Yummy Mummy vs Slummy Mummy.

The days and weeks are flying by at an unbelievable speed. Even though I get up earlier than ever before and have developed serious multitasking skills I never seem to get around to all the things I need to do. Una is more active and so requires more time and attention. She is also highly entertaining which means I want to chat and play with her while she is awake, rather than trying to get stuff done. I really wonder how mothers manage to have several kids, a full time job and neat and tidy houses. I have none of the above. Nevertheless we are getting on fine, I am trying to enjoy every day that passes and not worry to much about the mess. We went to Rookie Rockers this morning, as we do every Wednesday, and Una loved it as usual. I met a couple of Swedish mums there, which was nice. Yesterday we attended a playgroup in Holland Park and I met a Swedish mum there as well. Must be something in the air.

When I was pregnant I planned to do lots of activities as a mum. I imagined myself as some kind of baby-mummy-group social butterfly. Looking glowing and slim in some cool outfit, with a cute baby kitted out in an equally cool outfit, I would whiz around all the West London kiddie activities, take away coffee in hand. Baby yoga, baby massage, underwater swimming classes, baby cinema, coffee mornings....the possibilities where endless and the imaginary diary booked up.

As it turns out, I am still the lazy, forgetful, clumsy and disheveled person I was prior to having a baby. Actually, scratch that. I am more forgetful, clumsy and disheveled than I used to be. If you ever hang around West London and spot a woman with her hair in Britney-style messy bun, wearing porridge stained jeans, practically running down Clarendon Road with a crazed look in her eyes, it'll be me running late for playgroup again. When arriving at playgroup, after my sprint, I am usually so sweaty and flustered that it takes a good half an hour before I am able to compose myself and have a normal conversation with all the chic, together looking mums. How they do it, I'll never know. Any yummy mums reading this feel free to pass on your secrets. In the meantime I will continue enjoying being a slummy mummy.


Slumming it on the floor with Una against a backdrop of washing in various states.