In my new life as mother and wife I’m really learning to adhere to the old “gift horse” adage.

This morning The Bees gave me a big gift. We were looking at the greeting cards at Balducci's as we do every morning. She is particularly drawn to those with cats. Cats in hats, cats in sunglasses. Cats driving motorcycles. She then picked out a card with three bombshell bikini-ed beauties and pointed to the brunette on the right and said “Mama”, looking at me. “Mama” she said again. I chuckled and, I must admit, joy filled my heart. I looked around to see if anyone else overheard this utterance of genius!

It’s a cheap thing, coming from a 17-month old, and of course she could just as easily point to a cabbage patch doll and say “Mama”. She's not even old enough to know how well she could manipulate me.  But in that moment I thought, this having-a-kid thing isn’t so bad. It’s like on your birthday when everyone is nice to you. You know it’s only temporary, and maybe not even completely sincere, but you’ll take kindness where you can get it.

Just the way that I ask CB to not be so skeptical about our scant romantic life. It’s gotten to the point where, if I make an amorous gesture, he’ll say something sarcastic like “well why would you want to do that?!” or “what for”? In later negotiations I say “please try to not ruin the mood by questioning my motives”. Like complements from your baby, just take it and run!