meals three times a day, creatively playing with my baby toddler, engage my husband in something outside of to-do's and childcare, social activity for my own well being, developing new friendships, and keeping in touch with long-term and now long-distance friends. As a new mom, my idea of supermom is the one that has a well adjusted child who loves embracing the world, sleeps at nap time and through the night, breastfeeds like a champ, eats veggies, never throws food on the floor, and doesn't whimper when things are tough. Supermom doesn't have one stretch mark to show and no real indication that she grew and birthed a human watermelon. She has mad style with a banging bod, multitasks gracefully, flips her stylish hair over her shoulder, plans parties often, and doesn't run into the bumps that I find myself in. She may cloth diaper, never needed to pacify her child, always on top of the laundry *folding and puts away immediately*, and may even iron before hanging in closet. Her house is fresh with breeze and warm with friends. Her baby is well adjusted, happy, healthy, and cute as a bug.

This past year, I became a morning person. Ted really taught me the last few years how to transition. He wakes up in time to have coffee, enjoy breakfast, read and/or watch ESPN before starting his day. He is never in a rush, but enjoys his day before heading off at an ungodly hour to start his work day. I have slowly adapted this saying goodbye to my single days, when I would roll out of bed in a shuffle to get to work just in the nick of time. After becoming a mom, I realized just how precious my alone time is. Thinking time. Sipping time. Morning, coffee. Evening, wine. Both equally important. Wells has typically slept in until an average of 9 am since he was born. I took this as an opportunity to get some alone time in. The second we rounded the one year corner, he started waking up at 7am at best. Now I think about the the year he gave me, it was a great year. Now I am adjusted to waking up early and I embrace this with him.

There is one constant factor to tending housework, running errands, and countless activities - Wells is in tow. He's at my heels while I'm blow drying my hair. He is tempting to mount the dishwasher as I load. He tackles the stack of clothes that are neatly folded. He climbs in and rubs his dirty feet all over the once sparkly bathtub. He attempts to eat the dirt pile I am sweeping. He pulls at my dresses. He styles my hair into a mess. He drools and poops on my outfits. He fights for more room on the couch or bed. He begs for my food as I'm finally having a chance to eat (after feeding him all day). It is true. Wells consumes a big portion of my day and many of times is sitting doing each task with me. To some this may sound pathetic like a crap of style. Truth is, although at times it's harder to get out the door in a timely manner or a task goes incomplete, to mom this is the beautifully fulling life we live. Our new phenomenon. A life we embrace and we enjoy.

I counter balance myself when Wells is tugging as I'm applying mascara. I sing songs and play peek a boo while taking showers. I wake up before the sun is out so I can get myself together for when he wakes up. At times, dishes pile up and we just play all day. Sometimes bedtime is pushed back because we end up laying in bed having a shadow puppet show on the ceiling.

Motherhood not about having it all together or doing x, y, and z. It's knowing the balance of when to deny ourselves or when to say no to our children.

The life of a mom is a self-less life.