I think rain might be the mortal enemy of stay-at-home Mums
and toddlers. Last week we had days and days (and days) of rain, and by the end
of it I was beginning to think Henry was doing some method acting for a role in
The Exorcist remake, and that perhaps I was giving Joan Crawford a run for her
money in the crap Mummy stakes. Henry was a bored, frustrated, whingey
cranky-pants and I was ticking all the ‘Bad Mummy’ boxes: Easily losing
patience, Yes. Saying No all day long, Yes. Too busy doing housework to spend
quality time with the baby (which might be what’s making him grumpy), Yes.
What is it about housework? I feel compelled to do more the
worse I feel, and then I feel worse because I’m doing too much housework… If I win
lotto, I will get a cleaner and pay him well. I’ll also buy a ride-on vacuum
cleaner and have a really big house.
Thankfully the sun came out this week and our little world
changed. Suddenly the housework seems less important, and Henry and I are having
fun getting out and about and seeing the world together again. The forecast is for
rain next week so I think it’s time to get inventive, and not let the rainy
days get us down or keep us inside.
I’ve also been battling a bit of the no-social life blues lately.
I know I’m not alone - I’m just one of a trillion billion parents whose Friday
nights consist of a couple of beers, crap TV and maybe take-aways if you’re
feeling in a real party mood. Sometimes I love that, I love waking up on a
Saturday morning feeling chipper, not clutching my head with the devil’s
hangover - rueing to never ever drink again. Other weekends I wish I had half,
or a quarter of my old social life back. Just more spontaneity I guess – maybe
that’s what parenthood doesn’t have, spontaneity. Recently I sat down to eat
dinner only to look at the clock and realise it was 6.01pm, how the hell did I
get so domesticated? And why was dinner 1 minute late?
There’s definitely a transition from your old life to your
new life as a Parent - and some friends meet you on the other side in
Parenthood and I guess some don’t. There’s nothing sinister in it, I think it’s
a case of different lifestyles and schedules mostly, and a big part of it has
got to be that parents are pretty damned baby-centred in the first few years.
The friends that stick it out with you are ones that have to end up loving your
offspring nearly as much as you do.
We’re going to a wedding next weekend, I’m excited and a
little nervous. We get to dress up and pretend like we’re free and spontaneous
for the night (while trying not to worry too much about Henry and the
babysitter). Will we party like it’s 1999? Will I check my phone 1000 times for
messages from the babysitter? Stay tuned, loyal readers, for a post-wedding
blog entry…
Yours truly, Mel xxx
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