mommy underground (mu), the bimonthly newsletter with the balls (err, should we say tits?) to give you motherhood in the real. No fluff. No superficial expectations. Just raw truths to demystify what motherhood entails. Expect humor, snark, and a little groveling.

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  mu :: issue 2 :: volume 2 :: Subsequent Children, Am I... or Are You...Ready? Within an hour of my son's birth my mother strutted into the hospital room--as a very new, first time grandmother--and asked, "So when's number two?"

I nearly choked on my much needed orange juice. Twenty-two hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing had me a wee bit dehydrated, if not exhausted. And a bit overwhelmed--I'd had under ten minutes of mommy practice and she was asking for a timetable on the next one?

Now fast forward three and half years later. There still isn't a number two. Not that we've prevented it from happening. Or really *tried* for one. But it has been decided, we're ready. At least as ready as two adults of one child can be--I mean who *really* IS ready?

Here's my short list of signs. But remember, this is just me--use your best judgement:

• Babies look like adorable. Even when they are crying. Whimpering. Wiggling in car seats atop shopping carts in the grocery store.
• You find yourself wanting to help said mom by offering to hold the kiddo and like nestle and cuddle, and just be a mom to a baby again
• Agreeing whole-heartedly with blog friends who are contemplating child two and are giving you every reason to and not to want them... but you still do
• Don't care that you may never ever sleep again (ever) with the arrival of another urchin. Even if the other one hasn't quite gotten the whole sleep in big boy bed ALL night long
• The thought of breast-feeding a high-demand nurser doesn't revolt you

If you said yes to 3 of the 5, you're likely ready. At least my [mu] standards (which ain't much).

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What's in Line?
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Ponderings for the next issue:
--Are we a little testy? Handling the crab and parenting (online)
--Appropriate Television, and when to give in to Batman (subscription only)
--Blogging Mommies (running series)-- 2 More (subscription only)
--Greener Grasses in the Workplace (or not) Series -- Finding Daycare Misery (PART 1) (subscription only)
--Books Even A Mom Would Love-- (subscription only)

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