Babies Don't Keep

Housework is always a bone of contention between The Beard and I. I’m beginning to wonder if he has OCD but to be fair he just wants a clean, safe and germ free environment for the Twinkles to eat, sleep and play in. The Beard leaves early for work and arrives home nearly 12 hours later. The majority of the housework is down to me.

Before the Twinkles arrival I was probably as obsessive as The Beard. I’d straighten the coasters and plump the cushions before leaving for work. The house was nearly always spotless. I had set a high standard, big mistake!

After Spud and Sprout were born my midwife gave me a poem. I stuck it to the fridge,  I live by this poem.

                                                                           Babies Don't Keep

I  hope my children will look back on today
And see a mother who had time to play.
There will be years for cleaning and cooking
But children grow up while we're not looking.
Dusting and scrubbing can wait 'till tomorrow
For babies grow fast we learn to our sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs and dust go to sleep
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Practically speaking though some housework can’t be left until tomorrow or if it can then it really should be done the following day. My problem is that I don’t always get it done the following day or even the day after that. If I manage to get the laundry and the washing up done I consider it a good day. If I also manage to get the downstairs hoovered it's a bloody miracle.

My mountain of housework builds up during the week. I try do as much as I can without feeling too guilty for leaving two toddlers unattended but the task is never ending. Of course by Saturday the house is a complete mess and it’s down to The Beard to get to grips with it, hence the contention.

When the Twinkles were tiny I spent all of my time breastfeeding them. What a wonderful excuse for not having cleaned the bathroom.

When they became mobile I bought a huge pen something which I'd said I'd never do. I put all their toys in there and it was their play den. During the day I just left the door open so they could come and go as they pleased. Then if I needed to pop upstairs to the loo, go out into the kitchen to make dinner or get some well needed housework done then I could shut them in knowing they were safe and happy. 

How I miss the den!! It lasted in some form or another for a good six months. Eventually I was using it to keep them out of places rather than putting them in it. Unfortunately I'm now back to not getting much done as they cannot be trusted to be left alone for more than a few minutes at a time. As soon as I leave the room they fight over toys, overturn the dining chairs, climb on the table, pull out the electrics to the TV or stand at the stair gate crying for me. 

I put CBeebies on to entertain them, more guilt and a post for another day, while I rush around trying to do a million jobs but none of them get finished.

At least now they are at an age when I can give them a duster and they can be mummies little helpers. As the poems says 'children grow up while we're not looking' so it won't be long before  they’ll be the ones washing up and they can make me a cup of tea while they’re at it! So for now  quiet down cobwebs and dust go to sleep I'm rocking my babies and babies don't keep.