Baby Sisters

You guys. I found two Monkee Sisters last night who you’re gonna love. They asked me for advice about BABIES and how to survive them. Obviously, I have no advice other than STICK TOGETHER. KEEP BREATHING. ESCAPE OFTEN. TAKE PICTURES and then LOOK AT THE PICTURES AFTER THE BABY IS ASLEEP. IT’S EASIER TO LOVE PICTURES OF BABIES THAN ACTUAL, AWAKE BABIES.

But I thought you’d love their messages, and I hope their humor and honesty will encourage those of you in the baby trenches.

My Dearest Glennon: 

I know you get so much lovin’ each day from all kinds of Monkees, it’s most likely impossible to keep up.  And that is cool by me.  But I thought this was worth a shot.  I have never written you or commented on a thing — but I’m there.  My sister and I both have young kids (2 yrs old and another on the way for her, a 9 month old for me), we live a few states apart from one another, but we read each new post you write, and then for the rest of that day, we text each other our favorite lines.  And then, from time to time, unprompted, we will text one another the hours till bedtime with a “Carry On, Warrior” message.  See — we are true Monkees.  

I read all the hysterical comments about your kids, but I always wonder what you were like, or rather, how you got from day to day, when your kids were babies — as in, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WITH BABIES OR PERHAPS REFLECTIONS OF HOW YOU GOT BY WHEN YOUR KIDS WERE BABIES?  HOW DID YOU NOT JUMP OFF A CLIFF?  I ask because I’m there.  I look at people like you whose kids are older and I always think — I will never make it there. 

My god, my kid is awesome, and I know that, but I these are the things I wonder: Will breastfeeding ever end (I work full-time so pumping is about to kill me)? Will my kid ever eat not-mushed food and enough of it so that I can quit breastfeeding? Will I ever exercise again? Will I ever pay off my student loans? Will I ever have time to read a book?  Will my kid be scarred b/c she’s the first kid at daycare and the last to be picked up? Will I ever eat a meal outside of my house without worrying that at that very moment, my kid is making the babysitter’s life hell? Will I ever feel sexy again? Will I ever want to have sex again? Will I ever be confident enough to have another kid?  I mean — that is the biggest mystery to me right now — how do people have more than one?  Do you just forget everything I’m feeling now? 

 So in short, I am struggling with – you know – the usual.  

 At any rate, I thought you might have some comical or insightful thoughts on having babies.  Although this might come as a shock to you, I really do look at people like you and think SHE’S MADE IT!  HER KIDS ARE OLD ENOUGH TO EAT REAL FOOD!!!!  

 Love to you and all the Monkees,

K

TWO HOURS LATER, FROM THE OTHER MONKEE SISTER:

Hey Glennon!

So glad you got the chance to listen to Krista. She is the more eloquent (English major) of the two of us. But she and I LOVE having you in our lives, and I bet you had no idea you are our therapy. I am a veterinarian and my job almost kills me daily, then I come home to my 2 year old who started life with colic (which almost killed me) and is continuing with the same jerkiness that makes me wonder why God ever let me be a mother because I am NOT patient . I have a GOOD, no GREAT life compared to so many, and for this I always feel guilty for having feelings of complete misery.

Krista and I always wonder, when do we get to the FUN part of having kids? This is why the Kairos article was so amazing for me. The GUILT I feel for not being HAPPY every moment is immense. I keep telling Kris maybe babies aren’t our bag, and we will be better with older children. But what if I die tomorrow and didn’t enjoy THESE moments? It’s all such a mess. I found out yesterday I am having a boy in January, which I thought I wanted because I am comfortable with boys, but then my sweet, ignorant hubby said , “they will probably competitive and won’t be friends” which made me CRY for the REST of the day! It was ridiculous. The ONLY reason I am having another child is because I wanted Silas have a lobster like I have, and now I get the news they won’t like each other? WTF is the point?! I don’t even like babies!!!

Of course, Kris was my first call to which she said,” Have you read Glennon today yet? That will make you feel better!”( Sorry that your “rough” days are a tool to make me feel better. I call it perspective.) Unfortunately, I read the post about Anna on Facebook (which is not what Kris was referring to) and then I cried MORE.

Thanks so much for listening.  I have so much admiration for you. I read Kelle too (the ONLY 2 blogs kris and I read because you know, we are supposed to be “mothering.”

Thanks G, for Carrying On!

Kandace

How much do you love these ladies? I do. Can anybody answer their questions? I don’t think I’m the best candidate. When Chase was born, I called Craig at work bawling EVERYDAY. Every single day. Because it was too hard. I can do hard things but new motherhood with one baby was not a hard thing – it was a TOO hard thing. So Craig would come home. Every day. And until last night I considered it a co-incidence that he lost his job right around that time.

Hm. Whatevs.

I’m just saying, I still feel like that was THE hardest mommy time for me- ONE baby. And now I look at all three of them running around and wonder what the heck I was crying about back then??? It seems like compared to three, one should have been easy. But it sure as heck wasn’t.

Any Monkee words of love and sisterhood for these fabu sisters?

LOVE!!!!!!

G

 **photo credit- sheknows.com