Having it All

Now I really believe that we can have it all . . . just not all at the same time. I think there is more pressure than ever to be perfect now, there are pinterest boards full of how to have a beautiful home, and instagram only backs up the fact that everyone else has a tidier house than mine.  There are blogs full of perfectly dressed, well behaved children, facebook shows me craft projects and baking that other parents have done with their children and of course these children are running around outdoors, getting their daily quota of vitamin D and fresh air.

All the while, the parents hold down a job, a marriage, friendships and have hobbies.  It must be easy to have it all, or that is how it can sometimes feel.  

The thing is, there is usually more to it than that.  Those stunning instagram images of breakfast in bed usually have the child who is bouncing on your feet cropped out, as well as the pile of dirty washing.  Well, they do in my house anyway.  I record the things I want to remember, I write a blog so that my children can look back and see the good times, the happy faces, the adventures we had together.  The washing up is real enough every day that I have no desire to record and talk about it online as well.

Last month, we hired a cleaner.  I have always wondered what kind of people have a cleaner and I now know exactly who - real people.  I have three small children, only one of which is old enough for an education, I have a job, and a blog, and a social life and a relationship and all of that (plus a love of Netflix) doesn't really leave any time for scrubbing my bathroom tiles and cleaning out the kitchen cupboards.  The washing baskets are overflowing, there is often crumbs under the dining room table and my boys want to go out and explore.

I admire the mothers who seem to do it so well, and I remember what I am good at.  Art in my house consists of water painting, colouring in and other less messy pastimes.  Baking is not a word the children understand.  They do know adventure though, they know we will always go out, that I would pick the park over painting anyday.  They know they are loved more than anything and really that is the most important thing.  There are many boards on pinterest that I flick straight past, but there are plenty that I use for ideas  and inspiration too.

My house is never going to be tidy, it looks 'lived in' at best, but it is our home regardless.  It is full of our clothes, toys and the remnants of our fun.  It is slowly getting better now though (with the help of a cleaner for a couple of hours on a Tuesday morning!).

I can't have it all, at least not right now, but I can have enough.

Do you have a cleaner?  Would you if you could?

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Three Under Four - The First 5 Weeks

No change is ever as big as having your first child.  Your life is turned upside down, there is always another person to think of before yourself and you experience a love you never knew existed.  Moving from one child to two is a challenge, there are now two mouths to feed, two bodies to dress and there is learning to balance two different sets of needs, giving both children attention.  I have found going from two to three the hardest change so far though.

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One Month Old

It has been 4 weeks since we met our baby boy, a whole month since we became a family of five and it has been a busy one.  The first 19 days were spent in the special care baby unit after it was discovered Finn was born with a virus and the next 9 days at home were busy with nursery runs, hospital appointments and adapting to life with three under four.

At 4 weeks old, Finn is still so tiny.  He is much smaller than either of the other two were at birth, and at his last weigh in was only 6lb 15oz.  He is 51 cm long and hasn't started to fill out much yet.  He is starting to fit into newborn sized clothes, but he is still so curled up that he thinks the leg holes are optional.  He doesn't really straighten his legs much (unless he is angry) so he seems even smaller than he really is.

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