Narcissist Mommies!?

Of course, Sundry wrote yesterday about this article she read in her local newspaper about the usual mommy war crapola that we are all to familiar with by now. AND, I, of course, read this stuff like it is junk food - I cannot resist. I am drawn to it like a moth to a light - hoping to find the answer to my conundrum. As if there is some easy answer and if there was wouldn't we all be doing it by now?!

I have come to the conclusion that many of the people these articles/books seem to highlight as those who "opt out" are the people who can make that choice. They have had high paying jobs for the better part of a decade and their spouse is also making a bundle as well. They hardly EVER highlight the people who do not have combined income total of $350k or more prior to having children. It is always the corporate lawyer or the high tech CEO or the president of blah blah blah.

In fact, I read a book that said we "highly educated" women should go back to work in the vein of the Feminine Mistake right before I went back to work after having Matthew. I needed something to bolster my confidence as I felt rotten about leaving my 3 month old with a woman I hardly knew... Now after two years and an wide opening of my eyes, I realize numerous things that I have mentioned before here.

I am a better mommy when I work.
I am happy to be working because money is a necessary evil in our household.
I love my job and do not want to leave it.
I think Matthew will benefit from being around other kids at this age.

These are just a few. I checked out the Time article mentioned in the Seattle Times article from Sundry's post and I ran across this one from Newsweek this morning. Both are insightful - basically saying similar things that we have all heard before.

I am telling you this stuff - for me - is like a freaking potato chip. I cannot eat just one - I need to nosh on the whole damn bag WHICH BTW way I am doing my Weight Watchers stuff and it might just kill me! (Nice segue way, huh?) I knew the first week would be hard because it is radically changing the way I have been eating. Once again let me re-iterate, I do not eat horribly but just bad enough to know I was not going to magically lose the 15 pounds I have been bitching and moaning about for the last 6 months...

It is hard to give up things I like to eat a lot. Granola for instance. I know it is high in fat and not actually the healthiest thing in the world but I love that stuff. It is sweet and crunchy and filling and OMG did I mention crunchy!? I am hanging on to those granola bars - one would think I was hanging from a ten story building I am so against giving them up! I found these high fiber one (4 grams BABY) that offer me that sweet and crunch I like so much but still...

I also realize how easily I snack. I have always been a little meal person. Lots of small meals but I did not realize how much I have come to rely on starches and heavy snacks versus the things I used to snack on like baby carrots, fruits and veggies! I still eat those plus a pound of bread as well!

Ah, well the weight in is on Saturday so I will let you know how it goes. I am hoping to start doing some exercise again next week in addition to this WW stuff. That is going to be hard - TOTALLY the last priority for me at the end of the day. Do I sit and watch Hell's Kitchen vaguely holding that book/magazine as if I am going to use my brain or do I go down and ride the bike & lift weights?! Hmmm, I am quite certain you and you and you can guess which one I most often opt to go for! ;)