When I heard the news that Snooki of Jersey Shore fame was pregnant, I was hoping it was just tabloid gossip. That the pooch in her too-short-too-tight ensemble was from too many soft pretzels and bottles of Boone's Farm.
And maybe it is, since her rep is refusing to comment.
{Seriously, she has a rep? What a weird world we live in}
This is hardly justfiable news, especially when we're in the middle of an important election year, the unemployment rate is sky rocketing, and American Idol just announced their 13 finalists.
Heh.
But she's not launching a cement-based hairspray, hangover cure, or fashion line (though I'm sure that's in the works).
She's having a baby.
Which means all the jokes and ridicule and judgment that are already made about her will now involve a child.
Now, I'm not going to say it's ripe for the picking. I've already doled out a couple of zingers myself.
But here's one thing I know for sure: Motherhood changes you.
That doesn't mean it necessarily makes you a better person.
Sometimes it's just stretch marks and wider hips. I mean, an asshole is an asshole, whether she's got a baby in a sling or not.
But there are plenty of times when having a baby turns your world so completely upside down that you have no other choice than to be awesome.
It happened to my dearest childhood friend, who became a mom at a young age, under difficult and painful circumstances during a scarily tumultuous time in her life.
But she powered through, enraptured by her amazing daughter, now a teenager, and she's quite possibly one of the best moms I know.
Her daughter is pretty damn cool too.
So I'm going to hesitate just a bit before I completely write Snooki and her actual baby bump off.
But that doesn't mean I'm stockpiling baby spray tan and Ed Hardy onesie jokes just in case.
I hope that this will bring a big change in her life, too. I hope she realizes that being a mother comes with bigger responsibilities. What I'm dreadful about is the possibility that she'll burden her parents with her child while she goes on with her lifestyle as a reality star.
Posted by: Pinay WAHM Blogger | March 24, 2012 at 04:02 AM
See, then SomeECards went and made a good one and I just couldn't help but post it on my FB timeline. *Hangs head in shame.*
Posted by: Karen | March 04, 2012 at 12:39 AM
My niece became a mother long before she should have, and I agree with you. It brought her down to earth. She settled down, realized that there was another human being counting on her no matter what, and she found the strength and maturity to do right by her son.
Now, about her son's DAD....
Posted by: Karen | March 03, 2012 at 05:35 PM
I hope she gets her act together. If only to balance out that horrid Teen Moms show. I cringe at the thought of teen girls watching, thinking they're "ready" to have babies, simply because they're not as over-the-top messed up as these girls are.
Whatever happened to good old videos on MTV? Damn, I feel old.
Posted by: HerInnerVoice | March 03, 2012 at 09:26 AM
So true. My first reaction was, oh gosh I hope this turns out well for her and the baby. I've got a soft spot for moms and babies, no matter how seemingly ill-prepared or ill-advised. Motherhood can be quite an equalizer.
Posted by: Julie Marsh | March 03, 2012 at 09:20 AM
Well now you have made me feel empathy for whom I have mocked. Thanks, friend! But you are very right. I mean I got my act together thanks to motherhood...and so has my first-born. Actually she got her act together much more better than I ever did. Well if Snooki is preggers here is to the same transformation, if not more so.
Posted by: Laura | March 03, 2012 at 07:58 AM
I find having a baby TYPICALLY makes you less selfish. Not always. I still know several, ahem (insert super bad naughty word here) that have had children.
Hopefully, she will realize the world doesn't revolve around her...Or...like you said, hopefully she just doesn't spray tan the baby.
Posted by: My Little Otter | March 02, 2012 at 07:08 PM
We can only hope that the thought of motherhood changes her. It would be a shame to bring her child in as the next reality star
Posted by: Nicole | March 02, 2012 at 03:14 PM
Amen sister. If digital cameras and social networks had been around when I was younger, I'm pretty sure that the chances of me looking like an ideal candidate for motherhood would be next to nothing. Becoming a mom might be just what Snooki needs to ground herself and realize that there's more to life than reality television. (Or at least until she realizes that her baby can have it's own show too...)
I'm also with you on the potential for comedy gold here.
Posted by: Tarable | March 02, 2012 at 11:42 AM
You are good people.
Posted by: Amanda | March 02, 2012 at 11:17 AM