The Hard Work of the First Four Years of a Baby Boy

18 Sept 2018 Today is my son Iarlas 4th Birthday. As an event hair and makeup artist I see and share the biggest smiles with peoples biggest celebrations. I also see the work that has gone on behind the scenes to make it all happen and turn out so beautifully instagrammable. Real life is no different. For today I am so relieved and glad to have the past 4 years behind me. There is nothing more wonderful than motherhood but only now, only after the baby and toddler phase is ending that I am starting to enjoy it all (except for maybe that brief time between 4 and 6 months when they are over the precarious newborn phase are happy and well fed,  so cute and content to sit in the bouncer and smile all day). Any first time mother of a boychild will identify with some or all of the torture. You didn’t sleep through the night until you were a year old. From 7 months to 1.5 years you demanded full attention, to be carried or entertained every second of every day otherwise you were cribbing (To think I actually thought you would play in the corner while I could sit and have a cup of tea and read my magazine-hilarious! how nieve I was). From 1.5 to 3 years you climbed the highest heights, swung out of every door, lamp, table, fell and bruised every part of your body and screamed everytime . Or else I was screaming from finding you tearing up the house, writing on walls and from 3 years until now you spend much of your time whinging, moaning, whining, whimpering and squealing. You still can do hardly anything for yourself but everyday you are evolving, every month you grow and get better and I am recovering all the time and realising that this is ALL normal developmental behaviour for a healthy thriving baby boy. You also realise that maybe choosing to have children in your mid thirties and bringing a second baby into the mix when the first is still a baby may not have been the wisest of decisions for dwindling energy levels. But oh to be blessed with a healthy boy and girl after living my single life to the max, travelling the world and seizing every opportunity life gave to me gives me the energy to endure it all and everynight when you put your arms around me and say “I love you sooooo soooo much mama” and last night “thank you so much mama for making flapjacks for my party” do you realise that your parenting journey is the most worthwhile work you’ve ever undertaken and that you are raising a kind gracious child who is such a good friend to everyone. And so today really is a very happy birthday. And now its time to fly to get party ready and celebrate this precious time with my incredibly beautiful blue eyed boy. Fee xx