The mummy blogging world is filled with loving mums that talk about their kids. Thousands of mummy blogs fill up the internet with wonderful photos, stories and recollections of kids, families, happiness and fear.
Morphing Into Mama is a standout amongst many; her honesty captures the heart and minds of her readers as she sometimes reflects with openness on the darker, more realistic and funnier side of being a parent in today’s world. Please welcome Laura – the creator of Morphing Into Mama.
BV: Laura, thanks so much for being with us today. I appreciate you spending the time to answer some of my questions. Morphing into Mama… that's a great name – I guess it was an interesting experience for you to go from footloose and fancy-free upwardly mobile woman to, as you say "someone who hasn't slept in a month, whose nipples are constantly leaking, is never left alone – even for a minute and just really wants to go to Starbucks for a coffee and some time alone with a good book". What was it about the motherhood experience that took you by surprise?
Ummmmm… let's see… the whole experience. You simply can't know how you will respond to motherhood… parenthood… until you actually become a parent. Expectations are one thing, but the real deal is another. And it was a harsh reality to find out my real experience didn't match up with my expectations. I wasn't radiating joy. I was tired. I was overwhelmed. I was tired.
And there was no relief in sight. Did I mention how tired I was? Fortunately, I did begin to radiate joy after the first year. But it took a YEAR.
BV: You mention on your 'why you blog' page that your planned baby traumatised you and your husband, can you tell me about that?
Well… it is traumatizing to realize you won't be using the bathroom alone for a very, very long time. See, Husband and I are kinda loners. We really enjoy being together, but we also enjoy our alone time. Alone time is almost non-existent when you have a new baby.
BV: I know you have had many, many moments where your kids give you joy, wonder and a good old belly laugh that only a parent can know. Can you tell me what that feels like?
It's those moments when you and your spouse are lying in bed at night and one of you starts laughing out of nowhere because you're reminded of something cute the kids said or you're just remembering a little face one of them made earlier that day. And the two of you laugh hysterically and you both feel all warm and fuzzy inside, so warm and fuzzy, in fact, that you're almost willing to go wake them up so you can give them a big smooch and squeeze, but, of course, you don't because it would be totally insane to wake sleeping toddlers.
My absolute favorite moments, however, are when the kids are alone in another room, and I can hear them playing together. Tod-lar will tell Bah-bie he's going to share with her, or if she falls and bonks her head, he'll kiss her and try to make her laugh so she'll feel better.
The other day, the kids were watching "Nemo" while I was taking a shower, and Tod-lar turned off the movie because Bah-bie started to get scared. When I got out of the shower, Bah-bie came and told me, "Mama, I got scared. Tod-lar turned off the movie. For ME." Nothing warms my heart more than that.
BV: I want to take you back to almost a year ago in March 2006, when you wrote a post about false advertising. This post caused quite a stir around the blogsphere and many people didn't agree with what you said. My understanding is that you were attacked in your comments quite viciously and personally. Others also posted about this post all over the blogsphere, attacking you and your opinions. Can you paint a picture of what that experience was like to go through and how you have changed as a blogger because of it?
Picture an angry mob of five thousand people with torches banging on your front door threatening to burn down your house with you and your family in it.
And that's all I have to say on that topic.
BV: You’ve been studying psychology for the past few years. Can you tell us a little about how you got your passion for this subject?
I'm just about to graduate with my masters in psychology, focusing on Marriage and Family Therapy. An MFT program seemed like a natural choice for me because a) I find people's behaviors, cognitions, and feelings fascinating, b) when I meet new people, many often tell me very private things about themselves and then say "I don't know why I just told you all that! I just met you!", and c) I come from a horribly dysfunctional family, so I had to find some way to learn how healthy families function. Turns out, healthy families function nothing like the family I came from.
BV: I know lots of people get enjoyment from your blog. What do you learn from your readers’ comments?
I learn how very different people's perceptions are. I can write something and have 15 completely different takes on it. For me, this serves as further confirmation that perception is reality. It's fascinating. Really.
BV: Laura, thanks very much for being part of BloggerView and providing a very insightful interview.
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May 30, 2007
009: Morphing into Mama
Posted 30.5.07
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