Cuz you gotta have friends...but preferably in one location

I will be gobsmacked if anyone is still hanging around here. I mean, if you are, God bless you because you are LOYAL AS HELL. It's been a long time since either Lady or I have posted. Like, longer than Cersei's hair on Game of Thrones.

(Do you guys watch that show? Holy crap, it's so good. That's a topic for another post.)

So basically, I've been going through a bit of a mid-30's crisis. I have too much stuff to discuss and too many subjects about which I want to share, and too many avenues to discuss them. There's just no consistency.

Let me back up because that probably made zero sense.

Life ebbs and flows, as do the "stuffs" that make it up. Maybe you aren't aware, but I have a total of three blogs that I've contributed to consistently (and mind you I use that word as loosely as Cersei's vagina) over the years. This blog about stepmomming you all know, because you're reading it right now. Yay for you! I started it with my good friend Lady, and we have moments of brilliance and moments when things happen that are so effed up that we can't even muster the energy to write about them. The latter has been the standard as of late.

Number two on the list is a personal blog that I created nine years ago in which I shared personal stories and anecdotes from my newly married life, my childhood, and everything in between. It was legit as good as therapy. Unfortunately I had zero readers and since Twitter was still a fetus, I thought it would be wise to share the blog with every single person in my life, who were mostly relatives. Needless to say it was a decision that I regretted instantaneously. Apparently people do not like it when you tell stories about them - even if they are hilarious. 

(For the record, if anyone wants to tell stories about me that are hilarious, bring that shit on. No one laughs at me harder than me.)

So after I had had enough "oh my God, why did you made me look so stupid in your blog?!" phone conversations and emails to last me forever (which was like, two) I let that lifestyle blog shrivel up and all but die. (But I'd be lying if I said I don't miss it like crazy.)

Finally, numero tre on my blog list is my most recent creation, and also the closest to my heart: my infertility blog. It started out completely anonymous - because I wised the hell up and got a Twitter handle - but after some time passed I made the decision to let it out of the closet; a decision that I was terrified to make, but have never regretted.

So... what does this have to do with anything? 

Well look, I have stories. Stories about infertility, stories about being a stepmom, and stories about my life as a girl who got huge boobs in 8th grade and once made diarrhea in her pants at a National Monument in Wyoming. They're all worth telling (in my opinion), and my readers seem to agree they're stories worth reading. And the other morning, while noticing how awful my dental floss smells after I use it, I had a random thought, "Why do all of these stories have to be compartmentalized into three separate blogs?" 

I mean, I wake up some days with a probing and deep thought on how to be a better stepmom. The next day in the middle of ordering a Chai Tea Latte with skim milk please or I will cut you, I will recall the most amazing story from when I was 15 and decided to start a wear-your-watch-on-your-ankle-trend. Later that week, I remember a moment in my infertility journey that made me smile and I want to share it with all my people. And that's the problem. All my people are in three separate places.

Why do I need a special blog to talk about being a stepmoms and another one to talk about fertility and one to talk about my life? Are not stepmoms also dealing with infertility? (Clearly yes because I'm one of them and no way am I alone.) Have not infertile people also experienced awkward teenage moments? Don't stepmoms remember how awful their first kiss was and want to relive it through my ridiculous experience?

The answer is yes. To all of those things.

The long and short of it is, these are all my life experiences. And many of them are probably happening to you, too. I once heard a pod-caster who was giving business advice say, "find a super small niche and stick with it." I fully get what she was saying, but it isn't in me. I can't just talk about why my ovaries don't want to produce a kid on their own. I can't only discuss my stupid ex-boyfriend that once knocked his teeth out on a broomstick (yes, it happened). I can't solely whine about the trials of being a stepmom. Life doesn't happen in carefully curated segments. 

I am like Dr. Seuss. I am here and there and everywhere and eating green eggs and ham with feet in my shoes, steering myself in any direction I choose. I am all of these crazy things, at all times of the day, and knowing me and reading about me means knowing and reading about all of me.

Do you dig?

Are you still there?

My point is this - I gotta pull it together. I'm going to do something that sounds like a financial adviser's worse nightmare. I am going to un-diversify. Or de-diversify. I am going to combine, coalesce, conjoin, mingle and blend. All three blogs down into one. Just one.

It's a commitment. 

From here on out, please find me at www.saltinthewomb.blogspot.com. Yes, it's "listed" as an infertility blog. But from here on out, you will find that it contains stories from all walks of my life. My fertility journey. My childhood. My husband. My family. My job. My stepkids. All of it.

Please come on over and follow along with me. I promise to still discuss life as a stepmom (there's a lot to cover, yo). Especially now that my stepkids are teenagers. God help us all.

The other benefit of this culmination is that it eliminates me having to check 39408234 email addresses/Twitter handles/Instagrams/Facebooks in case someone is trying to get in touch with me. You can email me at saltinthewomb@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook here. Here I am on Twitter. I'm not on the Gram yet with my blog. This seems like an adequate amount of coverage for now.

But seriously I love email and I love connecting with readers and other bloggers, so please, shoot me a note. Let me know if there's anything you wish I would discuss more often so you can feel sane. 

We're all in this together!

Love to you all,


(I'll go by my real name on the new blog, too!)

gray matters

Is anyone still reading this blog?? :-)

So sorry for the absence, step bloggies. Life sometimes just gets in the way, right? Well no worries - I'm back, and soon enough, Lady will be as well.

During my absence, so many things have happened that I feel you stepmoms can identify with. One of them is really bugging me.

Asking permission.

As a stepmom, I feel like I'm constantly having to ask for permission to do something I know is right. But, because I'm not "the mom", I have to get approval from either Mama Ex or my husband. 

Don't get me wrong, some things are seriously not okay for me to decide:

• Tampons for my oldest stepdaughtesr? Not my call. 
• HPV shot for my stepdaughters? Not my call.
• Allowing my stepdaughter to go on a date for the first time? Not my call.

These are just no-brainers. But in-between the obvious legal decisions, health decisions and black and white issues, there is some gray area - and that's where stepmoms live.

Right smack dab in the middle of the gray.

Here's an example:

Earlier this week, my stepdaughters both had an orthodontist appointment. They're each at the age where braces are probably going to be needed so they don't end up looking like Jewel. Hubs was working and unable to make the appointment. Mama Ex was supposed to go, but at the last minute opted out because she couldn't get off of work, either.

So it was on me.

I picked up the girls from school at 11:00 and went to the appointment. I listened, took notes, asked questions...all on behalf of both biological parents. I even made sure to mention that I was just a stepmom, and would have to get back to the orthodontist about whether we would continue with treatment. I was happy to do it all of this. It made me feel like I actually matter in this family. Both Hubs and Mama Ex couldn't be there, so good ol' stepmom stepped up to the plate and did what needed to be done. YAY ME!

The good feeling didn't last.

The appointment ended around 1:15, and the girls still needed lunch. We grabbed a bite quickly, but by the time it was all said and done, the clock read 1:48. School ends at 2:15. It made zero sense to return the girls to school for less than 30 minutes, especially since the classes they were missing were art and choir. I called Hubs and told him I was just going to take the girls back to our house and they could spend the rest of the afternoon finishing homework from their classes earlier in the day. He approved and that was that.

A few minutes after returning home, my youngest stepdaughter's phone rang. It was Mama Ex checking to see how the appointment went. This is the convo I heard:

T: Hi, Mommy!

Mama Ex: (inaudible)

T: Yes, it went great! I do need braces and maybe even an expander thing to make my jaw wider! It was fun to see the pictures of my teeth on this big TV!

Mama Ex: (inaudible)

T: Yeah, we got some lunch that Ruby took us to get. So now I'm just on my bed at Daddy's house doing homework.

Mama Ex: (inaudible)

T: Because Ruby just took us home after lunch and the appointment. Why are you yelling?

Mama Ex: (inaudible)

T: (starts crying) I'm sorry! I didn't think it would matter! Please don't be mad!!

***
 
This went on for several minutes, and though I couldn't hear the other side of the convo, I could easily glean that Mama Ex was less than thrilled that I didn't take the girls back to school after the appointment. 

I'll be honest with you - I never thought it would be that big of a deal. Did I make a minor decision without asking Mama Ex? Yes. But I did ask Hubs and he was fine with it, and as their father, he has that right.

Of course Hubs got an immediate call from Mama Ex, explosively angry that I had the audacity to make a parental decision to not return her children to school.

BACK UP THE TRUCK.

Let me get this straight - I took 2.5 hours out of my day to take these kids to an orthodontist appointment on behalf of the biological parents, and that was fine. I listened to a doctor explain what procedures these children needed on behalf of the biological parents, and that was fine. I asked questions about the procedures and cost of this orthodontia work on behalf of the biological parents, and that was fine. I use my own insurance to get $1,000 per child covered if we move forward with the treatment...and that is fine. But making a common sense decision to let the kids miss 25 minutes of school is unacceptable and completely outside my boundaries?

Did I miss something?

The bottom line is, Mama Ex didn't like that I made a decision without her. As long as she knows exactly what I'm doing with her children and when I'm doing it, all is well. But the minute I step outside what she is expecting, all hell breaks loose.

And that isn't fair.

You can't trust someone to be there for important medical procedures/consultations, and not trust them to make a truly insignificant choice about 25 minutes of school. You either trust me, or you don't.

Pick a lane.

Is that too much to ask?


Has this ever happened to you? Do you feel like one minute you're worthy of parental decisions, and the next you're no different than a babysitter? Tell me how you feel in the comments!

Liebster Award!

Two blogs in one day! Aren't you lucky, bloggies?

So, several moons ago, the multi-talented Heather over at The Life of a Traveling Navy Wife was kind enough to bestow upon me a Liebster Award....and I've done absolutely nothing with it. Shame on me. 

But I shall now redeem myself by participating in the award.

I had no clue what this award was, and wondered if I was going to receive a large cash prize and perhaps a medal carved from an ancient Greek stone. Not so much, but thankfully there was an explanation provide. "Liebster," in German, means sweet, kind, nice, endearing, beloved, lovely, pleasant, valued, welcome. Woot woot! The award is passed from one blogger who thinks highly of another. I am super duper flattered that Heather included me in her list of Liebster awards.

The Rules of the Liebster Award

• Each person must post 11 things about themselves by answering the questions that the nominator has set for you. 
• Create 11 questions for the people you’ve nominated to answer. 
• Choose 11 people (with less than 200 followers) and link to them in your post.
• Go to their page and let them know (or contact them through social media).
• No tag backs!

Such fun! I will respond to Heather's questions below and then offer up five other bloggers to keep this award running along!

Here are my answers to Heather's questions:

1. What question do you hate to answer? Are you and Hubs going to have your own children?
 
2. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich? Writing. All day, every day. With some singing thrown in.
 
3. How did you choose the title of your blog? It was one of the first things I thought of. I needed to work in the word "stepmom" and I remembered the old saying about "the redheaded stepchild." I felt like it worked for stepmom's, too!


4. What is your favorite charity (and please tell us why)? The wonderful and brilliant ASPCA. I am a gigantic animal rights activist. I believe in adoption because there are a quadrillion beautiful dogs and cats out there that need homes. No need to breed, peeps.
 
5. Most daring thing you've done in your adult life? This is pretty obvious, but becoming a stepmom is up there. I know many women and men who have a strict "no kid baggage" policy. But to me, my husband having kids was not a deal breaker. It's not jumping out of an airplane, but I still find it daring.
 
6. What is the best meal you've ever had?  So, the Hubs and I were in Omaha on vacation once and stopped at this place called Crave (which is a chain, I think). I broke my "no carb" diet and ordered the lobster mac and cheese. It tasted as good as Channing Tatum looks. I only had it that one time, but returned to the restaurant a year later and it was OFF THE MENU. I still want to cry thinking about it.
 
7. Craziest thing in your refrigerator right now? Progesterone inserts. Yes, inserts. Just google "progesterone" and "infertility." Good times, yo.

8. What one book would you recommend to your readers? Anything by Gillian Flynn. Believe it or not, "Gone Girl" is not her best book. She's astounding and from the midwest like me...so that makes her uber awesome.
 
9. Road trip or airplane? (caveat: given you can choose between the two to get to your destination) Road trip. I can pee when I want and see things I'll never see again. Road trips are an experience. Airplane trips are a nuisance.
 
10. Sweet or salty? Gimee dat salt.
 
11. What is your favorite indulgence? Wine. Always wine.


I was going to tag five other bloggies, but half of the ones I was going to choose have already been nominated! So, if you are inclined to do this, DO IT. I nominate everyone! And you can answer Heather's questions, because she's got way better ones than I would think of.

Enjoy!.

lady in waiting

You know when you wake up in the middle of the night and realize something you've never taken the time to realize before? That happened to me last night. I sat up in bed at about 2:30 AM and had an epiphany.

What I realized was, I spend a whole lot of time doing this one thing as a stepmom, and when I think I'll be done with it, it just starts back up again. It's not laundry (though that has its moments). It's not cooking. It's not a household chore of any kind.

It's waiting.

Waiting and waiting and waiting. Then waiting some more.
 
Of course, everyone is always waiting on something. I mean, that's just life. But as a stepmother, the things that are at the top of my wait list have changed dramatically. As a single gal, my waiting list was something like this:

1. Wake up and wait for Taco Bell to open
2. Get back from Taco Bell and wait for hangover to go away
3. Wait for Friday night so I can drink all weekend.
4. Wait for graduation so I can get a big girl job and make money.
5. Wait for the 15th of the month so I can get paid from my big girl job and spend my money. Probably on Taco Bell.
6. Wait to meet Mr. Right.
7. Wait to get married to Mr. Right. 
8. Get married to Mr. Right and wait for the rest of our lives.

It was all so easy, the waiting. There was no real stress in my life to speak of before getting married and starting my life as a stepmother. But then came the marriage, and subsequently, the role of my lifetime. I'm not complaining, I promise. But a little introspection never hurt anybody. 

After a year or two as a stepmom, my wait list changed in ways I never would have experienced. Instead of worrying about hangovers to go away, I was waiting on a completely different set of circumstances. My waits changed to this:

1. Wait for kids to fully accept me
2. Wait for Mama Ex to accept me, even a little bit
3. Wait for child support payments to be easier
4. Wait for mediation dates
5. Wait for court dates
6. Wait for the Xanax to kick in during the court dates
7. Wait for court decision
8. Wait for completely messed up court decision to sink in
9. Wait for money to show up in bank account to pay for crappy court decision
10. Wait for the day we can forget court ever happened
11. Wait for kids to appreciate what we do for them 
12. Wait for Mama Ex to appreciate what we do for HER
13. Wait to be recognized, just once, for being a good stepmom
14. Wait for Mama Ex to get divorced
15. Wait for Mama Ex to stop dating a guy the kids hate
16. Wait for Mama Ex to introduce us to her new boyfriend of three weeks that has moved in with my stepdaughters
17. Wait for school to end
18. Wait for vacation to start
19. Wait for school to start
20. Wait for the day the kids don't expect everything great in life to originate at our house.
21. Wait for the day that this all gets easier

#21 is my biggest wait. And what I realized lying in bed last night, was this. It's not going to get easier. Not ever. As I've said many times before, I'm in this for the long haul. My stresses and waits aren't going to go away when these kids turn 18. And my #1 wait? The one where I wait for the kids and Mama Ex to fully accept me? They might never, ever happen.

I think when I became a stepmom, I just assumed everything would fall into place like the damn Brady Bunch. But that isn't reality for me, or anyone else. Mike and Carol Brady never had to deal with their past spouses (where were they, anyway?). I'd like to see a real episode, where Mike's ex-wife lies and tells the kids that Mike isn't paying child support and that's why she can't afford cable. I'd like to see the kids be confused about who they can truly talk to, because they feel like no matter what, they're hurting one of their parents.

My waits are just going to get longer and harder as the years pass. Soon it will be waiting to see if my oldest stepdaughter takes our advice and tries to start a career, or takes her mother's advice and goes the route of "get married and let the guy take care of you."  
There's no way of knowing. There's no way of seeing. I have to just accept that whatever happens what happens, and waiting around for it all to work out perfectly, tied up in a big red bow is an exercise in futility.

And as for that Brady Bunch episode that shows life with a real blended family?

I'm still waiting...

the kids aren't all right

Being part of a family that is separated into two different factions can be challenging.

Screw challenging, it can feel downright impossible.

Our side, their side. His side, her side. It's a constant war between two parties. And something struck me the other day. How often do I stop and think about the third side? The side that gets the least amount of attention.

The kids' side.

Look, human beings are naturally selfish. And the older we get, the more self-involved we can certainly become. So, adults who find themselves in a divorce/split situation spend an awful lot of time trying to understand and dissect their own feeling. They think long and hard about how this co-parenting thing is affecting their own day to day. But those kids...they're the ones it's taking the biggest toll on, and oddly enough, the easiest ones to forget about.

So stepmoms, let's take a minute to listen to the kids. Because this is probably what they would say to us if we just shut up and listened.

1. I'll just pretend I don't remember

But I do. I still remember when Mom and Dad were together and happy. I remember this one time we went to the park and ate fried chicken and laughed until Dad snorted pop up his nose. But I also see how upset you get, stepmom, when I bring up those memories. You think it means I don't like you, even though I do. You think it means I don't want to make memories with our new family, even though I do. So...I'll just pretend. When I think of a memory of my mom and dad together, I won't bring it up. It's easier that way.

2. I'll pretend I hate her, too

Last week I told you that Mom had to get her tooth pulled, and I heard you whisper to Dad, "...that's what you get when you don't brush your teeth for three months."

You don't like my mom very much. I don't really understand why you don't. My mom is cool and I love her! I hate it when you say bad things about her and I hate it when she says bad things about you. One time I told my mom that you make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world, and she got really upset and cried. I learned never to do that again! So now I just agree when mommy says you're a terrible person. And now I laugh when you make a mean joke about my mom. I don't really agree, but it makes things easier for me. I kind of feel like I'm living two separate lives...

3. I'm sorry I'm so expensive

I hear you talking to Dad about how much child support is. I'm sorry that I cost so much. I don't mean to. Next year I'm not even going to ask if I can play basketball because I know it's just going to cause a fight between you and Dad and my mom. You'll argue over who should pay for my basketball shoes and my uniform and it's not worth it. I hate to hear the back and forth. So I'll just say I don't really feel like playing sports. I'll say they're too hard or I don't enjoy it, even though I would love to make a lay up that wins the game. But if you and my Dad and my mom aren't arguing, that's worth it for me.

4. I'm sorry I'm a brat

Remember last month when you threw me that 5th grade graduation party and I sulked the whole time? It wasn't because I wasn't grateful for the party you and Dad threw me. I was so excited for it! It was because I felt guilty. My mom wanted to throw a party for me to, and she made me feel really bad that I didn't come to hers. But I didn't have a choice!! It was Daddy's and your day to have me. But that day, I couldn't get the look on mommy's face out of my head. She was so upset and sad. And so I wasn't as happy as I should have been. You and Dad thought I was being a brat. I wish I could tell you what was really going on...

5. I'll put a smile on my face

I can't talk to anyone about what I'm feeling. I have to put on a show...pretend I'm always happy or everyone starts blaming everyone else. I can't even have a bad day and lash out for no reason, because I'll hear, "well, she just came from her father's house and you know how it is over there" or "her mother must've made her feel guilty for wanting to be here." 

BUT THAT'S NOT IT. 

I just had a bad day at school. I spilled milk on my pants and was tardy to 4th period. The guy I like at school doesn't like me back. And It isn't Mom's fault. It isn't Dad's fault. It isn't my stepparents fault. I JUST HAD A BAD DAY.

But I'll just smile and pretend it's all okay. Mom and Dad won't know and they'll be happy and that's all that matters. 

I'll just put a smile on my face.

 

Twenty questions

I'm suffering from major writer's block today, so I thought I would try something quick, simple and easy that can help you all get to know me better. 

Behold, 21 things about Ruby Red you didn't know (and maybe didn't want to know but I'm telling you anyway)...

1. I always read words backwards and try to pronounce them backwards in my head. I don't know why.

2. I hate stroganoff.

3. I have been married for seven years as of this past Monday. Woot!

4. My stepdaughters were 3 and 6 when I met them and they are 11 and 13 now. It gives me gray hair to think about it.

5. Mama Ex and I used to get along relatively well. We didn't go shopping together or anything, but we were on friendly terms. It basically all changed when Hubs and I went to court to ask for more time. I don't regret any of our decisions to go to court.

6. I love guacamole. Like, an unhealthy love.

7. I try to stay out of the Leann Rhimes/Brandi Glanville mom/stepmom drama that seems to explode on Twitter all the time. That shit is cray cray, yo.

8. I have two dachshund dogs and two cats. Both of my dogs are rescues and are full breed animals. Both of my cats are rescues. I am a HUGE proponent of adoption and animal rights and may or may not give anyone a hard time who buys from breeders or pet stores. But I'll always do it nicely!

9. I have an obsession with anything on the Bravo! network. That obsession has expanded to "Ladies of London" this summer.

10. My favorite non-alchy beverage is icy cold Dr. Pepper, though I really try not to drink it.

11. I have struggled with infertility for 4 years. It drives me bat sh*t crazy.

12.  I'm deeply considering opening this blog up to talk about my entire life as a whole, rather than just experiences as a stepmom. Thoughts?

13. I enjoy paying bills.

14. My fave movie of all time changes daily, but it varies between "Gone With the Wind" and "Sex and the City." I blame the drastic change on the afore mentioned Bravo! network.

15. I was affiliated with one political party my entire life and changed 5 years ago. But I'm still registered as the original affiliation because I'm too lazy to change it.

16. I've started 5 novels and never finished any of them. Someday, friends. Someday.

17. I'm a Midwesterner. Don't hate.

18. I change my nail polish at least twice a week. My husband calls my nail polish drawer the "Rainbow of Death Drawer."

19. For my real job, I'm a sales rep and I frigging love it.

20. My college degree is in interior design. 

21. I really, really love red wine.


What else would you like to know, bloggies? I'm pretty much an open book.

What's in a name?

Are you ready for a huge revelation, stepmom bloggies?? Here we go...

I'm not perfect.

Can you imagine? Yes, it's true. I, Ruby, make mistakes on lots of occasions. The good news is that I can hold myself accountable when I'm called out for a mistake. Such was the case with this weekend.

I'm on Twitter (you can find me at @RedHeadStepmoms). Twitter can be a wonderful thing. It can also be a dirty time bomb that detonates when you least expect it. Last week, after a particularly icky encounter with Mama Ex (like, Defcon 5 awful), I posted a tweet to Twitter. It went like this:

Ruby & Lady ‏@RedHeadStepmoms

Fact of Being a Stepmom: Anyone you meet that shares BM's first name will already have a strike against them. #TwitterStepmoms

So here's what I meant by this tweet. I meant that most stepmoms have at least some conflict with the stepkids' mom. It's natural and it would be silly to pretend that it doesn't happen. In the interest of being honest, I will admit that when I meet a person and her first name happens to be exactly the name as Mama Ex's, it does cause me to flinch a bit. I don't automatically hate that person (nor do I hate Mama Ex) and I don't want them to die. I don't want bankruptcy and measles to befall her family. But...I do flinch.

I meant the Tweet in jest. In sarcasm. In funny ha-ha. In fact, Mama Ex probably feels the exact same way about me! When Mama Ex meets someone named Ruby, I'm pretty sure she thinks, "Oh, God. Another Ruby. How many of you are there in this world?"

Ya know what I mean? It was supposed to be playful.

Some people did not take it playfully. There were those on Twitter that believed I was yet another stepmom spewing vile hatred toward birth mothers. And you know what? That's fair. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the wisest of tweets. I was in a bad place at that moment and posted a joke that probably didn't come off as joke-y as it should have. I got called out on it, as I should have been. Thank you, Twitter friends!

Lesson learned.

But shortly after all of this happened, a new firestorm arose. There were many people that were quite annoyed at me for using the acronym "BM" to refer to the kids' mom. The general consensus was this:

"Birthmom" is a term used for adoption. When talking about your stepkids' mother, the term BM or BirthMom or BioMom is derogatory and implies that the woman was only used for her DNA, and is not worthy of anything else. The term "mom" should be used instead.

After having a few back and forths with some tweeters, I saw some real value in what they were saying and promised to give it thought. I promised to reconsider using the term BioMom or BirthMom or any word that isn't just "Mom."

And I did think about it. Like, a whole lot. I weighed out all the factors and came to the conclusion that, indeed, it is okay to use the term BirthMom/BioMo/BM/Mama Ex or whatever term is necessary to indicate that I am speaking about the biological mother of my stepchildren. Now, before you all go coo coo on me about why I'm wrong, let me give my reasonings:

1) "Mom" gets confusing

I am a part of the stepmother support community. I write a blog about my experiences as a stepmother. In the stepmom community, the use of the acronym BM to indicate BirthMom is used pretty consistently. As a matter of fact, acronyms run rampant in the community. Other commonly used acronyms are BD (biological dad), MIL (Mother in law), SD (stepdaughter), SS (stepson), etc. Acronyms are a part of the deal. I truthfully don't see that changing because it helps to delineate who you are speaking about. Just using the term "Mom" can get very, very confusing. Let me give you an example.

Let's say I'm telling a story in which I'm talking about myself, my stepchilldren, Mom, my husband, and my mother in law. 

Did you catch that I used the term "mom"? Who's mom? The kids' mom? My mom? The neighbor's mom? It's a little muddy. However, if I say BioMom, BirthMom, BM, or Mama Ex (which I use in this blog), you know exactly who I'm talking about. I do not mean it in a derogatory way. BM is the kids' biological mom and the only one they will ever have in the history of forever. That is a fact and I don't think it implies that this woman is a bad person in any way. It is simply a quick acronym to use as a clarification.

For another example, check out these two almost identical tweets:

1. @RedHeadedStepmoms: "Took SK's to the grocery store and Mom texted to be sure I got them cupcakes for tomorrow's school party."

2. @RedHeadedStepmoms: "Took SK's to the grocery store and BM texted to be sure I got them cupcakes for tomorrow's school party."

Am I nuts, or does #2 makes more sense? Look, I totally get that the terms for my stepkids' mother can take a turn to Negative Town really, really quickly. And that's where we all have to be careful.

Terms for Mama Ex that are not okay: The Bitch, Money Grubbing Whore, Egg Donor


2) Expect unto yourself what you do to others

Yo...Stepmoms. We have to understand that the door opens on both ends. We can't get our panties in a twist if we read an article by a stepfather and he uses the term "BioDad" to talk about the biological father of his stepson. That author is using it in the same way we do. Only fair.


Just like with BioMom, the same rules apply. My Hubs is the biological father of his children. For an author to use just the term "Dad," it can get muddled. 

BioDad, Daddy Ex, BD, whatevs...that's what he is. Right?

Terms for Daddy Ex that are not okay: Sperm Donor, Disney Dad, Bastard Asshole, Dickwad


3) These terms are for articles/blogs/letters/written word ONLY

It truly isn't necessary to use "BioMom" or "BM" in a conversation with another person that is face to face. When we're speaking to someone in person, chances are the context of the situation is already pretty clear. If I'm standing right next to my stepchildren and someone says, "Oh, what lovely children you have," it would be downright ridiculous for me to say, "Thanks. Their BioMom would certainly agree." 

Um, no. That makes it sound like their mother is that robot from the Jetson's.

I would simply say, "Thank you. I agree with you and wish I could take the credit! But that would have to go to their mother and my husband!" The clarification is easily done right then and there. Vocal conversations work faster and easier than written.

4) Stepmom isn't the nicest word either

Hey, all you BM's and BD's out there...I'm not exactly over the moon about the word "stepmom." I mean, I could list out quite a few movies (Cinderella, Snow White, Happily N'Ever After, Enchanted) where stepmothers are basically the axis of evil forever and ever and ever. "Stepmom" is often associated with pretty scurrry stuff.

But guess what? Just like BM and BD, it helps clarify, right? If you just called me "the lady that married my ex-husband and now has my kids part time" in an article or tweet, that would seem:

a) long winded
b) kind of rude

So, "stepmom" it is.

There is a big push to find a different word for "stepmom." Words like Bonus Mom, Extra Mom, or just putting "Mama" in front of the first name of the stepparent, like "Mama Ruby." I personally don't think we need the change. I've tried out "Bonus Mom" a few times, and it never set right with me. It made me feel like a prize at a carnival. 

I am a stepmother. That's who I am. And I can either own it and work to CHANGE the negative connotation with the word, or I can cry and whine about it. I choose to work hard to change the view of the word. I want my stepkids to be proud of their stepmom. I want my stepkids to be proud of their biological mom and their biological dad. I want everyone to get along and be happy.

That's a tall order, I know. But hey, we're all here and trying. We're all learning to be better people and be cognizant of feelings for every person involved. Like I said before, I'm certainly not perfect and I always encourage constructive criticism for when I make a boo boo. 

And I make them a lot.

Terms that are not okay to use for a Stepmom: Other Woman, Home Wrecker, StepBitch, Baby Stealer, Wicked Stepmother
 

PS: I feel like it bears repeating that this blog is my opinion and my opinion only. I am very open to others' opinions and encourage an open dialog because otherwise we all just sit around and learn nothing new. I welcome your comments! But everyone, play nice, mmk? Super mean comments will be deleted.