Comments for Bird on the Street

Comment on Just A Mom by Elaine

Elaine — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:23:33 +0000

I just posted about how much stress I’ve been feeling lately with so many little things to get done for things with the children. Honestly, this is the hardest job I’ve EVER had because I put so much stress on myself. But it’s also the most rewarding. You and me and all of us are definitely MOM ENOUGH!!! xoxo

Comment on Just A Mom by Gayletrini

Gayletrini — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:44:46 +0000

LOL I know I miss her shoes too but you are right her guys are so much cuter!

Comment on Just A Mom by Gayletrini

Gayletrini — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:41:50 +0000

You do so much more than what you outlined and I do think it is the lack of sleep coupled with baby brain… how is the little one growing inside by the way?
There is nothing wrong with just being a mom, however there is nothing ‘just’ about being a mom! It is as you say a very very important time consuming job.

As always Your boys are just tooo cute.

Comment on Just A Mom by Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:28:22 +0000

Thank you! Love that – “Your career isn’t going to visit you when you’re old.”

Comment on Just A Mom by Pistolette

Pistolette — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:01:34 +0000

This is such a tough and sensitive subject for me. One which I haven’t totally resolved yet. I spent my 20s being ruthlessly ambitious. I got a masters degree, worked in academia, foreign policy, broadcast news, and corporate public relations. Only Hurricane Katrina was able to veer me from nearly selling my soul to an FBI career (I interviewed with them 3 days before K).

The storm made me realize that I’m happiest spending my energy on family, so I decided to expand it and make my own babies at 32. The moment I held that first baby, I knew I could never hand her over to day care, so I quit my big corporate job and got pregnant again almost immediately. Most of my ‘intellectual’ friends bailed out on me, and I had to accept the fact that I’d surrounded myself by a lot of shallow people pre-pregnancy. People who still think I’m an idiot for caving into my ‘primitive biological urges’.

I’d never felt as satisfied and at peace with my career as I do staying at home with my two babies. The only regrets I have are that I didn’t choose my friends better before I had kids. I do, unfortunately, still deal with shame about giving up my career. I call it the feminist brainwashing. Hopefully someday I’ll shrug it off like Tina Fey and tell the clueless academics – “Your career isn’t going to visit you when you’re old.”

Comment on Just A Mom by Stacy

Stacy — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:57:10 +0000

You are one of the best mom’s I know. And in this phase of your life, that is where you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to do. I so admire you for all of your courage and time you put into the kids. And who cares that you tweet and facebook and blog and read? Well, I do cause I love to read all of what you write!

When you were teaching you were one of the best teachers I knew. And you also had an awesome shoe collection But that was a different phase.

We move through phases of our lives and we should be able to enjoy each phase as it is without being made to feel guilty about how we are handling it.

All too soon those little ones will be all grown up and you will move on to another phase and then you will be the best Katy you can be at that as well.

Thanks for making us ‘just moms’ feel so much better about how normal we are.

Comment on Just A Mom by Katy

Katy — Sun, 13 May 2012 01:56:46 +0000

Wait! Don’t tell me it doesn’t slow down!!!! OK, I’m kidding. I’ve got a little of that now and have for most of Charlie’s life since he’s got approximately one million therapists. That stuff never lines up either.

I’m huge on the idea of phases. Right now I’m mothering. There will be time for other things and right now I need to focus on this–can be hard at times, but I really think it’s the right way to approach it.

Comment on Just A Mom by Katy

Katy — Sun, 13 May 2012 01:48:09 +0000

I guess her point was just that she didn’t understand how someone could choose motherhood, which astounds me. I think there are tons of ways a person can live their life and I don’t go around bashing everyone else’s choices. I agree with you completely–we all make choices.

Comment on Just A Mom by Katy

Katy — Sun, 13 May 2012 01:45:55 +0000

Dawn: I so get what you’re saying. The way my life has gone recently, my husband works long hours, and I am in charge of pretty much everything at home. There never fails to be something else to do and most days I feel like I accomplish almost nothing. It would be nice to have a quiet space and be able to work on one thing at a time, but that’s not what mom life is about!

Comment on Just A Mom by Katy

Katy — Sun, 13 May 2012 01:42:49 +0000

I really appreciate that! Not sure if I work harder than anyone–there’s a very large laundry pile staring me in the face right now. And thank you for the Mother’s Day wishes–it kind of snuck up on me this year.