Planet Mom

Taking up residence on Planet Mom is truly adapting to life with a new set of cultural values, social norms, expectations, and perspective on life. Some of the people are the same on this planet, but my relationships with them have changed. And of course, there is a new little life-form that is the center of this planet.

Relationships with other moms on this Planet are almost instantaneous. Almost like joining a country club where we carry pacifiers and sippy cups instead of rackets and golf clubs. Discussions about diapers, childbirth, and how many aliens you want are all fair game. Conversations are interspersed with phrases like "Please don't put that in your mouth" or "Don't take the paci from the baby" and spelling becomes a necessary skill to talk about certain things around the aliens.

I have learned that on Planet Mom I will be touched, tugged on, drooled on, spit-up on all day long. And sometimes I get a 6 month old's version of a hug. I have learned that "sleeping like a baby" means I will not actually sleep through the night, even when my baby does. Every little thing is exciting on this Planet, from first tastes to baths, from banging spoons to joyful yells. Days are long here on this Planet, there is no overtime pay, and I've heard paychecks are a long time in coming. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It's certainly an adjustment. And I don't think you can ever really get settled here on this Planet because things are always changing. That's just the nature of the place. Once you have one place all mapped out, your little alien is ready to move. That's okay, because each place brings new things to discover and enjoy. I like it here on Planet Mom.


("Together on Planet Mom" is the theme of MOPS this year. It was the inspiration for this blog post.)