Rainy days

We live in Britain, and in Britain it rains...a lot. So no surprises when I woke up this morning and it had been raining and it was misty.

If you are anything like me you then start thinking ‘how can I entertain a 15 month old in a way which wont cost the earth’ BINGO, the good old fashioned, classic park. So this morning I grabbed a good old burping cloth that was very useful when Brooke was a baby, but looks more like rags now and headed out local park. Lucky enough I remembered Brooke’s wellies, as last time I forgot them and trying to keep a toddler from dancing in muddy puddles with rather expensive Clark’s first shoes is a challenge within its self.

Brooke loved the park, at least I think she did, that or she loves seeing me run round with a old rag drying every swing, seat and slide she wanted to go on. Either way it was good to see Brooke so happy, the smile on a child’s face is priceless, especially when that child is yours.

After a fair amount of time watching mommy run around like a lunatic drying all playable items, Brooke decided she wanted to go for a walk, so let herself out of the big yellow metal gate, shortly and closely followed by me.

What is it with children and mud, not that I really mind as she had wellies on, she made a A line for the biggest muddiest puddle she has ever seen and laughed as she waddled through the squelching mud. I have all the time in the world for Brooke, so when she decided she wanted to walk the long way around to the car, I followed. And when she decided she wanted to follow a dog, I followed her. And when she decided she wanted to climb steps about fifty thousand times, guess who follow, yup you guessed it, me.

But you know what today was the best day I have had in a long time with Brooke, she is one in a million and do you know what the best thing was, Brooke kipped for hours and still went to bed on time. 

Who says you cannot have it all?

So being a mom is not what it cracked up to be. It is so much more, more fun, more adventure and best of all more love.

But as any parent knows in order to be the best parent you can be, its important that time is taken for oneself. In my case it is time taken to play with my cars and bikes, yes you guessed it, if you didn’t know; this momma is a massive petrol head!!

So tonight I took my beloved bike out for a lovely spin, to bike night (whilst my mom baby sat) and it was amazing, okay the turnout wasn’t too good and it rained on the way back, I got soaked n froze to the bone, my bike slipped and wobbled underneath me as I rode on the wet roads. But I handled her; I kept my wheels on the ground…I even managed to get a sneaky ‘eat my dust’ moment to my fellow riders. 

You know you’re a mom when….

Your child is sat warm and cosy in a pushchair with a rain cover, a thick warm blanket, a coat with a hood a bottle of juice and a sandwich, a nice cheese and ham on malted bread sandwich meanwhile, you are the one pushing the pram in the torrential rain, with holes in your trainers so your feet are wet. Not just wet, but soaking wet, dripping, squelching wet.

Your child has 3 healthy meals a day, hits her targets of 5 fruit and veg a day and endless drinking, to ensure she is well hydrated, mean while you are eating the crusts off her half chewed sandwich, which she insists on feeding you whilst trying to swig back the cold cup of tea you started at 7am that very morning.

You hide in the kitchen to eat a tasty snack that you really don’t want to share with the child.

Your child has a new wardrobe every month, mean while you don’t own once single item of clothing that doesn’t possess a hole, or bleach stains, or make you look like a sac of potatoes. 

You sit up late to stupid o’clock just to have me time and when you do go to bed, your up at every sound to check everything is okay, mean while your child gets from 8.30pm till 9.30am as a nice long uninterrupted sleep.

You use the bathroom with a child sitting on your lap.

You bath with a child’s little hand trying to grab any bit of naked flesh they can get hold of.

But most of all, you watch them with the up most admiration and their achievements are your achievements.