If there is a mother on the planet who has not stared at herself in the mirror, examining a muffin top, a gray hair (or 100), and dark circles under her eyes, all while the children sit nearby opening every tampon in the box, and found herself wondering, When did I get like this?, I don’t want to know her.
If there is a mother on the planet who has not yelled at her children, fed them kid food instead of organic, whole grain goodness, or stayed up all night researching education options only to sit the kids in front of the television while she mainlines coffee, and found herself wondering, When did I get like this?, I don’t want to know her.
I don’t want to know her, because she’s A) a robot; B) a liar; or C) a lying robot.
The truth is, we have our days. Those days, they’re thrown in between the highlights, from first steps to graduation. Tossed in between cuddly moments spent nursing a newborn, and proud moments watching academic or athletic achievement. Scattered throughout days filled with laughter and happy tears.
In with all the good, is a cargo ship full of crazy.
The mom who can admit to the crazy? She’s the mom I want to spend time with. The mom who writes an honest, funny book about the realities of motherhood? Send her my way. She’s my kind of woman.
She’s Amy Wilson, author of When Did I Get Like This? The Screamer, The Worrier, The Dinosaur-Chicken-Nugget Buyer & Other Mothers I Swore I’d Never Be.
A copy of When Did I Get Like This? landed in my hands this past January. I laughed my way through, nodding my head, often shouting, Amen! Amy may be raising her kids in Manhattan, far removed from my suburban Texas life, but details aside, much of motherhood is universal. She writes,
Before I became a mother, failing at something did not shake my fundamental belief in my capabilities as a human being. But now that I am the mother of three children under the age of seven, I have one overriding daily thought: I suck at this.
Who hasn’t thought that? Again, if you haven’t, then we probably shouldn’t be friends.
But if you have… agonized over breast feeding, preschool admissions, tantrums, less-than-truthful children, or the fact that no matter how fantastic and involved your husband is, you are still The Mom and in charge of all minute, child-rearing-related details, you’ll find yourself in the pages of When Did I Get Like This?
I’m honored to call Amy my friend. After reading When Did I Get Like This?, I tracked her down on Twitter and started reading her blog. It’s a true testament to her character that, rather than chalk me up to crazy stalker, Amy actually engaged. We got to spend time together at Blissdom, and it turns out that Amy is every bit as warm and hilarious in real life as she is in her book, on the stage in Mother Load (The Show), and on her blog.
I can’t recommend highly enough that you get to know Amy, and I think you should start by getting yourself a copy of When Did I Get Like This?, which, it just so happens, is out in paperback today. Convenient, right?
I can do you one better, though. One lucky reader is going to win a copy. I know, how great is that? Just leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win.
I wonder…
:: At what point in your mothering career did reality set in? Was it during pregnancy, when you shunned organic veggies to fulfill your craving for greasy cheeseburgers? Or was it later, after the baby arrived? (I ate at least one cheeseburger a week when pregnant with P…)
:: Do you talk to your friends about your less-than-perfect mothering moments?
:: Have you found yourself wanting to throw up a little while listening to a perfect mom prattle about her children? I may have…
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The Fine Print:
- Leaving a comment below will qualify you for entry. You may say anything you like, but please be nice.
- One entry per person.
- Winner will be selected by the WordPress Pick Giveaway Plugin.
- Giveaway will be open until midnight, CST, on Friday, April 22. Winner will be chosen and notified via email on Saturday, April 23.
The Finer Print:
I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.
Lapsed homemaker. Looking to hire a full-time housekeeper who will work for the sheer joy of a job well done and free coffee. Interested parties, DM please. 
Missy..i love reading ypur blog! I am the crazy mom wondering DEFINITELY wondering when did i get like this? Funny. There is a mother that i have bumped in to both at our school and at activities that puts on the “perfect mother persona.”. I dont even know her well, but my hackles go up every time i see her saunter in to school after she very sweetly (far sweeter than me) approached a friend at our activity and told her that the instructor was speaking too firmly with my friends child. We were up in the “watching room”, but she got the vantage of never leaving the floor bc her child screached to high heaven every time she left the room. (first red flag). The funny part is the instructor was only telling the kids to be quiet…..using good ole discipline.
Feels so good to get that off my chest ;). Esp knowing i will see her when i stumble in to school with no make up and my gym clothes and look up to see her perfectly kempt and (not so perfect) child. REAL is so much more fun! We can at least laugh at ourselves….be it every minute of every day;)
I have not heard of this book but am rushing to download it now!! I am Amy – literally and figuratively!
My friends and I are always honest about the less than glamorous mommy moments. I wouldn’t be friends with someone who wasn’t.
i really have to read that book… she had me at “Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets”. that’s been a birthday meal request from my son for 4 years straight. 😉
for me, feeling like a true MOM came slowly. my son was a very easy going baby/child and i wasn’t ready for him when he came, so i floundered for a while. when my daughter was born, she was your stereotypical fussy baby and toddler tornado. she is giving me the full brunt of what it feels like to be a mom- complete with sleepless night, hair pulling, and sugary smiles.
every single one of my friends are women i’ve met online through a message board for women who were pregnant at the same time i was with my daughter… we share all of our crazy moments, sad moments, and sweet moments and support each other through the whirlwind of motherhood.
Must.have.this.book.
I got to meet Amy in New Orleans at Mom2! So excited to read her book! 🙂
What a great concept for a book- and how true! It sounds so honest and accurate, because come on. We’ve all been there at one time or another! Off to track her down on Twitter 🙂
She sounds like someone I need to know!
I have two friends who are pregnant right now and while I don’t want to be a “Debbie Downer” about motherhood, I also don’t want them to go in to motherhood with unrealistic expectations. Maybe I should just anonymously send them this book:) I will definitely be picking up this book once I’m finished reading Wild Things: the art of nurturing boys. I just like books that make me feel normal. And yes, the muffin top, gray hairs and dark circles under my eyes perfectly describes me this week.
This book sounds hilarious! I’d love to have my own copy to read at the gym when I’m without my kid.
Now if you had done this yesterday it would have been a birthday giveaway you silly goose!
My mothering career reality? I am practically perfect in every way. (my definition of ‘practically’ is not Oxford English compliant)
Dude if you like crazy truths about parenting and how I loathe telling my toddler to bend over and touch his toes whilst wiping poop from his behind then you and I would be the best of Mom friends 😉
I can think of so many examples of when the “reality” set in, so I’ll go with the most recent. It’s school vacation week for us. Am I taking my kids to enriching activities–museums, the zoo, even just out for a bagel lunch? Nope. I’m letting them run amok while I either 1) try to get a little work done, or 2) read a book on the couch. Letting them forage in the snack cabinet for whatever they want. They seem fine with it.
For me, the hardest interactions with those “perfect” moms are with those who are big into the healthy eating thing, and will preach to you about the dangers of food dyes and sugar and white flour any chance they get. I know my kids could eat better. But I also have one child with a genetic bone disorder that even the healthiest diet won’t fix. I think it’s given me a different perspective on health…that we can try to teach good habits, but we cannot ensure that our kids will be completely healthy.
I have followed Amy’s blog for a while but haven’t read the book so had to comment to get in on the action!
Yes……I do discuss these times with pals.
holy crap, the book cover? That’s just genius.
Any of those robot liars, I don’t want to know them either. They’re from mars anyway, right?
I believe all moms have had those moments. That’s a rite of passage into true motherhood, isn’t it?
I think “cargo ship of crazy” is my new favorite phrase.
So lovely to see you as a repeater in my reader, BTW.
Just found your blog via twitter (which I’m new to). This sounds like an awesome book! I can relate on many different levels. Can’t wait to read more!
I am supermom. I can do everything. At once. So why is there a mountain of laundry still on my couch?