I owe stay-at-home moms a big apology. I used to think they had it good: strolling down the street sipping lattes, reading magazines while their babies slept, working out (I'm not sure how I thought that happened with babies), chillaxing in the park... . Back in my working outside the home days it all seemed pretty cush to me. I remember hearing about SAHM's who had cleaning people and I was incredulous. What did they do all day? Now I know. Most days are a mix of preparing Tate's meals, feeding Tate, doing laundry (I seriously do laundry every day now), changing a bazillion diapers, trying to keep the place picked up enough so DCFS doesn't come and take Tate away because we're living in squalor, and most importantly, trying to keep a very active 2-foot-tall person with absolutely no fear from killing himself. The last is a new development since Tate has gotten more mobile, and it's simultaneously exciting to see him exploring his world and exhausting keeping up with him.
So once he's down for his morning nap (assuming I can talk him into taking one these days) I take a quick break from from it all and sit down with some coffee or breakfast and watch 10 minutes of the fourth hour of The Today Show with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. Before Tate the only reason I knew there was a fourth hour of The Today Show was because Joel McHale always makes fun of it on The Soup. Now I find myself tuning in daily. All of the girls in the dorm LOVED Kathie Lee when I was in school, but back then I just thought she was overly perky and irritating (this was before she got axed from her show with Regis for the younger, perkier Kelly Ripa). But aging Kathie Lee has an "oh eff it" attitude of resignation that is actually kind of amusing. And I like Hoda Kotb because every time I see her name on screen I spend a few seconds wondering why her last name doesn't have another vowel. Anyway, every day I tune in just to feel like I have some brief connection with the outside world and you know what those ladies are doing? Day drinking! Every single day. I'm sure some producer came up with the idea to make the show seem to viewers like a cozy hour-long chat with your girlfriends Hoda and Kathie Lee, and it's working. Although if I ever do crack open the tequila at 9 am on a weekday I hope someone does call DCFS. It's a slippery slope.
