Inside the Mamas' Studio

Carrie was offering to interview people from her blog. So I said sure and this is what happens next.

The Official Interview Game Rules
1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below saying "interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions; each person's will be different.
3. You will update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

____________


1. Motherhood... that's a big-ass word. How has your perception of motherhood changed from one year ago? You were what... 6 months preggo at the time? How has your perception of motherhood stayed the same?
It seems like a lifetime and many naive days ago that I was just a pregnant gal waiting for the baby to arrive. I believe I am a better mother than I thought I would be. Mothering is way more difficult and consuming than I ever believed possible. There is no escape. No "going home for the weekend," no vacations, to quote my friend Jeff "no losing your shit" in front of the baby. But I have never had a job that made me happy to wake up every single morning. Even if the day before was AWFUL, Liam's smile opens my heart to a new day. I always thought my baby would change everything. And it has. But I don't believe the depth of which can be truly understood by someone if they aren't a parent. That may sound pompous but it feels true to me.

2. What do you feel will be your biggest challenge and biggest reward as a woman raising a little boy? raising Liam as a teenager?
Well this is interesting. I love having a little boy. At first I was little - not unhappy - but I daresay disappointed that it wasn't a girl growing in my belly. That quickly went away. I mean come on. Lots of moms dream of dressing their little girl up in cutesy outfits and dresses. I worry about the years of extreme limit testing and constant motion. Can I keep up? Will I be able to keep it together? As for a teenage boy, I think after working a Residence Hall Director for 300 freshmen men I have bit of an idea about their psyche. I don't assume I'll have all the answers. I just want to raise a strong man who knows how to treat people with tolerance, sensitivity and respect. And to expect the same for himself. I also want to make sure he takes care of himself and doesn't get himself into a situation where he makes a poor decision in the heat of the moment - whether it's a girl or drugs or cheating on an exam.

3. What are three traits of yours that you do NOT want Liam to have? What are three traits of yours that you pray Liam will also have?
I pray he does not have these traits:
1. I care too much about what others think of me...
2. Which can feed into self-esteem issues...
3. Which makes me a control freak.

I pray he has these traits:
1. I place a high value on family and friends
2. I follow my heart
3. I embrace the 3 Rs: Respect for yourself, respect for others, responsibility for all your actions.

4. Liam was Baptized. Are you a religious person? what about spiritual? How have these traits changed in your life; more specifically... from when you were growing up, your single days, your child-less days with Dan, and now as a mother?
Wowser this could be a book. Yes I feel I'm religious though not in an organized way. I believe in God, that Christ died for us, and that we all have a purpose in this life. I have lost faith in the preachers of this message. Liam was Baptized to begin a relationship with God and faith. I also believe in fate and karma.

I was afraid of God when I was little. My parents had a picture of a young Jesus that hung in a hallway. It scared me to death. I was afraid of being judged and sent to hell. Not sure where I got these ideas as my parents weren't Bible-thumpers or Holy Rollers. I thought God would tell Santa I was bad. I was afraid I would be alone when God finally took His time to actually speak to me in a deep commanding voice and it would be WAY spooky. I didn't like to be in the hallway in the dark with Jesus. God I sound SCREWED UP. Maybe I watched The Ten Commandments one too many times.

Once I got older, I had my own relationship with God. I prayed, and still do, every night. Not aloud - in my head. But I've never felt tied to the Catholic Church. I don't believe that God cares if I go every week. I also don't believe my God cares if someone has ever been divorced or not. My parents are both divorced, so because their previous marriages werent anulled, they couldn't receive the sacrament of Communion. To me this goes against the belief in a forgiving and generous God. What does God care about paper contracts between people if the love between them is good and right?

My husband isn't as much of a believer. He has the mind of a scientist and that mind doesn't believe that God exists. Though in my heart I know if something were wrong with me or our son, he would be asking God for help.

As a mother, I believe my greatest proof of God is my son.

5. And finally... you brought it up, so I'm going to go there. what IS the deal with you and Hong Kong Phooey and the Grape Ape?
Carrie brought up Grape Ape and Hong Kong Phooey and I was making a joke to irritate her brother. There is nothing going on with me and those cartoon characters. I actually don't have much memory of Grape Ape. But I remember watching Hong Kong Phooey with my brother.