Mommy Materialism

I thought I was over being exposed to the ridiculous wedding gift-grabbing culture after I tied the knot over a year ago. Surprise surprise though when I realized being pregnant was just another right of passage in  the American pursuit of living the dream- pursuit of wealth and happiness.

One has only to briefly look at Pinterest to know women are constantly trying to one-up other women by the social standing as spoken of by their lavish weddings and baby showers. Ultrasound parties. Week-long wedding tributes when no one really gives a crap about you after hearing of your upcoming nuptials for years previously. Prolonged engagements are leading to people getting married later and later in life. Obviously this lifestyle doesn't cater to a woman's biological clock as more and more late-blooming brides are finding out having a baby after age 30 is not all roses and daisies. Now IVF parties are an item. Older brides throwing shameful parties in light of other people dishing out the thousands of dollars it will take for them to get artificially inseminated. Horrors, right? I've seen and heard of so many moms and brides to be doing the outlandish to get funds for their honeymoon to Mexico, IVF, and the like. With all this planning though, very few people realize they are in for a huge letdown after the excitement ends. After the wedding is over and the marriage crumbles because too much time was spent planning the big day and not enough on the relationship. After the baby is born and you realize- no one gives a flying crap what little so-and-so ate today. The stress of all-night feedings and baby blues is enough to take the shine out of any mom's eye. Even the ones who spent months and even years planning the excitement that is supposed to surround a birth.

I feel our culture is hugely materialistic. This generation of parents has an extreme sense of entitlement that our parent's generation did not have- was not able to afford. This generation has many couples and parents striving for the biggest and the best. The one-upping and looking down on others with less than they have.

Now moms ask for 'push presents' presents (often expensive ones like diamonds and the like) simply for giving birth. A kind gesture- but one to be demanded of an already frazzled husband with incoming hospital bills? I don't get it.

Maybe I'm unique. Maybe I just don't give a crap about pomp and circumstance. I went along with what people wanted- what they expected us to do- with our engagement and wedding. The result? A highly disappointing big day and an absolute nightmare of a bridal shower. Now that I'm expecting I'm not going to repeat my mistakes. I'd rather do what I want to do- take the time I need to adjust to the experience of having a newborn in the house. Not to do a sip-and-see- which I feel is horrifying- where people come over to sip wine and pass around a newborn as if it were a cheap package of meat. To have a shower with people I hardly know providing much awkwardness for me and little actual presents that are practical.

To enjoy the simple thing. Like my blog title here, simply ME, things. Stuff is nice- sure. But I've learned it's not nearly as nice as taking the time to really enjoy big changes in life- to really experience them without added fuss and stress. I wish more people would truly celebrate new life this way. It'd make for a whole less headache and a whole more genuine joy from those who really matter. But then again- that's just my 2 cents. :)