I'm a Mommy, but that's not all...

Being a mother is the biggest honor I'll ever be given.  My kids make me nuts, frustrate me, and sometimes even get me angry, but they still rank the highest on my "what would you grab on the way our of your burning house" list.  I loved being pregnant, despite aches and pains.  Lots of women say "I wish my husband could do it."  Not me.  Well actually I wish I could have handed it to him for about three days at a time, just to get a little damn sympathy.  But beyond that, pregnancy was my gig.  I'm a mommy and I'm proud of it...but that's not all there is to me.

Don't get me wrong.  If your child falls in front of my house and she has a bloody knee, I'm going to patch her up, give her a hug, and lovingly bring her back to your house.  If your teenager opens up to me about some personal issues, I'm going to listen attentively and try to give her solid advice.  Once you're a mother, it's almost impossible to walk away from situations like these.  I just hate it when it's what others use this information to define me.

I was at a coffee shop awhile back with two friends.  While ordering my bagel and coffee the owner, a very chatty gal, asked if I was there with my "Mommy friends."  To be honest, I was a little taken aback, but indulged it.  "Yes," to which she replied, "Oh how nice you mommies can get away for a little while.  I know even mommies need a break."  *insert impatient sigh here*  "Do you work, or are you a full-time mommy?" she asked. 

I work AND I'm a full-time mom.  The day of the coffee break, my boss was on the Today show.  One of my friends with me?  Later that day she was off to teach her medically homebound student.  You know - bring school to a child who was too sick to attend.  My other friend?  She was off to show one of her rental houses to support her real estate business.  Our children were at school.  But how obnoxious it would have been to stand there and spit out resumes and credentials, right?  So why was I so tempted? 

It's interesting to me how PR firms and marketing agencies really play to the mom market nowadays, but there's a fine line between recognizing me as a decision-maker and patronizing me.