In the last part I mentioned that my being made ‘redundant’ (code for; we don’t want some sick person to deal with so we are going to find a get out clause that can’t get us into trouble) was actually a positive turning point in my life.

I reflected on the jobs I’d had, where my real passions lay, and decided to take a 30% wage decrease to work in a nursery. I enjoyed working with the children especially thinking up creative activities for them to do. I worked with the 17 month - 3 year age group which was challenging and rewarding.

Home life was great and Alex and I began to discuss the possibility of starting a family. We were both concerned about my crohns and how it may affect fertility etc.. I was told by doctors that it may take longer to fall pregnant (up to two years) so after six months of intense discussion we decided to go for it. It must have been fate because almost immediately I found out I was pregnant.

The pregnancy went well but I became extremely fatigued toward the end, ten hour days chasing after toddlers were taking their toll and I decided to finish work early, in December 2005. The last few weeks of pregnancy saw me hospitalized with pre-eclampsia before the doctors decided to deliver my baby via c-section on the first day of the 37th week.

On 4th February 2006, my brother’s 21st birthday, my beautiful daughter Erin was born. Alex and I couldn’t have been happier. I decided at the end of my maternity leave not to return to work preferring to be with Erin as much as possible. After some more soul searching I have decided to pursue my enjoyment of teaching and children by attempting to gain a degree in primary teaching… and on the side? Blogging of course!