Random Act of Kindness

When I had Laura and Olivia, my world was turned upside down and inside out. I worried all the way through the pregnancy how we were going to cope - how it would affect my 18 month old Eloise.

That worry became a reality and when I say the first weeks were rough - I mean it- I was surviving on less than one hours' sleep a night, I could only sleep through the day when all three girls were asleep at the same time - which never happened! My house was a mess, I was breastfeeding by necessity because of Laura's apnoea and I was totally drained. I was basically just keeping up with the washing, making the kids' beds feeding and cleaning the kids, and the odd 1 minute shower for myself.

I used to just sit on my back step away from everyone and cry in pure exhaustion and sleep-deprived frustration.

When the girls were about 2 weeks old, it was sleep time - Eloise was asleep (bless she was always a great sleeper!) I had managed to bottle feed/burp and settle Olivia whilst still breastfeeding Laura, and Laura was feeding as I laid on the spare bed we had set up in the girls' room. It would have been about 2.15pm and I hear somebody moving around the house. I assume it's hubby and he's come home sleep deprived early. I nod off for another 15 minutes then put Laura down in the cot next to her sister and come out to the kitchen for a drink.

It wasn't hubby. It was my Nan. There she was mopping the floor, shopping on the kitchen table. She had come to look after me, and by saying looking after me, she was really saving me. It was so nice to not just have the company but she let herself in with our spare key and just got started cleaning the house. Bless her - 74 years old and still as active as ever. She told me to go back and have a sleep, she was making dinner. I did go back to bed for about another 1/2 hour but Eloise woke and called out for me, so I was up. The babies woke soon after so it was back to work.

Nan got my washing off the line, folded it up, made us a braise for dinner, gave the bathroom a quick once over and swept every room in the house. It was like a dream come true. I felt like I could go to bed that night without obsessing about what I didn't do that day. I loved the company - I loved her so much for looking after me when I really, really needed it - and without being asked.

That became our routine every Tuesday and I would look forward to it, I could get through the week with the house not getting maintained because I knew by Tuesday Nan would be here and I would have help. As weeks went by and the girls got less high maintenance, we would share the housework and baby-wrangling. She always got cuddles. We always ate well on Tuesday. Tuesday nights were always happy. Nan continued Tuesday visits until I went back to work just over a year ago - and resumed recently. We all love Tuesdays. Nanny brings Adora cream wafers for the kids 'Nanny bickies' and these days we are having lunch and a chat and not frantically cleaning the house!

I will never forget this time of my life and the kindness my Nan gave - it literally saved me and I will always be grateful.

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