Three Precious Hours

How are you all doing? Here in Ireland, lockdown is being relaxed. I have to say everything is a bit weird, life is definitely not as we knew it, nor, I suspect, will it be for some time. 

But life goes on, even if it feels a bit odd. Last Saturday, I finally got my hair cut! I was starting to resemble Rapunzel from the old fairy tale, so it was great to get it cut and styled – despite the masks and plastic gowns! Not only did I get my hair cut, but I got three precious hours to myself! It’s amazing how something so simple, can be so valuable and exciting! 

As I’ve mentioned before, we have a bit of a problem with our little man being left with my husband due to my husband’s multiple sclerosis, and the occasional unsteadiness that comes with it. But, as our little man is getting older, more mobile, and sturdier, it is becoming easier for my husband. The only real problem now is the fact that my husband can’t carry our son down the stairs; and although our little man is good at getting upstairs himself (with one of us right behind him the whole time), as yet he can’t manage to get down (I keep trying to teach him to go down backwards on his front – the way you would on a ladder – but he just thinks it’s a big joke! So it’s going to take a while…). So, in order to have my hair cut, I managed to get an appointment that slotted in just before morning nap time. At that time of day the usual activity in our house is for our little man to play upstairs with his toys before his nap; then the nap usually lasts a couple of hours. 

The post-lockdown haircut – admittedly no make up, but I had no idea what else to post a photo of on the blog today!

My mum suggested meeting me for a coffee in a café after my appointment, which we did – it had been four months since I was last in a café! And prior to meeting her, I did one of my favourite things – I wandered around the shops – BY MYSELF! I’d almost forgotten what it was like to be out on my own! It was just so lovely to have that time – admittedly I spent most of the time in the bookshop – but as someone said to me, it was nice for me to be mefor a few hours, not just my little man’s mum. And it really was. 

I remember when I first became a mum, thinking that from then on, I didn’t mind being known as my little man’s mum all the time, and not as me. I was just so happy, delighted and proud that I had finally got this chance to become a mum, that “being me” didn’t seem to matter too much anymore. But, as time has gone on, I’ve realised that it does. It’s so important. In order to be a good mum I have to be able to “be me” too. I’m also someone who, although I love being with other people, I really do enjoy time to myself too, I always have. 

So that three hours really rejuvenated me. Not only that, it gave my husband and our son some precious time together too, without me there. 

Now I’m looking forward to the next time I get a few precious “me time” hours!

Colette x