The last Friday before half-term is cake sale day, it’s one of those school traditions that we’ve readily slipped into; the children are given a paper plate at the beginning of the week and asked to return it decorated and full of sweet treats ready to be sold after school.

I baked my go to Martha Stewart choc chip cookies last night ready for today (Boo battled a sky high temperature last night so ironically was off school today) – I even Snapchatted the scene in my kitchen : Cabernet Sauvignon and Cookies in case you were wondering! Yet why didn’t I add a snap of my baking efforts on our closed parent Facebook group?

I think I know why. With the recent growing trend of a warts and all portrayal of parenthood – in particular motherhood – there seems to be quiet undercurrent of reverse judgment when it comes to how much we do. I’m a massive fan of stripping the ideal myths and ridiculous expectations of motherhood pushed by mainstream media for far too long. But I have to wonder if it’s just another way of dividing rather than uniting mothers.

I enjoyed baking the cookies, even though it was 10pm and I had been up since 6am – I am no mythical mother, simply a mother who wanted to bake cookies – if I’d shared a snap of them on the cooling rack, I would have undoubtedly been perceived as showing off from a self imposed higher level of ‘mother’; that couldn’t be further from the truth. We all have those moments of not giving 100% and that’s ok, it’s also ok not to feel as if you have to share these less than perfect moments digitally.

It’s not a case of sometimes winning or sucking at parenting it’s about being a parent. Period. I’m not prepared to make a choice between Stepford of Slummy; I chose to be a mother and that’s what I’m doing… mothering.

It’s been one of those days, Boo’s been home sick from school for the second day – a non descript virus that seem to be endlessly doing the rounds. In between the “Mummy my head hurts, Mummy my ear hurts, Mummy my tummy hurts” and the requests to tickle her back I learnt something today: No matter how ‘big girl’ Boo may appear, she’s still a baby… and that’s ok.

It’s easy to get caught up in Boo’s busy schedule of swimming, ballet, horse riding not to mention a little thing called school – and I am aware at how fortunate she is to be able to do so much and have so many opportunities. We expect so much from them so young and sometimes we forget just how much energy it takes to be ‘child’ all the time. Today we took a few step backs from being a big girl, we snoozed in bed, we frequented a drive-thu and we snuggled. Yes it would have been nice to have gone more than five minutes without whinging but I’m pretty certain that today’s regression was just as effective as any calpol… Pressing pause feels good whether you’re four or forty-four.

I may have gone a little crazy today from playing nurse/maid but then I’m reminded she won’t be little forever there’ll come a time when she doesn’t need/want me to tickle her back so I’ll take all the Boo demands while I can.

Forget Valentine’s Day, the most awkward day of the entire year to be single is New Year’s Eve. Let me be more specific, whilst being single on New Year’s Eve is the land of opportunity for meeting someone new; as a single parent it’s the one time of year when you’re confronted by your lack of relationship status.

No one ever asks me what I’m up to on Valentine’s Day, why would they? Plus as a parent it doesn’t really have the same meaning but fast forward to the end of December and the 31st is almost the litmus test for you and your year. It’s the build up, people ask what your plans are for seeing in the New Year and if I’m honest the answer is nearly always as awkward as the question.

Boo always spends middlemas and New Year with her Father, which is the longest break I get and it’s so needed: a chance to catch up and attempt to get ahead with work, have a good old sort out, sleep and rediscover the joys of listening to music at 11pm at night while I potter round the house.

We’re fortunate that Boo attends one of the best Catholic primary schools in London but it does mean that single parents are a little thin on the ground – coupled with working from home, my circle of friends is made up of married parents and couples. I’m not as close to my single friends as I once was because let’s face it, unless you’re a parent you don’t really understand the whole child = end of social life equation.; and I get that it’s a completely normal transition.

There is a part of me that would be happy to pretend it doesn’t exist; stock up on carbs, watch a few films and have an ever-welcome early night. As much as it sounds oh so appealing I’m fully aware that as a single twenty something (albeit with a Boo) this option is a bit too cat-lady-esque and does nothing for my sanity when opportunities for a night out are as rare as having the bathroom to myself.

We come together to celebrate the old and ring in the new, yet as the singular adult in our household it can get a bit lonely even in a crowded room of adults, predominantly couples who quite rightly are pretty happy and no one wants to feel like a third wheel or even worse the token singleton… Trust me it’s not a good look at all.

This year is no different from the last three, 24 hours to go and a complete lack of plans means it could still go either way and I suppose I’m ok with that. I am in no way sad that I am single, only reminded of how defining it can sometimes be, even more so when you are a parent.

Happy New Year x

It’s Boxing Day night and I’m sat here with my glass of Baileys after laying with Boo while she fell asleep and I can honestly say this Christmas has been one of the loveliest and most peaceful and I think I know why… a 48 hour social media hiatus.

48 hours may not seem like a lot to many people, but when your main job is blogging and being a digital influencer it’s kind of a big deal; I must admit I hadn’t planned it – in fact I was looking forward to sharing snaps from Christmas morning of Boo opening her presents and of our Christmas lunch at my Mums with family as I have done for many years previously, way before I began blogging.

But as I played Father Christmas on Christmas Eve and artfully demolished the mince pie and milk I decided not to share a snap on Facebook. I don’t really know why I just had the urge to keep Christmas all to ourselves this year; I wanted to be fully present, not missing a single moment. I embrace social media for all it’s merits and you will often find me shouting the benefits of an online presence and sharing ordinary moments of our life is a great snapshot into the world of Mummy and Boo. So why was Christmas 2015 different?

2015 has been a rollercoaster of a year, a true adventure for us and apart from the broken arm we’ve had an absolute blast; it’s been a year that has seen so many changes for Boo seeing her transform from an inquisitive preschooler into a confident little lady and I’ve shared our journey; the good, the hilarious and the sometimes ouch (think the arm) so why am I so reluctant to share our Christmas?

Yesterday was full of present opening, turkey, laughter, lovings, competitive games of Monopoly and not a single hashtag or checking to see the reach of a post of number of retweets and it was glorious… I did think about taking one ‘perfect’ shot to encapsulate the Corriette Christmas but I really didn’t want to style a shot when the only thing I should be styling was Queen Elsa’s hair! I took more photos yesterday and today than any other Christmas – not one is picture perfect, they’re blurry, too light, too dark but they capture our Christmas and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s important that I point out this is no way me complaining or calling foul of social media’s intrusion; I rely on and sometimes orchestrate social media for the benefit of this blog and I am completely aware that I willingly offer an insiders view of family life – something that I am comfortable with and fully in control of. I am also aware that a fair few of you reading this will have clicked through from Facebook on the link I will inevitably share and the irony of this. Don’t worry I’m not about to quit social media for good, 48 hours has been enough.

The longer I resisted the ever increasing red notification pop up on Facebook (it’s currently at 117 as I write this – wish me luck getting through it) the easier it was to digitally switch off. 2016 is set to be our biggest and best – just you wait and see – but if Christmas has taught me anything it’s that a little bit of digital wilderness is good for the soul.