Support: Oh where, oh where

Note that I'm a day late in updating this blog. Why? Well, I met up with my folks at Knotts Berry Farm all day Saturday. The husband has needed the entire past week as well as Sunday to finish his screenplay that's due today, and then yesterday, I did a booksigning at my local Curves. Notice that there was no mention of a mani/pedi, shopping, quietly reading a book, writing or paying my make-believe nanny and housekeeper over time. My Little Dude is trying to walk and I'm not sure that encouraging him is such a great idea.

Unfortunately, mamas-in-action tend to disappear like I did for days at a time. But when you actually catch your friend on the phone, you have about 85-percent of her attention. And just when you're getting to the good part about your pinche boss, mama abruptly hangs up because: (a) the baby wakes up, (b) the toddler removes diaper and contents on the kitchen floor or (c) the toddler finds the other phone and discovers the "end" button.

How do you cope with the frustration that you can't just call her up and vent for an hour about your insensitive husband and his mother? My advice is to keep it to yourself. Stifle those comments about the screaming child (a mom from Curves told us that her friend told her to stick a pillow over her screaming three-year-old's face). When your mama-in-action hangs up, send off an email that you hope she's still alive and next Friday is Girl's Night or lunch.

Trust me, your mama-in-action is just as frustrated as you are. Ever hear that line, "A nap! A nap! My kingdom for a nap!" Okay so it was for a horse, but you get the idea. When I have the Little Dude and there's no nap or grandma in sight, I'm dying for conversation with real words. I miss my friends. I want to know what they're up to because there are days when it feels like there's a whole world that is passing me by.

But the Three Wise Grandmas - my mom, mother-in-law and Sandy, Dana's mom - assure me that this time will pass. I might even look back and laugh (I certainly will when the Little Dude is chasing after his little dude!) They tell me that one day I'll miss this time and the friends who stuck with me through it all will be the ones worth keeping.