It’s been a while since I’ve done a Word of the Week, via The Reading Residence, but this week seemed like a perfect time as it’s all been a little quiet on the blog. I think everyone has those periods when things aren’t going quite right, nothing major just a lot of hiccups that kind of throw you off your stride and make you anxious. This year has been crazy and I think that now we are starting to slow down, I’m in a good routine with the kids and I can look back and think just how busy we’ve been. I like to think we’ve done the best we could but having three little ones puts a strain on everything else as you try to muddle though. I had a wobble last week as we haven’t had a fantastic summer, I think my expectations were too high for what we could actually do and I start to worry that we aren’t doing enough ‘fun’ things with the children. That night I sat and looked back through my photos on my phone and realised how silly I was being; as I look back to the photos from February I realise how far we’ve come and as I swipe though them I see smile after smile, I see baking and colouring, bedtime stories and garden picnics, I see my twins holding hands and them up on their hands and knees, Lucas watering the flowers and playing at the park. Every photo holds a special memory (even the one of the twins crying in their high chairs side by side!) and I think we are doing alright.
The twins are eight months now and after me being sure it wouldn’t, it is actually getting easier. In fact I feel like now it is getting that bit easier I can see how crazy it has actually been. To be fair little things make me happy, like being able to sit all the kids at the table for mealtimes without us being sprawled wherever there was surface for a plate. Finally getting a bedtime routine sorted that suits everyone and being able to read a bedtime story to all the boys. Getting out for a walk most days with the boys and feeling like I can manage them and not to mention getting curtains up in our living room after two years!
I guess the whole point of this is that even with all the bumps in the road I have so much to be thankful for, my beautiful children, supportive husband and everyone else who has helped out. I’m thankful for family that have always been there at the end of a phone, who have helped out with frantic bedtimes, visited every week and brought lunch, friends who call in to give me some proper conversation when the house is chaos and I can’t get out, friends who will always tell me I look good when I forgot to brush my hair that morning, thankful to the people who tell us we are doing ok and always thankful for blogging, so many supportive people who see you through with their writing and even come back and read your own ramblings! I didn’t intend for this to be a soppy post but sometimes it helps to put everything in perspective and realise what really makes you happy.
15 Comments
What a lovely post – it can be so easy sometimes to get wrapped up in what we think we’re not doing right that we miss everything that’s great. Good to step back sometimes (I like flicking through recent photos for this too) and see how good things really are x
September 5, 2014 at 5:06 pmIt has made me feel better even just writing it, trying to focus on the good 🙂 xx
September 8, 2014 at 9:15 pmAww! Such a lovely post! You’re children are gorgeous x
September 5, 2014 at 7:22 pmThank you x
September 8, 2014 at 9:15 pmLovely post and your boys are gorgeous. Glad things are getting easier and you are settling into more of a routine x
September 5, 2014 at 7:27 pmThanks, I feel like things are starting to settle down now! xx
September 8, 2014 at 9:16 pmThis is a lovely post, Hayley. I can only imagine how manic and difficult it has been with 3 so small, but you’ve done brilliantly, and just look at those gorgeous smiling boys! Thankful is a great word to come back with, so thanks very much for sharing with #WotW x
September 5, 2014 at 8:16 pmThanks Jocelyn, will try to join in more often this just seemed to fit perfectly into what I wanted to write about this week. xx
September 8, 2014 at 9:18 pmHayley…and James…you are doing absolutely brilliantly. And I tell all my friends about you and how you just get on with it and enjoy life xx
September 5, 2014 at 10:35 pmYou must really have your hands full with twins, double the trouble but also double the love too, gorgeous photos of your precious boys and a lovely post #WotW
September 6, 2014 at 11:17 amThanks, it is a very busy life but I wouldn’t have it any other way! x
September 8, 2014 at 9:23 pmA lovely post Hayley and I agree with every word. Parenting is hard, it is relentless and it is manic (even more so for you I can only imagine!) but sometimes you need to take a step back and realise how lucky you are and just how much there is to be thankful for. On another note, I genuinely think that your twins are two of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen. They really are just gorgeous. x
September 6, 2014 at 8:15 pmAww thank you, they really are cute which I’m sure means they will be full of mischief too! Relentless is the perfect word! 🙂 xx
September 8, 2014 at 9:19 pmLovely post and beautiful pictures. Fabulous word! x #WOTW
September 7, 2014 at 4:43 pmThank you xx
September 8, 2014 at 9:20 pm