Tonight at dinner I looked down at my plate to see only crumbs left. I have no idea if I actually ate the food in front of me, let alone enjoyed it, but it was gone. The last 30 minutes consisted of crying babies, barking and fighting dogs, football blaring too loud on the television, men laughing, women reprimanding and kids trying to be heard while telling their dinner stories to one another.
Rewind and let me set the scene…
My family has long been getting together for Sunday dinners. Over the course of the past few years, the family has grown from my three siblings and parents, to now spouses, children, great grandparents and aunts and uncles who are now neighbors. Imagine 11 adults, two kids, two babies and five dogs in one house. (The same house the original three grew up in). Now fast forward to dinner time; everyone brings their own side (aka women cook it there), grill is going, men are drinking beer, playing corn hole, attempting to monitor the children and dogs (who are puppies and not used to all being in one household). Then dinner is served, babies are whining over wanting adult forks and not wanting to eat their green beans. The older kids are asking if they’ve eaten enough or can they have more to drink. The men are laughing and watching football in the other room completely oblivious, while the dogs attack one another beneath the women’s feet who are also trying to get the babies tame enough to enjoy our own meal. Have you taken a breath yet? I finally did when I looked down at my plate…cue the first paragraph all over again.
Now THIS is what I call “the REAL housewives” (as opposed to the Bravo TV shows).
We’ve all seen the reality shows. All the women glammed up first thing in the morning, enjoying espresso, getting their nails done and going to high-end restaurants for wine and appetizers with their friends. I’ve had days like that in Richmond with my girls, where we would joke about being “real housewives for the day”. Shopping at the outdoor malls and spending money we probably shouldn’t have. And while I am a firm believer in girl time, my perspective on girl-time, let alone TIME in general is a little different. Before, when having these glam-days, I was only asking one questions; “Who’s driving? Can I have another glass of wine?”. Now it’s about what Cooper is doing each hour I am gone and if I’ll be back in time for bedtime to kiss him goodnight. So the question that lingers about these so-called “housewives”, is where and what are their kids doing exactly? Are they even playing a role in their children’s lives?
They may consider themselves “Real”, but there is nothing more real than those 30 minutes at dinner tonight. I know you have all been there, one way or another, and while it’s ok to have your fantasizing days of being one of those women, it’s ok to let reality be reality.
5 Reasons I know I’m a REAL housewife:
- I haven’t showered today. I’m wearing a hat and the same jean shorts that I wore yesterday, because they are the only ones that feel comfortable with this growing 28-week belly. Those women wouldn’t be caught dead even going to the gym without a shower and make-up, let alone wearing something that they’ve worn in the last 30 days!
- I ate more calories than I drank today. Don’t get me wrong; when I’m not pregnant, I love a glass of wine. But I swear from the time they wake up to the time they go to sleep they are consuming some sort of “beverage”. And there is no way their scone at breakfast and their salad at lunch has kept them full all day to only eat a salad again for dinner!
- My nails are too short to even attempt a fake manicure. Between wrestling with my little man, bathing and lotioning him, changing his diaper or getting boogies from his nose, nails aren’t an option. My toes are painted, because a pedicure is my guilty pleasure when mommy has free time. (Slightly “real housewife” of me, I know).
- I only see my girlfriends on occasion. We work, we have kids and we have families of our own. Getting together is a luxury. Believe me, this is one area of the “real housewife” life I am envious of. I would LOVE to see my girls more often, but reality is we’re busy, but I know they love me and we always pick up where we left off.
- I have a baby who whines for his momma. I don’t know what their kids whine about…but I know mine whines because he wants ME, not a nanny who he spends more time with.
Regardless what those women are doing. I know the six women who were sitting at the dinner table tonight are all moms who have either raised their children and they are grown or are taking it a day at a time raising theirs currently. Regardless, they are there. And despite the chaos, they start and finish their days maybe not looking like a million bucks, but their kids surely feel in their heart that they are loved a million times over. So when life is chaotic and you don’t have a minute to even feel the minutes that go by, look at your surroundings and know that you’re doing all right. And THIS is what real housewives live like on a daily basis, not the other way around. What makes you a real housewife? What can you relate to or what do you struggle with?
My Lil Deuce "Coop" 