Chronicle 2: Baby Steps

I don’t know about you, but my pregnancy was rough. I felt sick, lonely, and more like the hunchback of Notre Dame than the glowing pregnant princess I thought I should be. I ached, I puked, I ate, and I peed… a lot. None of which is glamorous or enjoyable, only lackluster.

Once my beautiful son arrived, my days consisted of taking care of HIS needs, and his needs alone. Everything I wore had to be loose, and even after I ditched the baby weight, clothes still had to be accessible so I could feed my son (who already eats like a teenage boy). Once THAT was accomplished, the outfit donned would then be covered by spit up, pee, poo, slobber…perhaps a stray booger here and there…mamas, do ya feel me?!

I never, in a million years, thought it would be so EASY to let myself go. No one told me how EASY it is to throw in the burp cloth and sic my style savvy on my child. Little by little my self-esteem began to dwindle and, even when I had time, I stopped trying to take care of myself. I think this is fairly common with first time mamas. Truth be told, that’s a great thing. AT FIRST. Mamas need that time to adjust to the new babe, their new life, and the new relationship with their partners, family, and friends. HOWEVER, this should NOT become a forever phase.

There are times when you should absolutely pay more attention to the situation at hand than yourself. For example:

1. The first three months after baby

2. When you are the caretaker of a sick person or loved one

3. When you are the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, orrrr maybe a nun

No offense to nuns. I don’t personally know any… but God loves you no matter what.

I digress.

What did I do? I got sick of my husband coming home to me in pajamas. I got sick of looking at myself in pajamas. And mostly, I don’t have a lot of pajamas so I had to do more laundry. That’s kind of a secret. Has anyone seen that movie “What About Bob?” with Bill Murray? Classic! This therapist works with a particularly crazy patient and his recommendation is to take baby steps. It’s a recurring theme in the movie, and now my LIFE. Pretty fitting, huh? Baby steps?! HA.

Here are some baby steps YOU can take:

1. Drink more water. Don’t worry if it is not the 800 ounces you are supposed to drink. Step it up by one or two more glasses than you normally drink. Your skin won’t look as tired as you may feel.

2. Put on jeans instead of jammies. Takes the same amount of time to slip on AND you can wear them more times. (NOTE: No mom jeans, hot mamas! This means dark jeans with a medium rise. If you need to, ask a salesperson which fit would look best for your body type.) Take an extra baby step and don flats instead of slippers.

3. MASCARA. Even if you’re dead tired and it looks like you have black eyes, mascara will liven your eyes. An alternative: a few hits of the eyelash curler will do you wonders.

4. Invest in dry shampoo and cute headbands. Dry shampoo adds volume and takes away any greasiness you may have from not being able to shower. You can use baby powder sparingly, but be warned: Too much and it looks like you’re going gray, or you have MAJOR dandruff! Headbands spruce up ponytails and messy buns, too. 

5. Tidy ONE room in your house. My son and I spend most of our day in the living room, so I make that room my priority. It’s for my sanity, really. And for visitors. They have no clue the rest of the house is in shambles. Unless I do that hostess apology thing where I say, “The rest of the house is in shambles!”

6. Do what you need to do… in moderation. When you’re pregnant, well meaning people tell you to sleep when the baby sleeps. HA! If you’re like me and cannot fall asleep instantly, it is fine to catch up on some chores. But pick ONE. Don’t try to cook, clean, pay bills, do laundry AND catch up on the latest bestseller while your kiddo is napping. Just. Pick. ONE. And if I were you, I’d pick reading.

These are the basics and will get us mamas back to a higher level of hotness. Are there any baby steps that you take on a daily basis? Please share with your fellow hot mamas, and come back soon!

Xoxo

The Hot Mama

Please check out my Hot Mama Pinterest board at http://pinterest.com/OneHawtMama/ !