Mira, my three year old, is currently in her Winnie the Pooh costume. She wore it yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, too. In fact, she has worn it just about every day since Halloween – not Halloween 2005, mind you, but Halloween 2003. The costume is a size 3T. She’s been a size 4T for about six months, so it’s starting to get a bit challenging stuffing her into the darn thing. I keep telling myself that it won’t be long, now. Soon, she will absolutely not be able to fit in it. For now, she somehow manages to strain herself in awkward positions in order to wrestle her head into the hood part to zip herself completely up. The costume itself is getting quite gritty-looking. I’ve had it dry cleaned, but the puffiness of Pooh’s belly is disappearing, and the fluffiness of Pooh’s fur is becoming more matte.

Minutes after Mira is outfitted in Pooh, our house transforms into the Hundred-Acre Wood. Mira starts addressing me as “Kanga,” her sister Leela as “Roo,” and refers to my husband Brian as “Tigger.” “Kanga, can I have some honey for lunch?” she calls. “Kanga, Roo is sitting on my favorite book!” And, “When is Tigger coming home from work?”

I must confess. I actually enjoy being a part of this tale, this web of imagination she spins. I’d rather be Kanga, some days, when Roo has had an all night nursing session, or when I forgot to pay a bill, or when my car won’t start because the battery is dead, yet again. Kanga likely possesses a vast supply of patience, so that when Roo removes his diaper and empties all of its contents on her prized Pottery Barn rug (bought on clearance, mind you), she simply inhales deeply, clears her conscience of all ill thoughts, and sinks, resignedly but contently, to her knees to scrub out the stain. I, on the other hand, pat myself on the back for not using the really bad curse words, raise my voice a little too high, exaggerate my exhale to release my very agitated anger, and afterwards, get that sinking feeling of remorse for my overreaction. I imagine, though, that in the face of frustration or anxiety (which I doubt she ever even feels), Kanga probably never yells at Roo and then suffers from profound guilt afterwards.

Unlike me, Kanga has probably been on a date with Roo’s father within the past three months. Kanga probably still gets butterflies in her stomach on a regular basis, the result, no doubt, of her uncanny ability to nurture her romantic relationship with her partner, despite the mind-numbing exhaustion of infant caretaking and unending household chores. I can see Kanga now, reading cover to cover self-help books on how to keep the fires burning, while I snuggle up with the latest installation of Harry Potter.

Although I still second-guess my decision to stay at home full time, Kanga would probably never regret quitting a part-time job for full time child-rearing. On the contrary, Kanga probably spent most of her younger years dreaming of the day when she would become a mother, her strong maternal instincts kicking in even as she played with baby dolls or stuffed animals – a startling contrast to my own girlhood surrounded by leggos and matchbox cars.

And while Kanga is busy knitting sweaters, inventing numerous, age-appropriate crafts, and otherwise ensuring that Roo receives her undivided attention during his every waking hour, I hide from my children in my home office, trying desperately to type a few words at a time, in between refereeing squabbles, kissing boo boos, or refilling sippy cups. And when I have a few moments of clarity, I fantasize about the occasional, affordable childcare that would allow me to enter a grocery store unencumbered by my two girls.

Kanga doesn’t yearn to live closer to the friends she grew up with – after all, she lives with them together in the Hundred-Acre Wood. She had support from her life-long friends, I suppose, when Roo’s colic nearly drove her mad, or when he had low weight gain and she was unnecessarily panicked by pediatricians, or when she cried some nights, not knowing why, because of the sheer amount that motherhood required of her. I can just see it now, Pooh surprising her with a jar full of honey, Tigger offering sprightly advice to cheer her up, Owl calming her over a cup of hot tea, and Rabbit picking the finest vegetables from his garden, so that Kanga wouldn’t have to worry about making dinner that night.

Yes, while I envy Kanga her pleasant, complacent nature, and roll my eyes at her seemingly intrinsic ability to mother, many days, when Mira asks to put on her Pooh costume, I am grateful she feels the need to be someone else, because sometimes I do, too. And when my daughter finally outgrows it, the mother in me won’t really miss the Pooh costume itself, but will sorely miss the little girl who once fit into the costume, and the much needed breaks from reality that she provided.

Read more from the lovely Anjali Enjeti-Sydow at Life in the Hundred-Acre Wood

Posted by Jenny Lauck at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Mommybloggers: Thanks for joining us, Anjali! We are delighted to introduce you to our readers. You're a busy mother to two active girls, with a husband who works a long, grueling schedule. How do you find time for such thought-provoking, near-daily entries?

Anjali:Thanks so much for having me! What a great site!

Anjali:Finding time to write is quite a challenge, and one that I don’t seem to manage all that well most of the time. But, it does help that my girls, who are now 4 and 2, are at an age where they can play together (or fight like cats and dogs, depending on the position of the moon). It helps having a laptop so that I can travel around the house where they are currently wandering. Also, when my husband has some down time in his work schedule, he takes over the girls completely, and then I write like mad. And last but not least, I am a true night owl, and can regularly be found in front of my screen with a hot cup of tea at midnight.

Mommybloggers:We really enjoy your ability to share the daily adventures of a mom in the trenches. We found ourselves nodding in recognition as you recounted fibbing to your pediatrician about infant milestones, grimacing as you searched for Gibby, and doing that laughing/crying thing as we read about your adventures at the Target photo studio. How has reading other mother bloggers impacted your outlook as a new mom?

Anjali: Reading the writing of other mommy bloggers has inspired me to take a more “Type B” approach to parenting, as opposed to my “Type A” usual self. It has also allowed me to enjoy parenting more, because I’m not spending as much time regularly recalling all of my screw-ups as a mother, and believe me, there are many. I’m also not as self conscious, because when my girls are simultaneously screaming and crying on the floor of the Seattle International Airport at 8 am (sorry, Seattle, for the disruption), I know that there is another parent somewhere going through the exact same thing.

Mommybloggers:Several of your published works talk about sharing your South Asian heritage with your daughters. Does writing about your heritage help clarify what traditions and culture you are passing on?

Anjali: I think so. My writing about my heritage is often fueled by fear – fear that my children won’t respect, enjoy, and honor the cultures that shape the fiber of their beings. I worry that they won’t value where they came from, and won’t attempt to understand the roles their ancestors play in their lives. I worry that in a world of increasing political correctness, children are being respected for being different, but not necessarily for actually expressing their differences. So, I write about what I want my girls to know about who they are and where they came from.

Mommybloggers:Have you always been a writer? What got you started with blogging?

Anjali: Well, I’ve always been a reader. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved curling up with a good book. I think the amount of reading I have done has, in some ways, taught me how to express myself through writing. And now that I’ve really discovered writing, I’m as addicted to it as I am to reading.

Up until a year and a half ago, I had never even heard of blogs or blogging. Then, last spring, a wonderful organization that I’m a member of, Mothers & More, had several of us members blog for their Mothers Day Campaign to raise awareness about how mothers spend their time. The opportunity really turned me on to blogging, and I started my own blog soon thereafter.

Mommybloggers: What do you think about the term "mommyblogger" - do you consider yourself a mommyblogger?

Anjali: I guess “mommyblogger” is considered a negative term? Perhaps because it assumes that if you’re a “mommyblogger,” then you’re not a real writer? The term is really just a job description for me: I’m someone’s mommy, and I blog. So I’m a mommyblogger. Some of the greatest writers and thinkers I’ve found through the internet are mommybloggers. I’ve read many posts from other mommybloggers that could have easily been features in salon.com and slate.com. So I’m honored, actually, to be in such good company.

Mommybloggers:How much of yourself do you put out there? Do you censor yourself in your writing?

Anjali: The piece that I’ll have up here tomorrow was a breakthrough for me. It is an expanded version of a blog post, which was later published on mamazine.com, where I really put my emotions out there. I am very proud of it, because I finally felt free enough to be honest. Having said that, I still do censor myself in my writing. Although I’ve gotten more and more comfortable with writing truthfully over the past year, I still have trouble really bearing it all. I’m still weary of other people’s judgment.

Mommybloggers:You've been published in many wonderful journals and online magazines - where else can we find your writing?

Anjali: I recently started blogging for dot-moms. And I’m trying out my hand in poetry. My first poem was published in the Spring 2006 edition of MotherVerse.

Mommybloggers:You've written candidly about wanting to return to a professional career outside the home - and yet you are enjoying your time at home, too. What is the hardest part of being an at-home parent with professional aspirations? In an ideal world, what would you do?

Anjali: The hardest part about staying home but wanting some type of career, is finding at least some time to put myself and my ambitions, first. On a nice, sunny day, instead of writing, I’ll think, how can I possibly not take the kids to the pool? I have a really hard time ever saying “no” to my family, and say “yes” to myself. I’m trying hard to remember that my dreams and goals should also be a family priority.

In an ideal world, my husband would work 2.5 days a week, and I would work 2.5 days a week. So, we’d never have to worry about childcare, or finding time to do the grocery shopping. Oh, and we’d also have a housekeeper, and a gardener, and full health and retirement benefits. Hmmmm, I’m quite the dreamer, huh?

Mommybloggers:Okay, tell us: do you still have all your Def Leppard posters?

Anjali: Not only do I still have them, they’re in pretty good shape!

Mommybloggers Give us an insight into just how big of a fan you really are.

Anjali: Well, I still wear my Def Leppard t-shirt on occasion (actually, I’m wearing it right now). And I listen to their music on a regular basis. I get the same adrenalin rush hearing “Pour Some Sugar on Me” that I did when I was sixteen. When the kids are screaming and yelling, and I feel like I can’t take them anymore, I put in Hysteria, my favorite album of all time, and crank it up. When my husband Brian tells me that, instead of making it home in time for dinner, he’ll be arriving at midnight, I put on “Love Bites” and belt the lyrics. Def Leppard is touring this summer, and my best friend and I plan on going to one of the concerts!

Mommybloggers:Please tell us you're heading out to BlogHer this year - we would love to meet you in person!

Anjali: Not this year, but boy does it sound fun! I’ll save my pennies in a jar for next year!

Finally, here are the questions that we subject all our interviewees to - a la Inside The Actor's Studio:

What is your favorite parenting related word?

Birth

What is your least favorite parenting related word?

Discipline

What is your favorite creative censored curse word used around children?

Freakin’ (unfortunately, this is now a very popular word in Mira’s vocabulary!)

What is your favorite hiding place in your home where you go to get away from it all?

If I had a lock on any of the doors in my house, it would be a room with a lock. But since I don’t, I’ll have to say the alcove in my bedroom.

What is the hiding place you have been found in too often and can no longer use?

The shower stall!

If Oprah exists, what would you like her to say when you arrive at the Oprah Winfrey show when she features the Mommybloggers?

“You were right about Dr. Phil all along. Would you like to host your own show instead?”

Join us tomorrow as Anjali treats us to a wonderful essay.

Posted by Jenny Lauck at 1:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Mommybloggers.com is pleased to introduce you to Anjali Enjeti-Sydow. This talented writer has an ever-growing portfolio of published work, but we first discovered her through her blog - Life in the hundred acre wood. Anjali captured our hearts with her honest portrayal of life at home with two small daughters. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant, but always intelligent and spot-on, Anjali has a lot to say.

Whether she's taking on The Mommy Wars or mounting a duel-child assult on the local photo studio, Anjali uses her wit and candor to tell us all about it, and we love every word. We asked a few of Anjali's many readers to share their thoughts on Anjali:

Landismom, of the fantastic blog Bumblebee Sweet Potato finds common ground in the Hundred Acre Wood.

I love Anjali's blog. In addition to the fact that she's funny and literate, we've got similar politics. Whether she's discoursing on the bird plague in her backyard, or her husband's 13-hour work days, she's always worth reading.

FFF explains how Anjali really speaks to her:

I was doing some google searching on the recent Linda Hirshman article to see what bloggers were saying about it. I found Anjali's blog and read her post about the article and found it really honest, refreshingly candid, and it made some great points. Her post articulated some of the thoughts swirling around in my head that I couldn't really sort out and it made me think. We had the South Asian fiction interest and the law thing in common so I started to read some of her archives and I feel in love with her little family. She has a really special way of taking an ordinary thing like a trip to the grocery store and making it amusing and relevant. And even better than the little mommy anecdotes is when Anjali shares her thoughts about the world and society in general. She is an excellent writer and her warmth comes through in every post. I could feel the wistfullness as she described where she used to eat lunch when she worked in the city, and felt instantly better when she described her search for mommy mentors. Anjali is an perfect example of a thoughtful, well written blog that may discuss motherhood but is light years beyond a mommy blog that just chronicles a pooping schedule.

Staci Schoff sums it up beautifully

Anjali is one of my favorite bloggers because her writing is smart, funny and honest. Often when I read a post of her's I feel like she wrote exactly what I think, only she did it much better than I could ever hope to do it.

Join us this afternoon as we present our conversation with Anjali - come see what this engaging writer has to say for herself!

Posted by Jenny Lauck at 9:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)