The Girls Who Changed Everything

It occurred to me that I have never really introduced my children here before which is strange because they are literally my entire life. I spend almost the full amount of my day with one or both of them as I work from home and Amelia is not yet in nursery and everything I do, I do for them. I've always been a little bit wary of putting photos out there online but this is my life and I don't want to operate on the basis that there is someone with malicious intentions lurking on every corner. Plus, I asked and most of you seem really interested in them so - here we go.

Layla is five now which is rather scary and turns six in the middle of the year, right in the middle of summer which you'd think is lovely but it has actually rained every single year since her first birthday. It makes her one of the youngest in her class and one of the smallest. She's very petite, is very particular about which food she likes and which she doesn't and always wears some kind of sparkly bow or clip in her hair which, while lovely, is also infuriating when you've forgotten and you're already ten minutes late. She loves school and she will talk to anyone be it a stranger in the street or family members she's known for years. As a mother this is a kind way to say she never stops talking but as a person this is a quality I admire in her so much. She's very straightforward but never judges, she has a smile and a kind word for everyone and she's not opposed to helping out everyone doing everything even if she doesn't know exactly what she's doing. She aspires to be Rapunzel from Tangled and her favourite story is The Gruffalo.

Amelia has recently turned three and is the polar opposite of her sister in everything from her bright blue eyes, body shape and personality to demeanour. Amelia is happiest foraging for worms in the garden while dressed as Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, watching Dora The Explorer and correcting Dora on her timekeeping skills while cuddling the dogs. She's a real animal person who loves to learn about them and love them while they seem really drawn to her. She has always been known in the family as the grumpy one as for years she'd sit there with a solemn pensive look, didn't like to be touched or played with too much and while she's come out of her shell with the people who've been around her forever she's still very wary and shy around new people until she decides to trust them. She loves to draw on everything from walls to floors to paper, is very energetic when she gets going and can walk for miles. She refused the pushchair at the age of two and has never looked back no matter what the distance. She's very much a daddy's girl and has so much love for him it's actually awesome while looking after the whole family. Amelia will be your best friend and comforter even while shooting you judgmental looks. She just wants to make sure you're okay.

These past five years of being a mother have been an adventure. When I was a teenager I'd never even considered a family and always thought it'd happen years later in my thirties after travelling and a career but it didn't happen that way. At nineteen I fell pregnant with Layla and my life just changed. It wasn't a case of other options, I was a mother and I was going to do it all. I have, mostly. No travelling has been accomplished but in years to come it will. I've built some sort of resemblance to a career and I work at it every day but being a mother is who I am. It's something I chose and something I allowed to take me over but not entirely. I am still a person surrounded by these wonderful little women and all I ever want is for them to grow into beautiful, well-rounded and educated little individuals.