All you need is....

So in a few days time it will be Valentines Day. Many people will be wondering what to do or what to buy for their significant other, whilst I’m only wondering whether or not to bake a cake for Aidan’s first birthday, our little Valentines baby.

You know, I’m actually starting to think that maybe I’m not all that romantic. I mean, Andy and I both forgot our first wedding anniversary last December. My mother-in-law asked us afterwards what we did on the day and we both just laughed as neither of us had thought about it at all. And I don’t think we ever do much on Valentines Day either. We’ve been together for about 11 years (again, neither of us are sure how long exactly) and I can’t remember if we’ve ever celebrated Valentines Day in any shape or form. And to be honest, I don’t care. I’m just happy that Andy and I have crafted this incredible life together and that after all this time we still enjoy each other’s company as much as we do.

I actually believe that Andy and I have a better relationship than most couples we know. We always show love and respect to one another and are we’re still very much in love, but we’re just not all that soppy.

Also, when my children were born I didn’t cry. Neither did Andy. Especially Lucas’ birth was this weird anti-climax in a way. I had been watching all these TV shows in which women gave birth and where the minute the baby arrived the violins would start playing and everybody in the room would cry. When Lucas arrived the room was silent. There were no violins and we all just looked at him, going ‘That’s him? That’s our child? How bizarre’. I had also imagined that there would be this instant recognition, but there wasn’t. I had to get to know him and fall in love with him over the following days and the same was true for Aidan.




I also wonder when I hear people say that they have never known a love like the one they feel for their children, that they somehow love their children more than they’ve ever loved anybody else, because I don’t feel like that. When I love someone, I love someone. There is no hierarchy for me when it comes to love. Of course, I would do anything for my children and I am totally responsible for them, whereas I do not feel like that towards my friends or other family members. But it doesn’t mean that I therefore love my children more than my husband or that I love them more than I love my parents or my other siblings. They are simply two more souls that I am intertwined with for (as I am concerned) eternity. And right now they are my main priority in life, because that’s what being a parent is in my eyes. But my love for them is no more and no less magical than my love for all the other amazing souls on my life’s path.

As the Beatles once said: ‘In my life, I loved them all’

Anyway, happy Valentines Day everybody and I wish for you all as much love in your life as you are willing to give (and that’s usually as much love as we are getting anyway)



Here is just a small selection of those that I love (in no particular order)....