Hello! Okay, there’s some serious sorcery afoot. I don’t mean to shock you too much, but while you might still be trying to process 2020 , it’s turned 2023 . Hello to you all! I hope all the Mammies out there are waiting with bated breath to be spoiled rotten on their special day! I am writing this on my 10 th anniversary of being a Mum. I cannot believe I’m writing that because, as always, time plays tricks with your brain. How have I been a Mum for ten years? Do I know enough? Have I imparted enough wisdom? How has it been ten years? I feel like I’m only getting started! But I also feel like I’ve been “Mumming” for yonks! Any who, my daughter will be getting all the birthday attention today (and I’m delighted for her, no really!). But, it always makes me emotional on her birthday, as she is my eldest, and she was the one who made me a Mum. Her birth was all high drama (well, I am an actress after all). Fittingly, I had just left the Irish Film and Television Awards, having been nominated in an acting category. It was close to my due date, so close I was seriously thinking of pinning a curtain around me as a dress, popping on slippers and hoping for the best. I didn’t, however, realise I was only hours away from becoming a mother. I reckon if there had been a category for “Best performance of an actress trying not to have contractions in the Convention Centre”, I would have been a shoo-in. Also on the timing front, it was right in the middle of the Six Nations Rugby tournament. If one more person had said to me, “Ehhh you better not have that baby the day Ireland play England!” So, when did I have the baby? The day Ireland played England. Sure, what else would my other half who was captaining his country be doing that
day. An ideal time to go into labour! My friend was saying she heard on the radio the other day someone describing Brian’s paternity leave as “the shortest of all time” (20 seconds or so, before heading off to try to defeat our opponents). I mean, I was still wrecked so I’m very glad it wasn’t me. I do remember heading into Holles Street holding up my match tickets and offering them to one of the midwives on the ward. “Won’t be needing these,” I said. I mean, I forgot the nappies but I remembered the match tickets. Listen, my hair was still in my black tie updo and I still had my false lashes on, so you know, things were what they were. Anyway, it was a funny, fabulous, high energy, high glam way to start my motherhood journey. I will say that my subsequent babies got increasingly less black tie/Six Nationsie but your kid’s birthday always makes you think of that new adventure of becoming a new Mum. It’s gorgeous and emotional and well, lovely. To all the Mums and Mams and Mas and Mammies out there: I do hope you get a freezing cold inedible pancake and some flowers and a hug on the day. The hug, most importantly. (Gifts of sticks, shells, snotty tissues, pebbles, extra shiny pebbles also very welcome.) Mother’s Day can be incredibly emotional for other reasons too, so happy Mother’s Day to all those mothering in their own way, as best they can. I hope you have a lovely day xxx
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