Me time, also known as escaping the madness

The first time I went to gym post-pregnancy was when the babies were 7 weeks old.

I remember getting in my car, not feeling the slightest bit of guilt, instead feeling like I finally got to escape the madness.

It was wonderful!

Not so much the exercise but the freedom of being by myself without having babies, bags, bottles, blankets, etc. all attached to me.

I had a thought at the time: I know I should feel guilty because I've waited so long for these two, but I actually don't.

So the me time has been wonderful and since then I've made good use of having a day nanny and I escape the madness every 2 - 3 days.

Back to this morning.

I love, love, LOVE grey, overcast skies.

Like this one...

Is there anything better than driving along in no traffic listening to love songs while gazing at those grey skies?

Seriously - it's like a bit of heaven!

So even though I didn't feel like going to gym after nearly a month of being away (I have some valid, but flimsy, excuses: my knees are buggered and I've had a cold), I knew I had to because...

1. D reminded me that I still have to get in my 4 sessions this month to keep my special membership rate.
2. I'm 0.8 kg away from my pre-pregnancy weight! Amazing because it doesn't look like it. I've decided that it all shifts around so I probably have thinner ankles or something :) because my bum, thighs and belly weigh a lot more than 0.8 (1.76 pounds).
3. I was seriously annoyed and needed stress relief. (a) Night nanny woke us at 5.20 this morning (she actually works til 7am) announcing that she needed to leave to get to her new full-time job. We'd discussed this last week and I told her we need her til 7 otherwise we need to get someone else. (b) When I checked The Notebook, I saw Kendra had had tiny feeds of 25ml and 40 ml during the night because no-one except D and me has the patience to make her finish her 75ml feed. (c) The (newly sterilised) bottles were all standing open on the kitchen counter top. What is the use of sterilising bottles if you leave them open for all the germs?!!!

I did a stretch and tone class and actually, my knees seem to be better. Not totally healed but a million times better than before. So things are looking up.

Of course I felt calm and stress-free afterwards too.

Now here's the thing:

On Sunday my MIL announced that she was coming over. So I said to D that I'd be going shopping (I love walking the shopping centre all alone!) which he agreed would be good for me.

My MIL arrived, I spent about 30 minutes here doing some chit-chat and then I said I'm off to the shops.

What for? she says. All judgemental.

Because I have things to do, I said. (I really only had one thing to do)

I could not believe the tone.... and had to bite my tongue for the good of the family dynamic...but I gave D a look :)

So what is it with people?

Do they think mothers have to be all martyr-ish and stay at home all the time???

(this is my contribution for the 30-minute blog challenge and I made it!!!)

P.S. A year ago today I found out I was pregnant with my chemical pregnancy from IVF1