In response to Shawn’s post of the same name but dad version, I need to remind him of why it is better to be the mom. I will limit my response to 10 points because I don’t want to overwhelm him.
The ten reasons why it is better to be a mom are
10) BECAUSE Year one the babe looks like the dad as proof of paternity but every year after that they look like mom.
9) BECAUSE no matter what goes wrong or right, the babies, no matter their age, run to us. We curse this and love this at once
8) BECAUSE we can make everything right with a kiss, a word or spitting softly on a kleenex and wiping it away.
7) BECAUSE when we say it we mean it.
6) BECAUSE We get to smell good and leave lipstick marks on their faces
5)BECAUSE Nobody ever wrote a book called Daddy Dearest. We leave an indelible mark even if it is not a pretty one.
4) BECAUSE The coolest thing on earth is to be able to manufacture a human being while we are doing everything else. We work, cook, eat, travel, nest,fixate, annotate, initiate, exercise, shop, innovate, intuit, all at the same time as creating the perfect human being in our bodies. Hard to be as fulfilled as that.
3) BECAUSE we say so
2) BECAUSE we are always right
1) BECAUSE we get to give birth. No other experience can possibly compare to this.Before I was about to have my first, I asked many people who had already done it – what is it like? A car accident? Breaking a limb? No one could give me a straight answer, like they are sworn to secrecy. Lets face it it is worse than all of that. But what a labour of love.
So cool! And I love Sara’s response too! Can’t say I have much of an argument against any of these… other than to say I am still right.
YES! all of the above, Christine.
I believe I rebutted Shawn’s post with your #1.
I’ve never felt more PRIMAL than when I was pregnant.
I’ve never felt as POWERFUL than when I was giving birth.
He actually does know how, but since he doesn’t have two XX, it takes him about 10 hours to do it right…
Re #1 and straight answers… my own Mom always did her level best and I never knew anybody to beat her for straight. So when I asked her what it was like ( who else would you ask ? ) she went for it. She reminded me of a physical experience which was already familiar to me at my young age and then she mentioned a watermelon. So gals, I have been to the mountain and heard the truth and you don’t have to impress me. I’ve been impressed for most of my life ;o)
I love both these posts…..and stay tuned for my response….when you get to be BOTH!!!!! And I’m with Jen on #1…I wouldn’t want to do it often, but when I think about that kid…and look at him now and say ‘you came out of me’ and he says ‘grandpa made my bellybutton’…which he DID…it’s so amazing…
how metrosexual of him. Does he know how to properly fold your bath towels?
#6 is the reason I won’t let Martin wear lipstick anymore… he almost always smells prettier than I do, it just confuses the children. (Heh.)
Nice list, Nancy!!
Jen-just beautiful written. Honestly, you should start a blog. Would you ever consider something so crazy as that?
I love #1. People focus so much on the pain. And yes, it is definitely the most painful experience EVER. However, to focus on this completely negates the beauty and wonder of it. I feel sad about this. I had 2 drug free labours and deliveries and thought I would die more than once. But, at the same time, it was a life-altering experience. It was a miracle. The whole pregnancy, labour, birth and newborn stage was like a metamorphosis of the soul. Motherhood changes as our kids get older and the field equalizes more with dad. We each have our own unique roles and relationships. But in those early days it is so divinely pure and painful and sweet and hard. It is life changing.