A day in the life

Life has definitely changed now Charlotte is here so here's how my day looks at the minute.

Charlotte used to sleep until 7am but she's been waking at 6am this week so I'm hoping this early start doesn't become a regular occurrence - that hour makes a difference like you wouldn't believe.

Then it's a bottle and nappy change for the wee lady before I take my medications and a cup of Earl Grey. Tea is a big part of Northern Irish life but I hate the regular stuff, especially brewed to within an inch of its life. I just pour over the water, take out the teabag immediately and drink while it's still hot. Although I have been known to take a cup that's cooled down to freezing while Charlotte takes priority!

A wash is thrown in the machine, the place tidied round and I'll sit watching the breakfast news, always on BBC1, for an hour or so while I wake up proper. And despite my husband working for local BBC radio I rarely switch it on, I'm more of a TV kind of gal. He usually gets home for a break around 10am so I'll make him his breakfast and then pop Charlotte down for one of her legendary cat-naps - she sleeps for 40 mins if I'm lucky, it's normally 20.

I find time somewhere along the way to send a few tweets, usually about 4 a day although this number does vary - some days it's 20, others I write none at all, depends if the chat is interesting enough!

Usually I plan a trip out of the house, even just for coffee with friends or a walk in the park - anything to get out for an hour otherwise I feel like I've done nothing with my day. The activity will depend on my energy levels and whether my feet are painful or not. In recent months I've had to admit that taking it easy is no bad thing either so if I think I'm better staying at home I'll invite someone round - I love company.

Joe's home mid-afternoon and we have some family time, playing with Charlotte, laughing at her little expressions and marvelling over how quickly her personality is developing.

Dinner is something homemade, we rarely eat takeaways or ready meals, and I make the majority of Charlotte's meals from scratch too. I do buy organic fruit purees because to be honest, they're 100% fruit and if I was to buy fresh fruit and puree it myself it wouldn't only take forever but cost a fortune too - so while I like her to eat well I'm not stupid, sometimes convenience is just as good.

Her bedtime is around 7pm and she's usually no bother so our evenings are our own. Once she's down I take an hour to sort bits and pieces out, maybe do a spot of ironing, which is my least favourite household chore so I keep on top of it rather than give myself a huge pile!

Then Joe and I will settle down to read the papers or watch a spot of TV. I'm loving Sky+ because we can save the series we want to watch together for when Charlotte sleeps. Although the new Sky Atlantic channel has us spoiled at the minute so we switch between Boardwalk Empire, the Sopranos or Game of Thrones. If it's a weekend night we'll have a glass of wine and chill out.

Three times a week I inject my DMD's so I get out my little record book and double check I'm rotating my sites properly. Then I inject before I have too much time to think about it and it's bed for 11pm latest.