PETERSHAM NURSERIES

It's been a tough few months. We've had one sleep issue after another and I have felt the most exhausted of my life, even more so than those newborn days. It's a funny old thing, exhaustion. With it comes illness and impatience and a lack of drive and ability to get anything done. Thankfully, I feel like we're coming out of this period of bad sleep (touch wood/fingers crossed etc etc!) so my visit to London to see my dear friend Polly came just at the right time.

I think as parents, and especially mamas, it's so easy to put ourselves last; to put the children, our partners, the house and everyday life before us, and yet sometimes it's the most important thing to ensure we can keep on giving the best of what we have. The last few weeks I've really felt like I've being doing a pretty crappy job as a Mama. Getting cross and raising my voice - my patience is the first thing to go when I'm tired, let alone exhausted to my bones.

But today, after hours yesterday of uninterrupted conversations about mamahood, marriage, photography, blogging, IG - everything - with Polly, I feel back to myself. Inspired and energised. I just needed some me time, and I'm going to try and remember that; try and put myself first sometimes and get away for a day. Take the time to reflect, breathe, talk and listen. I've already noticed a difference today in my motivation, my interaction with the girls, my general outlook.

Polly and I walked along the river to the beautiful Petersham Nurseries (my new favourite place) where we ooohhed and ahhhhed over the Christmas decorations and where we ate a delicious lunch (without having to share, and whilst it was still hot!) before a stroll into Richmond and home again.

I've written here before about how grateful I am for the blogging and Instagram world for bringing some wonderful women into my life, and today I feel that same gratitude. I've found such a beautiful friend in Polly and I think, especially as we get older and that gets harder to find, that I'm incredibly lucky. She's genuine and warm, inspiring and creative, down to Earth and funny. I came home last night buzzing with ideas we'd shared and fun projects for the future.

I can't wait for our next meet up, and am so grateful for yesterday giving me these fresh eyes on our life, the adventures just waiting to start and 2016.