Hi everyone,
Thanks for the get well wishes, am feeling better today, though p'd off because plumber came yesterday and said he'd be back this morning and fix all the leaky taps and the flush that only works if you jiggle the lid of the cistern. He turned up this morning saying he's on sick leave and his accountant has just told him he can't work. Doh!!! There's a surprise, then.
Though actually, a prominent member of the UMP, Sarkozy's party, is putting forward legislation to allow people on sick leave to work. At their request, of course, no pressure from superiors. . Because of course when you are on sick leave you really want to do a spot of ... work. It's just damn bureaucracy getting in the way.
I LOVE this government!!!
Springy, hope you are managing to keep the lines of communication open. And DO NOT sleep on the sofa. Surely George is a weapon that can be used to get your DH out of the bed if you can't bear to sleep with him? Leaky nappies, posseting, sick...powerful weapons if used well by a Fanjo Warrior.
Ginger, I know exactly where you are coming from. This time around I don't have that "where have I gone, what have I become, is this my life?" feeling, because I know that there is an end to it.
Last time I seriously contemplated chucking out my cookery books (treasured possessions) when we moved house when DS1 was 4 mths old. I remember thinking, "cooking?? proper cooking? fancy desserts? time-consuming recipes? ha! I'll never manage to do that again." And I didn't for a while, but then suddenly DS1 hit an age where I could do things while he had an afternoon nap, or while he played, and lo and behold I cooked nice meals again.
Same with reading. I used to read one book every 2 or 3 days, and then I became a Mum. I don't read nearly as much as before, but I do still read. When it's your first child, it feels as if you are in a tunnel, and have left your personality behind somewhere. One day, you come to the end of the tunnel, and you rediscover yourself. Except that now you are an even richer person, because you are the old you plus the new, "mother" you.
I have done more things with Alex than I did with DS1, in part because I have to get DS1 to school every morning, etc., and so things somehow get done. But everything is a huge battle, every day (witness my weird migraine yesterday and my neighbour knocking on the door at 7pm because they could hear Alex yelling and were worried I wasn't coping ). Often, the only thing that keeps me more or less sane is knowing that it will get better. I have DS1 - 4 yrs old and able to get his own breakfast, get dressed, more or less have a shower on his own - in front of me as living evidence that the frequently hellish baby stage doesn't last. First time around I didn't have that and I really felt I was shut in a trap and my life would never get going again.
It does, honestly. It just takes time. One day you will wake up feeling rested after a normal night's sleep, have a shower and a leisurely breakfast, plan and cook a lovely meal, listen to gorgeous music, have a nice conversation with friends* - and you will have a beautiful child as well.
*(ahem - wouldn't want you to get too excited: your conversation will be interrupted a thousand times unless you banish any kids/ stick a DVD on for them)