Motherhood

Mummied

Two weeks ago, Amelia met a boy. They’ve been texting each other since, and last weekend they met for lunch and went to the cinema. Today Fin met Amelia after work, and they came back here. Fin is lovely. He’s polite, hard-working and confident. The only problem is that Fin has opened my eyes to…

Live

Two days ago, not long after waking, I lay in bed daydreaming about something or other when, suddenly, as clear as day, the words ‘Less than a year to live’ popped into my head. Two days later, I find myself thinking about how we would live our lives differently if we always knew how many…

Explore

I’ve always regarded myself as a homebody, someone who is happiest to be at home, doing my own thing and finding pleasure in pottering around the house, finding little things to do. I can’t deny it hasn’t brought me a lot of pleasure over the years, but today I feel something different, and it feels…

Balanced

2013 was one of my most challenging years to date, with Rosie’s operation, her extended and very worrying time in intensive care and her month-long recovery, followed soon after by Amelia being diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and spending what seemed like half the year sleeping. That has put added pressure on her at school in…

Ripple

I was watching the news this morning when the reporter talked about a crash that occurred in the early hours of this morning. A man had driven into two girls aged fourteen and sixteen. The fourteen-year-old had died. The sixteen-year-old was in hospital in a critical condition. My very first thoughts were of Amelia and…

Around

When Tom picked Annie up to go to his tonight, he managed, yet again, to upset her and unsettle her enough for her not to want to go. Every week is a battle to get her to go, and quite frankly, I don’t really know why I make her. Well, that’s not strictly true; I…

Stake

I have a dilemma and don’t know if what I decide will be construed as supportive or interfering – my intention is supportive.

Pieces

I’ve been thinking about my life, and it has brought up many emotions and feelings, mainly anger. The anger I previously wrote about related to Danny and Greg is even greater. Not for what they did when we were together, but for being so unsupportive of their children and of me, as the mother of…

Pressure

I’ve not been feeling good lately. I’m exhausted all of the time. I feel drained of all energy, yet I really struggle to sleep at night. Last night Amelia asked me if I could phone the dentist for her today. My internal reaction to her request was really negative. I felt as though it was…

Outlet

This evening, out of the blue, I missed Phil. Although I don’t want to be with him, I do want to be doing things with him. The weekends away, the nights curled up in his arms. It started to rain, and it made me miss him more because we both love the rain, and a…

One

Day two of the holidays saw us having a very lazy morning, followed by some housework, after which we piled into the car and went to the park. We let Jasper off the lead, and he and the girls all ran around playing for half an hour. They danced, jumped off walls, laughed, joked and…

Softly

Today was the first day of the summer holidays; they started off so well. We didn’t wake till 9 am, so we felt nicely refreshed. The girls and I then had a lazy morning before we got dressed and decided to get some fresh air. I was feeling so relaxed and excited about the next…

Foundation

I spent some time reading diaries I’d written so long ago when Josh was born, and I realised what a good mum I was. Considering I was only seventeen when I had him, and given how difficult the circumstances were with my mum and dad, then later with Danny, and being a single parent, I did…

Purpose

It’s said that if you don’t know what your life’s purpose is, look back at what you wanted to be when you were a child. I had a couple of things I thought I wanted to do, but I had no deep feelings behind them. The only thing I ever really wanted with a passion…

January

I don’t know if the teenage years have well and truly hit or if I am messing up in my parenting.

Alone

Last week, a friend posted on Facebook directly after I posted about having a takeaway. It really offended and upset me. I’ve tried to rise above it and ignore it, but today I figured that if it’s still bothering me after five days, I should say something. I remembered one of the Five Regrets of…

Chronic

I took Amelia for an appointment about the fatigue, nausea and headaches she’s been suffering from for the last year or so. The consultant spoke to us about the symptoms, the severity and the frequency before he concluded that Amelia has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We weren’t expecting that at all. I thought he’d say she…

Floor

I always knew that this was going to be a really difficult week or two, but I underestimated just how hard it would be. The list of jobs I still have to get through is vast, and still growing. Today, all I managed to do was the food shopping and buy the bits I need…

Refuge

We decided to take my Dad up on his offer to rent the house. It ended up being really short notice; I had just eight days to pack everything. In that time, Annie caught a virus that wiped her out for five of those days and involved two trips to see the doctor. She had…

Enough

I’ve forgotten how strong I am. I’ve spent far too long thinking I’m weak, that I can’t do things, and I realised that’s just not me; it’s not who I am. I am, and always have been, a very strong character, and it’s time I not only remembered it, but celebrated it too. It’s my…

Ghosts

I’m generally not one of those people who tries to ignore change or keep life exactly as it’s always been. On the whole, I try to embrace change. I realised I’ve been resisting it for months despite the internal niggles to do something. It’s almost two years since we moved into this house and it…

Away

I’m really struggling to comprehend why this has happened now, but for the last eight days, I’ve really been struggling. I’ve been having mild panic attacks every time I go out. I’ve found myself standing in supermarkets, suddenly shaking and breathless, with an overwhelming feeling of panic and the need to get out of there…

Relief

Annie came home last night. I can’t begin to describe the relief I felt when she walked through the door. It’s been a stressful week where I’ve had to face a lot of fears and really learn to put my trust in Tom, despite his previous threats. Now, the fact that he didn’t carry out…

Joke

Tomorrow, Annie goes away for a week with Tom. It will be the first time she’s been away from me for more than a night at a time. I really didn’t want to agree, but I didn’t think it fair to deprive Tom and Annie of time together, and his family time with their grandchild….

Struggling

I’m really struggling at the moment. I don’t know if it’s just because I’m a single parent or if there’s more to it than that, but everything is getting on top of me. I feel so overwhelmed. I feel like I’m letting my children down; we never have enough money for the things we need,…

Dull

I took the girls to a theme park today. Tom joined us. I didn’t want him to, and the older children didn’t want him to come either. They said he makes everything about him and what he wants rather than allowing them to do what they want – which is true. I always feel as…

Weight

I received a letter this morning informing me that the government’s recently announced changes are starting to take effect, which means that a benefit I receive for the children will be cut by £10 per week. This means I now need to find an extra £40 per month. I’m almost sure that if I were…

Play

Tom asked to have Annie at his house for a few hours this afternoon. I didn’t want her to go, but he insisted. I suggested he come to mine, but he said he wanted her there. I took her, and I tried to stay, but he wanted me to go. Annie said she wanted to…

Right

It’s been two months since we left our old life and moved into our new home. It was absolutely the right decision, and we’re all much happier. Tom has surprised me and gone back to who he used to be. He’s proving to be a good dad to Annie and to my other children, and…

Six

In six days, I get the keys to our new home. I wish I could say I’m excited, but I don’t really feel anything. This house – or at least the things that are mine – is still nowhere near packed. I’ve done most of the bedroom, half of the older girls’ stuff, the utility…

Fifteen

In fifteen days, I will leave this house and my life with Tom forever. The children and I are going to our new home, where we have choices in how it’s decorated and what we watch on TV, how I spend money and what food we eat. I also get to give Annie a bedroom…

Worth

I am viewing a house this week that may be ideal for us. I have a few reservations about the area – it’s slightly further away than I wanted to go, which makes it more difficult for the children to easily see their friends – but I know we can work around that. The house…

Whisper

Tom made dinner for everyone tonight, which would be great if only he hadn’t cooked something that only he liked. We all tried to eat it, but Rosie just couldn’t. When I said I’d make her something else, Tom shouted at me to sit down and said she could either eat every single bit of…

Forward

We were supposed to be clearing the garden today, ready for new turf. It’s a big garden with lots of crap dumped in it, so it was a whole day’s work. I went outside with Annie and started to tidy while Tom sat doing nothing except scrolling through Facebook. Eventually, after I’d dug up and…

Fear

I really can’t take any more of this and will be doing everything in my power to get out in the next few months. I really hope and pray that I have the strength to do so. I’ve put up with his shit for long enough. I am so sick of the mental cruelty. Yet…

Reaquainting

There are many things that people might think are the worst things about the kind of relationship I’m in. Maybe they think it’s the shouting and screaming, or they may believe it’s the actual words that get said. They may see it as the manipulation that’s the hardest thing to bear, or the constant worry…

2019

In 2019, I will be 46 years old. Josh, Amelia and Rosie will be adults; Annie will almost be a teenager. I may be a mother-in-law and a grandmother.

Breathless

Annie has slept through the night twice since she was born; most nights she’s up at least four times between 11am – 6am. I have always been the one to deal with her; Tom never has, nor has he offered to. She’s now started getting up at 6 am every day, so as well as…

Searching

As I suspected, it didn’t last. I really tried to think positively today. To remind myself that I’ve been a single parent before and that I can do it again. That I will find a way to leave this soul-destroying relationship. I still don’t know how, but I know I have to keep searching until…

Charm

Tom and I disagreed a few days ago; it was over in minutes, and as far as I was concerned, that was that, but that night he got up from the sofa and went up to bed without saying a word to me, something that hasn’t happened for months. I was really upset about that,…

Stop

After twenty-nine months, I’m going to stop breastfeeding Annie. I kept it going for so long partly because I didn’t want to rush her, but also because I was scared to stop in case he carried out his threat to take her away from me. Annie feeds loads during the day and even more at…

Endless

I left my marriage to Greg for many reasons, but one of them was that he was so money-oriented. When we divorced six years ago, I agreed that he would pay me £50 per week in child support for Amelia and Rosie, even though I knew this was £10 less than the CSA would have…

Passed

Recently, I’ve been feeling that life has passed me by and it’s really starting to get me down. In the last couple of years, I’ve gone from being someone who lived life to the full with parties, pubs, clubs and singing lessons. I’ve gone from going out dancing, to karaoke, camping weekends with Susie and…

Eve

One of my favourite days of the year is Christmas Eve. For the past few years, my entire family has got together for a Christmas dinner at a restaurant. This year was a little quieter and less hectic than usual as not everyone could make it, but it was still lovely. The only downside to…

Migraine

Rosie has been getting pains in her tummy every 6-8 weeks for about the last year. Last time it happened, I took her to the doctor, who did tests and diagnosed her as having abdominal migraines brought on by stress. Rosie’s symptoms are that she starts with pains in her tummy that are sometimes constant,…

Space

The tent in the bedroom didn’t work out. Even though the bedroom is large, the tent dominated the space and would have driven me insane, so I moved on to plan B. Tom agreed to get the overgrown garden cleared so I could erect the tent in a secluded corner by the tree. The garden…

Sanctuary

I have no place in this house that I can retreat to for some peace and quiet, some ‘me’ time. I used to meditate, but I can’t anymore as there is nowhere for me, but I really miss it. Nor do I have anywhere to read without interruption. I was thinking that I should try…

Overheard

Yesterday, I took the girls out for the afternoon on their bikes. Amelia can ride confidently, but Rosie is still unsure and needs lots of encouragement. Tom refused to come with us or look after Annie as he was tired and wanted a nap before going to the pub in the evening. Today, we met…

Relate

I’ve booked to see a counsellor next Tuesday, just for me; Tom doesn’t want to go. Things are getting really bad; we might be okay for a day or two, but then it starts to slip again. I phoned Relate this morning to see if they’d see me alone and how much they charge. I…

Flap

The alarm went off at half-past six this morning. I got the older girls ready for school and fed and dressed Annie. I was exhausted as I’d been up with Annie five or six times in the night again. Tom stayed in bed sleeping until just after nine o’clock when I got back from the…

Steps

Tom’s many trips away and the endless nights at the pub have been really affecting me, so when I saw a 6-man tent in perfect condition for sale for £25, I snapped it up. I planned a weekend away for us all. He refused to come with us. The children and I came back from…

News

Tom returned from yet another weekend away yesterday – his eighth in the past six months, on top of a seven-day skiing holiday, countless nights out, and his usual three evenings a week at the pub. This weekend’s trip was to a family wedding. Annie and I were invited, but not my other children. When…

Stoop

Rosie had a birthday party today. She’d invited seven friends for a swim and sleepover. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the pool, Tom announced he wouldn’t be staying to help. Instead, he went off to meet my dad for lunch, leaving me to supervise seven children aged eight to ten – some of whom can’t…

Norm

Tom and I had a disagreement over the most ridiculous thing today. Jam. He doesn’t think Annie should ever be allowed to eat it, as it contains sugar, whereas I don’t have a problem with it. As is the norm, it escalated into a much bigger argument. I calmly asked if we could just talk…

Farm

Tom took the day off work, so we took Annie along to the local farm. She has developed a fear of animals lately, so she spent most of the day clinging to Tom. Seeing him so protective of her made me love him all the more. He didn’t try to persuade her that the animals…

Bliss

Today was one of those days that I wish happened much more often. Tom, feeling guilty for going out most of the weekend, said he wished that I would go out for a whole day and night and have some fun. With Annie still feeding so much, I don’t feel that I can do that,…

Win

I recently heard about a deal with some online bingo sites. I don’t play bingo, nor do I gamble – even if I wanted to, I don’t have the money. Several bingo websites had a deal to deposit £10 and get an extra £20 free play. You could only do it once per site, but…

Mother

Tom came home from his skiing holiday yesterday. I went to pick him up at the airport, but when I saw him, my heart sank. I suddenly realised what a lovely stress-free week the children and I had, and how it would all change. He appeared at the airport entrance sun-burned and saying he was…

Manage

It’s Tom’s sixth day of his skiing holiday with his family. A holiday that was too expensive to take me and the children on, but not too expensive for him. I’m exhausted managing everything on my own with all four children, although it has been nice not to have any arguing or name-calling. Being alone…

Snoring

Annie’s been really unsettled for the last few weeks, even more so than usual. I’ve been feeding her at least five times a night, every night, sometimes more. I’m managing on three to four hours of broken sleep, and I’m completely exhausted. Tom keeps complaining that we’re disturbing his sleep. Today, he even said that…

Cycle

It started again this morning – the name-calling and being nasty to me. This time I snapped. I told him that I couldn’t take much more of it, that I’ve told him before that I hate it, and I asked him why – if he loves me – does he continue to do something that…

Rollercoaster

Just as I was starting to really believe things were changing, I’m now worrying that things with Tom are slipping again. Tonight, I popped out for an hour to take Josh to his judo class. When I got back, I wanted to have a little bit of time to unwind, but then Annie woke up….

Precious

The girls had an inset day at school, and Josh had no college, so as the weather was unseasonably warm and sunny, we drove to the beach. We spent a couple of hours making sandcastles, paddling, stone-throwing, playing at being sand angels, being buried in the sand, racing along the beach, and getting wet and…

Break

Sometimes when Annie cries, I just need a bit of a break. I need to cook dinner, or do some washing, tidy up, have a shower, or just have five minutes to be me again – to recharge my batteries so I can go back to holding, playing, feeding, comforting. I wish Tom made that…

Yesterday

Yesterday was one of those days that I’d just like to be able to forget ever happened, yet I know it’s going to be one of those days that stays etched in my memory forever.

Enemy

Tom’s family flew in for the weekend on Friday. I hated having to share Annie with the people that – in my head at least – are such a threat to Annie and I. I just wanted to get in bed and snuggle with her instead of having to share her with the enemy. Tom…

Backseat

Tom’s family are coming to visit tomorrow. Since Annie was born, I’ve struggled to keep the house as clean and tidy as I used to. Annie’s a very unsettled baby, so housework has had to take a backseat for a while. I asked Tom to give me a hand. I thought he would, as it’s…

Beg

I am such a fool. I thought Tom was changing; I was wrong – he hasn’t changed at all. I feel sad so much of the time. The health visitor thinks I may have postnatal depression. Tom said, “You’re not depressed; if anyone is depressed around here it’s me, you’re just putting it on.“ Annie…

First

I left Annie with Tom for the first time tonight while I went out for dinner with friends. It was really lovely to have a break, but so difficult to walk out the door. I missed the children and was worried about how he would cope with all four of them, but when I got…

Arms

Annie has been quite an unsettled baby so far. She wants to be in my arms, feeding or cuddling constantly. I’m barely able to get anything else done without her crying. While I love the bond that we have, I’m struggling with not being able to cook a dinner or spend time with the other…

Lulling

Despite Tom’s threat to take Annie, and despite all of my fears when I was pregnant, he’s proving to be a good Dad. He spends lots of time with Annie, and he’s always willing to give her cuddles and rock her off to sleep if I can’t settle her. Today, he really made life easier for…

Waiting

For the third time this week, Tom is at the pub twenty miles away. He left home just before 5pm. He planned on coming back sometime after midnight. Usually, he’ll come home on the last train, stumble through the door, pour himself a glass of wine, maybe a second, before staggering up to bed and…

Saturday

It’s Saturday night, which, for Tom and I, has always meant having a curry and a drink together, except I stopped drinking almost nine months ago when I fell pregnant. He didn’t stop. Tonight, when our curry arrived, he opened his beers and brought out a bottle of vodka that he’d bought earlier. He poured…

Weeks

As I’m nearing the end of my pregnancy, I’m feeling emotional, tired and stressed. I have too much time on my hands. I’m looking back over the last few months, and I’m seeing a picture that I don’t like. In the first weeks of pregnancy, when the tiredness was extreme, I mentioned how exhausted I…

Rest

We went to visit my sister Izzy and her new baby. When we arrived, and for most of our visit, Izzy was doing housework and laundry, and refused my offers of help so she could rest. When we got in the car to go home, Tom mentioned the housework and then said, “I bet you’ll…

Host

It’s just one month until our baby girl is due to arrive. The older children are so excited; they’ve been talking about what they’re going to do with her, who’s going to change her nappy, and how they’re going to play with her. Tom is equally as excited, but today, after he’d taken photographs of…

Pause

We’ve been trying to conceive for months, and nothing was happening. Last month, I suggested we pause for a while to take the pressure off. “I told you right from the beginning that I wanted a baby. The reason I fell in love with you is that you’re a good mum. I want that for…