Friday night blogging!

Once upon a time I actually had a life! I mean, I used to go out on a Friday night. I used to have a few drinks, a good laugh, a bit of a dance (if I’d had more than a few drinks) and maybe even some sex! Then - heaven - a Saturday morning lie in, maybe some more sex, another doze, coffee, and a long leisurely breakfast with the papers! That, of course, was my life Before Children. Tonight, in contrast, my Friday night has consisted of:

• surviving the bathtime bedtime routine with two tired, fractious children … missing out the bath bit!
• coming downstairs to a maelstrom of toys, unfinished craft activities, half-dried washing, etc, all of which needs to be tidied away to who knows where!
• sitting side-by-side on the sofa with my partner, in silence, eating bangers and mash / omelette and mash with a side dish of frozen peas and a depressing property programme on TV
• doing jobs, jobs and more jobs
• and now, finally writing my blog … for the second time, as I just lost everything I’d already written when my internet connection went down!

This, of course, is my life After Children! And it’s like being a different person and living on another planet. Whatever happened to the old me, who looked and felt so much younger? Who actually had the energy for sex and a social life?! Could somebody please tell me, where has she gone and, more to the point, will she ever come back?!

In all honesty, I don’t think anyone could have prepared me for the reality of motherhood - the enormity of it all! The enormity of the love, and the enormity of the non-stop, never-ending, life-and-death responsibility. Once a mum, always a mum … no matter what happens. That’s a big deal.

I’d love to know how other mums find motherhood, so I’m doing a survey. How has it been for you? Have you taken it all in your stride or are you (like me) still trying to get your head around it?! How does your life AC compare with your life BC … or are they just completely and utterly incomparable? And what about the effect that becoming a mum has had on YOU? Are you still the same person? If not, how have you changed? Please sit down for a couple of minutes and do the survey. I’m hoping to get some really meaningful information that can be used to help provide better preparation and support for mums, and I’ll also donate 25p to charity for every completed survey (up to a maximum of £500). So once you’ve done it, copy the link below and send it on to all your mum friends … and then sit back and feel good for doing your bit! Thank you.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Ur1svyprIetNzwNpHwsG_2bg_3d_3d

And now, for a little light relief, I recommend homeofficemum’s blog, which is all about the magic and madness of motherhood. It had me laughing out loud in my office, surrounded by lads and dads who just wouldn’t have got it! Go read it now … unless of course you’ve still got a life and are actually out this Friday night?! In which case, I’m not speaking to you!

Ladies who lunch!

   I so live a life of luxury these days. Do you know where I’ve taken to having my lunch? You’ll never guess. The Morrisons’ cafe, of all places! Okay, so it might not be the most salubrious of surroundings, but I have to say they make probably the freshest supermarket sandwiches I’ve had for a long time … and serve them nicely cut into triangles with a salad garnish and a handful of crisps! All wrapped up in plastic of course, which isn’t so great for the environment, but other than that I’m loving it. A nice cup of tea and a Terry’s chocolate orange cookie, and that’s me set up for the rest of the day!  Just as well, really, as I seem to have zero interest in cooking and go into a blind panic at the prospect of having to feed anybody anything more complicated than a salmon fillet.  In fact, I have well and truly clicked back into work mode, and the years of rustling up three meals a day have (thankfully) faded into oblivion.  I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I am not, and never will be, a domestic goddess!

In all seriousness, I think that’s been part of the struggle I’ve had in coming to terms with motherhood, this enormous gulf between what I thought I should be and what I actually naturally am!   So my vision of being a yummy mummy who’d grow fresh herbs, bake healthy cakes and have a never ending enthusiasm for creative craft activities is at odds with my desire to run a mile from anything even vaguely mundane.  I know children benefit from a consistent routine, but I just can’t seem to do it.  I know life would be less stressful if I was a bit better organised, but chaos is my comfort zone!  I think I’m just destined to be a scrummo mummo … living somewhere between scrum and scrumptious depending on the day.  Mind you, can’t remember the last time I felt truly scrumptious!

Tough one …

Tough old week, that is! Just as I thought I was actually starting to recover from this pesky postnatal illness that’s been hanging over me for the past, oooh, 15 months or so, it’s suddenly come back and bitten me on the bum again! Triggered, of course, by the fact that both my little ones have been poorly … for the umpteenth time, or so it seems. Came back from meeting a friend last night, having had a good old catch-up, only to find that my youngest had thrown up everywhere and was being sponged down in the bath. Not a nice sight. And, of course, it meant that I didn’t get any sleep at all and am feeling distinctly bleary-eyed and down-at-heel today. Hey ho. I guess it’s just one of those things that happens - part of motherhood, life, etc, etc. But when I think about the responsibility of having to deal with stuff like that for the next umpteen years, I really really want to run. All I can say is thank heavens for the nanny, she’s worth her weight in gold. Come to mention it, she probably costs more than her weight in gold! But she means that I can at least walk out the door for a little while, and concentrating on business helps calm me down. So Mummo is making me happier already, and that’s what it’s all about. Don’t know who’s out there reading this, if anyone, but if you’re a mum go and check it out: www.mummo.co.uk. You can register interest now even though the full website won’t be live for a couple of months - that way I can keep you up to speed with what’s going on.

In the meantime, who’s been watching Strictly Come Dancing? I absolutely LOVE that show. It’s definitely a dose of escapism … into a world of passion, romance, satin, sequins and sexy strutting, twirling, whirling, demon dancers. They’ve really upped the ante with the women this year and I’m just wishing I could be one of them.

Anyway, as for business, I’m just debating over the colours for the logo and putting my PR and marketing strategy together.  The big decisions for today are Rubine Red vs Rhodamine Red, do I need letterheaded paper and should a community blog have its own blogroll?!  Answers on a postcard please …