First time mom with a 5 month old and I feel completely eclipsed by my baby and I only have one! Thank you for taking the time to write exactly what I am feeling, especially because I don't have time to write anymore. I love spending time with my baby but I am exhausted by nights and the fact that she doesn't sleep alone in her crib yet and am exhausted by work and pumping three times a day at work while also trying to keep up with everyone else and having to meet quota on such little sleep. Your writing captures so well. One day I will process all of this but right now I am just in the middle of it. Never thought to compare myself to the image I saw yesterday during the eclipse but man that's exactly how it feels now.
This is exactly how I felt. Wrangling my 3 yo who could care less, screaming and refusing to stop staring at the sun we had to go inside and I missed the whole thing while it was 98% totality. I vividly remember 2017, i was at work and we all just hung out outside with my coworkers looking at the sun through pinholes cut in white office paper. It was chill, calm and felt like a shared experience. At a stark contrast to yesterday where I felt alone, isolated and frustrated while everyone else seemed to get to enjoy the magical-ness. I miss the way I had such peaceful silence of enjoying something, i don't have access to the person that gets that anymore. My kids don't give a shit about what I care about, which is normal, and expected. But it hit me suddenly how much you give up as a parent, how much you set yourself aside. This piece feels like a smarter more organized version of me wrote this. Thank you for that.
This is so beautiful, Amy! My husband and I had a similar experience with the 2017 eclipse - we took an impromptu road trip to the mountains for a better view, and it was such a joyful and lighthearted day. As I start thinking about trying for a second baby, your writing here and in your zines has been a real guidepost.
First time mom with a 5 month old and I feel completely eclipsed by my baby and I only have one! Thank you for taking the time to write exactly what I am feeling, especially because I don't have time to write anymore. I love spending time with my baby but I am exhausted by nights and the fact that she doesn't sleep alone in her crib yet and am exhausted by work and pumping three times a day at work while also trying to keep up with everyone else and having to meet quota on such little sleep. Your writing captures so well. One day I will process all of this but right now I am just in the middle of it. Never thought to compare myself to the image I saw yesterday during the eclipse but man that's exactly how it feels now.
This is exactly how I felt. Wrangling my 3 yo who could care less, screaming and refusing to stop staring at the sun we had to go inside and I missed the whole thing while it was 98% totality. I vividly remember 2017, i was at work and we all just hung out outside with my coworkers looking at the sun through pinholes cut in white office paper. It was chill, calm and felt like a shared experience. At a stark contrast to yesterday where I felt alone, isolated and frustrated while everyone else seemed to get to enjoy the magical-ness. I miss the way I had such peaceful silence of enjoying something, i don't have access to the person that gets that anymore. My kids don't give a shit about what I care about, which is normal, and expected. But it hit me suddenly how much you give up as a parent, how much you set yourself aside. This piece feels like a smarter more organized version of me wrote this. Thank you for that.
This is so beautiful, Amy! My husband and I had a similar experience with the 2017 eclipse - we took an impromptu road trip to the mountains for a better view, and it was such a joyful and lighthearted day. As I start thinking about trying for a second baby, your writing here and in your zines has been a real guidepost.
This is so moving. What a perfect metaphor. So well written.
Amy this is so poignant and moving. What an apt metaphor ❤️❤️❤️