Do-it-all moms

It's gotten so busy lately that it seems like the best time for me to post here is during my lunch hour.  Thank goodness for moblogging!

The busy state of affairs has inspired me to write about what I think is a common mom-problem, possibly exacerbated in the case of moms that work outside the home: the tendency to overcommit and overdo.  Let me demonstrate how this has been an issue for me recently.  I'm cohosting a baby shower this weekend, which will be held at my neighbor's house, instead of mine. I'm relieved that I don't have to host it, but to ensure that I'm doing "my fair share," I've gone WAY overboard in the planning department with respect to what I'll be bringing as food for the shower.  So I'm planning to make 5 different food items: fried ravioli, crab dip with bread, a veggie tray, a chocolate chip cheese ball, and carrot cake bars.  None of that wimpy "I'll-just-pick-something-up-at-the-store" silliness for me even though it would probably be much easier on me (and on the family.)  And of course I'm excited and happy for my friend who's pregnant, so I'm happy to do this for her -- but my point is, would she really alienate me as a friend forever if some of the shower food was store bought?

And OK, I'm planning this shower, so I'm probably not taking on too many other things -- right?  Ha.  Of course there's the typical day-to-day work and household things going on, but then I have all these grand plans in my head.  For example, I have decided that both sets of grandparents would love to receive photos of the kids for Christmas.  A realistic and practical mom might think, "So I'll make an appointment at Picture People and get some framed photos."  One morning of primping, preening, and bribery, and you're set for the holidays.  But of course Ms. Overachiever decides that the grandparents need IDENTICAL, handmade, A to Z themed scrapbooks.  So I've bought all the supplies, but haven't had time to even order the photos that will serve as the basis for the scrapbook.  Actually, let's step back -- I haven't even picked out the photos.  OK, I'll be perfectly honest: I haven't completed one scrapbook page since before Mimi was born, almost 4 years ago.

I won't even begin to explain work, where I regularly (and happily) juggle several different job responsibilities, and always get more and more piled on.  And I really don't mind most of the time; I love the feeling of accomplishment and being needed.  But I wonder what sort of expectations I'm setting by doing this.  And honestly, some evenings when I get home and only have the energy to lay on the couch with the computer, I wonder -- why do I think I have to be the working mom version of the Energizer Bunny? 

Ah, I can't figure it out.  Well, I'd better get back to work so I can finalize updates to the report I'm writing, fix the formula issues in my Excel spreadsheet, brief my boss about an upcoming project...