Reality Check: New Mommies

I think anyone that adopts a child deserves a gold star - my husband and I had thought about adopting before we had the twins but we really wanted to try and have kids of our own first before looking into adoption...but I was really happy that my husband was willing to even go the adoption route as there are many people out there that don't like the thought of adopting, especially overseas.

My Mom got to experience, a little bit, of what an overseas adoption was like on a trip to China...she happened to be staying at a hotel where a bunch of newly minted parents were staying with their newly adopted baby girls. She said that they all gathered in the lobby and were just filled with so much excitement and love because they've been given this gift to look after. I imagine that coming home with that new baby would be very much the same as if they had had that child naturally on their own....CHAOS!

Coming home with a new child, for any type of parent (natural and adoptive) is a whirlwind trip...first time parents, especially, are always filled with questions and precautions. Getting your child use to their new environment and surroundings. Trying to bring some order back into your life with a new baby. Trafficking guests that come through to coo at your brand new bundle - it's all overwhelming.

So I'm wondering, how is it that a celebrity, who recently adopted a baby a few short weeks ago has been able to have a celebratory dinner with her husband and her mom, sans new baby, after only a few short weeks of acquiring said baby? My boys are 17 weeks old and my husband and I haven't been able to go out to dinner on our own YET! I'm sure we could have if we wanted to, by now, but we actually like being with our boys - we like that they know who we are and give us big smiles when we get home from work. We've taken them out to dinner with us but we also like to be home for their last feeding before they go to bed.

Reality check lady - it's nice that you have all this money and can probably afford a nanny, no problem...but I know that when I became a new mommy, all I wanted to do is be with my kids. When I read and saw that this celebrity adopted a child, it made me think 'what a kind and decent human.' But a week later, when I read that she's out with her family (sans baby) having a celebratory dinner, it makes me think, 'Must be nice to not be hands on.'

For the record, we have a live-in nanny and even I don't take advantage of that by going out to dinner with my husband whenever....we are, however, going to have an early dinner, without our kids, for our anniversary this Sunday but I'm still going to make sure that I make it home for their last bottle before they go to bed.