Just a Mom

Tonight, I was sitting on my favorite end of the couch indulging in coffee ice cream and sort of watching "American Idol," but mostly reading Facebook Status Updates.

Then I heard something that made me pause mid-slurp. A woman was talking about being cut from the show and then called back when she said, "Yesterday, I was just a mom and today I'm in the top 36 on 'American Idol.'"

Wait a second.

JUST a mom?

I understand being on a television show watched by 25 million people is special. I don't want to discount her experience.

But, JUST a mom?

Mommyhood is the most difficult thing I have ever done in my 31 years of life. It is scarier than being on stage in front of Simon. It is harder than hitting the highest note in "Unchained Melody" and more challenging than matching Barry White's low tones in "You're the First, the Last, My Everything." And, let me think. When was the last time I had my makeup done and my clothes picked out for me? Let's see. Um. Never. Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Never.

Being a mom means maintaining cheeriness on two hours of sleep. It means not falling apart as you stretch your baby from end to end Gumby-style in a plastic X-ray tube. It means spending long nights curled around your feverish infant on a tiny fold-out hospital chair.

Moms have to postpone hunger, sleep and general hygeine for the sake of their children. They must endure Barney, Elmo and The Wiggles. They become numb to various bodily fluids. And, they get used to doing things they NEVER thought they would do.

Which leads me back to "American Idol." Us moms have to sing, too, you know, even if we know we aren't good. Before T Junior, I flexed my lungs only in the safety of my car or shower, but now I sing all day long to soothe, humor or distract. I've even broken out into "C is for Cookie" in public. Sorry.

Maybe I'm JUST a mom and only have an audience of one, but he's the only one than matters. Those other 24,999,000 people can kiss my minivan.