Day 500: Thank you and goodnight

Well, it’s here. My 500th and final post. How did that happen? 500 days!!! Blimey. Thanks for reading the blog and for all your support over the years. It has meant everything to me, it really has. I have met some great friends, got some invaluable advice and have been able to pour my heart out. You have all been amazing. (I feel quite emotional writing this, but all good things must come to an end!) Please stay in touch if you can. I might come back here and post now and then. We’ll see. I just need time to concentrate on the most precious thing in my world, my family.

So here it is, my final post.

I was going to write an epic conclusion to those 500 days, but in true tired parent style, I just don’t have the wherewithal! So rather than that I thought I might end where I started with the things I learned today. It’s just that these are…

The top five things I learned in 500 days:

Parenting is hard. Actually, it is REALLY hard! But is is also the best thing in the whole wide world. When the going gets tough just count to ten slowly and remember how much you love them all, because you do.

Babies poo. Actually, babies REALLY poo! I’ve never known anything like those early days of POOMAGEDDON when it just gets everywhere. My apologies to the squeamish and especially to Uncle Rob. I seem to have written about poo more than anything else.

PND (Postnatal Depression) is the most difficult illness I’ve ever had to deal with, and I’ve been through a lot in this life. Seeing the person you love fall into sadness and panic at what should be the best time in your life is sometimes impossible to deal with. Sharon has been so brave though. I’m so very proud of her. She’s the best Mum in the world (apart from mine of course!)

When you have kids you really appreciate your family and friends more than ever. It’s not just the support network, though that means everything. It’s also because you realise what your family went through to raise yourself to adulthood. They deserve a medal. If that doesn’t make you love them more than ever, nothing will.

Kids are funny. They are amazing. I was trying to think of my favourite funny moment. Was it when Sandy poo’d on my head? Was it when she made me so tired that I went to the Polling Station to vote in my slippers? No, for me it had to the great spider eating incident of 2013. You can read about it here.

That’s it.

Thanks for everything.

So long and thanks for all the fish.

See you soon,

Matt, Sharon, Sandy & Bobby.x

Things I learned today: your life can completely change in 500 days. It’s been amazing.

Poos (for old time’s sake): Sandy 1 Bobby 2 Daddy – you don’t want to know that surely?!

Daddy skills: 10/10. I had to do it once!