See my face? This is my face before I weighed in.

OK so there’s been fizz and some red and not so much cake but plenty cake toppings. Exercise has been on hold while the wee one sorts his digestive system out. Any further than a 30 second sprint away from plumbing wasn’t really an option iykwim (sorry grown up Paul, reading the archives, your butt has meant business this week but thank you for taking this photo of me, you’re a star!).

What bugger said onwards and upwards?

Gonna git you!

Time for some serious carb deprivation next week.

Onwards and downwards!

My quick Friday morning fix – really wish they’d put these photos up on Thursday’s this side of the Atlantic sometimes!

Original

Basic Fix

Fix 1

Fix 2

Fix 3

1. I’m a <whatever>, on maternity leave at the moment

The bags and sags probably revealed that already, but, you know, there’s a career or at the very least a job title in there somewhere.

2. I’m taking a career break to raise my child(ren)

At this point it’s a positive decision involving active choice, you still nod at the career you think at this stage you are taking a temporary break from. Warm, fluffy, deluded Mummy.

3. I’m a Stay At Home Mum

Now you’ve been there a while you’re getting to know the terminology, redefining your role. You identify with the thousands of other’s in the Sisterhood of the SAHM and challenge anyone to undervalue your contribution to society.

4. Oh you know, I clean I cook!

There’s an unspoken boundary between SAHM and housewife and you hit it round about the time they are approaching school age. Negotiating the transition from jealous “ooh I wish I didn’t have to work” to silent “wtf isn’t she working yet?” is pointless, just let it happen cos you know what’s next?

5. Me? Nothing

Pub lunch anyone?

I’m between 4 and 5.

42

This is the last photo of me aged 42.

Taken yesterday.

Today is my 43rd birthday.

I started a 365 Project 366 days ago, the last day I was 41.

So it turned out to be a 272 Project.

I lost a few days.

The first picture of my 365 Project was the one below, Paul and I lolling around on my bed, taken at arms length.

I painted my eyes.

Now I have a doo-dah so I can take photos remotely.

Documenting this year has just highlighted how rarely I point the camera at myself. Or allow anyone else to point it at me. It’s not as if I wasn’t well aware of this, back in April when I first put a self portrait out there I really did intend to do something about it.

I didn’t.

42.

Gray.

I have one old eye – what’s with that?

Nothing forgotten gets done unless I ink myself at breakfast.

So 43, what do you have in store for me?

This week iHeartFaces jumps for joy so here’s Andrew jumping for joy since we’re done looking at boring scenery.

Which puts me in mind of his first visit to Disney World in Florida. He was little, like 4 months. Huddled together with the tired masses on the ferry over the sea back to the real word a big boy of 4 spotted him grinning in my arms. He tugged at his Mum and pointed at my son asking “Why is the baby smiling Mommy?”…. “Because he’s leaving honey, he’s happy cos he’s leaving”.