A Night Out with Rosie Pope

Last night a few of my girlfriends and I got a girls night out spent with Rosie Pope! About a month ago I was having a parent/teacher conference and one of my student's moms told me about this event. She is in charge of public relations at Brookwood Hospital. Brookwood has been building a huge addition for a new Women's Center. It looks amazing and it opens today! For this event, they scheduled for Rosie Pope to come for a meet and greet last night and the ribbon cutting today. I had never even heard of Rosie Pope or her show on Bravo, Pregnancy in Heels. I emailed some of my friends because we were overdue for a girls night and we usually meet on Thursdays! Several of them had watched her show and loved it so we got tickets (it was free)!!!
After hearing her story last night and advice on all things mommyhood-before, during, and after pregnancy, I will totally tune in to season 2 of her show when it airs next year! She was so funny, down to earth, and completely adorable. I loved listening to her stories because it reminded me that I am totally normal when I feel crazed and emotional and busy and stressed out while trying to juggle a career and a family. She has 2 boys who are 3 and 9 months (they have the same age difference as Will and Alex) and she is also expecting her third due in May...all while designing a maternity clothes line and having a reality TV show.
It felt like the Oprah show....She was on stage with a few other women and they walked around with mics so that people in the audience could ask questions if they wanted to. She gave several pieces of advice that I thought were great and important to remember....
*When someone who was expecting their 2nd child asked about transitioning into a family with 2 kids....and they weren't sure how they would ever love the 2nd baby as much as their first.....etc....something all of us who have welcomed a 2nd baby into our lives think about at some point or another, she answered with this. You will love both of your children equally and far more than you ever thought you could, but you will like your children at different times for different reasons. For example, she said when she brought her 2nd child home, her 1st born was in a difficult stage, throwing fits, etc (We experienced this exact same thing when we brought Alex home). So she said it was far more easier to like this sweet, snuggly baby over her tantrum throwing toddler. But now, that little baby is on the move and crawling towards anything and everything that he shouldn't be into and her 3 year old wants to sit and color pictures. He is easier to like during this stage. I feel like that is so true! You of course love your children unconditionally and to pieces, but it is okay to like one more than the other at different times.
*Someone else asked about the change in relationship between a couple once baby arrives and how to fall into the new roles as parents easily. She made such a great point-she said once they brought the baby home, she expected her husband to be just as smitten with him as she was. And he was, just not like she was. She said when baby was sleeping she would constantly say "look at the baby. Isn't he cute. Look at the baby." And her husband would say, "yeah, I saw the baby, he looks just like he did when I looked at him 5 minutes ago." I totally remember having this exact same conversation with John after Will was born. I was so enamored by him and wanted to watch him every single second. However, she said now that her son is 3, he is super silly and asks her to do spider man, etc and she just can't do it like her husband can. She makes silly faces that have nothing to do with spider man. Her husband will run through the apartment and can make all sorts of faces, and voices, and movements that are just like spider man or whatever her son is wanting him to be. He has totally blossomed into his role as a parent and a great dad, it just didn't happen right away when baby was an infant. She reminded us that it is totally okay and that is why the best marriages are those where you compliment your spouse, and they in turn compliment you....and that spills over into parenting. You are going to parent different, but each of you will be needed at some point or another and will shine.
If you have never watched Pregnancy in Heels, a new season starts sometime next year. She also has a blog that I stayed up way past my bedtime reading last night. Check her out! And for all of you about to deliver at Brookwood-I am super jealous. We totally missed out with our June baby. It looks amazing!!!!