Life as a Mum and Student; the good, the bad and the downright ugly!

So yeah, apparently a messy baby is a happy baby, but it certainly doesn't make a happy mummy!

This was the mess that my little monster left for me today! She decided to ransack her big sister's cupboard while I was downstairs doing some university work. I honestly could have cried when I saw it!

This kind of thing is a regular occurrence in this household, however that certainly doesn't make it any easier. I had been trying to spend a wee half hour trying to study but this was totally scuppered when I saw this! Her big sis had supposed to be looking after her but she ended up with the music on dancing. Stress, stress, stress!

I also bought this little lady's christening dress today. It's so beautiful and can't wait to see her in it on her big day but that shopping trip wasn't without drama either. I realised when I turned up at the shopping centre that I had forgot her pram so had to carry and occasionally walk with an 18month year old, which, for any of you mum's out there, you will know is a hell on earth experience! Between pulling clothes off the rails and running into every second person, it certainly was eventful. To top it off I had also forgotten the pram bag, so yeah I had no nappies, no wipes, no nothing! By the end of the trip she had a nappy that had swollen to the size of a beach ball and looked like it was about to burst. Needless to say the shopping trip was cut short and homeward bound for us it was! I really don't know where my head was at today!!

It's at this time of year that I normally begin to feel the pressure rise slightly in terms of my uni work. I'm just about to enter week 4 of my final term and it's from here on in that the work normally begins to get really tough and time begins to be my worst enemy.

Weeks 1 - 3 are normally more laid back (even although they shouldn't be) and then week 4 hits and suddenly it's panic stations! 

Today I've been working on my dissertation for around 7 hours, holed up in my bedroom as it's the quietest room in the house. I haven't showered, I'm sitting in my PJs, I've had a packet of crisps and twix for my lunch and I'm typing my life away like there's no tomorrow - a massive amount of krap I might add! These are the days I get really annoyed and frustrated if I get disturbed, hence the reason for not showering or making a meal! When I'm in this room, I normally keep a good train of thought and get really mad if I get interrupted with anything.

I need to make these small sacrifices at weekends at the moment just until I get my work completed. I need to shut myself away in order to not be disturbed. I hate doing it but I know it won't last forever.

I think Mark gets a bit peed off about it at times, like today, once he'd finished his DIY he was asking when I'd be finished and looked disappointed when I couldn't give him a time. I told him to take the girls out if he wanted some time out of the house but unfortunately I was unable to go. I'm aware it's rubbish and it really does suck when I can't join in on family time but this is all for the greater good and it just adds more pressure on to me when I see Mark get annoyed.

I know it can be an additional stress on the family just now and that can make me feel awful and guilty at times but then, at the same time I think "No!" The only reason I've put myself under this stress the past few years is for my family, so that I can provide them with a good life and we can live comfortably, an environment I never really had growing up.

8 weeks tomorrow will be my final week at uni, I honestly cannot believe it. I just need to knuckle down and get through these last 2 months and all will be OK! 

Emma xxxx

Evening everyone,

It's been a really long day today. I did my 9 hour shift at work and then had to go and pick up Isla-Rose from my mums. Cerys goes to ballet class on a Wednesday so she is already there by the time I finish work. Once I get Isla-Rose I have to rush home to make dinner for myself and Mark as he runs a boxing club on a Monday and Wednesday night. 

I only eat half of my dinner and then realise I'm late to pick up Cerys from her dance class so I quickly rush down to get her. Mark and I end up like passing ships because as we come in the door from dance class, Mark has to run out to boxing. We only have the one car between us at the moment, which can be a real pain at times but as we really cannot afford another one just now we just have to make do with splitting it between us. This seems to be life for us right now, running around like headless chickens, constantly chasing our tails but then doesn't every family?