Nice one 2011, you did good!

Whoa, so here comes a cheeky wee blog sneaking in right at the end of 2011!! Admittedly it's been my most lacklustre year on the blog thus far, but as real life goes 2011 has trumped all the others! :) turns out that producing a human is quite time-consuming & does not leave much space, (or brain power) for doing anything more productive, in my now rare moments of peace, than reading Harry Potter or Heat magazine! Still, here I am to wish any readers who might happen across this a very happy new year indeed!

2011 went basically something along the lines of this:

• Jan- was 4 months pregnant but in the dismal stage of just looking fatter & still occassionally vomiting / fainting! partied in the new year with friends in Stockholm- a true delight!

• Feb- stopped feeling so unwell & consumed every pregnancy book known to man(woman)kind in an attempt to prepare for giving birth! Spent my days completely distracted & additionally consuming combinations of sweet/salty treats!

• Mar- long wknd in London to see the family & enjoy last wknd away with husband before tiny human arrived! Shopped, dined, theatred & still failed to spot a celeb, on my ever-failing quest!

• Apr- work got v busy, i spent my days trying to prepare for a year on mat leave & spent many hours indecisively researching, purchasing & returning baby-related items. As suspected, I am indeed a marketers dream!

• May- began prep for finishing work & relaxing for 3 wks before my due date! Enjoyed a yummy- mummy tea party thrown by family & friends, & a delicious cocktail (ok, mocktails) evening with work girls!
• - 7th may as I got ready for a friends wedding my waters broke!! Eek! 3 days of contractions & a stay in hospital ensued, passed time by freaking out/ sunbathing/reading all my books again!
• - 10th may I spent 14 hours in the labour suite & finally gave birth! 3 weeks earlier than expected! Gorgeous baby boy appeared & I fell madly in love!

• June, Jul- spent most of the summer in a blur on the sofa! Or in the park! Realised I forgot to read any books on actual babies/ parenting & experienced steep but most excellent learning curve based around nappies, feeding, dressing tiny people (trickier than u may think!) & sorting baby-related stuff! Surprised myself with how little sleep one can survive on!

• Aug/ Sep- first family holiday to cottage in Northumberland! Swapped my couch for armchair by log fire & enjoyed my extremely cute baby! Visited various castles, beaches, chippies & realised prams are not easy to drag across sand!

• Oct/ Nov- started participating in more 'parent-type'' activities with my other new- mum- friends & felt like part of a new unofficial club where it's all a bit uncool but totally excellent! Days now generally consist of coffees, 'bounce & rhyme' time, buggyfit exercise classes, shopping, blowing raspberries/silly faces/playing, etc & I couldn't be happier! Have gradually re-discovered my social life, albeit at slower pace, but then who really wants to be out every night anyway!?!

• Dec- baby now 7 months & a definite adorable cheeky wee monkey! Festive merriment inspired new sparkly-themed clothes for me & Santa/elf/reindeer themed clothes for my poor son who will no doubt look back in disgust when older! Enjoyed Christmas parties, lunches & other festivities with various friends, family & folks from our most welcoming church! :)

So, all in, 2011 was a bit of a life-changer! I've never had such little sleep, so much time on the sofa & so much pleasure from a tiny new human!

Nice one 2011, you did well! :)

Hope 2012 brings more excitement, satisfaction & adventure! & my waistline back!

Happy new year everyone! Xox