Mommy Brain

I first “met” Melanie Hauser online when she asked if she could add me to the blogroll on The Refrigerator Door. I started reading her blog and discovered that the woman has a great sense of humor. Not only that, she has been in the same room with the great Hugh Laurie. Lucky girl.

When I saw a post on her blog offering free copies of her book, Confessions of Super Mom in return for a review, I jumped at the chance. And I am so glad I did.

Birdie Lee is an average mom. She’s divorced, raising her two teenagers, and trying to get over the very public betrayal heaped on her by her ex, the despicable Doctor Dan. Her life is pretty boring. Until the day of the Horrible Swiffer Accident.

Suddenly Birdie is transformed into a super hero. She can clean like Martha Stewart on speed, hear her daughter’s internet conversations, and reduce the most sarcastic teenagers to tears of repentance.

“I’m… I’m -” I stopped. I hadn’t said it out loud before. This was my big moment. “I’m Super – oh gee, I can’t believe I’m saying this, really, if you knew me at all you’d never believe me, but – well, I’m Super Mom!” And then I giggled.

He snorted.

“Super Mom? You? What’s with the cape? Can you fly, Super Mom?”

“No. At least not yet. But someday, I hope – hey! Wait a minute! Tell me about the beer. Where did you get it?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“Because,” I suddenly thundered, drawing myself up to my full five feet, three inches. “Because I am Super Mom. I am all mothers. I am the embodiment of nurturing. I am the seeker of truth by and for all children, including minors under twenty-one years of age, which means you, buddy. I have the power and the authority of all mothers to protect children from harm. To teach them right from wrong, to punish if necessary with a swift but gentle hand. Wow!” I paused to take a breath. “I have no idea where that came from! Oh, I can also clean with the power of ten thousand Swiffers.”

This is a funny book. Laugh-out-loud funny. And there were also a few parts that brought tears to my eyes. Watching Biride balance her new-found powers with her responsibilities at home and her budding romance with science-nerd-love-interest Carl was sheer fun. It was the perfect book for my two days next to the lake, watching the kids play in the water.

I can’t wait for the next installment in Birdie Lee’s saga, Super Mom Saves the World, due next spring. I will be eager to find out how things work out with Carl, if Doctor Dan ever gets what’s coming to him, and if Super Mom receives the elusive power of flight.