Hi there. I’m Chucklemama, your newest Frenemy. Here’s me:

I’m an actress. I’m young-ish, blonde-ish, and I’d like to think I’m hot-ish. I grew-up in smalltown PA, dreaming about bigcity NYC. I took dance lessons, took musical theater classes, and did as much school and community theater as I could jam into my schedule. When I was 18, I hightailed it out of there to attend Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.

After graduating from NYU (as a Founders Day Scholar BOOYAH!) I did the off-Broadway theater rounds and then turned to indie films and commercial work. I liked the film thing so I started doing TV. I had guest spots on Law & Order, Law & Order SVU, All My Children, As the World Turns – I was on fire! I even managed to fall in love and get married. (Multitask!)

But – I had run out of TV shows. NYC isn’t that big into film stuff, and once you’re on one of the “Law” shows you can’t be on it for another 6 years. Plus, my dear husband and I (and dog,) were living in a 250 sq. ft. studio apartment – about the size of an average garage. So we packed-up my headshots and headed west in the covered wagon of today. (U-Haul.)

Hollywood seemed dirtier than New York and I arrived during “June gloom”.  I saw a lot of grey the first few weeks. Then the writers strike happened. Remember that and how much it sucked? Well – to pass the time I kind of fell into improv and sketch comedy and loved it up. Eventually, my friends and I formed our own group, RDJRJR. We’re awesome.

After winning some comedy contests, and writing more sketches than actors in LA, (a bazillion,) I eased my way back into “real acting” by booking a Wendy’s commercial and doing a small co-star role on Criminal Minds. I felt myself getting back into the groove. So I felt I should re-focus on that other part of my life – you know, the whole love/family thing. I have always wanted little rugrats and everyone knows it takes years to get pregnant…I mean, might as well start trying if it takes YEARS, right? I mean we’re talking years. YEARS!

One month later I’m staring at a second faint pink line on a take-home pregnancy test. Overjoyed. Anxious. Thankful. Anxious. Anxious. I was pregnant. Me! I didn’t know anyone ever in my life (slight exaggeration) who was pregnant. None of my friends had babies – hell, only one friend was even married! And I’m an actress! I can’t be pregnant!

Of course, beyond the anxiety, I was thrilled beyond belief – literally, I couldn’t believe it. I took 5 pregnancy tests. I even took a 6^th one after the doctor confirmed I was pregnant. (And a 7^th one a few months later…just to be sure the doctor didn’t lie and the 6 other tests were wrong.)

I was definitely pregnant. I delved into books, websites, prenatal yoga, and talking to my mom on the phone about being a mom. I was committed to knowing everything. But I didn’t feel pregnant, or look pregnant, for a really long time. I kept saying, maybe next month I’ll have to stop doing shows. Maybe in 3 weeks I won’t be able to audition anymore, or film anything. But I kept on acting, kept on performing. Week after week. Up until the DAY BEFORE I GAVE BIRTH.

And now, I have the most beautiful baby, probably ever in the history of the world, in all honesty. (Oh and I did it all natural – no epidural- which gives me bragging rights to use for the rest of eternity – that’s right I’m amazing all natural superwoman no epidural bow down to me.)

So, yes – I am an actress. But I’m also a mom. Wow. I’ve never written that before. “I’m a mom”. I just said it, and yes, I started crying. I am crying now.

I’m Chucklemama. An actress, a mom, and yet another blogger.

Follow The Chucklemama on Twitter @chucklemama