Category Archives: motherhood

‘Don’t lick the sofa’ and other things I say to my child

Posted in motherhood, Mummy life by
Sonny Jim, Katy Pearson, #whatkatydidUK

Yum, yum: ‘That snail is not a snack, Sonny!’

Do you ever hear yourself say something, and then have to laugh at the ridiculousness of what has just come out of your mouth?

I’ve found having a toddler, this happens more often than the pre-child me could ever have imagined possible.

I was pottering a bit in the garden the other day, with Sonny Jim. The weather has been so blooming dire that as soon as even the smallest ray of sunshine can be seen, I bung his wellies on and we’re outside.

Anyway, all was well, until I heard the unmistakable “yum, yum, yum” coming from my two-year-old. Continue reading →

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When did Easter become another mummy contest?

Posted in motherhood, Mummy life by
Sonny Jim, rabbit, Easter, Katy Pearson

Giant bunny: You take your eye off your toddler for two seconds

Let me preface this by affirming the fact that I am no grinch.

I knocked out a fireplace in Sonny Jim’s nursery when I was six months pregnant, mainly because I loved the thought of my child at Christmas having his own chimney for Santa to come down.

Any excuse to drink Prosecco and giggle and I’m there. And I love a cake, a balloon and bunting more than I probably should in my, ahem, mid thirties.

But when did Easter become such a production?!

As the daughter and sister-in-law of priests, I’m not talking about those celebrating their faith.

Continue reading →

When infertility leaves you feeling useless, it’s good to have options

Posted in motherhood, Sponsored by
Katy Pearson, Sonny Jim, IVF, #whatkatydidUK, Bourn Hall

Thanks to IVF: My darling boy

I’ve written previously about how IVF on the NHS in Essex is fast becoming a thing of the past.

Until 2014, all the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in the East of England offered the same level of provision to all eligible patients, which was in line with the NICE recommendation of three full cycles of treatment.

Then things started to change all over the country… especially here in Essex.

By the end of last year lots of CCGs had ditched IVF completely – in a bid to save the NHS cash. Mid Essex now offers no IVF whatsoever, neither does North East Essex. Or Basildon and Brentwood. Castle Point still offers two cycles. And most recently, Southend (after an extensive consultation process) now offers just the one cycle – and only if you’re under 40.

Continue reading →

It’s the moments, not the milestones I want to remember

Posted in motherhood, Mummy life by
Sonny Jim, Katy Pearson, toddler

The moments matter: Sonny Jim is two!

SONNY Jim was two yesterday. TWO.

And while he is (pretty much) hitting all the necessary milestones… walking, talking (though not as much as some, admittedly, one of his pals can count to ten!) building towers, using a spoon and so forth, these “achievements” are not the things I want to remember forever.

When he’s grown and busy building a life of his own, I don’t want to forget the fact he was once obsessed with his breakfast bowl. That he’d walk around the kitchen with it for about five minutes before you put his cereal in it. And then when it was being washed up that he said, “bowl bowl gone!” and “bye-bye bowl bowl” when you put it in the cupboard.

I don’t want to forget that he loved balls, or ANYTHING that he could “roll-roll-roll”. Or the way he would say, “oh dear.”

Continue reading →

Reasons my child has cried this week…

Posted in motherhood, Mummy life by
Sonny Jim, Katy Pearson, tantrum, #whatkatydidUK

Post-tantrum: Sad times

It’s Sonny Jim’s birthday next week… but he’s made a bit of an early start on the terrible twos.

The tantrums and the oh-so-dramatic tears would actually be pretty funny if, a) they weren’t so loud and b) it wasn’t my child doing it.

I know I’m not the only mama who is trying to navigate their way through their days without triggering a scene that would leave the Hunk looking like a calm and rational being.

So, in the spirit of solidarity, here are some of the reasons my child has cried this week…

    • The washing machine stopped
    • I wouldn’t turn the street lights on
    • I gave him his lunch (he wanted his lunch)
    • I didn’t let him stand in dog poo
    • The washing basket didn’t fit in the washing machine

Continue reading →

This Mother’s Day, just take the photo

Posted in motherhood, Mummy life by
Katy Pearson, Sonny Jim, take the photo, #whatkatydidUK

Take the photo: Me and the boy who made me a mama

How many pictures do you have of your child?

If your little one is under ten, it’s probably in the thousands. Thanks to advances in technology, to camera phones and clouds, our children’s childhoods are captured like never before.

On an average day, I probably take dozens of Sonny Jim. And the odd video. I send a load to his daddy, documenting the minutia of his day. His funny faces when he wakes up. His little discoveries. His growing character.

I take a few selfies of the two of us too. Mostly when he’s fallen asleep on me, all cuddly and cute.

And I’m sort of our family’s unofficial photographer. When Sonny Jim dances with his daddy in the kitchen while he’s trying to iron his shirt for work, I grab my phone and capture it.

When he takes a minute out of being a one-toddler-whirlwind and clambers on to his daddy’s lap, I grab my phone and take a photo. Continue reading →

Us mums are tired because we can never switch off

Posted in motherhood, Mummy life by
Sonny Jim, Katy Pearson, #whatkatydidUK

Non-stop: My little toddler whirlwind

“You look tired?”
“I’m a mum, I’m pretty sure that’s just how I look now…”

So, the internet meme goes. And so say mothers everywhere.

But with Sonny Jim sleeping sooo much better (touch wood!) I’ve found myself wondering just why I’m so blooming tired all the time. Still.

And then, the fact I had to stop wondering about it because the toddler was about to attempt a backflip off the sofa, kind of gave me my answer.

Us mums are so tired because we can never switch off.

When we’re with our kids we’re in a constant state of high awareness.

Even when they and we are asleep, we’ve still got an ear out.

And our brains are constantly playing keep up with a never-ending checklist and to do list. Everything that hasn’t been done and everything that needs to be done plays on this loop in our heads. While we’re busy trying to keep no-concept-of-danger tots out of trouble, hold a conversation with friends/family, do actual paid for work. Continue reading →