For new parents, however, there is only B.B. and A.B.: Before Baby and After Baby.
BB: Coming up with a super blog idea and publishing it immediately.
AB: Coming up with a super blog idea and publishing it 5 months later.
BB: Dreaming of owning a kayak and serene morning paddles on the lake.
AB: Splashing around the baby pool and bathtub until she’s old enough to swim.
BB: Imagined traveling with a baby to Ireland wouldn’t be that different from previous adventures.
AB: Was I temporarily insane?? I can’t even make it to the mailbox on most days!
BB: Phone camera reel includes sappy pics with the hubby, vistas from exotic vacations and delectable foodie treats.
AB: All baby, all the time! And sometimes comparison shopping photos of cribs.
BB: I’m free as a bird! Sure, let’s go see a movie. Preferably in a theater that serves martinis.
AB: Comcast On Demand, you have saved our lives.
BB: Used the crock pot only in winter, perhaps a couple of times a year.
AB: A critical tool for our family’s survival. Low and slow, baby!
BB: Online shopping for pumps and blazers.
AB: Online shopping for Pampers and bottles.
BB: Schedule as accurate as accurate can be. Thank you, Outlook.
AB: I don’t make the schedule. See: the BOSS (baby).
BB: Worrying about spilling Malbec on my new blouse.
AB: Specifically purchasing clothing that will hide inevitable baby slobber and whatnot. Please don’t ask me to elaborate on the ‘whatnot’.
BB: I can pretty much do whatever I want, whenever I want to do it.
AB: I can’t do anything within any reasonable amount of time, but I do have this beautiful, perfect baby to keep me entertained in the meantime.
BB: Life is grand.
AB: Life is grand, hilarious, unpredictable, and oh-so-sweet.
And then, of course, there is the next era: Before Teen and After Teen. More on that in a few years.
Parents, share your BB and AB stories!