When things start to fall into place

The littlest member of the family has been with us for almost six months. It’s amazing how fast that has gone, how quickly he has become a part of our family while at the same time shaking everything upside down and inside out. The first few months are always such hard work, while full of love and joy and happiness. The endless nights, continuous feedings, nappy changes, full arms. Doing it without the support of another adult in the house at all has been challenging at times.

I’ve no doubt I wouldn’t have managed without the help of the big kiddos, or a couple of good friends who’ve called in time and time again, brought me flowers and chocolates when I was stressed, held the baby while I ate.

It’s been such a good few months too, while it’s been tough at times when I’ve had a million things to do each day and trying to juggle it all with a tiny baby, equally it’s been amazing, Oren arrived and was surrounded with so much love, my little family welcomed in a new member with no doubts what so ever, and we’ve had so much fun over the summer.

Somewhere along the last couple of weeks, I’ve realised things have really slotted together. Oren’s gotten to a point where it feels less like ‘work’ and just a whole lot easier. He’s fallen into his own little daily rhythm, he fits in with us all so well. He can just about sit up {with a few cushions around him} meaning I can pop him down to play while I do a few jobs here and there.

The biggest difference this past week is that after a good few weeks of him being incredibly hard to get to bed in the evenings, is I’ve finally managed to get him down when he falls asleep and sneak away. Getting a bit of baby-free time in the evenings has made such a difference. I’ve been watching I’m a Celebrity with the big kids, but once that is done and they are in bed, I’ve managed an hour or so in the living room, watching TV or reading my book by myself. Before I’d been curled up in bed with Oren reading, which is lovely, BUT I feel so much better for having some adult space.

I’m a long way off being able to get out for a night, but even just an hour of me-time is very much appreciated right now! I feel like the fog of those early baby months has lifted, and life is about to enter a whole new chapter. As a New Year is just around the corner, it feels so fitting that I feel ready to welcome in new beginnings and slowly start making some changes. The past eighteen months has been a long, hard road but I made it, more than made it in fact – we are all thriving and life feels like it’s about to take a turn for the better.