Unexpected joys of parenthood

I have always always (!) wanted children and always known what a privilege being a parent is (even at 2am!) 

Being Nemo's Mummy has been amazing, just like I knew it would be, albeit not without it's challenges! Here are just some of the things I love about being a parent that I didn't expect! 

-Taking a sleeping Nemo upstairs:

I love carrying a sleeping Nemo upstairs after he has fallen asleep in the car or downstairs. Sometimes he will stir and look at me briefly before closing his eyes again and sometimes he will be dead to the world and I will be able to put him in his cot without his even knowing!

-Hide and Seek:

Out of all Nemo's toys his favourite is probably his plastic balls. They are balls that come from a toy with a ramp to run them down and a hammer bench toy. Every day Nemo will chase the balls around the house and everyday I go round the house retrieving them. Here are today's hiding places:

Bricks and balls end up on top of this toy

Knitting wool basket

Nemo likes to use the bath tub as a ramp for various toys! 

Behind the bathroom bin

On top of the nappy bucket

Underneath the kitchen table.

-Wiping rusk debris from toys and furniture

Rusky fingers get everywhere in our house from door frames, to Nemo's toys, so our sofa. It's funny to see where Nemo has been from his trail and it probably means that we will never replace our £10 leather sofa!

-Checking on Nemo before I go to bed

Every night I check on Nemo before I go to bed. I almost feel naughty sneaking into his room and checking his breathing.  Despite being put in his cot on his back Nemo will always end up in the most amazing positions, usually on his front sideways in the cot with his head squished into the corner! Last night he managed to get entirely free of his blankets and wrapping him back up woke him up. I rocked his back to sleep whilst he held my hand. I was there for ages and when I removed my hand from his he just took my hand back. It was such an amazing moment and it makes me remember how lucky I am.

-Watching Nemo try out foods

I love cooking for Nemo and watching him eat food he hasn't had before. Nemo had his first 99 ice cream (well he shared mine!) Fair to say I think he enjoyed it! 

He also had his first taste of a sausage roll! 

On a recent trip to the supermarket Nemo grabbed a tomato from the trolley and tried to eat it, meaning that the lady had to scan it with a large bite mark in it! He is is enjoying the rest in the car.

Maternity leave is coming to an end in August and it seems to be hurtling towards me all too quickly. After much negotiation I agreed to go back to work 4 days a week, this is more then I would like but I am going to give it a try I just don't want to feel like I'm losing out! 

Positively going back means that we have some pennies for a midweek holiday in centreparcs in September- so exciting!