My 12 months of Maternity leave is over and I'm back at my desk as though I'd never left.
Well not quite, we did lose government while I was gone (coincidence you think?) but hopefully that's a temporary thing - especially if skeletons keep falling out of the Labor MPs closets.

So moving forward, I now have time to blog again - lunch breaks anyone! My first in around 12 months I tell you ... With an almost 3 year old who has a flair for the dramatic and an almost 1 year old who can't bear to not be in touching reach of mummy at all times, I'm lucky I even managed a toilet break most days let alone food.

Unlike most, I've been looking forward to my return to work. I like my job, my boss and my co-workers. It's a fun and supportive environment and allows some 'me' time which helps me to be the best mother to my boys that I can be. I'm also very lucky that my boys only need to go to daycare one day a week thanks to amazing family options courtesy of my mum and mother in law which allows the boys to see and play with their cousins weekly and spend some quality time with their grandparents.

So life with two... It's been a ride, a very crazy ride so far and things are just starting to settle down for us now.

Charlie, or Charley Bear (CB) as he's been affectionately known as by his big brother since he came home from hospi, went from dream angel baby to more demanding/high needs than E in the blink of an eye and it's only now since he is crawling and cruising that he's calmed down a little. Truly, I'm sure the kid just hates being a baby and wants to skip straight to toddler. He grunts and squeals or squawks with frustration every 2 minutes and demands to be in the middle of the action at all times. He despises sleep, it's for the weak I think he feels, just in case he misses out on anything and don't even think about trying to spoon feed him, he'll clamp his lips shut and grunt and wave his arms like a madman until you give him control. No matter who you are, if you're not mummy, the bottom lip will drop and he will let out an almighty scream until he's back in mummy's arms, with the only exceptions being grandpa and sometimes daddy... Thankfully this is slowly passing too but don't try to extend a short cuddle if you want to keep your hearing intact.

He's a beautiful little boy with the absolute cutest of smiles but there has been a lot of tears this past eleven months and honestly, I recognise now, a little post natal depression too.

I've got lots to write about and share from over the past 12 months including an enormous renovation project we've undertaken, the antics of life with 2 under 2 and what I did to survive the past year.

I'm not sure if anybody checks in here anymore but it's a great little journal and outlet for me so expect some regular posts and feel free to get in touch.

R x