Mommy Fame

Before I became a Mommy, I could go anywhere and nobody would notice me.  I don't have purple hair, a third eye or any unusual features that would attract attention.  Back when I used to travel for a living, I could blend in easily, no matter what country I happened to be visiting.  But the later I got into my pregnancy, the more unsolicited comments and "friends" I seemed to make out in public.  One day when I was 9 months pregnant -- a spectacle, to say the least -- I was browsing the cheese aisle at the grocery store when I heard, "Look at youuuuuuu..."  I looked up and a lady pushing a cart had stopped to admire my seriously large baby bump.  I looked (and felt) like I could give birth any second and my biggest pregnancy craving was sharp cheddar cheese, so there I was feeding the habit when she said with a knowing smile, "When are you due?"  "Yesterday," I said.  She replied, "Wow, you are SO TINY," and then strolled off.  A complement any other day, but I was hormonal and aching in every joint in my body.  Was I too tiny?  Was LO going to be born too small?  Was that some kind of cruel joke?  This kind of unsolicited commentary was something I had to get used to.

Then I had a baby.  And a baby is a spectacle everywhere you go.  People treat you better when they see a sweet little baby with you.  They want to see the little bundle of goodness and coo and smile at her.  The ones that tried to touch her pissed me off.  Why do people feel they need to touch babies' toes or hands?  People, your hands are dirty, keep 'em off my precious cargo.  I'm not putting my hands all over your produce, now am I?  Why don't I just cough on those apples for good measure?  Anyway, when you're out with your baby, you have what I call Mommy Fame.  Everyone melts in the presence of babies.  They have a million questions for you, too.  How old is she?  What's her name?  Is this your first?

Mommy Fame is great.  The other aspect of it is that you're now a Mommy.  Society sees Mommies as nice, caring people and therefore they treat you as such.  I could be the world's biggest bitch but because I'm a Mommy, the connotation is that I'm a good person.  No longer the selfish married bitch with no kids.  Society doesn't like that woman.  We scowl at her.  Mommies, on the other hand, are selfless and nurturing.  We like them so much we'll help carry their bags to the car and hey why not give the kid a balloon.  So needless to say, I'm enjoying this Mommy thing while it lasts, before LO gets to the age when she starts throwing tantrums in public and our popularity dips.  Thankfully, I have a few more months to go on that one.