366 days of Munch

 So, today our Munch will have been with us for a whole three hundred and sixty-six days - this is excluding the period spent lodging in my belly of course.

This day has arrived far quicker than either of us could ever have imagined and it has gotten more and more exciting as the day approached.  What do we do to celebrate this milestone?  We are marking today by spending it together as a family for it is the exact same number of days since we became one.  There will be celebrations held more for the benefit of us adults than for him once the weekend arrives.  The chances of Munch remembering his first birthday celebrations are very, very slim but as parents we will remember this day forever just as we do the day he arrived. (Should you like to read Munch's birth story you'll find it here, if you'd like Sprout's take on events you can read his here.)

Three hundred and sixty-six days of new experiences and changes and this is just the beginning.  We have both made our way through the maze of parenting and have survived with one child in possession of all limbs intact - phew, so far so good!  There have been no dropping of child incidents,  thankfully only one explosive poo episode and so far no vomit.  *touches wood and crosses everything possible*  We have had many an adult discussion when it comes to our parenting choices and in the main we have been in agreement or have come to sensible compromises for the sake of Munch.  Yes, we could both be stubborn but then that only takes away the enjoyment that is our little boy.

This first year as a Mum has been a roller coaster of emotions but the one that has run throughout is the sheer happiness our little bundle brings.  In the early days it was the grasping of my finger and the ability to sleep in my arms; today it is the toothy, beaming smile he gives which makes my heart shine with the love I have for our little boy.  I am sure if you cut the cells in my body and peeked at them under a microscope you would see an image of Munch in each and every one.  He has permeated through all aspects of my life and his presence is undeniable.  Munch gives me a new perspective on all things and so changes have been made where necessary.  He teaches me everyday what unconditional love is and how, as parents, we do everything because of it.

I'd be lying if I said that it has been full of birds singing and bright flowers as it hasn't at times.  The not so happy moments become an increasingly distant memory as my brain uses its space to keep the more precious ones permanent and this happens ever faster as Munch grows and develops into his own person.  There are so many memories already but my most precious?  The one of Sprout and I with arms around each other at roughly 2.30am looking down at our sleeping son who had arrived a little over 8 hours previous.  We had made this beautiful little boy and he really was ours to love and care for .... always.  He was real, our family was real, it was no longer just a dream.

Time Flies

Wow!  Where has the time gone?  It's been a good two weeks since I've had chance to sit and blog and it's frightening how quickly time seems to be passing by.  The past month has been a blur,  what with settling in visits at nursery for Munch and then my phasing back into work.  We are getting used to our new routines and so far, touch wood, I've not been late for work yet - phew! I do hate tardiness so it would've have wound me up if I had been.

Nursery has brought with it a mixture of emotions.  The first few visits were hard; I'd spent ten months in Munch's company and all of a sudden I had hours, then half days and finally full days without him. I felt lost and bewildered which made returning to work my escape.  I cannot abide being on my own - I never have and I don't think I ever will; when left to my own devices I need things to occupy me or my choice is to sleep to pass the time quickly if that makes sense.  Munch took to nursery very well, extremely well even.  He bonded with his carer and got to play all day with other children which he thoroughly enjoyed.  The change has been made easier as we haven't had to worry about him as much as we imagined.  Yes, there are a few tears as he was/is dropped off in the morning but these are short lived.  He has changed so much since being in constant contact with others.  He learns from them and comes home with new expressions and skills which never fail to amaze us and make us smile.

My return to work was smoother than expected and after a good couple of weeks of phasing in I will return to full time work next week.  My mornings are not very different other than my being aware of the clock to ensure we all get out of the house on time.  The early starts are more welcome as it is these hours which give me my main contact with Munch on work days.  The early feeds and that morning smile more than make up for the fact that I have probably woken sometime past 6.30am only a handful of times these past eleven months.  My life after work is tough going though.  By the time I get home from work Munch and Daddy have eaten and the bedtime routine is fast approaching. I normally snatch half an hour play and then bath, book and bed beckon - this has meant that I'm eating my evening meal on my own, which is a very strange experience, and it's later than I'd like but hey ho there's little I can do about it.  I would say that I have loved being back at work as it has given me new energy and vigour for the time that I do get to spend with Munch.  I've had the magical experience of a genuinely happy smiley face greet me when I get home; the emotions that beaming face conjures cannot be described using any words I know. 

This month Munch and I will be travelling to York for the Twitter/blogger meet up that I've arranged. This month Munch will turn one.  This month, I will be another year older too.  This month Sprout and I will have been fully fledged parents for a full twelve months.  This month is an extremely busy and exciting one - this time last year I had started maternity leave and was busy sitting on the sofa watching television and had finally succumbed to eating junk.  This time last year I was 'fat' and thanking the heavens I'd made it to September without popping.  What a difference a year makes huh?