Blissful memories of hungover Sundays spent on my couch watching re-runs of Laguna Beach, The Hills, The Real Housewives. Oh, how we loved those lazy days.
Of course, back then I didn’t realise what luck I had to be able to throw myself down on the couch and worry only about what food I was going to order to help with the dreaded hangover.
Nowadays, there are no such luxuries. I’m afraid I still must get up when baby wakes at approximately 7am and there is no stopping and sitting down, never mind laying down with your feet up until bedtime which is roughly 12 or 13 hours later. So, over the past 17 months, I have been debating whether those fabulous fun nights out are really worth it.
It's such a tough day when you have been out the night before that throughout the day I find myself saying “Never again, it’s not worth it” now I may only have had 3 or maybe 4 glasses of wine but it’s still torture. So, is it that I never go out and have fun with the girls again? Or do you get dressed up, head out, put tomorrow to the back of your mind, rock on and enjoy yourself?
I think myself and my husband have it nearly figured out - if we could just stick to the rules! Out early, home early! The only problem with this genius idea is that we manage the out early bit, great but the home early part is a bit tougher to stick to.
Then another thing I always did in my Life Before Kids was trying to look my best leaving the house. Now I am not a big makeup person or anything like that, but I would always have clean clothes, be dressed well, hair tidy and at least a tinted moisturiser on. Nowadays I’m out of the house about an hour sometimes two and I look down and go, “Oh, Jaysis” my jeans may have a poo stain or milk stain, my hair is probably a mess and my eyebrows might be going in all sorts of directions. I need to remind myself before I leave the house to take a few minutes to assess the damage.
It's just that your priorities change when you become a Mum.
Number 1 these days on my priority list when leaving the house is whether baby's bum is clean, they are warm enough, make sure the pram and changing bag is in the car etc. etc. Fixing my hair falls in around number 12, but that’s ok. There is something very liberating about not being very concerned about those things so much anymore.
Holidays before kids, well, that is just a different story altogether. If you said to me 5 years ago, let’s go somewhere where it will be full of kids, a baby pool, kiddie’s discos and an all-inclusive food resort, I would have run a mile. Not that the all-inclusive food thing is a turn, off but in my LBK, pottering around the streets choosing a fabulous restaurant to dine in that evening was one of the best parts. Now having all-inclusive means score, nice one, there will be something that baby will like.
Everyone (there are 5 of us) tucked up in bed by 9pm is a successful day, whereas in my LBK, we would still be having our pre-drinks and getting ready to head out at 9pm. Intimate time, well what can I say about that only finding the time at all is the blessing, but we do, somehow, Thank God.
With all of this in mind, I wouldn’t change it. I really wouldn’t because in my opinion, you gain so much more in your Life AFTER Kids. You get those cuddles and smiles, and belly laughs that make you feel so blessed, happiness you never knew before, love like you’ve never known before and appreciation of all the small moments in life with your family that make it all worthwhile.
