The Mongoose Diaries: Excerpts from a Mother's First Years

The Mongoose Diaries is a collection of journal excerpts from a woman’s first year as a mother, the simple and sweet story of Erin Noteboom and her daughter Vivian, also known as Vivi, or “the Mongoose.” The entries begin the day Noteboom finds out she’s pregnant, and continue to follow her growing family until just days after Vivian celebrates her first birthday and masters the skill of hiding her own face during “peek-a-boo.” Noteboom chronicles all of the typical experiences of a first-time mother: sleep-deprivation, breastfeeding, returning to work, and more. She also covers the painful events that have unfortunately become entangled with this joyous time for her. From her sister’s puzzling death to Noteboom’s own persistent health problems, we watch her try to make sense of diapers, death, and distress.

As a new mom, I found myself nodding along while Noteboom confessed her bouts of “Overwhelming Guilt,” both the minor ones, “…I feel terrible about not feeling terrible,” and those triggered by something more significant, like trying to wean from breastfeeding to bottle feeding. I also cheered on Vivian as she discovered new talents, like learning to crawl or gumming a tiny piece of fruit to an unrecognizable state. This diary not only allows us to see the world through Noteboom’s eyes, but lets us rediscover the simplicity and joy of life through Vivian’s first months of existence. Whether those “Delft blue” eyes are wide with amazement when observing the cat or squishing garden dirt between her fingers, Vivian’s world is full of happiness, wonder, and the notion that every day brings something new to learn: a valuable lesson we often forget.

As with all diaries though, there is no end to the story, just a stopping point. Though unsatisfying from a storytelling point of view, the open-ended conclusion is actually quite fitting. The book’s end is only just the beginning of Noteboom’s journey with her little Mongoose.