When Did I Get Like This? (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
I think those of us who love this book, do so because we relate to it! I relate to struggling with infertility, to researching preschools, to having a child who is "Star of the Week" in kindergarten, to having a husband who loves me but is really not a lot of help without having very specific instructions, etc.Some of my favorite quotes from the book . . . I fail each of my three children daily in myriad ways, and every time I turn on the news or open a magazine, there is a NEW way to fall short, a new recall from their toy box, a new environmental poison from which it may be already too late to safeguard them.Before I became a mother, if I was not good at something, it did not shake my fundamental belief in my capabilities as a human being. My friends who formula-fed their babies told me they felt judged every time they whipped out the Enfamil. Perhaps they were, but I felt judged whenever I dared to nurse my baby where someone might see us.Fathers receive adulation all the time. If David has more than one of our children under his care for more than three minutes, people line up to tell him what an incredible father he is, even if I'm only in the restroom. But mothers hardly ever get this kind of attention for doing what is considered to be merely our job. After all, if we are good mothers, it's not even supposed to be hard for us. Instead of saying, "Can you give Maggie a bath?" I needed to say, "Can you give Maggie a bath, then drain the tub, and take the towel that fell in, and find somewhere besides the bathroom floor for it to drip dry; and then take her to her room, and put a diaper on her, and choose a pair of pajamas, and then close the pajama drawer, and then put them on her, right-side out; and then comb her hair before it dries that way; and take her old diaper, and tape it shut, and throw it in the garbage can, rather than leave it splayed open on her changing table?" This was mildly entertaining but not hilarious (with the exception of "The Big P.") Except for the insanity that is the upper class NYC lifestyle, this could have been written by me. That made it kind of fun but also a little boring. There were no surprises as her thoughts were mostly my thoughts as well. Although my children are spaced the same as hers, mine are now three years older then hers were in most of the book, so I've already come to many of the realizations and conclusions she does in the book.
What do You think about When Did I Get Like This? (2010)?
I thought this would be hilariously relatable but it was just boring. That is all.
—arday
Very funny book that any mom can relate to- and a quick read as well!
—maggie
