Once upon a time, before I was a mom:

I had time to shower every day.
My food, drink, and purse were my own.
I had no underarm jiggle and time to work off the other jiggly parts.
I slept in on the weekends.
I could move into any school district without consequence.
My husband and I went on dates, sometimes we even made out.
I could go months without staining any clothes.
I could watch an entire movie rental all the way through.
I knew where my keys and shoes were.
I could talk on the phone uninterrupted.
I rarely sang the alphabet in public.
My refrigerator displayed very little artwork.
I could curse without abandon.
I read books without making silly voices.

My necklaces were made of metals, not food.
I could undress in a fitting room without worrying about an escapee.
My watch told the actual time: now it tells naptime, bedtime, and time-out.
Television and movie ratings were of no concern.
I could run yellow lights.
Stretch marks...let's not even go there.
Did I mention I used to shower?
Before I was a mom, I had no idea what I was missing.



Sheila earned her B.A. from Columbia College Chicago where she minored in Creative Non-Fiction. She is a proud citizen of the Muskogee Creek Nation tribe of Native Americans. She is a working actress and freelance writer living in Chicago with her husband and daughter. For a good time click:
www.sheilachalakee.com