It feels like it’s been/still is the busiest few months of my life! I have about a month left of my maternity leave and…
Time on my own
A month ago I went to Marrakesh for 4 nights with my sister and her friend. It was SO lovely to have a child-free break, and just time by myself to relax, wander round etc. I really managed to switch off and relax, and I don’t feel guilty about it at all – I am definitely not the clingy mum type, I’m more than happy to have time away from them!
It was actually really hard coming back (a nightflight didn’t help!) and then was thrown straight into…..
New routine
W went from spending 3 days a week with a childminder, to now spending 4 half days at Cylch Meithrin (Welsh pre-school nurseries). We booked him for a term of this to a) prepare him a bit for going to school nursery in September b) meet some of the children he will be in school nursery with c) pick up some more Welsh. We’re on week 3 and he’s settled in really well – they have lots of fun and play there and the only thing I find weird is not getting a daily update like I used to get from the childminder!
So this means a new routine – he has the mornings with me and his baby brother. W was still having lunchtime naps which he’s had to drop for nursery. The first two weeks it meant I stayed at home with them both every morning so he wouldn’t get over-tired, but it’s so much more fun taking them both out so that’s what I’m doing from now on.. he can have a power-nap in the car then on the way to nursery.
Poor baby S just has to fit in – he has two naps a day so ideally he has one before we go out and then his second either in the car or when I get home from dropping W off, but I’ve had to wake him from some naps which I hate doing!
Like I said, I prefer going out in the mornings with them… otherwise I feel like all I do is housework… and that is NOT how I want to remember the last month of maternity leave!
New job
So when I go back to work, I’m actually starting a new job in a new department. This is huge for me – I’ve been in the Confused.com marketing department for nearly 11 years but now moving over to Admiral head office, in the new loans department. I’m really excited to have something new to get stuck into, to have a change etc but obviously I’ll be so sad to leave everyone behind and of course I’m a little bit nervous and daunted!
At the moment my main fear is my energy levels – baby S is going through some sleep regression so we haven’t had a full night’s sleep for weeks.
New childcare
In other big news, when I go back to work, my other half is taking a career break to look after the boys! I’m so happy for him – he needs a break from work, it’s been busy and stressful – and I’m glad he’s going to have this special time with the boys especially baby S.
So he’ll be with them both full-time over the summer and then W goes to school nursery in September so he will be doing the school runs etc!
We don’t know how long for yet – I’m going to guess maybe til January 2018? I’m sure I’ll have a few days where I feel jealous especially when it’s a sunny day and they’ve had an amazing day but overall I’m really pleased – such a huge bonus that I won’t have to worry about pick-ups, drop-offs etc!
New house
And in other huge news, we are moving house! From my other half’s 3 bed semi-detached in the suburbs, to a 4-bed detached in a village a few miles outside of Cardiff.
Every room needs work, so he’s already started working up there. We sold outside of a chain so don’t need to move out yet- probably a month or so, so hopefully by then the living room, bedrooms and at least one bathroom will be new 🙂
Then we want to build an extension which is a project for September-ish time, living on a building site yay!
I should be really excited about choosing all the interiors etc but I don’t feel like I have enough time in our new routine to do that – plus I’m more excited about the change in lifestyle – having enough room for a dishwasher, being able to cook while the boys play within my view…. being able to have a lie-in and not hear the boys on the other side of the house!
Anything else?
As if all of this didn’t make us busy enough, we just celebrated W’s third birthday and had to organise his party which I found really stressful! And my mum has been ill and is now in hospital – she’s been having chemo for liver cancer which went well but she’s ended up with an infection in her back. And talking of hospitals, I’m booked in for my first ever operation in July – having a cyst on my ovaries removed.
So yeah it’s been busy. I’m trying to enjoy the last of my maternity leave but in all honesty I’m exhausted due to current wave of sleep regression! I feel a bit bad about that from the boys’ point of view but hopefully they will just remember the good times we have at the moment like weekly trips to Cardiff bay etc!
When I ever have a spare minute again I would really like to get fit – I am unfit, often aching and I really think the endorphins released from exercising would make me feel so much more energised – but it’s just catch 22 in making the time to go! Watch this space….. over and out for now!
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