Wonder Woman

I hung out with some mommy friends this weekend. It was a favor for a friend and his new business. But our kickbacks were makeup, hair and style makeovers by the most amazing group of guys--they've worked on shows like American's Next Top Model and American Idol, and on people like Reese Witherspoon. Yup, it was so LA and it was so awesome.

Anyhow, I was talking to one of my friends and she said she read my blog just once (ouch!). It happened to be a post about how I was cooking dinner for my family with my organically home-grown vegetables. She said she didn't know how I did it when she can barely keep her sh** together with two kids. I started to feel bad. I hear that a lot. It's like because I have three kids, I have reached a level of honor reserved for firefighters, peace corps workers and Mother Theresa.

Let me just clear the air here. Yes, three kids is a challenge. But I don't have my shtuff together either. Obviously, my posts are me highlighting my brilliant maternal moves (except the last two). Yes, I might bake Sprinkles Strawberry cupcakes (buttercream frosting and all) from scratch, but I also do a lot of Trader Joe's frozen stuff for dinner. I might do five loads of laundry each week, but I never clean my bathrooms (just so you know before you get really grossed out, I pay someone to do that). And, I am probably the most boring mom west of the Mississippi. I use the TV a lot and I let my precious baby cry while I check email or read a blog. The girls are getting older so they are getting better at entertaining themselves, but when I read about what other moms of three do with their kids, I feel like I need to be doing a better job.

I feel ashamed about my laissez-faire method of parenting. I feel like I should be getting down on my hands and knees, and fostering the brilliance that, natch, lie dormant in my children. But everyday I feel like I am just surviving. One day, I tell myself, I will do all the things I want to do with my children. But I learned a valuable lesson from Desperate Housewives yesterday (see honey, it is educational and entertaining!). Five years can go by in a blink (which it has with Joey), and even though I keep thinking I have time to proactively cultivate their minds, the day might come when I realize I am going to have to clean up my mess.

People might think I am Wonder Woman. But honestly, I feel like a failure, more often than not. The picture in my mind of the mom that I want to be, is so far from my reality.