Larissa Cartwright

You would think writing an “about me” about yourself would be reasonably straightforward. I’m from Houston. Longhorn grad. Moved to Dallas and New York before returning to Austin. I work at a local TV station. I live in Great Hills. I’m married. And I have one adorable daughter, Aviana.

And that’s basically it. Except since a Friday in mid-July at around 7 p.m. – upon the arrival of my bloated, screaming offspring – I’ve become utterly clueless and mystified on who EXACTLY I really am. So writing this simple “about me” becomes infinitely more difficult.

Pre-baby I was a workaholic. I was a tv producer. I would go to work hours before my shift, yell at people, make some local news, then stay hours late. One time my supervisor sent me home because I was working so much I hadn’t showered, and I think I might have smelled. I worked overnight shifts and late night shifts and Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July. I met famous people on TV sets and covered big news events. It was hard, fun work and I was pretty good at it.

So when I got pregnant, I just knew it would be totally easy to keep this high stress, high profile job and just drop that little-unnamed puppy off at daycare for 15 hours a day – guilt free. Because I was a TV producer. Nothing would change that.

Cue your eye roll now.

A cautionary photo about leaving a toddler alone in your office for two minutes. Please notice the lack of pants.

Now my days remind me of the gum stuck between your shoe and the sidewalk. I’m stretched thin- and probably sorta sticky…? 

For me becoming a working mom is the most confusing, overwhelming and magical transformation I could have ever imagined. There are pieces of old me still there. I still love to travel. (Aviana’s first BIG trip was England @ five months old) I still love amazing restaurants. (Check out my restaurant adventures with my daughter @HungryRumpusATX) But even though I’ve never been more tired – I’m so much more awake to what it is essential. And that makes my about me – a long work in progress.

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