After a crap night of sleep, I rolled out of bed, with just enough time to get clothes on for yoga, dress the Kaiser and haul ass out the door. I was proud of myself for putting on pink yoga pants with a dark pink sweater and looking rather cute in spite of the no time to get ready. Nails bitten off (thanks to Project Clustertrauma (which I will get into a later date)). Hair in a ponytail. No makeup. Shoved some toothpaste in my mouth and we were off.
Met Scout for lunch at a Japanese place in a strip mall (hee! I said “strip”!) by our house. Innocuous looking hole in the wall.
We were seated by a group of four women who looked like they’d stepped out of a glossy advertisement for “Dress as a successful business person, and do it (hee! I said “do it”!) with style!”
All were dressed in black or gray with accents of color. All had good hair styled by products other than a pillow and a bad night of sleep. All wore business appropriate CFM* heels. Perfect (expensive) handbags held by hands with professional french manis, natch.
Ugh. For all my new found confidence, I finally had to admit that I felt envious. For a moment I wanted so much to have a reason to get dressed up in heels and a tailored outfit. I wanted perfect hair and nails.
And then I went back to cheering at Alex and being excited that he was reaching onto my plate for broccoli, onion, mushroom and red pepper. Cuz that’s what we do. Feel the twinge of envy, look at the greener grass on the other side and then look at the flowers in our lawn.
___
*CFM = Come Fuck Me
20 Comments
Veronica
Oh man, I am so there.
Also, everytime someone says strip mall, I immediately think of strip clubs and stuff. Do you know how long it took me to realise that a strip mall doesn’t have strippers? Oy.
Veronica’s last blog post..It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Like Having Two Toddlers?¢‚Ǩ¬¶
Anglophile Football Fanatic
That’s a great way to see it. I have many days where I pass Ann Taylor and remember the good old days in business professional with perfect style and money to pull it off. Then I look at my Target duds and smile fondly at my son as he pulls another zany 1 liner.
Anglophile Football Fanatic’s last blog post..Tit for Tot
Jennifer
I think that’s the right attitude to have. It’s easy to look at others all made up and looking F.I.N.E., but who knows, maybe they’re looking at you thinking, man I wish I had a kiddo or I wish I could stay home with my kids…
Psst…love your full feed 🙂
Jennifer’s last blog post..Superhero Baby Spotted Wearing Cape, No Pants
witchypoo
I look at a woman in those shoes and think “Man, they have to hurt!”
witchypoo’s last blog post..Scatological Search Terms
Ree
Darlin – those women (as one of them) were probably looking at your and thinking, “Boy, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to meet my husband for lunch on the spur of the moment with my sweet kid.”
Ree’s last blog post..For LOLCats Fans
Sarcastic Mom
Why the fuck did it take 4 women to seat you guys, anyway? And they were carrying purses while they seated you? I’d be afraid of what was in the food there, yo.
Hehe. Really, gorgeous post. My first time at a restaraunt without Braden was Monday, with a buncha girls. It was awesome.
But then when I got home, I just wanted to go watch him sleep. 🙂
Sarcastic Mom’s last blog post..If you want my body, and you think I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m sexy?¢‚Ǩ¬¶
MP
You know..I go to the office every day, occasionaly dressed nice. My nails are NEVER done..but other than that if I run to the grocery store or Steak N Shake for lunch (every once and a blue moon) and i see Mama in her yoga pants and pony tail..obvioulsy san shower w/ a kid in the stroller eating Cherrio’s out of a ziplock bag..I think “Lucky Bitch”… Yep, always greener on the other side.
Good for you going w/ the pink!!
MP’s last blog post..Another answer.. 2 parter
liv
This is what I think. I think I’ve lived that life and had everyone fooled into thinking that my life was perfect. It was far from that. I’ll take my yoga pants and ponytail any day of the week.
Kyla
Yeah, maybe one day I’ll get it together like that. For now, jeans and polos are good enough. LOL.
And can you even imagine the dry cleaning bill when you have kids slobbering on you all day?
Kyla’s last blog post..Questions!
Amy
Oh gosh.
I’m so glad I’m not alone with these feelings.
I’m also lucky because my husband thinks exercise clothes are hot. And he doesn’t like heels.
Now if I could only straighten my own head out!
And wow! Alex eats lots of veggies!
Amy’s last blog post..Fifteen Months Old
Missy
well, it takes a lot of work to look “good” like that. I prefer my t-shirt and jeans, unstyled boring hair and lack of makeup. I’m a practical gal. 🙂
Missy’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
Kristen
Yep, grass is always greener…
For the past few years I would barely leave the house unless my hair and make-up were done and I was at least dressed in jeans and a blazer, cuz I was tired of looking like a tired Mom. I have recently let it slide again, I am tired and I have to drive my kids places whether I have prettied up or not. I haven’t even had my nails done since Christmas. wah. oh well…
Kristen’s last blog post..Pregnancy Number 5, 2005
sarah
Yoga pants are cheaper. 🙂 Just remember BP and be thankful for who you are.
Ewokmama
You are so right!
Ewokmama’s last blog post..Grumble grumble grumble
Lisa
As my husband loves to say–the grass is always greener but it’s always harder to cut 😉
I bet you looked great–pink is so much more fun than gray any day!
Lisa’s last blog post..Like mother like daughter
zdoodlebub
Amen! Props to you for not getting sucked into the vortex! We all beat ourselves up too much and you know the answer. But the reason the answer is hard to find is because it’s sooo hard to practice everyday.
zdoodlebub’s last blog post..It’s Gettin’ Deep Up In Here
flutter
I’d rather have that sweet little face looking at me, any day of the week
flutter’s last blog post..I guess I didn?t know
Jenty
And they were probably just as jealous of you!
Jenty’s last blog post..(Bottle) Feeding Carnival
VDog
I bet they were tty uncomfortable in those outfits. 😉
And no room for one last California Roll! LOL
VDog’s last blog post..Weekly Winners, March 9
nanci
When my daughters were your son’s age, I worked in the corporate world. Dressed up, had fun, big responsibilities in the office and double time at home. It was fun to spend some of my paycheck on clothes.
But then things changed.
I would be those ladies at lunch- stylish, but ENVIOUS of ladies like YOU. Wishing that I could be home- doing the job that mattered, being there to let them just wake up in the morning, instead of being woken up and rushed to day care.
I used to wander at the Mall sometimes during my lunch and wonder what it would be like to be a SAHM. Watching the ladies and their strollers…kids on the Merry Go Round, eating lunch, and STILL be able to afford to shop.
I ached for the feeling of having it be real.
When itdid became a reality, my kids were much older (7 & 9) and it was heaven. I love getting dressed up still, but that means jeans and my ‘former’ business casual sweater. I loved trips to the park, being able to go to the gym- and best (as you described) watching my girls discover the wonders of life.
I’m still home- one is getting ready for high school and I wouldn’t change anything.
We are proud to have many titles in our SAHM life – CFO, CEO, Director of Childhood Development, the list goes on.
It’s a job that those ladies all dressed up probably envy more than we realize.
Enjoy your day,
Nanci
nanci’s last blog post..Friends, Family, Loss