Girl's Day In

The first few weeks after your baby is born seem to pass in a blur. You wear the same outfit more than one day in a row, forget to shower, have spit-up in or near your hair, and have forgotten what sleeping through the night feels like. The nice thing is, this part goes away and is replaced with a routine-craziness that at least allows you to stop smelling like funky milk.

Unfortunately, for most of us ladies, we never quite ever go back to that pre-baby upkeep. Yes, there are some mothers out there who somehow manage to do it all and still look like they've never even seen a child, but the majority of us seem to get lost on our way back. Maybe you used to paint your nails every other day or spend time trying out new make-up methods. It could be that you once scoured the clearance racks at department stores trying to come up with that celebrity's outfit you saw in a magazine. Maybe you just liked to go to the spa now and again. The problem of course is time and money. After a baby, you are (willingly) robbed of both by your tiny screaming bundle, and the things you used to do for yourself go out the door.

There isn't much to be done about this problem in the way of a permanent correction. Your baby will always need your time and attention, regardless of their age. Even I wailed for my mommy a few weeks ago when I was home at Christmas because my new baby had squirted poop all over me. My mom ran up the stairs (yes, ran!) thinking that I was one of my smaller brothers or sisters, but she saved me all the same once she saw who was crying for her. She literally cleaned me up, mopping the spots off my pants with a towel while my dad sat nearby laughing. While she was being such a great mom and saving me from the poop, I happened to notice how nice her nails looked. It was an odd thing to notice while I was having yellow poo cleaned off my jeans, but that's what I thought about.

My mom has nine kids, seven of which live at home still, and the youngest is only two. My mom has a business she runs with my dad, and they put in constant hours to keep it going. And yet my mom had her nails done. I already knew her secret, but I had forgotten it until just then: she understands the importance of taking an hour or two with the "girls" to feel good about herself again.

Now in my mom's case, the "girls" are my sisters, and range in age from 8 to 23, so unless you have a 23 year old daughter living at home that likes to do your nails, this little project is best done with a close friend, a sister, or maybe even your own mom!

To have a great girl's day in you'll need: a friend (or two or three), nail polish and all the accessories to do nails, a couple containers big enough to put your feet into, epsom salt, scented lotion, scented candles, your make-up bags (it's recommended to each use your own make-up to avoid skin flare-ups), tweezers, a bottle of facial mask and some drinks. If you want, the pre-made martini mix is great for this, but a little tub of cappucinno mix from the coffee aisle works just as great.

Soak your feet in the epsom salt and put lotion on afterward to leave your feet silky smooth. Take turns giving each other mani's & pedi's. Do each other's make-up like you did when you were in school. Light those candles up and let the face mask do its work while you girls chat and have a coffee together. This all only takes a couple of hours. Yes, it is hard to find a couple of hours sometimes, but it is also necessary. Taking time for you can give you new energy and put an optimistic spin on the problems that come up in your day. Plus, you can't beat the fact that this type of "luxury" experience costs around $200-$300 per person at a spa, but duplicating it at home with your gal-pals is only around $20-$30.

So call up a friend, clear a couple of hours out of your calendar and prepare to feel normal again. You'll be in a better mood for your kids and your husband afterwards and best of all, you'll get a moment to be yourself.