After 3 months of mild mayhem and disorientation I can finally say we have landed. Moving back to London and starting back at work full time has been a mission, but finally we have it all. Internet is on, the flat feels like home and work/nursery has become the norm.
So, was it worth it? Did I make the right move?
Currently I am knackered, working full time is hard especially when you are doing it with an 18 month old in tow everyday! I do however feel truly blessed to have her by my side everyday and she has astounded me in her ability to settle into the routine. (If you'd asked me this 3 weeks in I *may* have said something different) Tabitha is now a fully functioning nursery member, she does not bat an eyelid when I leave her and if she sees me while I am working she simply waves or requires a quick 'cuggle' then goes on with her play. I am immensely proud.
Pretty proud of myself too, I am loving the challenge of my new job and although I return home some nights feeling much like a wrung out cloth I am now contributing to our family, giving us all a better future and this feels great.
As a family we are spending more time together, bedtime is no longer the chore it had become, no more sitting bitterly beside the bath tub dreading the pyjama battle and repetitive book reading session. I know this may sound melodramatic and selfish but now it has become so much more. Daddy now reads the books, then I get the cuddles and Tabitha relishes in the family time each evening.
We have begun to enjoy London, weekend adventures in Hyde Park, trips to shows and Japanese lunches all becoming part of our now more treasured family time. It does occur to me how crazy it is to have to reduce my mummy time to enjoy it more but it has. I look forward to weekends so much and feel that the balance of us all doing our own thing Monday to Friday has brought us all closer.
Yes I do miss lazy mornings, yes I do miss Cbeebies on loop all day, yes I do miss strolling about with my Bugaboo and supping tea with my friends but by cutting up my time I have learned how to cherish my beautiful girl more and to find something I had misplaced, me.
Very well done you. I am part-time and find that exhausting enough, but do find I enjoy the routine with the children more and I know that s because I am not doing it without a break. Glad you found you.
ReplyDeleteyou are doing brilliantly! well done you.
ReplyDeletei miss supping tea with you too and am looking forward to seeing you at the end of the month x
Glad you have found a good balance, kids are so adaptable, it is fab! Mich x
ReplyDeleteWeird that people move out of London to spend more quality time with their family, you're proving that it's not about location, it's about state of mind and your approach to life. I work and I really enjoy my kids and rarely face battles......while on maternity leave however, the arguments start to creep in, like we're seeing too much of each other.......so I'm with you!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant news! I am so pleased that you have found you again and think of the quality of time she is getting with you all!
ReplyDeleteWell done you. Another example of how everyone needs to do this mothering gig differently, work out how their own family will work best. Reading about those big city experiences makes me envious! X
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