We are three months into this baby thing and I thought I would share with you a quick update on life with Baby G.

At 12 weeks, most working moms head back to work. For awhile after Baby G was born, I sold myself as a mom who works from home. I was disillusioned about what life would be like with a baby. I had visions of recipe testing with my cherub daughter gazing up at me from a bouncy chair or typing away on a computer while she amused herself with a rattle. Then I met a mom who really does work from home, proven by the fact that her baby goes to daycare during business hours. At the time, I was writing to-do lists that included both personal and professional goals and I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to be a super mom and super woman, but instead I was feeling like a failure at all of the above. I wasn’t enjoying being a mom and I wasn’t getting anything done on my oh-so-important lists. And don’t even get me started on losing the baby weight.

I had to make a choice.

I stopped.

I took a deep breath and I took a look at my new life.

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I went from a writer who mothers to a stay-at-home mom who writes. I don’t think this makes me less of a writer, but instead a more forgiving person.

As much as I hate to admit it, some days the only writing I do is the sentence in my line-a-day journal. And some days, I only write grocery lists or the odd recipe. And some days, I only write texts to Manatee. It happens. I’m coming to terms with letting it happen.

Over and over, my own mother tells me that all I need to do is focus my attention on my beautiful baby girl and try to enjoy every moment.

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Together we have been finding the balance of how we spend time together, deciding which (if any) activities we should have set in our calendar and how (and if) we should structure our day.

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I am learning that with Baby G, you have to live in the moment because trying to plan anything with a baby is just bait for God’s next joke. You’ll notice my recipes are more flexible, my posts less regulated, and my Twitter account more random.

I am still doing some cookbook events and teaching some classes. I would love to see you at these venues, because when I do get out, my main goal is to have a great time. All moms need a break, working or stay-at-home. Since these breaks can be rare, I don’t want to ruin it by not having the best time possible. 

For all you mamas out there, you are amazing. This is the hardest, most mind-blowing, exhausting, amazing, incredible, fulfilling jobs I have ever had. Hats off to you as you search every day for the ‘right’ thing to do, or at least the thing that will lead your children to the least amount of therapy possible (I had to restructure my expectations a bit after driving myself towards therapy early on). I would love to hear from you as I take on this journey.


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