My name is Laura. I'm in my early thirties - yes, that's as much as I'm giving away - and I live near London. I have been with my wonderful, patient husband for what seems like an eternity (but definitely in a good way) and am a mother of two young children, Sophia and Dexter (names have been changed to protect the innocent!). Sophia is three-years-old while Dexter arrived last year. My life literally hasn't been the same since they joined our family.
It all started for me and my husband, like it does for everyone else, when that small, white, plastic stick revealed a single word which was to change our lives irrevocably; ‘pregnant’ (I chose the digital version, not trusting myself to read a traditional test correctly). To look at, the age-old pregnancy test is such a little insignificant thing, but it wields so much power; able to completely transform lives in the minute or two it takes for the result to appear.
No-one told me how hard it can be having children. Or maybe they did, but I was so caught up in the excitement and thrill of it all, that I chose not to listen. Either way, even when I felt the most prepared that I possibly could be, the reality of parenthood was still one hell of a shock. Maybe you feel, or have felt, the same way too?
I was ready for the sleepless nights and knew that a baby would take up all of my time and attention. What I didn't realise was how responsible and guilty you can feel about your baby, right from the moment you discover you're pregnant; or how the simplest of things like getting showered, dressed and out in the morning can become like a military manoeuvre, planned out to the last detail; or how the worst of the toddler tantrums always seem to be saved for when you’re out and about and surrounded by people (who, inevitably, start frowning at you and no doubt mutter about what a bad parent you are); or having to become a master of multi-tasking (I’m now an expert at feeding a hungry baby, cooking dinner for the rest of the family and answering the phone all at the same time). Then, add more children to the mix and there's things like sibling rivalry and jealousy to sort out. It's certainly not the easy, 'romantic' notion I had when I decided it was time to become a mother.
I love my children to bits and wouldn't be without them for a second, but being a Mum is all encompassing and there are times when I would love some 'me' time - it's so much harder to achieve nowadays.
I decided to pen this blog to share my thoughts and experiences about being a parent and the joys and frustrations that go hand-in-hand with the job.
As well as being a mummy (incidentally, the best 'job' I've ever had), I also work in PR and hold down a full-time job. Add to that the task of trying to keep a house clean and tidy while living through the biggest house renovation I've ever known and it's all a recipe for disaster!
I would love to hear other people's stories and opinions so please feel free to comment on any or all of my blog posts.
