Ah September! A new season; russet leaves crunching underfoot, trees ablaze with new colour, lining your window sills with conkers (they really do keep the spiders out!), falling acorns littering your lawn, and yes, the terrifying prospect of sending our babies to the Big House! …AKA Pre-school! (Que appropriately spine-chilling music – possibly a tiny violin too) I think it sounds less scary if we call it Nursery, so let’s do that!
Are you already a mum like me? Perhaps you are a soon-to-be or brand-new mum, the warmest of welcomes to you all! What benefits does hindsight bring? How about peeing alone is now a thing of the past. Hot cups of tea? Forget about it! Making your way through a whole meal without having to stand up and do the baby-jog? not very likely! Instead think, more love than you thought you could contain, the knowledge that for at least the next few years you will never be alone…like, ever! No more bubble baths for one! But the most wonderful adventure you will ever have, every tiny ‘first’ is celebrated, the hilarity as you realise that they have done something as mundane as a hiccup but you cannot help the tears of joy and pride rolling down your cheeks. This is motherhood, ladies.
My name is Holly, I’m 37 years old, usually half asleep from being up most of the night but oh so in love with my little munchkin, Paige, one large German Shepherd (Rumple), a cheeky little terrier (Dobby) and one on the way! …baby, not pup that is! How have you and/or your little ones fared in the last few months? Also, a question I’ve been meaning to ask, when did your little one start nursery? Two? Three? Well my little one is almost 2 and the nerves have kicked in! Is she ready? More to the point, am I ready? The truth is girls, I probably wouldn’t be considering sending her right now IF she hadn’t essentially been under lock and key for a quarter of her life. No baby groups, limited kiddie interaction, avoiding parks if too packed, but at what point does protecting them become detrimental for their development? Well, hubby (I adore him too by the way!) and I have bitten the bullet and had a ‘settling in’ session – although I feel anything but settled. Paige seemed to like it well enough, but I was THERE, you know? Right there to be led by the hand and shown a toy, kiss any boo-boos better and generally keep a watchful eye on any potentially dangerous / unsanitary / undesirable and basically non-cotton-wool-like situations! How can we leave them with people we don’t know, it seems so early in their lives to be leaving them?
…Ok granted its for 2.5 hours a week but it feels like a lifetime, I know you understand. So, when was the right time for you? I’d love to say that on the day I was totally cool, breezed in, looked the part, took it all in my stride – but truth be told I was shaking, looked rather unkempt (Paige had of course been up three times during the night!) and I felt close to tears the whole time. Have to say I clock watched but I was able to appreciate the odd moment when Paige found a fun toy. She did look utterly adorable in a created-with-love “My first day at nursery” T-shirt bestowed by our lovely Jess – Paige’s most beloved honorary Auntie! Jess has known Paige since she was two weeks old so feels my pain! Truth is, I am still undecided, I’m making hubby go for a session with her next week so see what he thinks, chances are I’m being overbearing, overprotective and potentially oversensitive due to unfathomable depth of love…and perhaps some pregnancy hormones (but don’t tell him I said that)! Watch this space, I’ll let you know what happens!
On that note, is anyone else pregnant? Have you seen a real life midwife yet or have your appointments been over the phone too? It’s a funny old world at the moment and I for one can feel a bit isolated, a little alone perhaps? So, when Jess suggested a blog for her lovely website I jumped at the chance, I wondered how many of you might be feeling the same as me? Who else might empathise with my current situation, and in turn feel less alone? Well that’s my new goal – perhaps we could help each other, be in this together? Forge a way through all the craziness so that everything can feel normal and safe for our babies, because nothing else is more important that that!
