toddlers

A perfect mummy day…

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First off I don’t think perfection exists in parenthood and as a former perfectionist this was a lesson I’ve had to learn over the last 2 and a half years… 
However in my dreamlike state before our 6am wake up call this is what the ‘perfect’ day looks like to me on my days off with Josh or even the weekends…

Josh wakes at 7, we ramble down to breakfast together. I eat something healthy and nutritious and Josh gobbles some brekkie goodness I have given him.
Josh gets an hour of tv time while I get ready and do some jobs and we are ready for the day ahead. There is no dodie in gob!
We go for a walk and return mid morning to do some jigsaws/colouring or other such fun activity. At weekends he might be at a booked activity swimming, football or rugby tots.

Then it’s time for a nap so Josh rubs his eyes, we go upstairs, read a story and he is out for the count for an hour or so…
During this time, first I have a cup of tea whilst watching some day time tv then I get to preparing some delicious dinner. 
Josh wakes and we have lunch together. He eats what I give him and once we are cleared up we head out for an hour or two.
In the afternoon we go out, meet someone or go to the playground/airfield or some other such activity, we have a cuppa/snack together then go home for some ‘down time’ before dada arrives home during the week!
Bath time is fun and easy and teeth washing comes with little resistance…

We watch a quick episode of Dora on our bed while having his cup of milk then in for 2 stories before drifting off into a slumber that does not wake him again until 7am or if he fancies it at the weekends 7.30 is fine with us…
The reality is that to be fair a lot of this does happen from day to day but as it is life with a toddler can be unpredictable and one wrong turn, incorrect temperature on his milk or the wrong book chosen before bedtime can turn a nice moment into a catastrophe. It is not only him, you can start the day full of vigour and my the end of the day be utterly exhausted and that gets in the way too. Days you come home from work should be filled with quality time and catch ups but sometimes all you are all fit for is a snack, the couch and a catch up in between Paw Patrol. 

Just like everything in parenthood, there is the ideals and then there is the reality! Saying that there is nearly always perfect moments in every day and that I am very thankful for. 

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21 things I’ve learnt being a Mum in 21 Months 

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21 months old our little boy is today. Like a flash of an eye… Wow has life changed but only for the better… What have I learnt, well see below!

1. Love, had to be the first-the love for your child is like no other.

 

2. Family, your little unit becomes the most sacred thing in your life.

3. Patience, I wouldn’t be a naturally patient person but when it comes to Josh a whole new found world of patience occurs. 

4. Sleep, or lack of it. You learn survive on little sleep-21 months in and Josh is still quite hit and miss on the sleep front. 

5. Appreciation, it would seem that I appreciate everything a little more-especially the small things.

6. Your body, I’ve realised how strong and yet weakened my body now is. 

7. Support-the support of my mum has been inmesurable and without her we would be lost.

  

8. Interpreter, I am a top notch toddler jibber translator. 

9. Respect-a new found respect for my mum who did it on her own and for other mamas on this crazy lovely journey of parenthood. 

10. Friendships-new and old. I have gained some wonderful new friends in this first 21 months, you make mama friends very fast but my old friends have been fab at being there when a much needed glass of wine and a girly chat was required. 

11. Nick Jr, Peppa & George, Ben & Holly and Lily get us through an early weekend start.

12. Fun, it’s daily when a toddler is around.  

  

13. Planning, I was always a planner but being a mama brings it to a whole new level. 

14. Guilt, always lingering now I’m a mama. Not doing enough for Josh, not being a good enough wife, friend, daughter-the list is endless.

15. Worry-always the worry. On a WHOLE new level. 

16. Happiness-again on a whole new level-pure joy. 

17. Pride, so proud of my husband being such an ace dada and of course my little boy when he hits all those wonderous milestones. 

  

18. Confidence, being a mama has definitely given me an inner confidence that I searched for for many years. 

19. Resilience, I’ve learnt to bounce back from things at the speed of light. 

20. Toys, so hard not to purchase them and then you are over run with them but so hard not to when I see his excited little face.

21. Songs, twinkle twinkle sets him to sleep, wheels on the bus gets us through car journeys and now he sings his own tunes. 

What excites me the most is there is lots more to learn as we move through the months with Josh, every day brings new surprises some of them tricky but most of them oh so good..