Tell me you're exhausted without telling me you're exhausted

[ANightingaleSang]

I went to make coffee and scrambled eggs on toast after my morning run. I put two teaspoons of coffee onto my toast.

Single mum, DD is 7 months today. The longest (and only time) I have been away from her is 27 minutes whilst she was with her grandad.

The exhaustion hit last night. I was walking back from the library and everything was blurry. It seems like everything is happening at once. In the last 2 weeks she has gone from crawling, to standing, to cruising around the furniture. I love her enthusiasm but she has zero ability to self save, so if she sees something she wants she lunges at it, or if she gets tired will let go and fall backwards. I cannot take my eyes off her for a second. We've also regressed on the sleep front so waking up a couple of times in the night for feeds. She's in the middle of a growth spurt. So much energy and wants to play all the time, which I love but, bloody hell... I get a break on Fridays when she goes to baby group: the two ladies who run it have so much energy that I just can't give her. Weaning is a whole new thing, it's messy and lots more work. Bath times aren't relaxing any more as she is more interested in escaping. She also figured out how to undo her nappy (messy) so we are in pull ups already. I'm spending at least 2 hours throughout the day holding her hands so she can walk around the flat. Apart from baby stuff I'm also trying to keep on top of the cleaning (finally got the bathroom done yesterday but a 50 minute deep clean took all morning because I kept having to go back to my DD who decided that she didn't feel like a nap).

I absolutely love being a mum. I think I've had it pretty easy up to now, but at 6 months people stop asking if you're ok and instead start inquiring when you will be going back to work. Has anyone else found that?

If you got this far. Thanks. I feel a lot better for unloading. 😊

Told my friend I was looking forward to going into the office on a wet Monday morning because it would be a rest.

I remember being so tired doing my GCSEs that I put my socks down the toilet instead of in the laundry basket

I’ll never forget the look of utter bemusement on my mum’s face

Dating from when DS was 8 weeks old:

Went to Sainsbury's. Looked at all the colourful shiny things. Came home from Sainsbury's.

No actual food bought. No supper therefore eaten.

Some of these are brilliant and have made me smile, so thank you!

@WhiteJasmin Great advice. I have just bought a playpen, and you are so right - It's been a game-changer and the only way I get cleaning done. As for baby-led weaning, I'm with you! I understand why it is important but, for all the reasons you stated, its not the approach I am taking. At first I was making homemade purees but with no freezer it was such a faff making small quantities. Now I use the ella packets and mix in other less sweet vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli. It also makes them a bit more lumpy. I try to give her something solid with the puree such as a piece of toast or veggie (which might get a lick or smudged into the highchair). Still, she eats a much healthier and more varied diet than mine!

@TheYearOfSmallThings You are right, 100%. Have you ever listened to a high-pitched noise for a really long time and then when its switched off you can still hear it ringing in your head and you can't be sure whether it is still ringing or if you are imagining it? Well, that's what the nursery rhymes are like for me at the moment. As they are going around in my head on repeat, I figured I might as well vocalise them so that we both benefit. It also stops me running too fast (I don't know what I was thinking but signed up for a half marathon so am doing longer slower training runs - I blame baby brain. I can still use that excuse, right? )

@Onlyonekenobe I really want to follow your advice. The only thing is she is still so tiny, I am terrified of her hitting her head. (I had one falling off the bed incident and it was horrible and I felt like the worst mother in the world - she was fine.) I'll be more chilled when she can stand up by herself without using me or the furniture. At the moment, it feels like she's trying to skip ahead before she is ready. Her lunges and falls are very dramatic, i swear she is actually trying to headbutt the floor!

You don't have to always sing nursery rhymes. Anything will do to avoid repetition. Outside with a buggy is sometimes easier than staying in . And I know I am going to get slaughtered for this but I did strap my kids in highchair , put on the equivalent of Miss Rachel and have a shower. Felt terrible but as my friend said , I didn't put on American Physco or anything . Baby walker she can push saves your back .

@ANightingaleSang I also got this cookbook from Rebecca Wilson called "what mummy makes" and it's got good simple recipes you can make that both you and the baby can eat. I think it takes a lot of stress away not making separate purees etc. I just use a fork to shred or use a mini chopper if I want to break it up a bit.

I put contact lens solution on my toothbrush. I need a break. Or some sleep. Or both. I remember the crushing days so well. It's exhausting

I genuinely still recall my horror when the nice lady at the checkout asked me my beautiful 5 month old's name... and my mind went completely blank...

Took the baby for her first vaccine and left without her. The receptionists were both laughing when I came back through the door two minutes later. I’ve never forgotten how awful I felt.

Tried to leave work earlier with my front door key, instead of swiping my pass which was around my neck. I work full time compressed hours and have a toddler and a 7 year old.Can't decide if I find the kids or my job more knackering, I think they both score highly but for different reasons.