09 Friday Nov 2012
Posted in Motherhood
Tags
I am a wiper.
Wiper of sticky juice from tables. Wiper of snot from noses. And wiper of poo from bums and carpets (come on, we’ve all been there).
I am a lugger.
Lugger of bursting baskets of laundry. Lugger of split carrier bags of shopping. And lugger of an often tired, grumpy toddler. Continue reading »
22 Saturday Sep 2012
Posted in Motherhood
Tags
You know when you log onto Facebook, or chat to your parent friends, or write an email / blog post / card to a friend updating them on your life…. are you honest?
No, I mean REALLY honest.
Do you tell them about the time the other day when you lost your temper in a fit of exhaustion and shouted at your child, then instantly regretted it? Do you tell them that you gave your kids fishfingers and chips for tea the other day, because you were all out of organic veg? Do you admit that sometimes you let them watch too much TV, because you’re sick of the sight of playdough? Continue reading »
18 Tuesday Sep 2012
Posted in Motherhood
Tags
.motherhood, contentment, happiness, jealousy, mumvy, Parenting, wealth
There’s a term I’ve only just been introduced to, which perfectly sums up how I was feeling this afternoon.
It’s a Tuesday feeling, although it comes on at certain other points in my week, depending on where I am and who I’m with.
Mumvy – the name introduced to me by Alison at Not Another Mummy Blog.
It’s a mixture of inadequacy and envy. It’s deeply unattractive and always leaves me cold. But I just can’t shake it. Continue reading »
16 Sunday Sep 2012
Posted in Motherhood, Relationships
I was dull this weekend. Incredibly, boringly, hideously sensible. But it was worth it.
The last couple of weeks has seen me struggle through each day with an exhausting cough, racking my body with each bellowing bark. I’ve struggled to sleep, speak and breathe. It’s not been ideal – especially as one stream of income relies on my speech. It’s hard doing radio when you have a cough threatening to erupt all over the microphone every two minutes.
But it was my oldest friend’s birthday this weekend. I wanted to be at her party in Bristol more than anything. I’d been looking forward to a night of irresponsible behaviour, having too much to drink, dancing and catching up with friends I haven’t seen for years. On Friday night I was starting to feel better. I put my cough to one side and half made up my mind to be at the party the following night – no matter how I felt.
And then I woke up on Saturday morning and knew I couldn’t go. Continue reading »
12 Wednesday Sep 2012
Posted in Family, Motherhood, Pregnancy
I was writing a blog post for a company the other day about pregnancy. As I scrawled through some suitable bump images to include in the post, the (self-proclaimed) Nothern Love Machine looked over my shoulder and laughed.
“There’s nothing attractive about pregnant women is there?” he chuckled.
My scowl made him quickly back-track, as he was actually looking at a picture of my own bump, taken just over two years ago now. But, equally, I completely disagreed with him. Continue reading »
06 Thursday Sep 2012
Posted in Walking
I like honesty. It’s one of the traits I most admire in a person.
Honesty and the ability to give it to someone straight. Talking around a subject, fluffing it up with watery phrases like, “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about,” or “Everything’s fine… really”, do not help. Not when everything might not be fine.
As a parent, if there’s even the tiniest thing wrong with your child you want to know about it straight away. You want to know the exact cause of whatever the problem is – whether it’s a rash or a limp, a temperature or a delay in walking. Continue reading »
30 Thursday Aug 2012
Posted in Behaviour
I’m handing over the blog today to author and mum of two, Hollie Smith.
Hollie’s written no less than ten best-selling parenting books, the latest of which – First Time Mum – was recently published. I was on a panel of mums to bare their soul offer pearls of wisdom shared in this book so, obviously, it’s very good. Continue reading »
23 Thursday Aug 2012
Posted in Speech
Tags
.motherhood, development, Parenting, play, speech, toddlers, words
When is an ambulance not an ambulance? When it’s a “nee-naw bans”. Didn’t you know? Yeah, the word “ambulance” is so last season.
The same goes for “ketchup”. It no longer goes by this name (where did the word “ketchup” come from anyway?!), it’s now known as “chechup”. A subtle alteration, but important just the same.
There are lots of words I thought I knew, having spoken English all my life. But, apparently, I am wrong. Continue reading »
13 Monday Aug 2012
Posted in Family, Motherhood, Work
I had a conversation with my mum the other day. She’s very wise, my mum.
“Live in the here and now. You never know what’s around the corner. Life’s too short,” she said.
She’s right, you know.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily grind. The daily struggle and juggle. Daily worries, long-term planning, anxious what ifs. Continue reading »
10 Tuesday Jul 2012
Posted in Motherhood, Play, Work
Tags
.motherhood, daughter, exhaustion, love, Parenting, play, time, working mother
Life has been a bit of a blur recently. It’s fair to say the last month hasn’t been easy.
Some mornings I’m jolted awake by the 3.30am alarm call for work and my head screams don’t get up yet – just one more minute!
The exhaustion of the early starts, the long afternoons entertaining my beautiful but fearsome toddler and the evenings writing have taken their toll. There have been moments when I’ve thought I can’t stretch any further – and then I do. Continue reading »