User:Tink

Before...

I was an opinionated, petite, chatterbox, romantic, high heeled, cocktail and wine drinking, shopaholic, that focused on working hard, playing harder and squeezing in another holiday. I met Mr.Tink on a girls holiday to Rhodes in 2000. A young and impressionable student, I was impressed by his height, his confidence and his yellow car back home! First date included a fish bowl and a bunjee rocket! I was in love! 8 years later and we finally ditched the 'holiday romance' description and headed down the aisle. My Dad's speech pointed out that he didn't expect me to come home with his future son-in-law, and was rather expecting a stick of rock!

We both always wanted children, so that was first on our agenda.... after a honeymoon in Bali and a couple other holidays! We miscarried in 2009 when I was 8 weeks pregnant, and after a bit of heartbreak and time to heal, we fell pregnant again in 2010.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would have twins!

I should mention, I own a 58 place Children's Full day-care Nursery in London. It's my love, my hobbie and my passion. It's incredibly hard work and certainly involves hours longer than 8am-6pm, but it's the best job in the world! You can read some of my tips and experiences in our Childcare section.

Looking back, I had no idea how easy life was, how much time and money I had spare, and I wish I could go back to my former self and give the old me a severe kick up the bum! I should have done so much more than I did!

After...

I'm now the very proud Mother of two incredible toddlers. Although they recently turned two, I still refer to them as my babies! I remain opinionated, petite, chatterbox, and a romantic. The high heels have been replaced with suitable flats to catch my tasmanian devils, the cocktails and wine have been partly replaced with strong coffee, and the shopping seems mainly confined to supermarkets and children's shops! On the night's they stay at their Nanny and Grandad's, my heels are dusted off, my prettyy handbags are retrieved from storage and I prop up a bar with a mojito! I try and juggle my commitments to the Nursery, to my Husband, to my beautiful children and my sanity, but every now and then a ball drops. I'm lucky enough to have a fab family and friends as well as my Wikimum pals to catch the falling balls and prop me up while I catch my breath. Being a Mum isn't easy, but I wouldn't change it for anything else in this world. I can honestly say I have never had to time-manage like I do now. An eyebrow wax, Nursery training pack, a healthy dinner are all now planned and achieved in timescales I wouldn't have imagined possible pre-twins!

Complications

My little family has had some tough times. My son was born with a rare heart condition called Pulmonary Atresia with IVS. Basically, his heart doesn't send his blue blood (unoxygenated) blood to his lungs to redden up and fill with oxygen. It has meant living in Great Ormond Street Hospital, watching him endure some very serious heart surgery whilst holding his twin sister, and praying harder than I ever knew possible, that he would survive. He did, and he is fighting fit and strong! His name is Thomas. It means Twin. Thomas' story is in the making, just a bit difficult to write. He is back to GOSH in June 2013 for his next major heart operation.

Happily Ever After

My life has certainly changed, the lack of time is one of the hardest to swallow. Trying to be a perfect business woman/Manager/ Mum/ Wife/ Cleaner/ Cook and still have time for sleep and maybe to paint your nails or read a book isn't easy. Nor is it achievable. I'm a realistic mum as well as an idealistic mum. I make mistakes, I help other mums when I can, I battle with my new body and life. I have strengths and weaknesses and I'll never profess to know what's right (not all the time!!) I love and adore my new life, with all it's turmoil and obstacles. My two children bring laughter, love and fun to my days, as well as paint, potties and tantrums!! Thomas and Isabella are as wonderfully similar and magically different, they do twin things like tandem pooing and ear pulling, and are chalk and cheese in other respects.

Life is more 'Gruffalo' than 'Cosmo' these days, and I love it! xx

Tink's Mummy Mojito Recipe!

• 1 lime, cut into wedges

• Handful of fresh mint leaves

• 2 tsp demerara sugar

• Handful of ice

• Shot of White Rum

• Splash of soda water (I've used Lemonade in emergencies!)

• Fresh mint sprig, to garnish

Method

• Place the limes, mint and sugar into a sturdy highball glass and give them a bash (I use my ice-cream scoop!) to bruise the mint and release the lime juice.

• Add the ice and pour over the rum.

• Add soda water or lemonade to taste and stir well. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

• Now this is the tricky bit. Drink before the ice melts. Distractions are everywhere. If you manage to drink it before it becomes room temperature, then you've done well fellow Mummies!