Eimear, who also works full time as a Research Scientist, hopes to offer readers a little inspiration to pull out their sewing machine or their paintbrush!
Clearly a very busy lady, we were delighted when she took the time out of her day to let us in on her parenting secrets.
1. Most important thing you have learned since becoming a mother
To always, always wash Weetabix off clothes, faces and bowls right away! Apart from that valuable nugget of information, I’ve learned a lot since becoming a mother. However, the most important thing I’m constantly learning is that I need to relax. My view of the world has changed irrevocably since the two ladies landed, and now everything is a source of danger in my eyes - climbing stairs, running and bouncing on beds. Every day, I need to remind myself to stop worrying and let them have fun. They may hurt themselves but they need to learn this, and I’ll be there to wipe the tears if it happens.
2. What is the most ridiculous/funny thing your child has ever done?
Gosh, I think there are too many to even mention – the ladies have me laughing on a daily basis! My big lady has a great vocabulary so I often find her saying things that seem way beyond her years which make me laugh. Sometimes even the innocence of the questions she asks makes me laugh. If I want to admit to some bad parenting, I’d say the one incident that sticks out the most was the first time she cursed (in my defence she learned it off her aunt). She was trying to open our back door and when she missed the handle she let out an expletive! Let’s just say ever since that day we are not allowed to talk ‘foxes’…
3. What's the weirdest thing you've said as a parent?
Having a three-year-old tends to result in conversations that enter a strange realm on a daily basis. My toddler is right in the midst of the 'why' phase and will not accept 'I don't know' as a valid response. We've discovered that by giving her the most complex explanation to her endless whys often stops in her in her tracks and gets her thinking. This means you can find your conversations going from describing the four stomachs in a dairy cow to the water cycle in one short car trip!
4. Name one thing you do that helps keep you sane?
My blog! I started it at a time when I needed something to remind myself of who I was outside of being a mother, a wife and a researcher. It's a great way to channel my energies into something productive and thoroughly enjoyable. The people I've met, the brands I've worked with, the feedback I've gotten and the new skills I've learned have been truly rewarding.
5. What is the best piece of advice you would give to other mums?
To trust your instincts; there are so many books and so much advice out there that it is daunting for any mother with a new baby or even older children. The best advice I got was from a midwife before my first baby - she told me to put down the books because they weren't written about my baby and I needed to figure it out for myself. She was right, even though the idea of it almost appalled me at the time! I'm often amazed by my own ability (and my husband’s) to figure out what our babies need. I don't always get it right first time but never underestimate the power of a mother’s instinct - it's built into our DNA and don't doubt that!
6. If you had to choose just one thing that you absolutely love about being a mum, what would it be?
Watching my two ladies interact; I love to sit back and watch them play together. The utter kindness my big lady shows towards her little sister astounds me. She has empathy beyond her years and no matter how many times her little sister may pull her hair she is always forgiving and never retaliates. I know the patience and kindness she shows is, in part, her nature but I like to think it’s also, in part, nurture so that makes me proud of our skills as her parents.
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