The Mom Stamp

Where's the Adult Stamp?

This is one of my family's favorite sayings, coined by dear Dad when I was in college.  As memory serves, I was home for a summer or winter break, and when reflecting at family dinner on how much better I had been feeling of late, I made the comment that getting adequate sleep really does make a difference in how one feels the next day. Dad replied to my revelation with his now-famous quip, "Where's the Adult Stamp?"

(An aside: the fact that I used to willingly, even carelessly, deprive myself of sleep is a fact that grieves me now that motherhood requires that deprivation of me regularly.)

Anyway, lately, I've been wondering, "Where's the Mom Stamp?"

I've caught myself recently conversing freely about my baby's bodily functions in public scenarios in which such topics are clearly taboo.  When noting the tentative expression on the other person's face, I pause only briefly before plunging on with the tale, figuring 1) if they're not a parent yet, they need to prepared 2) if they are a parent, this is not surprising them 3) I have little else to talk about  ... Where's the Mom Stamp?

Since I now have Little Bit hanging out with me all day, I often narrate my daily tasks to him as we go ... Mommy's washing the yucky lasagna pan, scrape, scrape, scrape that dried gunk off!  Mommy's folding the laundry!  Who's tiny shirt is this? ... and so on and so on as we keep the house (moderately) clean and orderly.  So, the other day, I cracked myself up when, with Benjamin downstairs hanging out with Daddy, I said out loud, "Putting away Daddy's sockies!" while completely alone upstairs!  Where's the Mom Stamp?

In getting read to go to a friend's house for dinner and a movie last weekend, I started "packing" three whole hours before our intended departure time.  When we finally arrived, we had the three of us, plus about fifty pounds of assorted baby paraphernalia that took several trips back and forth to the car getting it all in their house.  All this and we weren't even spending the night or anything!!  Where's the Mom Stamp?

And with that, we'll say Happy Weekend, everybody!  Hope your weather is lovely, wherever you are!