I will be the first person to admit that I took myself rather seriously as a first-time mom. Things were intense (because of course they were), and I didn't laugh nearly as much as I should have. It is firmly my belief that moms who laugh at themselves are infinitely better adjusted to motherhood than those who don't. Ironically, it was when I developed perinatal depression and anxiety during my second pregnancy that my sense of humor seemed to kick in. At that point, the hilarity of what having two children actually meant hit me. Nothing would be sacred anymore. Not bathroom time, not sex with your partner, not sleep, not personal space... It can drive you to madness, thinking about how things change when you become a parent (or, in my case, become a parent again). Or it can make you laugh, at the absurdity and awesomeness of it all.
This second time around, I've chosen to laugh. And sometimes it really is a choice. I mean, driving for 3 hours in an SUV that's too small for all five of us, with two kids crying inconsolably and the third stuck between them with a headache? It sucked, sure, but when I looked at everyone and said, "Boy, we sure are living the dream!" it lightened the mood, even if the crying didn't actually stop.
Here are 12 other things every mom should be able to laugh at: