Forty-Five Minutes

Here’s a really profound statement:  Life after kids is so different than life before kids. 

Really??  *GASP*  You’re kidding! 

Okay, okay… all joking aside, I think it is fair to say that the above statement is generally accepted, by both parents & non-parents, as true.  Life IS different once you have kids.   Now, when people talk about this difference, more often than not, the primary topic of conversation is how your social life changes once you have kids.   Before kids, if there was an after-hours office function, you could just tell your spouse where you would be & when you’d be home (courtesy).  Before kids, if one of your girlfriends was having friends over to make Christmas Cookies & other fun, silly holiday stuff on a Tuesday night, you could go without worrying about a sitter.  Before kids, you and the hubby could plan dinner and an evening out with friends whenever you chose.   Life was more carefree when it was just the two of you to worry about (even if you didn’t realize it!). 

Your social life, though, is not the only thing that changes.  Indeed, there are many, many changes that take place.  Small things that you sacrifice from your “previous life” in order to have time, money, or both to get done all of the things that come with your new role: parent.   

For me, the biggest “sacrifice” can be summed up in one word:  VANITY.  I simply came to realize that I could save a TON of money and time by sacrificing some of my vain vices.  Some of my small sacrifices include buying store brand hair styling products, shampoo & conditioner, instead of buying it at a salon.  I no longer buy my make-up from a personal consultant (ala Avon or Mary Kay- c’mon… I’m not THAT vain!); I get it at Meijer or Walgreen’s.  A $60 bottle of perfume is something I ask for at Christmastime instead of paying for it out of pocket.    I stopped coloring my hair- what’s wrong with brown?  But the one sacrifice that I really miss, the one I wish I had time for regularly, is pedicures. 

Pedicures!  What a luxury- at least that is how I think of them now.  In my life before kids (LBK), I thought of pedicures as simply something you do, and I did it up right!  I would fill a small square tub with hot soapy water, carry it to the living room & put it on a folded towel in front of the sofa.   Then came all the “implements of destruction”:  Mani/Pedi kit, orange sticks, files, pumice, cuticle cream, moisturizing oil, clips, polish,etc.  I would line them all up on another towel on the floor , grab the remote, and sit down to begin the process.  For the next 5 minutes, I would do nothing but sit with my feet soaking in the nice hot water.  How relaxing!  Then, I would scrub them clean with the pumice, rinse, and dry.  Next came the lotion/cream/balm on the feet & calves; cuticle cream on the nails.  Clean ‘em all up with the nails trimmed tidily, file them to smooth the rough edges, paint, followed by quick-drying agent, then top it all off with emollient on any of the calluses too tough for the lotion.  This process took about 45 minutes from start to finish, and I was so proud of the end result!  

WOW!  FORTY-FIVE MINUTES!   When do I EVER have forty-five minutes to waste in such vain exploits these days?   Granted, my toes looked amazing, but there is so much other stuff to do now.  In forty-five minutes, I can make dinner, wash & dry a small load of clothes, fold and put away 2 loads of laundry (again my husband laughs), get in a good workout, catch up on email, or simply spend some quality time with my kids.  No, nowadays, my “pedicure” consists of a quick scrub with a file or pumice while in the shower, some heel balm when I get out, and a coat of paint in the warmer months.   Period.     

It would be fun, though, huh?  *sigh*  A girl can dream…