Mommyhood: The Ultimate Test for Overachievers
Today I want to introduce you to a new author here at Mommybloggers. Welcome aboard Go-Go Mommy. You can read more of her writing at her personal blog Go-Go Mommy. Here is a bit more about our newest writer. Make her feel welcome!
Go-Go Mommy is an ex-attorney and specialty sales professional who gave up the big bucks, big bonuses, and big trips in exchange for big hugs, big tantrums, and big surprises from her two wee ones: Poppy (2004) and Sweet Pea (2006). Go-Go Mommy moved to Silicon Valley, California with her husband ("KB") in the fall of 2000 to escape he bitter Michigan winters and to enjoy the sun more than 40 days out of the year. Little known facts: she is the youngest of 10 children (another reason to leave Michigan - for some breathing room), she is becoming obsessed with cooking and recipes, and she has the dubious distinction of being singled out in her college acting class as being "the perfect 'straight man' to work with pets and children."Go-Go Mommy is on a quest to move from TypeA quirky girl to ultra mod and hip California mom, with a strong sprinkle of midwest backbone and a dash of sophmoric humor! Go-Go Mommy's personal blog can be
found at here and she also blogs for the Silicon Valley Moms Blog as JB
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Mommyhood: The Ultimate Test for Overachievers
I'm so excited! I've just been invited to blog with another incredible group of women on Mommybloggers. I must say that I love to blog, I love to write, and I definitely love the opportunity to read about other incredible women. As a recovering overachiever, I am having the time of my life blogging and becoming a part of the cybersphere. In honor of this, I thought I would admit to my overachieving addiction, and how I'm taming the beast.
I was just watching "The Amazing Race", okay it's more like the tv is on as white noise while I look through my latest recipie magazine. Anyway, I just heard someone from one of the teams say "____ and I are both overachievers, we don't like to lose." Oh yeah, I was the classic overachiever from grade school through law school, I was always more involved than necessary. And as the youngest in a family of 10 kids, I hated to lose. Probably the crowning achievement came when I was pregnant with Poppy: KB and I went in for my check-up after my initial lab work. My wonderful OB knew me a bit too well and the first thing she said during that visit was: "Okay, you'll like this, your blood type is A+." And I said "YES!!" pumping my fist - only half jokingly.
But today, when I heard those words I began to think, oh yeah, I remember that feeling - it just seems like "competing to win" was another lifetime ago. Don't get me wrong, it still rears it's ugly head every now and then. When I'm playing Monopoly or poker, when I try to teach myself a new skill, or at it's worst, when KB and I get into a "disagreement" about something meaningless and I have to be the one who is "right." But for the most part, I think the "overachiever" in me is pretty much contained. After all, now that I'm a SAHM with a 3.5 year old and 1 year old, who has time to be an overachiever? Right?
Well, wait a minute, I am rather proud that the other night I felt like I was a "Food Network" Chef as I made an awesome dinner:
Peppered fillet mignon served on top of sauted garlic and red pepper spinach with buttered sweet potatoes and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. And come to think of it, I was pretty happy that I managed to get family photos of all of our guests at Sweet Pea's first birthday celebration, print them the next day, and then get them out with our "Thank You" cards in a record 2 days after the event. Oh, wait a minute, I just remembered that I actually found a cute kids project in one of my parenting magazines and when I took Poppy to her 3 year check-up, she proudly presented her doctor with a beautiful flower she painted and put together from a tube of toilet paper, tissue paper, wood skewer, and construction paper leaves complete with heartfelt message. We even made 2 more (sans leaves) for our own house (see above).
So maybe even though I have piles of laundry waiting in the wings, dishes that need to be taken out of the dishwasher, beds to make, and a general mess of toys and blankets strewn about, I can still hold my head high knowing that the overachiever in me may be more discreet but is definitely alive and kicking.