Wednesday, June 13, 2007

TT: 13 Things I Miss About My Pre-Mom Life



Thirteen Things I MISS ABOUT MY PRE-MOM LIFE


Lara David from "Life: The Ongoing Education" had a fun TT last week on the 13 reasons she's glad that she's not yet a mom. That got me thinking about all the things I miss about my pre-mom life. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids to death and wouldn't trade them for any of these things. I'm only human though and I do get nostalgic for these:

  1. leaving the house with just keys, a driver's license, and a debit card!
  2. perky boobs and taut tummy skin. Diet and exercise can do a lot, but not everything :-(
  3. light carpets and glass-topped furniture
  4. all the cute clothes that I'm young enough and thin enough to wear but that look ridiculous on me when I've got 2 kids in tow (people assume I'm the nanny even though my DD is a mini-clone)
  5. indulging in regular facials. My skin looked sooooo much better when I had the disposable cash to get them every 2 months instead of once a year.
  6. freedom from the voices of Elmo, Barney, Captain Feathersword from the Wiggles, Weezy from DragonTales, or any of the other characters who I'd rather listen to scratching nails on a chalkboard than hear.
  7. not having to confine bedroom activities to our bedroom ;-)
  8. using idioms and polysyllabic words in conversation without having to stop to explain their meanings
  9. doing laundry once a week instead of every single dangblasted day!
  10. making spur-of-the-minute plans to attend adult-only events
  11. turning on the TV, popping in a DVD, listening to the radio, flipping through a magazine, reading a book, surfing the 'Net, or just walking around in public without worrying about what impressionable little minds might see or hear.*
  12. devoting 100% of my attention to Mass.**
  13. not having to always set a good example by wearing a lifejacket when boating, helmet when biking or rollerblading, safety pads when rollerblading, copious amounts of sunscreen when outdoors, and a seatbelt in taxis; eating 5 servings of vegetables per day; skipping seconds on dessert; limiting alcohol to one or two drinks; driving at the posted speed limit; never making an illegal left or u-turn; pulling over to the side of the road when I need to make a cell phone call in the car; crossing only at the crosswalk and when the light says "walk"; and so on.***

*I tend to hold relatively libertarian views on the freedom of expression but at the same time I also strongly believe in the parental right to shield one's own children from content one deems inappropriate for them. Censorship by the government - very bad! Attempting to keep negative influences away from one's children - a basic parental obligation!
**I know God understands and I do believe it's important to worship as a family rather than sticking kids in the nursery. "Let the children come to me" and all that jazz!
***Yes, I am aware that I ought to be doing these things anyways for safety's sake. Realistically, though, most people don't do them 100% of the time for various reasons.

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79 comments:

Unknown said...

I enjoyed reading your list..have a good day

ChupieandJ'smama (Janeen) said...

Oh Amen! I agree with all of those and Weezy from Dragon Tails is on right now and giving me a head ache. To answer your question from my list: PSR is Sunday school.

pussreboots said...

Don't even get me started on how annoying Dragon Tales is. Ugh. It's the one show from your list that my daughter watches. Thankfully her nap time happens during Barny and Elmo's World.

Dewey said...

I promise that you get a lot of these things back when the kids get bigger.

Gail said...

Greetings Crimson Wife-
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I'm excited by the collective power of women bloggers like you and me. I also appreciate your consistency with your sanctity of life views (I don't agree with all of them, but your consistency as it applies to wars & death penalty, etc. is something I wish more would address). Thanks again. --Gail :-)

Amy Ruttan said...

Amen sister! Thats why I got an energy efficient washer and dryer and Elmo ... how I would love to wring his furry little neck some days! ERGH!!

Happy TT and thanks for dropping by mine.

Mama Kelly said...

I .... hate ... Elmo

But I miss my girls being little enough to think hes wonderful

Mama Kelly
2witchesblog.wordpress.com

Unknown said...

I love it! I miss being able to eat a hot meal. It always seems I'm up doing something for my kids instead of eating.

Oh and the voices got to me long ago...

Susan Demeter said...

I can certainly relate! My eldest is 20 now so most of my pre-mom memories seem very distant. Thanks for stopping by, and Happy TT!

The Owners said...

I really, really miss those days. I only had to clean on the weekends, now I have to clean every day. Some days we have more food on the floor than we do in the cupboards :)

Great list. Thanks for stopping by.

Special K ~Toni said...

I miss that too! Now I'm depressed! Thanks for visiting mine!

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Mmm, yeah, I remember being able to do all those things, too. Some of them, I still can -- like when I go for a bike ride in the evenings, I walk out with ID, house key, and cell phone.

I am one of those TV nazis; we watch very little, and if it annoys me, save it for when I'm in the shower!

Happy TT; thanks for stopping by this week. Sorry my list's such a downer. I think it's my once-every-five-years down period.

Lara said...

great list! i'm glad i could inspire you for something that turned out so fun to read. :)

Jenny McB said...

Can I say that it does get better the older your kids get? Except for the disposable income, that definitely does not get better.

The Gal Herself said...

Love this list! I'm not a mom but I am a doting aunt and I no longer buy "colored" drinks. Milk, 7Up and and water are all that's in my kitchen so I don't have to worry about spills on my patterned sofa. Funny how stuff like this creeps up on you ...

Chelle Y. said...

I'm sure you would not trade those two kids for anything, right? :)

tommie said...

Our latest cartoon is a Veggie Tales ..."If you like to talk to tomatoes.." ick..stick a nail in my ear now!

Happy TT

Anonymous said...

Driving the posted speed limit... I wouldn't set a good example there.

Anonymous said...

That's a fun list! I'm on the other side of the mom fence -- no kids, but four cats -- and I applaud moms like you for doing such a good job raising kids and leading busy lives, too. :)

Happy TT!

Anonymous said...

Great list! I don't have kids yet but I don't know how parents can deal with the annoying cartoon-ish voices. They make me nuts! Have a happy weekend!

maiylah said...

i enjoyed the life i had as a pre-mom, too! but i guess i am having a fun time now as a SAHM, with half the day all to myself, since my son started school. :)

Missy Frye said...

Great list and there's nothing wrong with feeling nostalgic once in a while; you are human after all.

Angela said...

Dragon Tales - please make them go away! I love your last one especially.

TeaMouse said...

It's been so long I can't remember most of that stuff. I've been a mom for almost 18 years!

Michelle Pillow said...

Great list! It's nice when they get old enough to carry their own bags, lol.

http://michellepillow.com/authorblog/
http://ravenhappyhour.com/ravenblog/

Wylie Kinson said...

Bravo! I nodded at EVERY SINGLE ONE. (except the being skinny and wearing skinny nanny cloths :)

Alyssa Goodnight said...

Ahhh...now you have me yearning for my pre-mommy days.

I've totally had my fill of Elmo--why, oh why, does he is insist on referring to himself in the third person???

Great list!

Christine said...

I loved reading your list and can so relate to too many!!

Thanks for visiting... I did edit my post to say that, while I am not a "big fan" of The DaVinci code either, it still had to be on the list as a movie/book that I have seen/read!!

Anonymous said...

Perky boobs? I'm not sure I EVER had perky boobs...lol

Eimi said...

I don't have perky books or a taut stomach... and I haven't had kids yet! Oof!

Unknown said...

You can only hope.ROFL yeah and then here are things from the gus perspective

Ed

Drew said...

Sometimes I hear Elmo in my sleep and it scares me *lol*.

Gattina said...

yeah, yeah, it's hard to be an example, lol !

Robin said...

I could die happy if I never had to hear Elmo's voice again!

I'm nearly at the "leaving without an entire suitcase" stage, and it's starting to feel liberating enough that I'm really dragging my feet on the "do I want one more" thing...

MaR said...

Remember not everything on your list is gone forever (except maybe for the perky boobs and taut tummy skin, sorry about that!). Kids grow up very fast, even if it's hard to believe at this point, but you will sometime have your home back for only the two of you, with the music you enjoy, less laundry, more...freedom!!! happy thursday, enjoyed reading your list!

Laura Rose said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Miscellaneous-Mum said...

The only wiggle my daughter likes is captain feathersword. Weird, eh?

Great list.

palmtreefanatic said...

what a list! I am thinking you are a good mom!
the last one is like, oh wow! if you do all that too good for you:)
happy TT!

Nadiah Alwi - Write at Home Mom said...

how interesting you list is :D

Darla said...

LOL! Re: #2--ignore people's assumptions. They're mostly idiots, anyway. My dd was a nanny and got mistaken for her charge's mother--despite the fact that she was 19, and her charge was 9.

The thing I missed most about my pre-mom life was getting a full night's sleep. *yawn*

Shannon Miller said...

This list is great and I wanted to tell you that as they get older it's way easier! My DD is 7 and lots of those things aren't so much an issue anymore. Well, being a role model is even bigger and having to confine things to the bedroom is huge...LOL...but she's pretty good in Mass and her shows are pretty cool now. She likes normal movies, albeit some sort of chick flicks or girly stuff in some fashion. Which most often ends up being teachable moments on what girl NOT to be.
Thanks for stopping by!!!
bsmommy99.wordpress.com

Mom not Mum (Sandy) said...

Great list - I long for the day that hubby and I can leave the house on a moments notice without all 3 kids in tow. If I had only had a baby at 18 I would have a babysitter now. LOL

samulli said...

A very entertaining list. I wasn't even aware of many of the things you would have to give up with children - or at the least, couldn't do without any amount of annoying planning. Don't think I'll ever have the patience for that.

Unknown said...

I can so relate to almost all of these. Have an awesome day!

Joely Sue Burkhart said...

AMEN. I'd add getting enough sleep and going to the movies all the time. Now, we wait for DVD and monsters in bed... and then I'm too tired to stay up!

Cinnamon Girl said...

Great list, Happy TT =)

Carina said...

Oh, sister, I hear you. I love my children with all my heart but...if I have to hear Weezie one..more..time...

And I hate that new bike helmet.

Tempest Knight said...

*LOL* No wonder I'm still single.

Di said...

The freedom comes back when the kids are finally at an age where you can leave them home alone...and suddenly you find yourself waking up on a Sunday morning with them still asleep and saying to your spouse, "Hey, let's go out for breakfast!" You leave a note, go to breakfast, walk on the beach...and you come home and they haven't even woken up and read the note!

It makes you appreciate the 13+ years it took to get there!

Mia said...

Great list! Happy TT!
Oh the sacrifices Mothers make.

Heather said...

I so could have written a lot of this!

Mitchypoo said...

Wow, I never thought of those things but I don't have kids. Great list. Happy TT!

http://mitchypoo777.blogspot.com

Lori said...

You'll get it back....it just takes a while:)

Melanie said...

I loved your list!

Sophisticated Writer said...

I'm glad I'm not a mother yet :D I would love to be one one day though.

My sister is pregnant and she's going through the horrors of pregnancy...

Unknown said...

These are but a few of the reasons I'm still holding off.

I need my "me time" more than anything else right now.

L^2 said...

Well, I don't have any kids, but I still enjoyed reading your list. And thanks for visiting mine! :-)

impwork said...

#3 reminds me of a friend of a friend, an architect who built his perfect minamalist house without skirting boards and a month after moving in found his partner was pregnant...

MsSnarkyPants said...

*lovingly remembers the days when she could just pick up her purse and walk out the door* Good times, man! Good times!

Jean-Luc Picard said...

That was a super list. It's what parenthood is all about.

PJD said...

I will have to share this with my wife. She can relate to more of them than I can, though I can certainly relate to many. Particularly the Wheezy voice. I also can't stand the helicopter voice in JJ. Thank goodness my kids are getting too old for that one.

Another I'd add to the list is "not having to clean up a gazillion little green army men, four light sabers, nineteen half-broken plastic guns, eight half-broken swords, seventy-four books, and two wet bath towels each night." Yes, yes, we do have the boys clean up, but their version of "clean" rarely coincides with ours.

One other thing they don't tell you before you have kids is that instead of 8 hours sleeping, 8 hours working, and 8 hours of personal time, your schedule changes to 6 hours sleeping, 8 hours working, 6 hours of meal preparation and cleanup, 1 hour of personal time, and 3 hours that you seem to have lost each day.

Deanna said...

I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. :sigh:

Too true.

Janet said...

sigh...not being a mom, or religious, I can't relate :-) But such is life! Interesting list, tho.

Tilly Greene said...

HA! Great list, and yet, perky boobs or not, bet you wouldn't trade them in for anything :-)

Jessica Morris said...

I can so relate to you on some of these! Especially number 1!!


My TT is up - 13 (+6 bonus!) free samples available online

Amelia June said...

You missed my biggest one

SLEEPING IN!!!!!!

Ugh.

Anyway, thanks for the support on my blog :)

Karina said...

Great TT! I'm not a mother yet, and actually...my TT is about the 13 things I love about being single...similar thoughts! lol

Tink said...

Haha, great list! I don't have kids, but I would miss these things for sure... :-)
Thanks for visiting my TT today!

Alastriona, The Cats and Dogs said...

Yeah I have to say I miss this one
not having to confine bedroom activities to our bedroom ;-)

Just wait until they get to be teens.

Thanks for visiting my TT.

Anonymous said...

No wonder you liked those points on my list lol

(At least my kids are all past the Emlo stage!)

Tawnya Shields said...

That was a great list! I recall those days. I am going to be a grandmother for the first time. I am only 39 but it will be a joy nevertheless to see my son go through it. :o)

Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on my Thursday13.

kuanyin333 said...

Even though my young Mommy years are long past, I can totally relate! Good list! Happy TT!

Barbara H. said...

What's funny is that as your kids get older you miss some of the things from when they were younger -- funny how life works like that!! I miss Little Tykes toy, of all things.

Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts

Spy Scribbler said...

The freedom of spontaneity to do adult-only kids is something I'd miss, too!

Happy TT!

Domestic Geek said...

Those are all reasons (and many more) why I decided to never have children.

Phae-Jae said...

Great post!!

I like the way you think, your children are blessed to have you.

Frances D said...

Thanks for visiting.
My daughter is grown - but I remember when going out meant carrying diapers, snacks, extra clothes etc.
I've never heard Dragon Tails, but I remember singing the Elephant Show song every day.
Take care,
Frances
http://thememesection.com

Anonymous said...

Your list is exactly part of what terrifies me about having kids, lol. I'm sure the benefits far outweigh those, though. :)

Thanks for the comment on my page!

Jill said...

The freedom of not being a parent!!! I enjoye it so much, but still cannot wait to have kid!!