One Year.

Oh hi toddlerhood. You're awesome.

I turned one last week. Saw my first monkey, giraffe and elephant. Ate 3 varieties of cake. Went on a carousal. Got my very own kitchen. Wore a tutu. Ate an ice cream. Petted a dog. Stayed up late. Had a lie in. Gave my mama extra cuddles. Waved to a cat. Learnt to pull myself up on to anything. Put my dads glasses back on his face. Crawled naked. Decided Michael McDonald 'Yah Mo Be There' is my theme song. And have almost got my first ever tooth.

This getting older thing ain't half bad.

Motherhood

I'm a little late with this post, but the last week and a half has been hectic. You see, this week saw all the craziness that is a firstborn’s first birthday.

So, I am now the insanely proud mother of a one year old little girl....and holy crap is motherhood incredibly different to what I had envisaged.

I've mentioned before how awkward I was around children. I didn’t think I had a maternal bone in my body. I knew I would love my child and be a good Mam but never in a million years did I think that I'd be the type of mother I am today.

I was always a little bit selfish, very much into doing whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to do it. The thoughts of losing that freedom was probably what I feared most about being a parent. That and the loneliness. Because now matter how amazing your support system is (and mine is amazing) you'll still spend an awful lot of time alone with one person, who can only communicate through tears and screams. In addition to these fears, I had people repeatedly telling me 'sleep now', 'go out for dinner', 'throw away your skinny jeans', because "there'll be none of that once the baby arrives".

But what no one tells you is just how amazing it is.

Yes, it is exhausting and scary and frustrating. And yet, I have never felt so alive and so complete. I laugh more than I ever have done and my heart constantly swells with pride over ‘ordinary’ moments spent with Lyla. Like how she will point at a dog and say 'Oof' (she's so clever) or shout 'Hiya' at strangers to get their attention.

See?! That there! That's the kind of mother I never thought I'd be. When she says 'Oof', some people might not think it’s a big deal. Except it kind of is a big deal, because I'm her mother. I created her, I gave her life. And that makes nothing about motherhood ordinary. Something I never understand until I gave birth.

Each day is filled with raising this little person, creating memories, filling her with confidence and love and building her future. That's not ordinary, that's amazing.

So to all my pregnant pals, forget all the negative information and advice you’re hearing. Your days are going to be filled with love, laughter and adoration. Your going to be somebody’s world; somebody’s hero. I can happily, proudly say that being a mother is the most special thing I will ever do.

So, to the person that makes me so proud every day: Lyla Jane, you have turned my world upside down and inside out. You light up my life. You make me so proud. You make as happy as anyone could ever hope to feel.

In short: I love you. I love you. I love you.

Week 52.2

36 hours, 23 mins and 56 seconds until B-Day.

Life is just zooming past my eyes. It feels like only yesterday I was being born and now I'm almost a fully fledged toddler.

Well, I'm sorry. You can't make me grow up if I don't wanna!

I don't even think my mom wants me to get older, she keeps saying she wishes I could be a baby for longer, so that's what I plan on doing.

So, I've reverted back to the good ol' days waking every two hours for Mom cuddles, refusing all foods (except cake, I'll eat all the cake), hanging out in my moms arms 23 hours a day, and you can forget walking, I'm staying firmly on my tush. Nuh-uh.

#Babyforever.

#Lylaturnsone

Week 52.1

Week 52 - 63 hours, 34 minutes, 29 seconds until I'm one

Its all downhill from here. 

Week 50

15 days, 9 hours, 51 minutes and 12 seconds until I'm one.

And you know what that means?

CAKE!

Mom and Dad have been discussing what cake to get, Mom says she's going to bake something healthy, Dad says chocolate. I'm siding with Dad on this one. He's a cake enthusiast, knows his stuff.

This will be my face all day...

CAKE! CAKE! CAKE!

#cake