KETCHUP IS A VEGETABLE

An inside look at mothering three small children.

For most parents, O'Bryant’s (A Second Helping: A Collection of Popular Columns, 2013, etc.) humorous, offbeat and nonglitzy examination of her life as a mother of three girls will feel normal. Readers without children may wonder how the human race has survived as long as it has. Babies, breast-feeding and boobs play major roles in the narrative. "I have a fascination and fixation with boobs, not just my own,” writes the author. “I am enthralled by your boobs just as much as I am my very own." Her Big Berthas feature prominently in many of the sassy and outrageous moments she relates, whether trying to breast-feed her youngest daughter in the family car or the struggles she had to feed her first newborn, who refused to latch on. O'Bryant brings the nitty-gritty, often taboo subjects of personal body functions to new heights as sweat, body fat and vomit all play roles—as does poop, whether from a child or adult, in all its various shapes, sizes and moments of expulsion. Whether going shopping, attending PTA meetings, or traveling long distances to visit family and friends, each episode is full of the unconventional behavior of three rambunctious daughters and the mother who struggles to keep pace. Although the baby talk of her daughters is age-appropriate, some readers may tire of some of the childish speech—e.g., "But Momma, I wub her, and I want to pway wif her.” Nonetheless, these behind-the-scenes observations of one woman's version of motherhood dispel the oftentimes gussied-up descriptions of blissfully raising a child while providing much-needed comic relief for other parents struggling to survive. “All the screaming, dirty diapers, tantrum throwing, and sleepless nights are worth it,” writes the author. “It is worth every heartache and tear we shed as mothers.”

 A cheeky, amusing motherhood memoir.