Belated anniversary

It's so far past the first anniversary of my 'mummy break' that it almost seems ridiculous to write a post about it, but I'm going to anyway. It's been too amazing a year not to mark it in some way.

Amidst cries of "you'll be bored to death in 6 weeks" I launched myself into stay-at-home-motherhood (I nearly wrote 'full-time motherhood' and then the old me smacked the new me over the head and reminded me that all mothers are full-time mothers). And I've loved it. Really loved it. I'm not sure if it was because I was finally ready for it, or because I've found Puddleduck's company to be even more amazing than I already thought it was or because I have found my inner domestic goddess (HA!) but I can honestly say I've never looked back. Well, unless you count the times I have told Puddleduck Mummy will go back to work if she doesn't stop carrying on (hey - I never said I was any good at this, just that I'm loving it).

What of Mr Puddleduck, I hear you ask. Well he's pretty content with the whole arrangement (my recent fixation with cooking the perfect steak may have something to do with this?). Despite snide remarks from some (you know who you are), he's benefited significantly as well. Without competing careers and hours in the office he has been able to do so much more this year than we could ever have expected. With a happy wife and happy daughter at home he gets to enjoy his time away from work without it being a whirl of bedtime battles, housework and organisation.

As for Puddleduck - and I don't claim to be responsible for much of this - she has grown into a sweet, delightful and utterly enchanting little girl. She's a magical combination of bright, whimsical and determined. It's been such a blessing to be able to spend the days with her - from the moment she wakes up until the moment she finally (FINALLY) loses her battle with the sandman at night. She's thriving at pre-school and has friends at every park. She is our joy.

While we have all been settling into our new roles, we've also been settling into our new house. It was a crazily huge project that wasn't without it's dramas but it's been absolutely worth it. Even with a master bedroom that is essentially a garage, a kitchen that is a few benches from IKEA and a deck that is finished with a coat of waterproof sealant and nothing more, we love being here. It suits us and perfectly reflects how we live. During the months we were in our rented house and not here it felt like we were in a weird sort of limbo. Now we're here it's like we've been here for years, and not just a few months. It just fits. We fit together. Mr Puddleduck and I, Puddleduck and our three crazy puppies.

We're all where we belong. Together.