Life as We Know It.

Being a parent is no longer a novelty. I no longer feel like a kid playing house when I casually bring up my six-month-old at home. This is my life as I know it, and the shock has worn off. Drool on all my clothes, my hair, bite marks on my finger from one tiny tooth, stories of being pooped and peed on and waking up at four a.m.--part of me always owned these new things sort of ironically, like, deep down they even seemed like stories, not reality.

I love my new life. I'm saying this with sincerity, not the contemptuous, passive-aggressive proclamations of some new moms out there--myself formerly included, at times--who follow this thinking with a whole host of complaints. I found a great balance. For me, going back to work was a big part of it. I'm enjoying my new job so much and even more I'm unapologetically enjoying the time away from parenting for three days a week (the other two I work from home). It is this separation of self that has made me feel like Sarah again. For others, quitting a demanding job and staying at home is the key to that parenting zen.

For me it was finding the ability to redefine what my life's going to look like.

Today I got my haircut with a new person (I had a coupon; I couldn't resist), and I gave her the rundown on my life over the past few years after she asked. Graduated college. Worked for major broadcast station. Got pregnant. Got engaged. Had baby. Got married. Had several serious health scares. Continued battling severe chronic illness (those last two I left out). Found new, perfect-for-now job. Moved twice. Got hair cut.

"You look too young to have done all that!" she said.

Whatever. It's better than being told I look 13.

I probably am too young to have done all that already, but things are slowing down. I got most of my major, life-changing moves out of the way before 25. So now I'm going to take a breath.