I haven’t been bored since 1997. Granted, at times I’ve felt stuck in a rut, frustrated by the sheer monotony of the daily grind. But boredom? True cricket-chirping boredom, where one is faced with a block of time and nothing to fill it, vaporized the moment I became a mother. Moments of silence and empty [...]

Time runs out this weekend. Unless you’ve spent the past five months working out and nibbling lettuce, you probably don’t feel ready to face yourself clothed only in an ounce or two of Lycra this Memorial Day. Heaven knows I wasn’t ready for it when I went to Florida last weekend.

I was clueless about how little privacy I would have after becoming a parent. Pregnancy itself prepares a woman for the lack of privacy ahead. As soon as she begins to show, complete strangers come up and pat her belly. Little kids blurt out how fat she looks. Moms of all ages dispense unsolicited advice-something [...]

I want you to meet some of the women I know. There’s Lily, a vibrant young optimist. Halfway through her first pregnancy, a medical crisis forces her to undergo an emergency delivery. Baby Sam’s toes are the size of BBs; tubes and wires envelop his transparent red skin and cover most of his peach-sized face. [...]

Someone asked what I’d like to receive for Mother’s Day next weekend. My answer has been the same since my baby grew old enough to argue with his older brother: all I want is 24 hours of peace.