the mommy gene

It's what makes silly PBS shows bearable, or even worthwhile. It's what galvanizes you to clean your entire house, including the fridge, when you are nine months pregnant. It's the reason you find yourself contented to be in jeans and a T-shirt most of the time, with the exception of pajama days. It's highly influential as to why and how often you have pajama days. It's what makes "dry clean only" one of the most scary phrases in the English language. It's how you know that your child probably deserves a serious punishment, but what she really needs is a hug and a chocolate chip cookie. It's what makes your heart expand exponentially with each child that comes your way, more than you thought possible. It's what makes it almost impossible to really sleep in, no matter how tired you are, and how hard you try, because in order for the day to get underway, you-the mom-are somehow indispensable. It's a powerful force, that mommy gene. And once upon a time, you had no idea...