I’ve been tagged by the lovely Mama Mummy Mum in a new meme doing the mummy blog rounds. To sum up, this one will have us all reaching for a glass of gin to toast our ever-diminishing freedom since stumbling into parenthood. Okay, so that’s not quite the idea here… we’re supposed to looking back lovingly on our lives pre-children, and appreciating just how much more fulfilled they’ve become since out little Masters and Madams have joined the party - but I must admit, given Dexter’s been hanging around my neck all day, it did make me a little bit sad to think of the pre-tantrum days… Just look at how fresh-faced we were here!

So, without further ado, here we go!

What is your favourite holiday destination and why?

There’s so many! I’d say that my fondest holiday memories were childhood ones spent in Barcelona, or California. Holidaying as a family is important to Craig and I, and we always manage to cram these in, but I wouldn’t say we’ve discovered anywhere truly awe-inspiring together yet. I think I have very high expectations of holiday destinations and just one over-priced beer, one greasy plate of chips, or one cold swimming pool will put me off. Send me to Barbados though and I promise not to moan - not once.

What is your funniest memory pre-children?

Most are too rude to share, and most pre-date my time with Craig (we were only together a few months before I became pregnant with Dexter).

I’d probably plump for a time when I decided to have a nudey day milling around the house in the dead of summer. I didn’t realise we had students as neighbours who were cosied up to their windows with their camera phones…

What was your favourite thing to do in the evening?

Snuggling with Craig. We still do this, but unfortunately now have a baby monitor or a little person tucked in-between us.

I do miss being able to go to the pub, disgrace myself, and not have to wrestle with the guilt that I may have embarrassed myself in front of other mums from playgroup. As my own mother is an alcoholic, I would never do this to my son so tend not to go out boozing. The picture above is a rare night out for a few drinks at a comedy night recently.

What hobbies do you have that you can no longer do?

I haven’t had to give anything up, because I didn’t really have anything to give up. I’m not a gym bunny, nor a mean cook, nor am I handy with a pair of knitting needles (or even a Pritt Stick). My favourite hobby is moaning and I actually get to do a whole load more of that now I’m a mummy.

What do you think you took for granted before having children?

A good lie in. Gone are the hangovers in bed arguing with Craig over the remote control. He’d always want to watch Sunday Brunch or something equally headache-inducing, whereas I was more of Corrie Omnibus / Teen Mom / Apprentice catch-up kind of girl - anything that didn’t require any thought. Now we’re up by 8am knee-deep in nappies and morning hysterics.

I must admit, I do sometimes miss the spontaneity of being able to dash out of the house without wrestling shoes on a defiant toddler, or battling with the rain cover on the pushchair. Even a trip the shops now needs half an hour prep time, and fifteen minutes “eww” time cleaning dog poop from the wheels of the Maclaren - oh joy!

So there we go…

I’ve been asked to tag 5 more people, so here are my picks (hope you can all join in):

Kerrie from Wife, Mum, Student Bum

Pippa from Red Rose Mummy

Jade from Late for Reality

Helen from Mummy to the Max

Oana from Mama’s Haven