Am I Still Cool Now That I'm a Mom?
Submitted by
Tracey Wynne
"Am I still cool?" That's what I found myself wondering on my 3-year-old daughter's birthday. Sure, I thanked God for blessing me with a beautiful, healthy child, and I reminisced about the day she was born. But after eating my third piece of chocolate cake, I started to wonder if any of the old chic, jet-setting part of me still existed.
My husband and I used to live in Manhattan. Taking full advantage of the city, we went to movie premieres, concerts and major sporting events. I hung out behind velvet ropes where groupies gushed over James Gandolfini, Mark Wahlberg and others stars. Even trips to the gym were exciting, as I rubbed shoulders with local celebrities.
Now we live in northern Virginia with our two kids. I no longer anticipate running into random celebs as I cross the street. Heck, when was the last time I actually crossed a street? Instead, I spend my time in an SUV filled with car seats and Cheerios. I take my kids to the local coffee shop, where we jam out to a band called Rocknoceros. Their groupies wear diapers. Sometimes we shake things up with Miss Belle. Not only does she play a wicked guitar, but she sings "Itsy Bitsy Spider" in English and Spanish. Entertainment Tonight would be all over that.
When my daughter received a Backyardigans CD for her birthday, I was as excited as she was. What ever happened to my Alicia Keys CDs?
There is an upside to my new existence. Aside from the unconditional love that comes with motherhood, my maintenance costs aren't nearly what they used to be. Toddlers don't care when my hair hasn't been within 10 feet of a comb for two weeks. It doesn't matter to them that I went without a pair of skinny jeans last fall. And honestly, how important is a membership at the most prestigious health club in town? My best workouts are carrying 50 pounds' worth of kids around a mall, because they refuse to walk.
So am I still cool? Or has my definition of cool just changed? And are all the other moms out there asking themselves the same question?
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