I do love being a mum. Really I do. Even when my patience is being tested to the n'th degree, I have play-doh in my hair, two little people directly in front of me every time I move, even when one or other child says the words I dread the most "can we do painting mummy?" I still love it, because they are my girls, my world and that's just the way it goes.
But sometimes I do love to get away. It feels good to spend time with my closest girlfriends and chat, laugh, reminisce and just recharge. Particularly now that I'm working again, I need that time out. It's a good feeling isn't it? It's also good for him indoors to get to spend quality time with the girls (yep I'll just keep telling myself I'm doing it for them really).
And so it was this weekend. Three of us spent the weekend in Somerset (where one of my oldest friends lives) and we just hung out, drank a lot of tea, a lot of wine, ate a lot of cake, chocolate and a lot of our friend's excellent food, we did some shopping (well of course we did, we may have been in the country but we are three girls), and on Sunday we visited a beautiful garden (Hestercombe) where my friend just happens to be head gardener.
The best bit was of course getting the best hugs in the world from the two little people when I got home. I think they may have exhausted themselves over the weekend because they were utterly delightful when I got back, we played for a bit before bath and bedtime. And as I read Eliza a Thomas the Tank Engine story at bedtime (it's my way of balancing the Princess obsession in this house), she listened quietly. Except at one point when I was reading about how happy Thomas' trucks were to be covered in coal dust and she said,
"Mummy how can trucks be happy about things?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well they are trucks Mummy, they can't be happy or sad can they?"
"Probably not darling no." No fooling this 4 year old. I think we can maybe ditch the Thomas stories now.
And then she gave me another big cuddle and told Milo to be good and not keep her awake (clearly it's his fault when she wakes in the night) before rolling over and closing her eyes.
Getting a bit of a break every now and then is a very Good Thing. I have realised, since becoming a mother, that I do really need time to myself to gain perspective on my life. When you start to lose perspective it seems to become easier to step into the many pitfalls of parenting, getting stuck in the pointless battles, unable to choose them wisely. The joy tends to be less and the anxiety more and that seeps into the children. Add in the stress created by things that my children know nothing about and the tension just rises and rises. An hour over a coffee with a friend is good, just reading a paper in peace is reviving, but if you're lucky enough to get a short break with your best friends that's really incredible. You come back revitalised, able to focus on the children again and see the sheer joy in having them in your life. I am very grateful to the people in my life who make it possible for me to do this.
But sometimes I do love to get away. It feels good to spend time with my closest girlfriends and chat, laugh, reminisce and just recharge. Particularly now that I'm working again, I need that time out. It's a good feeling isn't it? It's also good for him indoors to get to spend quality time with the girls (yep I'll just keep telling myself I'm doing it for them really).
And so it was this weekend. Three of us spent the weekend in Somerset (where one of my oldest friends lives) and we just hung out, drank a lot of tea, a lot of wine, ate a lot of cake, chocolate and a lot of our friend's excellent food, we did some shopping (well of course we did, we may have been in the country but we are three girls), and on Sunday we visited a beautiful garden (Hestercombe) where my friend just happens to be head gardener.
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| Hestercombe Gardens |
The best bit was of course getting the best hugs in the world from the two little people when I got home. I think they may have exhausted themselves over the weekend because they were utterly delightful when I got back, we played for a bit before bath and bedtime. And as I read Eliza a Thomas the Tank Engine story at bedtime (it's my way of balancing the Princess obsession in this house), she listened quietly. Except at one point when I was reading about how happy Thomas' trucks were to be covered in coal dust and she said,
"Mummy how can trucks be happy about things?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well they are trucks Mummy, they can't be happy or sad can they?"
"Probably not darling no." No fooling this 4 year old. I think we can maybe ditch the Thomas stories now.
And then she gave me another big cuddle and told Milo to be good and not keep her awake (clearly it's his fault when she wakes in the night) before rolling over and closing her eyes.
Getting a bit of a break every now and then is a very Good Thing. I have realised, since becoming a mother, that I do really need time to myself to gain perspective on my life. When you start to lose perspective it seems to become easier to step into the many pitfalls of parenting, getting stuck in the pointless battles, unable to choose them wisely. The joy tends to be less and the anxiety more and that seeps into the children. Add in the stress created by things that my children know nothing about and the tension just rises and rises. An hour over a coffee with a friend is good, just reading a paper in peace is reviving, but if you're lucky enough to get a short break with your best friends that's really incredible. You come back revitalised, able to focus on the children again and see the sheer joy in having them in your life. I am very grateful to the people in my life who make it possible for me to do this.
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Thanks for reading.