Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Two men and a baby

Today, I took a giant step for working mothers everywhere.

OK...so it wasn't as dramatic as all that...but it was something for someone like me who always follows all "the rules."

As I sat in the conference room and listened to Myles scream inconsolably upstairs in the office area, I thought to myself, "What the hell am I doing?" I excused myself, went upstairs, changed a dirty diaper, and brought my little munchkin with me to my meeting with opposing counsel...and my boss.

Things have been said during the course of the past four months. Like, "If he's quiet, you could probably bring him until he's two years old and the boss won't notice or care." Like, "I'm so impressed...you're like superwoman." Like, "I don't know how you do it." Blah. Blah. Blah. Today they got a lesson in my reality.

Screaming baby slung over my shoulder, I marched down to the conference room and continued my business as though nothing was out of the ordinary. The amazing thing was...so did they.

I'm working hard here. I'm tired. And I hope they both go home and kiss their wives' feet.

And a special thank you goes out to my coworker who took Myles for a walk in his stroller...two seconds into which he promptly fell asleep.

Yep...this is how you do it. You let go of any and all delusions that you're a good attorney...a good employee...a good mother...a good wife...a good anything. You accept help where it is offered. And you just do your best. And if your best means you bring your screaming baby to your settlement negotiations...then that's what you do.

Oh...and give up any hope of eating lunch before 3:30pm.

Have I mentioned I'm tired?

6 comments:

Aurelia said...

Yayyyy! Good for you hon. Keep striking those blows! :)

Awake said...

It ain't easy. But good for you! When I return to the world of law, my "dream" is to do it with kidlet in tow, in some way.

Mrs. Collins said...

Way to go! I admire you. I too would be saying, "I don't know how you do it."

Jillian said...

You know what? You ROCK! What you are doing, getting by the way you are doing and not apologising for imperfection - it does every last one of us a favour. And showing your male colleagues that motherhood happens with enormous practicality and zero fanfare and a massive amount of dexterity helps too. It shatters stereotypes.

You might have been tongue-in-cheek at the start of this post, but believe me when I say you are someone to admire. I would have no hesitation as holding you up as an example to my daughters. Keep truckin' Catherine!!

Sarah said...

I don't know how working mom's do it. I think you're awesome. Hang in there!

Firecrackerina said...

Way to go! And you are fortunate; sounds like your boss is more understanding than the one I had until a few weeks ago.... I admire you, Catherine.

Mom

My mom insisted on living independently. She wanted to live in the two-story house she and my dad built in the 70s, despite the fact that da...