I will be the first to admit it – having children is a lot of work.  Nobody ever said it wasn’t, but before I had children myself I didn’t necessarily believe it. I couldn’t love my two children more, and after having a few problems along the way, I feel so lucky and blessed to have two children.

But again, it is a lot of work. It is a lot of work when there are two parents present, and now my husband has gone away for a two week training course, and my respect for single mums is growing by the minute!

If you have read any of my previous posts you will by now know that I worry quite a bit, and now that there are two children and only one grown up (I really don’t like using the term “grown up” about myself, but I guess I have to face the facts and realize that I am indeed a grown up… how scary is that!?), I find it difficult to give both children the attention I feel they both need. Luckily, the 3 month old has turned out to be a very patient little soul, and she is happy to lay on the baby gym or sit in the bouncy chair whilst her older brother gets more attention.

I’m usually busy sorting out all of the logistics with getting the older one to nursery in the morning whilst the younger one is sleeping in the babybjorn and then having the evening meal with the older one, hopefully when the younger one is sleeping. And then I find myself making the older one wait whilst the younger one is being fed, and so on. It is difficult. I have two children with different needs and at different times. In terms of nappy changes… they seem to be pooping at the same time! Typical.

 And when am I supposed to get time to do the housework? The best time is after they are asleep or before they wake up in the morning.  One morning I got up at six.  I woke up by chance, and when I realized this was my chance for some alone time, I just couldn’t let the opportunity pass.  So, instead of cleaning the kitchen floor,  I sat down with a book and a cup of coffee before the kids were awake!

What I am realizing is that I don’t always appreciate my husband as much as I probably should (but please do not tell him that!).  Having that helping hand in the mornings and evenings, somebody to carry the screaming baby when I make dinner, or somebody to play legos with the older one when I am changing a nappy, and so on, is invaluable.

It is just so much easier when there are two of us and two of them!

Any advice for how to make my 2 weeks as a single mum as easy as possible?

This is an original World Moms Blog post by Astrid Warren in Oslo, Norway.  Astrid can be found on Twitter @MrsSWarren. You can also find her blogging at QuintessentiallyBurrows. (She previously used then pen-name Asta Burrows).

Photo credit to www.narcisisstblog.com.

Astrid Warren (Norway)

Astrid is a Norwegian thirty something, married, working mum to a wee lad who is almost three and a baby born in 2012! She grew up in Norway, but moved to London, England after she met her husband. After living there during her twenties, she has since returned to Norway and settled down in her nation's capital of Oslo to raise her family. She finds herself slowly turning into her own mother as her free time is spent reading, walking, knitting and meeting up with other mums for coffee. (Ok, she still secretly loves going to the pub, too!). However, there isn't much time for any of the above, as she now enjoys spending most of her time crawling around on the floor, while playing with her children! Check out her blog, Quintessentially Burrows. She's also on Twitter @MrsSWarren.

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