I am a serious sucker for little luxuries.

They set off that hedonistic part of my lizard brain that indulges in desserts at Le Meurice and silk Twillys. It’s not a need, it’s a want. Coming from an austere childhood, my husband simply cannot understand that part of me. When we pass a gelato stand, I can’t say no. Whereas he never even saw the gelato stand. Maybe I can blame it on my mid-90s American capitalistic upbringing — ‘no’ was not part of the vocabulary then.

So imagine the pleasure centers of my brain lighting up like the Las Vegas strip when I discovered Marvis Jasmin Mint toothpaste. It’s a $10 tube of mint toothpaste made in Italy and infused with the floral flavors of spring. Ahhhh! A way to transform even the most menial task into a moment of pure pleasure! Plus, how cute is the packaging? It makes me feel like I’m partaking in an old-timey medical ritual where the toothpaste is laced with cocaine (you’ll need the extra enamel protection from all the teeth grinding you’ll be doing later, ya see).

If you’re a parent, you know all about these little luxuries. And if you’re a parent-to-be, you’ll know REAL soon. I hate to be one of those people that preach “children change EVERYTHING” because they don’t. And, yet, they completely do.

One day you’ll mentally tally up all the money you’ve spent on diapers, and formula, and clothes, and toys, and childcare, and you’ll be like ‘damn, that’s a Tahitian holiday I’ll never be taking’. When the kids are screaming all at the same time, and your toddler has said ‘hey mom!’ for the millionth time that day you will simply relish in the 5 minutes it takes to bring the garbage out to the curb. You’ll stand calmly next to the dumpster so zen-like in the quiet you might as well be enlightened. And you totally deserve that.

Parenthood is hard. Parenthood is easy. Parenthood is simply different. It’s a new stage in life like anything else: moving to a new city, getting a new job, breaking up, or getting sick. It’s how you deal with it that matters most. I happen to manage my new role as mummy-in-chief with little luxuries like $10 toothpaste.

Is it really all that special? No. It’s just toothpaste. But it makes me feel pretty and feminine and indulgent for just a moment. Motherhood isn’t hard, but it’s not easy either. It’s simply a new reality where you learn to live with less time for yourself and appreciate the tiny moments. I won’t bang on about the joy of hearing the pitter-patter of little feet or how special it is when your kid gifts you with a rock he found on the ground because motherhood is not the be all end all of a woman’s purpose. Your life is yours and no matter where you are in your journey, there’s absolutely every reason to take time out and treat yourself to something special now and again — even if it’s just a fancy way to brush your teeth.