I was about 8 and a half months pregnant, leaving a corporate acting gig with a flashy, young actor, when he turned to me and asked “so, now that you are about to have a baby, does that mean your career is over?”

No, I didn’t slap him. I was too busy rhyming off my affirmations: “Oh, no! It’s only going to make my career that much more important! I’m not going to be one of those women who loses herself just because she had a baby! Women today can have it all, you know!” Four years and two babies later… my career is not over… just different.

For one thing, I’m remounting my live show next week, and it’s more fun this time around. Maybe I’m having a blast because I know that my other, default career (mom) awaits, so I’d better enjoy my acting gigs. It’s like really appreciating peace, once you’ve experienced war.

Motherhood as a battleground metaphor aside, things are different career-wise, now that I have kids. I book more auditions.  Instead of standing there like I used to with a “how may I please you?” look on my face, I stand there with a “I can do this job for you. Now yes or no because I have to run.”

When I had to get back to nurse my baby, I nailed that audition, lemme tell ya. And they can sense that I’m very important to someone else (my kids) so they want to hire me too. It’s nice. That kind of reverse psychology.  The one that made me happiest dating the confirmed bachelor in my quest for a husband.

But it’s not so straightforward as book a sitter, go do my show. I don’t want to hire the understudy (babysitter… too much with the metaphors?) when my little guys really need me. Like this week, when I promised myself to go to yoga a million times and spend oodles of time doing vocal exercises and studying the script, Jake has been sick. I’ve been up all night with him, because that’s my role. I had an acting teacher who once said “you want to be a good actor, then don’t sleep.” I guess that over-tired, ‘any-moment-I-could-go-off’ state is perfect for the stage and screen.

As I hold Jakey, who won’t sleep without me when he’s sick, I feel the adoration. I am the leading lady. I’m prepared to do this show as long as he needs me.  And my show next week? Sleep-deprived, mommy on the edge- pure comedy!

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