Littlemummy.Com

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!

These five years were probably the biggest in my life. As I mentioned in part one I met Alex at cadets when I was fifteen and he was sixteen. We were at annual camp together and by chance we ended up working the Edinburgh Tattoo together. Alex asked me to be his girlfriend as the lone piper was playing, very romantic. We were inseperable for a year and a half when we surprised both our parents by getting engaged, I was still a couple of weeks off my seventeenth birthday!

In June the same year we rented Alex’ parents house (they moved to another house) and moved in together. By this time my dreams of becoming an Army Officer were in the past and I’d left school to go to college and then decided to find a job and start earning some money. My first job was as an office junior for a well respected chartered accountant firm, from there I went to the Scottish Legal Aid Board where I was an administrative assistant before being promoted to a debt collector. Debt collection didn’t really suit me, I think it was a bit heavy for someone of seventeen. I left there and held a couple of temporary positions before working for Alexander Forbes in their private healthcare division. I enjoyed my administrative position and was hopeful of being promoted to account co-ordinator, when I fell ill.

It started with constant diarrhoea and sickness. The doctors thought it was food poisoning, and then gastroentiritis. I began losing weight and became extremely fatigued, getting off the sofa was a major achievement. After several weeks the doctors suspected crohn’s disease and I had a lot of tests until it was confirmed after about three months. I was down to seven and a half stone and looked visibly frail. The doctors put me on a combination of drugs and slowly my health improved. I was nineteen with no previous illness, it was a shock to know that I would be continuing my life with a chronic disease.

Luckily my crohn’s was brought under control quickly. I returned to work to find that the promotion I’d hoped would be mine had been passed to someonelse, I can’t blame my employer, they needed someone and I ended up being off for around four or five months in total. Knowing that another promotion might be some time away I decided to look for another job. At the same time we managed to get our wedding day organised for August 20th 2004. It was to be a small family affair in my hometown, Swansea. I had been back in contact with my father for a year and put the past behind me, he was to attend the wedding with my new half sister. It was one of the best days of my life, I still get teary when I think of it.

On the job front I joined an agency and it wasn’t long before I had an interview with a start up mortgage brokers as a senior mortgage assistant. I got the job and was looking forward to learning the ropes and possibly going on to do the mortgage exams. Three months later, coincidentally when they found out I would need to go into hospital for a reocurring absess problem in connection with the crohns, they made me redundant. This was quite a low point at the time but ended up being a blessing in disguise…to be continued

I was born in Swansea, South Wales on 18th February 1983 to my parents Lisa and David. My childhood may be described as ‘unsettled’ by ‘the experts’ but as a child you know no different and it all seemed like one big adventure to me.

My mother and father experienced marital difficulties from what seemed like the outset, the pressure of married life and children was too much for their young relationship, they divorced soon after my brother was born, my mother becoming the sole carer for us both. My father moved to Spain and contact was extremely sporadic until I was eighteen.

I loved being a ‘big sister’ and was very protective towards my brother, acting almost like his mother. I wanted to feed him, change him, play with him and would rarely let anyone get a look in, including his real mother, so I’m told. I enjoyed reading and quiet pursuits like drawing and practising spelling. I was a fan of school and liked playing teachers in my spare time. I think this love of learning and teaching is very much still with me today!

In my earlier years living in Wales I danced, tap, ballet, jazz and modern starring in a few shows including the Wizard of Oz at the Grand Theatre in Swansea.

At around six or seven we moved to Cardiff, and for a short while I lived in a bungalow with my own room with a sink (this was a big deal) and a secret garden. I remember having a hamburger and hot dog karaoke birthday party and my mother running her own childcare business. Of course, I was on hand to help out with childcare with all the extra children around.

At around aged 9/10 we moved to Glasgow in Scotland. We moved several times within the same 20 mile radius, eventually settling in a village called Bridge of Weir. This village was a kids paradise, places to explore, a huge park, a fantastic sweet shop and it felt so safe. My brother and I would play out all day. I have fond memories of hot summer days, bike riding, fishing with those £1 nets, and in winter, sledging.

During my first few high school years I lived with my grandparents, my mum and stepfather were moving around a lot and it was decided that it would be more settled for me to live with my nan and grandad for a while. I loved my time there. I joined an acrobatic troupe and spent nearly all my spare time practising.

My teenage years back home weren’t easy. It was strange moving back home (Edinburgh) and events during that period didn’t really help much. I did a lot of babysitting at this time, probably a few nights a week on average. I also spent time volunteering at after school clubs with my mum (she ran several) and for my Duke of Edinburgh Award.

At fourteen I joined the army cadet force and met my now husband Alex… At that time I had dreams of being an Army Officer in the Education Branch. I felt that combining my love of teaching with my aspirations of passing out at Sandhurst the ultimate career. Of course all that changed when it dawned on me that I’d met my soul mate, and the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with… to be continued

I’m really enjoying these discussions, and not only because it’s giving me a chance to work on my epic post - Who is Littlemummy? and get my new site up and running - British Parent Bloggers.

The discussion today is babysitting.

Did you know there is no law for what age a person can legally babysit?

My question to you is ‘What age do you think is appropriate to start babysitting?’

I started babysitting when I was eleven but as a mother I feel that is way too young now. If Erin was in bed and all the sitter has to do is be there, then I would consider an extremely responsible fourteen or fifteen year old. If there is any actual hands on childcare to be done then I think sixteen is sensible. What about you?

Inspiration for these discussions comes from - You Want to Do What? by Karen Sullivan