Unfortunately, the summer holidays for me also coincides with my busiest ever time work-wise as is slap bang in the middle of wedding season. So, a good few of my weekends were spent either photographing weddings or in the studio. My week days were spent attempting to keep some semblance of order in the house whilst coming up with fun activities for the children and my evenings and every other spare moment were spent at my desk editing and trying desperately to keep on top of my workload, meaning bedtime was often way past midnight. Throw into the mix being tired from being in my second trimester of pregnancy and I admit I was finding things tough.
It was all of these things that made me think hard about what I was trying to achieve with my life and why I wanted this third baby. I am really passionate about my work and LOVE my job as a photographer but at the same time I’ve realised that although life with three children will hopefully be wonderful it will definitely not be easier!
One night on my way to bed, I followed my nightly ritual of checking on the children but this time paused for a moment and sat quietly on the edge of their beds and watched them as they slept so peacefully. I love watching my children sleep, partly because ‘hurrah’ they’re asleep(!) but mainly because it is whilst sitting there in the sereneness of that moment that I can truly appreciate all I have in them. They both looked so beautiful and I realised how quickly they are growing and that these are years you simply don’t get back. I sat and wondered if I was allowing myself enough time to enjoy this stage or whether I was instead simply spinning too many plates.
I feel my kids have a great life with lots of friends and over the holidays we spent many lovely days doing fun things. However, there have also been times when Mummy has been simply too busy to enjoy one on one time with them as there has always it seemed been something more pressing to do. I am the main carer in the week and my husband often has been on the weekend.
So once I’ve got my current work commitments signed off, I am looking forward to slowing down a little for the meantime and spending more quality time together as a family and enjoying those one on one moments a little more than I’ve had time for of late. It would also be good to squeeze in a little bit of ‘me’ time if at all possible before the baby arrives! I have two books sat on my bedside table still waiting to be opened!
I have a few weddings already booked for next year which I am greatly looking forward to but for now think I’ll put the rest on hold until I’ve had at least six months to bond with and enjoy the baby. Oh and my strategy for next summer is to make sure my husband takes at least a week off during the holidays so we can enjoy some time together as a five piece and I can keep those spinning plates from falling on my head!
