Every new mom learns pretty quick that her life as she has known it has ended and a new chapter has begun. One of the easiest means of this discovery besides the lack of sleep, and constant feedings, is when she looks down at her new, clean, shirt that she has been fortunate enough to change into, much to her dismay, she sees baby spit up, or snot rubbed on the shoulders or the front. After awhile, the dismay turns into acceptance, “I will have baby something or other left on my shirt where baby has rubbed his dirty little face.”
And this happening does not improve with age. No. Upon toddling, now hands AND faces need cleaning and mommy’s shirt, pants, skirt are just the fabric to use. The mom, long ago having accepted that her clean clothes will not stay clean for long, again, reaches the acceptance stage of motherhood. In grocery stores moms can pass each other and locate the tell tale signs of motherhood pasted on the clothes and smile at each other with that secret sisterhood knowing smile.
Today as I worked in my child’s classroom helping the teacher bind the books the kiddos made this year, I looked down at my shirt and then my hands and I saw that I was covered in the artsy material the children had used to illustrate their books. And I smiled. Because at least it was not snot. And even if it was, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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