As I lay in bed last night, waiting for sleep to come, I was drawn to thinking about the best things about last year.
And so I thought I’d share some top lists with you to celebrate my baby boy turning one.
Top five best things about becoming a mum
- The joy of watching Jenson grow and develop
- The cuddles and time spent resting next to Jenson as he sleeps
- How it has changed me as a person, mostly for the better
- The determination to deal with my demons so that I don’t pass them – the people pleasing, comfort eating – onto Jenson
- The pleasure of spending time as a family of three and seeing my husband as a brilliant, involved, caring dad
Gregg’s top three best things about becoming a dad
- Us all going travelling
- Having the time to go do things with Jenson, like swimming
- Getting to watch our little baby change and grow up
The best ten moments of this year
- Going away to Cambodia and Vietnam
- Our trip to Morocco
- Making new friendships that will span over his life
- Getting ice cream and giving some to Jenson
- Reading ‘my child won’t eat’ and feeling such relief that Jenson isn’t starving
- The endless baths with Jenson as a newborn
- Visits from friends from all over the world to meet my new little man
- Understanding what all my other mum friends were going through
- Dancing with Jenson and Gregg at the Bimble Bindada festival
- Realising that shared parental leave was the best decision for Gregg forming a deeper relationship with Jenson
Five most difficult moments of this year
- The last bit of labour
- Struggling with breastfeeding and getting my supply up…and all the stories I told myself about not being a good mum if I couldn’t feed him from my milk supply
- Stretching myself too thin on holiday in Wales
- When Jenson got norovirus and ended up in A&E
- Nursery settling in
The five things I would have done differently
- Asked more questions about Jenson’s tongue tie
- Stayed in bed for the two weeks after his birth to fully recover
- Asked for more help when I needed it
- Extended our epic trip away by a few weeks
- Been more specific with Gregg about my views on weaning, TV time and other stuff
The ten things I couldn’t have done without
- The food I made in advance of Jenson’s birth
- The first twelve seasons of Grey’s anatomy that I binged during my maternity leave
- The friends and family who supported me in this first year
- The new friends I met who walked with me on this journey of motherhood
- My baby carrier which helped me walk the streets of Brighton
- The new mums notebook – which I used all this year to record memories and thoughts about this year
- The attachment parenting groups and friends who supported me in finding my parenting style
- The baby groups in Brighton which got me out and kept my sanity
- This blog
- The phrase ‘this too shall pass’ – knowing that everything is a phase and will not last indefinitely
The three things I want to do next year
- Listen to my instincts more
- Have a bit more time to myself – to coach, nurture myself and have a bit more sanity
- Look into raising children vegan so that we can make an informed choice about Jenson’s diet
The two things I’m looking forward to on Jenson’s birthday
- Spending time celebrating with my family
- Eating the massive birthday cake I’ve made for him