Yesterday I went out to New Jersey to visit my dear friend and Sweet Pea. My friend and I spoke over the weekend and both of us were feeling a bit overwhelmed by things at our respective homes. We both said times like this we really wished the other still lived just a few blocks away. She's seeing her maternity leave time dwindle away which makes her unhappy about having to leave Sweet Pea. She also had some rather deluded ideas about all the things she'd accomplish at home during her time off work and really wants to get one or two things done. That's not me being harsh. She said that herself.
She told me she has been surprised by how her priorities have shifted so seismically since becoming a mother. My friend, the driven career woman/fashionista, who excels at multitasking and looking fabulous in the process, is shocked to find she doesn't mind sitting on the couch cuddling a fussy baby all day. Yesterday when we went out to lunch she barely thought twice about going out without a bit of make-up and wearing orange crocs with a faded green sweatshirt. I welcomed her to the dark side with an approving cackle.
She has not completely abandoned who she is though nor would I want her to. I went to her place because after many weeks she desperately wanted to accomplish just cleaning out her kitchen closet and get things better organized. Since Sweet Pea has been something of a fuss pot it's been hard to put her down long enough to get through such a task. My friend asked jokingly, "You want to come hold a baby for the day so I can clean out my closet?" Let's see, I get to cuddle Sweet Pea, see my best friend, give back to her a little bit of what she gave me so many times when my kids were small, and not have to listen to surly teenagers, all after last week and the weekend, which were fairly sucktastic. Yeah, sign me up for some of that.
As much as I was getting a chuckle out of what motherhood has done to her she seemed to find my auntie behavior fairly amusing as well. What can I say? Sweet Pea had lots of important news to fill me in on from the last 6 weeks and I had some important auntie things to tell her. We understood each other perfectly. At the end of the day my pal had gotten rid of a bunch of things she didn't need and had a clean, well ordered kitchen and closet. I got a day's fill of baby cuddles and the joy of being with my friend. It was a win/win. It was a pause that refreshed.
28 comments:
"I welcomed her to the dark side with an approving cackle."
Now I know where that little voice inside my head comes from.
Glad to hear you got your batteries recharged.
We recharged too, this weekend...went to my brother-in-laws on a mountain top and just vegged out. We didn't have a baby to cuddle...just a bunch of dogs, but the view made up for it and the vodka wasn't bad either! :D
I'm glad you had some bonding time with the baby and helped out your friend...that's what friends are for! :)
After getting to hear your voice on your videos, I can now imagine you telling Sweet Pea many important auntie things. And I'll bet she loved you!
That is a win/win! I could never pass up a baby cuddle and a visit with a best friend. :)
Sounds like fair trade! Now, if only Sweet Pea can maintain her sweetness between the ages of 13 and 19!
You're such a good auntieji!
:)
I remember crossing over to the dark side when I picked up a jar of baby food that Gary had left the lid sorta on, it ended up splattering me completely so I wiped off the solids and left that shirt on for the rest of the day because I knew LR would spit up on me or something later on, so why bother!
Cackle cackle
It was so sweet of you to have done all that! Did ou get new pictures of Baby pea?
Not meaning this in any kind of 'condescending' way. . . but I've seen several 'driven career women' just magically transform into Mommies at the birth of their first child (sometimes it takes until the second one), and it just warms my heart every time. That shock of 'I can't believe I'm actually getting into this' is so cute. I'm tempted to say something on the order of 'you can't fool Mother Nature', but it's probably best if I don't. . .
You can't beat a good giddy gooch with an appreciative baby.
I simply do not understand the need to clean closets out. My wife is obsessive about it but I have always found that just piling it in and slamming the door shut is about all you need to contain all the items. And once you open the closet door it all conveniently collapses spreading out on the floor making it easy to find what you want.
Now see, it's tales like this that make me wish my sister was within driving distance, instead of the other side of the country... Because I would've LOVED to sit around and gab with her whilst getting in some heavy duty baby bonding time. Now her baby is 3 and those days are gone forever.
:-(
Argh! I'm SO jealous!
Wonderful!!! :D
A nice step back from life and a breather is often necessary. Good on you!
Perfect!
nyd, mwahahahahaha!
lulda, ah, feels good doesn't it? glad you had the chance too.
cocotte, sweet pea and i had quite a lovely cuddle
kat, how can you go wrong?
mary, yes, that will be the trick.
s, LOL, i can totally picture that scene.
mona, unfortunately no new pictures. :(
desmond, to be fair, she did want marriage and children for a long while before it happened.
cheerful, you got that right!
beach bum, ok, so you went to the fibber mcgee school of closet organization...
embee, aww, i am sorry.
solitaire, it felt wonderful
cheesy, indeed it was
Well, if I eat too much will Auntie Lime 'Burp' me?
i thought i sensed something cooler about my state the other day :)
Just to be clear, I'm not making any judgments either way about 'career women'. I've just known several women (more than just a few, both 'religious' and not) for whom, once the babies started coming, their careers started looking less appealing. . . Which, knowing at least some of them, I did NOT see coming. . .
Sounds like a symbiotic "gimmie a break" instant karma exchange occurred. Good on all of ya!
Nice.
It is amazing how children change you so radically. Even having palyed a significant role in raising many younger sibs, having kids of my own still altered me in ways I couldn't have predicted.
Nice.
It is amazing how children change you so radically. Even having palyed a significant role in raising many younger sibs, having kids of my own still altered me in ways I couldn't have predicted.
I'd like to send your post to my son and his wife who just had their very first new baby on Valentines Day. Their priorities have suddenly switched as well- and it is amusing. I too loved your line about the dark side heh heh heh.
So nice when you get that baby fix, eh? I'm glad it worked out for all. :)
gman, promise not to spit up down my back?
furiousball, aww, now yer makin'me blush
desmond, i gotcha, i just wanted it clear i wasn't judging her either.
lecram, entirely symbiotic
citizen, the quote "to be a parent is to forever have your heart walking around outside of your chest" comes to mind
tsduff, cackle with me now...mwahahahahaha
hilary, it's a sweet, cuddly fix for sure
There's no greater testament to your friendship than the fact that she lets you slide in and hold her fussy baby. When it comes to colic or fussiness, so many parents think they couldn't possibly foist that baby onto anyone...except family.
we all need to be refreshed...
happy to read you got a little :)
A much needed pause indeed!
Visiting friends is great but it is especially great if that friends has a soft, cuddly little baby.
Glad you had a good time visiting!
I also loved your answers for the previously posted meme. :)
I enjoy your posts about sweet pea. But I have to ask about that new picture I need and want. The world revolves around me you know.
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