Dear Mum In The Striped Pyjamas...

Dear Mum in the Striped Pyjamas...

Congratulations! This weekend you get to celebrate your very first Mother's Day! I bet you are basking in the glow of your little one. Feeling relaxed, refreshed and generally being treated like the Queen you are. No? Oh I forgot your child is younger than one. More than likely you are knackered, in your pyjamas again and wondering when it all gets a little bit, well more rewarding?

I am here as the voice of reason and the voice of hope to tell you? It does. At the moment you may be in charge of a new born. Not knowing your arse from your elbow, consumed with a sort of tiredness you never ever knew was possible. Your day is a routine of sterilising and washing. Oh and a bit more washing. Or? You may be trying to wean your little one. Cursing Annabel Karmel and wondering how the hell you get your small child to eat a whole piece of mango. Or you could be at the nine month stage and work is on the horizon. Your stomach is a knot of guilt and each moment is more bitter sweet than the last.

She's asleep! This is a breeze!!! (sound of sh*t hitting a fan)

My girl who provided me with my very first Mother's Day is now the grand old age of eight. And imagine this. She sleeps through the night, can consume mango by the fistful and when I am working from home she happily skips to school with her Dad. She doesn't remember me in my never end round of different sick stained pyjamas. And doesn't recall me screaming at her Dad when he criticised me for changing a nappy wrong (the d*ck. I'm still cross about it). She didn't see me crying into my pillow after ANOTHER tantrum where she said that I wasn't her favourite. And has no clue that sometimes when I dropped her off at nursery I sobbed so hard I had to do my make up again on the way to work.

What she does remember? Is lazy days snuggling in bed. Times we went to the zoo with her brother on my days off. Going off to buy her big girls pants and a super snazzy Minnie potty. Cheering and doing a special dance when she finally slept through the night. And me cheering with a lump in my throat when she was Mary in the Nativity play at school. She thinks I'm ruddy amazing. Even on those days where I am still a bit grumpy, the tatty pyjamas creep back on again and a tablet is shoved in her hands.

I made her in my womb and I love her with my whole heart

So lovely new Mum celebrating your very first special Mother's Day. At some point give the kiddo to your other half, sit down, and take stock of all the amazing things you've done. Whether it be rocking your little one to sleep when you could have dropped down dead with tiredness yourself. Or taking a bullet and going back to work, leaving your precious one in the care of another so you can provide them with the very best they deserve. Sometimes? You're a bit crap. And your jamas could do with a good wash. But generally? You f*cking rock.

Love and respect.

Someone who has been there.

And done that.

And survived xxx