First, coffee!

I’m lying next to my sick, sleeping toddler and having no luck trying to nap myself. This is despite surviving on less than zero sleep all week (maybe slightly exaggerated) and knowing that I have a ten hour night shift ahead of me. I’m watching my little human and hoping she’ll sleep for at least another hour, so my overworked brain has time to shut off and I can catch a few winks.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and my toddler requires no less than my complete undivided attention, my clothes are still covered in snot, the sleepless nights are still very real and thank goodness for panadol.

Today I’ve read her about twenty books, we’ve played ball, we’ve wrestled while she rips out my hair and bounces up and down on my not so hard abs but in a fit of giggles. There’s nothing better than watching them have fun and their face light up with happiness. It’s only while I’m trying to have a coffee (survival) or attempting to get a couple of household chores done, or unable to pick up the phone to reply to a text, or return a phone call, that I go slightly crazy with the toddler clinginess. Of course it’s made worse by her feeling unwell and this only elevates the mum guilt for wishing for some blissful time out and did I say wine?

It’s all meant to be about balance right? Parenting, household duties, work commitments and amongst all that, trying to find a bit of adult time with that special someone. Well let me tell you, adult time is usually trying to squeeze in half an hour of conversation once the kids are in bed, before giving into Netflix and knowing that romance is officially dead!

As parents, this is what we sign up for. The adorable snotty faces, the sleepless nights, the squeals of excitement at the park, the temper tantrums, enjoying each stage of their development and the cuddles that make up for every bit of insanity that parenting brings. It teaches us patience (and tests it), it teaches us how to be selfless (most of the time), it makes us realise how much sleep we can really survive without and best of all, a reason to get out of bed every morning, but first, coffee!