This post was written before I had my three children and I only had my eldest. Since having my daughter I have definitely let myself go. I hate thinking this is just part of being a parent, as I think self-care as a Mum is so important. You don’t have to lose that part of yourself if you like making an effort but it is so hard!
We got back from my Mum’s this Easter with an extremely moody gremlin who had a fabulous time at Nanny’s but her naps went out of the window and she hadn’t settled as well. She’d started with another cough and was generally in a foul frame of mind. I hurriedly grabbed my coat and decided to go over the road to the park with her to run around for a bit, to “Shake it off” in the words of Swifty. I looked at myself quickly in the mirror and had to double take. I looked like s**t. Pale, greasy and wearing my “Geek” jumper from when I was pregnant. What has happened?!
Babies take away so much of your time. When they are tiny they are screaming for a feed or a cuddle. As they get older, they don’t want to be left alone and as they get mobile, they are not safe to be left alone! Putting make-up becomes a rush job. I NEVER have time to straighten my hair and paint my nails? Forget it!
I wanted to always make a bit of an effort like the picture below.
Before my gremlin entered the world I vowed to be one of those “yummy mummys”. Okay that’s a bit strong for a ginger, pale, string bean with a big nose. So, I vowed I would make an effort with myself at all times. How naive I was!!
I’ve Let Myself Go
- I don’t wash my hair as much. I used to go 2 days – now it’s 4 and a lot of dry shampoo. This weekend I had forgotten said shampoo so hair could have probably had an egg fried in it. That greasy!
- I have a LOT of hair and I used to straighten it a couple of times a week to make the most of it. Now it’s wash, half dry, straighten fringe and bung up. When it’s taken down it no longer resembles hair; more mane. I’m not that great at the ‘Mum Bun’ either – it looks nothing like the pictures!
- I don’t wear make-up everyday. As I’m a ginge this means I have no eyelashes and my eyes vanish. I do think it’s good to give your face a break but I look so pale!
- I don’t wear my trendy outfits at all times. I used to always put something decent on. Now it’s leggings, jeggings and some random jumper. The Uggs tend to finish it off.
- I used to be running away from magpies I was that covered in my jewellery. I love it. All types and I’m particularly partial to Pandora. However, nowadays I may just have my wedding rings on and my watch (my watch is a must as my birthday pressie which I begged for… a LOT!)
- I need to shave more. I was in a gym class stretching a couple of weeks ago thinking I’m so lucky I’m fair. The hairs on my leg were about 2cm long. That’s a long stretch without getting the razor out! I won’t go there about other areas.
- My feet. I can’t even go too deep into this as I’m not a foot person. I used to scrape them regularly and paint my toenails. My feet have been so dry they have been catching on the sheet (gross but true) and nail polish? What’s that?
- Milk bottle is standard. I used to be quite good at applying the fake tan moisturiser but I can’t even be arsed with that now. You have to wash your hand afterwards to avoid yellow hands and by the time I’m done my gremlin will have probably eaten an ear plug from my drawer.
- The PJs are on as soon as the gremlin is getting ready for bed. I don’t care where we are the PJs come OUT! Comfy is just the best, isn’t it?
I know this won’t last forever. My now babies (I wrote this post a while ago) will grow and I will have more time to do my hair, nails, make-up and choose clothes but will I want to? I’ll miss the drool and the weaning stains. I’ll miss the stop-start hair straightening that takes twice as long. I know I’ve let myself go a little but I’ll come back.
But it will be nice to make a little more of an effort again…one day!
You've nearly just described me! I've got quite long hair, but it's so thin it looks quite bad it I don't do anything to it, and I don't, I just leave it hang and it looks a little horrible. Until I used head and shoulders shampoo recently which seems to have made me hair greasy, so I now have to wash it every other day, I was washing my hair once a week! I live in pjs when I'm at home, couldn't imagine being in the house wearing normal clothes! #binkylinky
Great word and a list that's oh so familiar, but then again it's been winter and it's been cold… Now with the weather warming up I'm full of good intentions… #wotw
Oh I can so relate to all of this list Sarah – so very true! I always thought the concept of dry shampoo was a bit gross until I became a mum and ended up resorting to it some days! I remember once going for a massage having completely forgotten to shave my legs (being so out of the habit of doing so) and the girl doing the massage was about 20 and immaculately made up – I spent most of the massage being too aware of my horrible gorilla legs to truly be able to relax!
Oh gosh – nodding in agreement here. My hair is down to my knees and has been washed less the more children I have had. I have 4 now. Dry shampoo is my best friend. #BinkyLinky
This all sounds very familiar 🙂 my eldest will be 11 this year and I am just starting to get myself in some sort of order LOL!
I have to put my PJs on at the kids bath and bed time, it's the right time to do so, isn't it?! Thanks for sharing with #WotW x
I used to think going out for a posh meal was one of life's great pleasures but now I'm a parent I realise just how wrong I was – it is in fact getting into your PJ's as soon as is humanly possible once the kids have gone to bed. Although, a posh meal every once in a while is nice too!
Ha! Sounds like me pre-kids… Don't want to know what I'll become after. Haha.
Haha great post, reading this in my PJ's with a hairdo like grotbags! sod it, its Friday after all ;), Us Moms are so Rock n Roll x #WotW
hahaha….This sounds just like me! I had make up on today for the first time in ages….As soon as I got in I changed straight into my pj's. lol x
I love this! I can totally relate! I always thought I would manage to wear nice clothes but it seems like so much effort and such a waste to go to the park or get covered in grubby hands! #binkylinky x
I've always been a slob so haven't changed much since having Aria BUT I did go drop stuff off at the charity shop in jogging bottoms and a hoodie with a very dodgy hair up do, I wouldn't have done that before I don't think!
Leanne – A Slice of My Life Wales
I can totally see where you are coming from really good read 🙂
I can so relate to this! I think becoming a slob is part and parcel of being a mummy haha! No time for us or we are just to tired to prune 🙂 #bigfatlinky xx
Oh my god! Did I write this in my sleep? It's so refreshing to read a post like this – I read another post somewhere else – it was a great post but all the comments were full of people saying they still make an effort, always put on makeup etc. My kids are 3 and 5 and at the weekend I consistently look like crap, no make up, old clothes etc The thing is I think this is how I looked before having kids too! I do make a bit of effort for work but that still rarely extends to makeup and if your tights are 100 denier then it's amazing how much hair they will contain! I really need a haircut too – sigh.
#bigfatlinky
Haha, you've described me to a T. I tried to apply fake tan once when A was napping and it was far too much effort and wasted time!
I feel for you! When I am single I am so polished now… now I cant even find words to describe me *sniff* #wotw
I've definitely let my hair go, gone are the days I would religiously straighten and style now it;s a case of sorting out the front and whacking the rest up in a bun! I do put make up on everyday though for fear of scaring someone lol.
Helen – #WotW
I am definitely a beauty slob, I think it just kind of crept up on me. I agree about the pyjamas, I could live in mine!
Sarah: This is AWESOME! Can relate so much! Got to love Dry Shampoo right?
Thank you for linking up with the #WeekendBlogHop
Laura x x x
Before I had kids I used to wash my hair everyday, dry it and straighten it too. Now I skip a day and use dry shampoo (best invention ever!). Thanks for linking up to the #BinkyLinky
Ha ha 🙂 I've always been a bit of a beauty slob but the older I get the worse that shows 🙂 I can definitely relate to this and I am so like this in many ways… Including the 2cm hair growth on legs! 😀 #binkylinky
This is SO written about me!
I am exactly the same. I'm 7 months pregnant anyway, so that kind of adds to it.
I'm too tired & round and I really don't care at the moment. I just like to be comfortable haha.
I even take my bra off in public recently if I get too uncomfortable! Hahah!
Sarah xx
whimsicalmumblings.blogspot.co.uk
I'm exactly the same (similar colouring to you too)! I live in leggings and Uggs, wash my hair once a week and am always being nagged about fuzz removal by the husband. Men don't know how easy they have it, do they!