And the Oscar goes to........
The 2017 Oscars are tonight. The red carpet is out, the paparazzi is in full force, and the celebs are dressed to the nines to find out who The Academy has chosen to receive the prestigious award. We thought we'd have a little fun today with some wordplay on some of the nominees for Best Picture.
1. Arrival
The baby has arrived! Just like Amy Adams trying to figure out the language of the aliens you are probably spending a lot of time learning the language of your newborn. What does that cry mean? Does that face mean she has gas? Is she exhibiting hunger cues? Like Ms. Adams you too will eventually unlock what your baby is trying to tell you. Trust your instincts and rely on patience and listening to what your baby is trying to tell you. You've got this!
2. La La Land
This is probably how you feel after you've been up with baby for several nights in a row. Too bad there isn't all that spectacular singing and dancing to go along with your real life documentary. You've heard it before but we will tell you again...sleep while the baby sleeps, even if that's smack in the middle of the day. If you feel better having another adult around, call us and we will send you one of our amazing postpartum doulas. After some sleep you'll be feeling like doing a little musical number yourself!
3. Hidden Figures
NASA couldn't have done what it did without the intellectual heavyweights of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson. They didn't get the credit they deserved for their success. Motherhood is a little bit like that. You give and give. You take care of and love your baby without questions. You show up when it counts. It can be hard when you aren't getting any social feedback from a newborn. Just know that your care and love does matter. Eventually your babies will smile and coo and they just may even grow up to say, "Thanks Mom."
4. Fences
The talented Denzel Washington struggles in this movie (a film adaptation of the August Wilson play) with the question, "What about my life?". Sometimes new mothers find themselves asking the same question and more. When am I going to work on my career? When am I going to see my friends again? Am I just a mother now? Don't lose your identity in becoming a mother. Set up times for self-care. Be clear about what you need from others.
Sometimes art imitates life and sometimes life imitates art. Either way we hope someone gives YOU an Oscar for Best Mother to Your Baby. You deserve it.