Sanity. Is there such a thing in the life of a mother? Are your days filled with weird things such as formula stains on your cute T-shirt, lost "binkies" that must be found right this minute, baby toys on your once freshly vacuumed floors making it an obstacle course for US Olympic trainees, and a vocabulary that is full of grunts, growls, and gurgles which only humans under two feet tall understand?

Sanity. Will it return? Well, as a mother in her mid-forties who has passed the season of hands-on parenting days - I can honestly tell you the truth. No. No way. Absolutely no.

I hope you're not upset about my answer. It's okay. You can cry it out if you need to. But the truth is, loss of sanity can be a good thing. It can help you out of traffic tickets (No, Officer, I didn't know that yellow meant to slow down. Honest.) It can bring great peace to your hectic life. (Oh, I'm so sorry - I missed the PTA meeting? Yes, I remember that I am President. I just forgot!) It makes life with your spouse sweeter. (Honey, I forgot to cook dinner - can we go out tonight?) So see - it's really not so bad.

So - while you are tripping over multi-colored playthings in search of a purple binkie for your five month old angel who is wearing an orange carrot stain on her chin, remember that life is good. And yes, very soon you will be amongst the "real life people" again. But enjoy your season here! Listen closely and you can learn a lot from that little person on your floor. Like the truth that life is honestly not worth staying upset over . . . someone will eventually bring you your binkie. Think about it!