1. Dining out solo
Living in NYC, I’m totally fine going out shopping and traversing the city alone, but until I had a baby I hadn’t eaten at a restaurant without a dining companion. Now, I welcome a table for one and soak up the few minutes of quiet with just myself, my meal and my iPhone.
2. Walking with TP
It may be silly, but I used to make sure I disguised toilet paper before carrying it home from Duane Reade (our drug store in Manhattan) in a bag — sometimes two bags — to hide the fact that I was packing a product used to clean asses. Now I don’t give a shit (pun intended). Getting my errands done swiftly is my new goal so I haul it bag-less and proud.
3. Appreciating my body
I spent my teens and twenties pissed at my body for not looking the way I wanted it to, not processing calories as fast as I wished it would, and not fitting into the sample sizes in Vogue. After giving birth, I have a newfound appreciation for the incredible machine I was blessed with. It created a perfect little human and bounced back faster than I ever expected. It’s also nourishing him around the clock and hasn’t given me any milk-production trouble. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my body for being freaking amazing!
4. Exposing myself
Every girl with kids can relate to this: Once your crotch has been poked and prodded 1,000 times, you’ve moaned and cried so loud the entire L&D unit knew exactly which patient was next in line for an epidural, strangers watched a human come out of your nether regions, you wore a backless hospital gown in a non-private room, and you tried to breastfeed a newborn when everyone and their great-grandmom was coming in to visit you kind of don’t really care anymore who’s seen you in the buff — or what they think. I’ve come to realize childbirth absolutely stripped me of all modesty. If you don’t want to see my tits, look away cause I’m feeding this baby whether you’re here or not.
5. Sidewalk rage
In my pre-stroller days in the city I’d pop in my ear buds, keep my head down and plow through the crowds, weave in and out of pedestrian traffic to beat the lights and cut off tourists (sorry tourists). Now I leave the buds out so I can listen for crazies and cars, I proactively avoid crowds at all costs, and I actually wait for the lights — and look twice — before crossing; I still cut off tourists (sorry again) only now I have a mean set of wheels to mow them down.
I’ve only been at it for six weeks so I’m sure this list is in its infant state, just like baby. I can’t wait to see how it grows and how many more silly hang-ups I stop giving a shit about!
Xo
Jenny
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