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Welcome to Baronhood
by Lisa Baron

Who knew that I could give up
my stilettos and skirt suits for
bottles and bibs?

My name is Lisa and this is my inaugural monthly column in Atlanta Parent Magazine. My new column will discuss and explore the challenges, rewards and observations in my new world as a wife and mother. A world I call Baronhood. I am the mother of an absolutely gorgeous (if I do say so myself) 6-month-old little boy named Micah (Mike-ah). Micah Baron is a sweet soul with soft blue almond shaped eyes, perfectly delicious ears and a sugary sweet round face that I am surprised isn’t chaffed from all the kisses he endures daily from his father and me. We just can’t help ourselves, we are so pleased with our work, that we just can’t keep our hands off of that little guy. Just the other day I remarked to my husband Jimmy, that I can’t believe, in a weak moment, one of us hasn’t eaten him (you should see those big, fat thighs!). The name Micah is Hebrew in origin. In Judaism, it is customary to name a child for a deceased relative. An important and treasured family member that possessed the character and spirit that parents hope their child will emulate. My natural father passed away when I was 7 years old. It is such an honor to have a son and name him for my dearly missed father, Michael.

My mom is remarried to my stepdad. He has been my stepdad for what feels like forever (and I mean that in a good way). I am one of five kids and truth be told, my family is fairly functional, a testament to my parents, who worked so hard to keep us together and keep us close. Coming in at 35 years old, I am number four of five children. I have two sisters and two brothers. My youngest brother is about to turn 30. I got lucky, I was ready for a little post-baby get away and my brother just also happened to be turning 30. So, I appointed myself the chairman of the “30th birthday party committee” and all 800 of us are headed to Sin City next month.

It would be a lot more fun, from a column-writing perspective, if I had a crazy over-the-top, meddling mother-in-law or if I had some type of controlling father-in-law. But, I lucked out in the in-law department (and I am not just saying that because secretly my mother-in-law is psychotic and if she read this she would freak out and make my life miserable). My in-laws are kind, sweet and loving, and constantly go out of their way for me and for my family. In fact, Jimmy and I took a little four-day jaunt out of town last month. Each one of our mothers (mine from Phoenix and his from Chicago) flew in to wrangle little Micah in our absence. When we got back, not only was everyone alive – but they were happy, too. Even when we privately cornered each mom to find out if they really had a nice time, they confirmed that not only did they enjoy themselves with the baby and with each other, but they told us that they want to come back and take care of the baby next year and encouraged us to plan a trip.

Prior to gaining 60 pounds
and giving birth to my son,
I was a working girl.

Prior to gaining 60 pounds and giving birth to my son, I was a working girl. Not that kind of working girl, I was a political press secretary. My political career started in Phoenix, Ariz. working for then Governor, Fife Symington. From Arizona I went to Washington, D.C. then to New Jersey to work for Governor Christine Todd Whitman, then to California, Iowa, Florida and finally, in 1999, up to Atlanta, where I was press secretary to Senator Saxby Chambliss. A funny thing happened on the way to the newly elected Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. – I met Jimmy.

My husband Jimmy and I met over six years ago at the 57th Fighter Group – a restaurant bar that sat right outside of the Peachtree Dekalb Airport. It was on that day that I found something I loved more than my job. We both have different versions of who actually approached whom, but regardless, we met, we dated and we fell in love (cue the bells). A year and a half after we met, Jimmy plopped down on his 40-year-old knee and asked me to be his wife. We’ve been married now for over four years. Jimmy is a former morning show personality who, besides being co-producer and co-creator of our child, is also involved in the creation and production of two television shows. He travels back and forth to LA quite routinely. This is exciting, except for in the beginning when you have a newborn who was delivered via C-section and you can’t bend for two weeks.

But now I am perfectly upright and completely baffled. Who knew that I could give up my stilettos and skirt suits for bottles and bibs? I used to roll my eyes at the silly high-pitched babble of parental baby talk and I vowed never to make a play date. And then I had my son. And now? I speak this highly unusual other-worldly squeaking gibberish to Micah all the time – even in public. I worship our time together in music class – in fact, it’s hard to tell who is having more fun – him or me. I am an enthusiastic member of not one, but two play groups and I even puree organic peas to mix with Micah’s rice cereal. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. But I am mighty, mighty happy and very, very excited to share my experiences with you. Welcome to my world.