Gone to seed

Yesterday was pretty rough.

The dog woke up on the wrong side of his bed and was persistently naughty from 7am-7pm. Halfway through the afternoon I had foolishly decided to take on the mountain of filing that was threatening to break out of the kitchen cupboard, so I had files and paper everywhere that just wouldn't go down. Plus cleaning, plus food shopping, plus bathtimes, tea-cooking etc...the final straw was Imogen refusing to go back to sleep just an hour into bedtime and screaming to the point of hyperventilation for an hour until James and I managed to finally rock her to sleep. Ugh.

So, by the time I went to bed, I felt frazzled. When I glanced in the mirror at 10pm, I almost didn't recognise myself.

This is how I look and feel. Where did it all go wrong!

From top to bottom, I look so far removed from how I looked and felt this time last year. I don't know whether it's hormones, lack of sleep, not eating and drinking enough, not enough exercise, I don't know, but I look rough.

what happened to this fresh-faced, young whipper-snapper?!

Hair was lank, greasy and in desperate need of a colour. I've got the dye, I just haven't committed to actually putting it on my hair yet. It hasn't been cut for months and months, so it never looks good, even after a wash.

My skin is pale and wan, grey even, the giant pores on my nose threatening to engulf my whole face; breakouts everywhere.

The closest my fingernails get to a manicure is a quick trim with the nail clippers every couple of weeks, not even a nail file goes over them anymore.

As for my feet, well after a winter stuck in shoes and countless hours pounding the streets with the dog, they are so dry and dusty, they could probably pass as elephants' hooves...

Even before I had a baby, I was never particularly high-maintenance. I don't wear a lot of make-up, a quick hairbrush is all I do to my hair in the morning and I definitely don't spend any time in spas. My only concession to vanity is getting my eyebrows waxed. Non-negotiable with my caterpillar brows! So I don't know how I've gone downhill so badly when there wasn't really that far to fall, if you follow. Surely being low-maintenance works well with young babies? A slick of make-up, a quick brush, job's a good 'un??

It seems that it's not enough to just shower every day and put on make-up to cover the cracks. Eight months of broken sleep and not enough 'me' time to drink enough water or eat properly, instead of snacking on mini eggs all day just to get by, has resulted in a washed out Clare.

Does all this sound familiar? I don't intend for this to sound all woe is me, I'm sure every new Mum or Dad on the planet, who hasn't got full-time help, feels the same way.

This time in my life is great, but I look like shit!

But don't all of you despair for me just yet, there is a beacon of hope on the horizon. Mumma W will, fingers crossed, be arriving this time next week for 2 weeks of Grandma duties. Hip, hip, HURRAH! No rest for the wicked, she will be put straight to work and maybe I will get some R+R? ;-)