by Cathy
If you've given birth to a baby, remember this word: Mugs.
This has now become the code word used to describe the hormonal peaks and valleys, coined by me and a dear friend of mine who had her first baby about a year ago. We got together the other day and I asked her how things were going.
"I'm a little better now. Not as bad as in the beginning."
Ah.....the beginning. That was hormonal highway hell. I shared with her just one of my many stories revolving around my post-baby, real-world shock.
For the first time in a year since getting pregnant with my second, I attempted to try to shop for my post-baby body. I had no idea what size I was. I had no idea what women were wearing these days. I had completely forgotten how to put a stylish outfit (or any presentable outfit) together. Stretch had become my best friend.
I halfheartedly approached the women's section at my local Target. I walked around, pulling at a skirt here, skimming a top there, completely whizzing by the jeans as if they were the devil - who was going to squeeze into those now? I realized after about 10 minutes of this, I was walking in circles. Then I stopped. I stood in the middle of the women's section, frantically trying to spot large ads showing me what to wear, what to pair up, how to style, what to choose. I couldn't find any, so I panicked. I stood there frozen, looking like a serene ocean on the outside, while a hurricane was wreaking havoc on the inside. I think I stood there for about 20 minutes, motionless, eyes glazed over, confused and helpless. Then I left and went home with nothing.
"Oh! OH!" my friend replied. "You remember my story, don't you? About how I went into Marshall's after having the baby to try to shop for myself?"
I looked at her quizically.
"Tim suggested I go in and shop for myself. He said, 'I got the baby, just go in and buy something for yourself.' In five minutes flat, I was back outside with mugs."
"MUGS?!?"
"That's what Tim said. I said, 'Yeah, mugs. Let's go.' So he asked me again. 'MUGS?! We don't need mugs.' So I said, 'YES. WE. DO. Now let's go!' And we never talked about the mugs again.I don't even know where I put them."
I was laughing so hard at this point I couldn't breathe.
"Oh, you think that's funny?!?" she continued. "It's still happening!"
"What do you meeeaaannn?" I asked in a high-pitch howl of laughter.
"I was in Ulta the other day because I really need a new curling iron and found this one I really liked among some sale items so I took it to the front desk and asked if this was on sale. And when she told me it wasn't, I started crying."
"Bwhahahahahahahahahahaa!" I howled. "You had another Mugs Moment!"
"I'm glad you think this is so funny."
"Girrrll...girrrlll..you know why I'm laughing?!?! Because I can totally GET IT! This is how it gets! This is how WE get!! Hahahahahahaha!!!"
Yes, motherhood makes you cray cray in many ways - both bad and good, both cute and ugly - and it can strike at any time, no matter how old your kids are. So I am here to say that Mugs Moments will happen. And it's okay. Because who couldn't always use another mug or two?
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| Never did a message ring any truer |
