Katy Hill's working mum diary

As a Blue Peter presenter Katy Hill had her fair share of adventures, but these days she faces tougher challenges - juggling full-time motherhood with a TV career. From Daybreak to day’s end, Katy and husband Trey have their hands full with a five-year-old daughter and toddler son. And there’s not a nanny in sight. This could get messy…

Loving motherhood!

By Katy Hill on 12 Jan 2012 No comments

2012 is off to an amazing start. Yes - much as I love Christmas, it is a pretty crazy time of year - especially when you’re hosting! Now I’m back into the January routine of life and looking forward to spring, and I’m a happy bunny!

And I’m LOVING being a mum right now and coming at parenting with a whole new enthusiasm. After the madness of Christmas I’ve started exercising again (don’t hate me!) which, for a busy working mum means getting up at 6.15 and doing it before they even wake up. The plus side is that it energises me and sets me up for the day. That 45 minutes of watching Daybreak and doing something for ME gets me ready for the selflessness and madness that starts at 7 am!

I’ve actually recently felt broody (!) and slightly sad that I’ll never be adding 'Luna Ava' (our name for a second girl!) to my brood. But I get to live my broodiness through my sister Naomi who’s expecting twins any day now. So I’ll get to cuddle all I like - and then hand back!

So many of my friends are also pregnant, and with Beyonce and Jay-z welcoming Ivy Blue Carter into the world, I’m excited for them as first-time parents. Obviously there’s a large part of me that secretly chuckles to myself at how blissfully ignorant they are right now of the been-hit-by-a-moving-train tiredness / sore boobs / clothes-smelling-of-milky-sick /poo-up-their-back-just-as-you’re-leaving-the-house / when-is-it-going-to-sleep-through-the-night? craziness of early parenting - but generally, being a parent is amazing.

And I’ve recently been so aware of how the kids are total sponges, and so ready to learn. Kaya’s been on at me for weeks to teach her how to tie shoelaces. The need has never arisen before now since I’ve cunningly avoided getting her shoes she needed to tie (see what I did there!) but I could avoid it no more. So yesterday I promised that, after school, I’d teach her. And she learnt on the first showing! In under five minutes she was tying laces, and I felt terrible that it had taken me so long to get round to sitting down with her and committing. There are always a million other things to be doing in the house or for work. But as she did it, I was SO excited for her I did a celebratory dance around the kitchen and she nearly fell of her chair laughing.

It was one of those moments when you can almost feel them mentally filing the memory. I guess my new year's resolution is to totally embrace life and parenthood. The old cliche is true - we only get one shot at this. Much as I love C Beebies, it can’t give my kids hugs, or engage them like I can. For every tweet I write about 'I’m so tired', 'Akira just wiped his nose on my leg' and 'He’s covered in mud AGAIN', I get 20 back from parents of grown up kids saying 'Enjoy every minute - it goes so fast'.

There was text-in on Daybreak the other day about gadgets your kid couldn’t live without and someone jokingly sent in the answer of 'ME!' But it’s so true. Enjoy it! You’re making their memories. And... E-N-G-A-G-E! ;-)

Speaking of Daybreak - Before Christmas Trey and I went filming to St Lucia to launch the chance for you to win the most amazing two week holiday to the most stunning resort, The Body Holiday in St Lucia. You can see it all next week on Daybreak and Lorraine. Make sure you enter! Someone has to win ;-)

The Things They Say

I was getting ready this week and Kaya was watching me very intently, before busting out 'Mummy... why do you only wear half pants that go in your bottom, not on it!' Suddenly I felt very naked and very foolish!

This Week I’m Loving

Bigjigs Village Shop - £98.95

www.woodentoyshop.co.uk

By far the best present I got for the kids this christmas was this gorgeous shop. As I mentioned before, I went wooden this Christmas, for quality that will last. I wanted to get something that both kids could play with - together - and this was it!

Kaya is tall for five, so I did major research into finding a shop that was big enough for her, yet small enough for Akira. The quality of this is amazing and the painting of it is gorgeous. We built it ahead of time and had it wrapped for Christmas morning. They LOVED it! And it’s so versatile. It’s already been a shop, library and vetinary practice! It’s taken over from the play kitchen as the biggest hit with kids in the house and everyone now wants to come on play dates!