Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve waved another rascal off to school and the littlest one has started nursery. It’s been a big change in our little family while the country as a whole is also in the midst of some big changes. The reality of how different the month started to how it’s going now has made me realise just how quick this whole life/parenting thing is actually going.

One minute you are rocking them to sleep at night, the next minute they are reading the bedtime story.

One day you’re pushing a squealing baby in a bucket swing, the next day you hear “Mummy, look at me!” as they have figured out the zip line by themselves and they go whizzing past you with a squeal of delight.

One minute you’re teaching them one word at a time (‘dog,’ ‘cat,’ ‘frog’), the next minute they are jabbering away telling you how tadpoles hide in ponds and where different types of frogs live.

One day you’re in Boots figuring out which of the 20 different types of teething remedies is best, the next day you’re ushering very loud children out of the same shop as they ask “Mummy, is your period getting bigger?” when they see you making the most of a 2 for 1 deal on packs of pads.

One evening you’re wiping away crayon scribbles off the walls, the next evening you are sat speechless after finding an actual poem they have written in the bottom of their book bag.

One minute they are gumming the remote control accidentally setting Loose Women onto series link record, the next minute they can fully work the bloody thing including searching for Disney sing-along Princess videos on kids YouTube whist you put washing away in the other room.

One morning you’re battling a wriggling baby into their 4th onesie of the day, the next morning they are putting on their own chosen outfit which includes jelly shoes, earmuffs, sunglasses, a skirt and leggings together and not forgetting the 28 hairclips.

One minute you’re celebrating the fact that they have finally grown a few strands of hair to enable you to stick a hair tie on their little head for the first time, the next minute they are detailing exactly how many plaits they would like in and how they would like to grow their hair to resemble Rapunzel.

One day they are flicking yoghurt at the ceiling, the next day they are cracking eggs into a cup to bake unicorn cakes- still making the same amount of mess though!

One minute they are shouting “Meeeee” and giggling at the fart they’ve just done, the next minute they are chatting about why we should avoid walking over drain covers because the ‘drain poo monsters’ will get us.

One minute they are jumping about the living room dancing to Waffle Doggy without a care in the world, the next minute they are sat next to you watching the news asking very grown-up questions as they watch history happening with you- “Mummy, how did she die? Where is she now?”

Polly actually had a little cry when the news of the Queen broke and has been fascinated watching all the different events of the past week, although she was also horrified to find out it would be a very long time before the country has a Queen sitting on the throne again, but after a little chat she then asked to watch the Paddington Bear skit with the Queen that bought smiles to us all again.

I realise that in a few years some of these changes will seem miniscule in the grand scheme of things but that doesn’t stop them being big things to us right now, huge changes that make 6 years of parenting feel like it’s been a whole lifetime in its own right- and not in a bad way, it’s been a 6 year whirlwind of laughter, tears, love and literal shit- and it’s been the best 6 years of my life so here’s to many more little things and big things.