I Don't Know How She Does It

I was recently given the opportunity to review Sarah Jessica Parker's latest movie I Don't Know How She Does It which is out on DVD January 3. When I watched the trailer my first thought was this would be a great movie to watch with my momstown friends. Moms are bound to resonate with one of the characters in the movie.

The moment the movie started, I was laughing. It begins immediately with the 'list'. I don't know a mom that doesn't do this! Fearing the teacher when you're late dropping off your child at a school! Getting snubbed by your daughter when you are not around much! Let's not forget the 'hair cut'! It was all too familiar with a recent business trip to Toronto for our momstown Conference. Except for me I missed the first time my son stood on his own. I could go on and on but I don't want to spoil the movie.

Based on the bestseller by Allison Pearson, I Don't Know How She Does It is about Kate Reddy (Parker), who is a working mom in Boston that is trying to juggle marriage, two children and a high-stress job. The movie finds humour in the stereotypes that stay-at-home-moms and working moms go through. From Allison, Kate's working mother friend, to the scary supermoms at her daughter's school to her workaholic, child-phobic young junior associate Momo, you'll find yourself relating far too often to the characters. We all struggle to be that supermom, perfect wife and exceptional employee. Mama guilt is far to common, as is the comparison to the other mom's around you. How does she do it? Look composed, clean, calm, thin, well rested?

I've heard it often myself. Ester, I don't know how you do it? I won't lie and say it isn't stressful. We make it look like we have it all together yet in reality we are barely making it through the day. I lay awake at night making my 'list'. I type emails while feeding my son his breakfast. I bought my tarts this Christmas instead of making it from scratch. The trick is to put it in a box with a nice ribbon and it looks like I've been up all night baking. I haven't experienced lice yet, but I sometimes forget the last time I've showered!

It took me three times to get through this movie. Not because it was awful, but because I kept getting interrupted from a waking baby. I found irony in this. The first night I attempted to watch it I was wrapping Christmas presents while watching the movie, running to rock a crying baby back to sleep and then continuing on with my work. Then I had to finish setting up toys from Santa so my kids could have a perfect Christmas morning. I finished the night at 2 am, preparing our traditional Wife Saver for Christmas morning brunch.

The movie couldn't have come at a better time for me. This past year has been the most hectic, exhausting yet rewarding year of my life. While I struggle to find balance as a mom, wife and business owner I love my children, love my husband and love my job.

Want to make life a little easier. You can enter to win a $1,000 Gift Certificate to Molly Maid at Saveland.ca. Enter here.

I can't wait to show this movie at the next Mom Movie Night with the momstown mamas! Check out the trailer:

Last Trip As Family of Three?

The momstown mama is known to have severe 'Mama Guilt' syndrome.  I feel guilty when I go out at night for a few hours (and my daughter is usually already in bed). I feel guilty if I don't take my daughter outside on a beautiful sunny day. I feel guilty when daddy tries to put her to bed and she's crying for mommy to do it. And I feel guilty that my daughter will no longer be the 'only child', the 'centre of our universe'.

I'm really happy to be expanding our family and can't wait to meet our little guy. I know my Bella will love her little brother and he will love her back. But I'm also pretty certain she'll be a little jealous. She won't even let me hold my nieces without crying to be held too. She's a mama's girl and I secretly love it! Half way through my pregnancy I started feeling guilty and a little sad that my daughter will no longer be the centre of our universe. Is this normal? I fight these feelings all the time. I have days where I think she'll be so excited to have a sibling, and days I think about how we'll never be just the two of us. She is attached to me by the hip. As a stay-at-home / work-at-home mom she is with me 24/7.

So our due date has come and gone. The day after our due date, I thought it would be great to enjoy a family outing, our last outing as a family of three. I wanted to ensure Bella spent some quality time with us before our attention shifted to a newborn baby boy. We had so much fun!

So what better way to spend the day in Winnipeg then go to one of our great city's most popular tourist attractions, The Forks. We started off with breakfast at The Pancake House. Good food as always, and we couldn't resist but get the Giant Apple Pancake to share (on top of our own breakfasts).

Then we walked around the shops, letting her push the stroller and wander around without holding our hands like a 'big girl'. Then we went to the Johnston Terminal to check out the "Explore Manitoba Centre'. This was her favourite part and we spent a good hour there.

Silly Bella Bop loved watching us take turns putting our heads on different bodies.

Singing one of her favourite songs 'row, row, row your boat' while she sat in the canoe.

A true prairie girl, riding the tractor. 

Checking out the big Polar Bear with daddy, growling back without fear!

We had a great time and I feel much better knowing I spent some good quality time with my daughter. I'll always remember this day. What seems to many as a typical Sunday morning meant so much to a little prairie girl and her mom.

A Boring Mama

I'd like to think that I was a pretty fun mom with my daughter. I had her signed up in activities since she was 6 weeks old, and went to lots of playdates and events with my momstown Burlington mamas. But this last stretch of pregnancy has got me tired. We had a big move back home to Winnipeg. So lots of my attention went to packing boxes. Bella enjoyed attempting to tape boxes while I packed but I'm sure a playdate would have been much more fun. And now with this pregnancy, I'm getting more and more tired as the weeks go by. I'm at that heavy whale stage! And I feel like I'm now this boring mom.

Fun me took my daughter to the park! Snow, snow melt away.

One of our many play dates!

Is this the beginning? I know the heavy stage will pass once baby is born. But then will come late night feedings and the exhaustion of running after two kids. Will this 'boring mom' stage continue? I sit and watch her play. I sometimes lay on the couch watching her play. And her new line has now been "mommy tired, mommy sleepy." Walks are non existent right now.... waiting for the snow to melt but am I just making excuses for myself? Playdates have drastically been reduced, as well as visits to drop in centers. I don't even take her to the malls for a walk right now. And I love to shop. This was our thing to do on those rainy days! The thought of carrying her and lugging the stroller all by myself sounds exhausting enough. And grocery shopping! I can't lift her in and out of the carts any more. So now I send my dear husband to the store with a list or wait for him to come with us. My daughter must be going insane! I know I am!

Fun mom took Bella for walks in the park.

Fun mom did crafts with Bella on a daily basis. Between 9 and 10 was craft time. 

I did sign her up for her first gymnastics class next month. But with baby due any day, I know it will be daddy joining her in class for the first while. I'm a little sad that it won't be me sharing that experience with her. I'm nervous that my attention will focus on this new little boy and I'll unintentionally ignore my baby girl. So moms of 2 (or more), what's the secret? How can I make sure she won't get ignored and how can I work on being that fun mom again?

Here's to hoping this boring mom stage will disappear along with the snow. I know that momstown.ca was a great kick in the butt to get out there and socialize when I was feeling down. So I can't wait to start up momstown Winnipeg and get out there and meet other moms. It's the kick in the butt I need!