A Mom's Life

For an essay I'm submitting that asks, "What's your favorite quiet moment?" Being in a house with two kids under four years old, it is hard to imagine a moment of quiet. We've been operating on a 24 hour schedule since the baby's birth 11 weeks ago, and one can find us doing something at any time of the day or night. I wouldn't say we are quiet people by nature. Both my husband, Andy, and I enjoy talking to one another, talking on the phone, listening to music and watching TV, sometimes all at the same time. We have a very noisy family and I find it incredibly comforting. My almost-four-year-old daughter has become increasingly chatty and finds repetition amusing. We start the morning and end the day with a series of repeated questions. "Mommy, what's your name? Mommy, what's Daddy's name. Can I have some juice? What are we doing today? Mommy, what's your name? Mommy, what's Daddy's name? Can I have some juice? What are w...

We can all agree that I'm not shy. Some of you may think that I'm confident but that's not entirely true. I think it is safe to say that I'm comfortable with who I am and this includes being naked. I'm that lady in the locker room who gets totally undressed in front of you and may use the open shower even when the private stalls are free. I am only sporting a bra and underpants in many of my college dorm room photos. My friend from those days introduced herself to Andy by saying, "I've probably seen your wife naked more times than you have." It's not even like I have a "smokin' bod" or anything. I grew up in a house where nudity was accepted as part of life. I insisted on taking baths with my mom until I could no longer squeeze in with her. I could openly talk with her about my body and she never made me feel that I had any reason to feel ashamed to be me. Yes, it is true that one time I did see her, after she'd taken a bath aft...