Tick A Box

This may surprise you, I may have fooled you up till now, but it's time to tell the truth.
I am a complete introvert....shocking, I know.

On my second attempt at college (the successful one), as part of my course, I had to do a bit of psychology. Nothing too taxing, bit more of an Idiots Guide. I remember very little of it, but what I do remember is one particular lecture about Jung's introverts and extroverts. We each took a little test to find out which box we fit into, and low and behold, I fit snugly in the introvert one. I was one of two or three out of a class of almost 30 to be like that. I've never been terrible social. Not that I don't go out, I just don't get the staying out very late, getting tipsy, having to shout over loud music. Do I sound like an old bat yet? Hang on, I'll just whip out my knitting and wave a needle around critically. I like to socialise in small groups of good friends, nothing too strenuous, with my own comfy bed waiting for me at the end of a long (no later than 1.30am) night.

But now I think that Cathal is changing all that. Suddenly, I am not happy to stay home and mooch around the house. Now I need company. I have never been very good at meeting new people, making new friends, but all of a sudden, I am craving chats and tea. Does mammyness do this to you? You make that extra effort because of your new little bunddle? You need to seek out adult conversation before you go mad singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for the 47th time that day?

The Mammy Box: Very soon after Cathal came home for the second time, a little summer walking group was formed, through the magic of RollerCoaster. We only got to go walking a few times before the rain drove us indoors, and chatting and tea took over.

The Special Mammy Box: Recently, a few of us mammies of babies with DS have been getting together once a week, in each others houses to chat and yes.....drink tea. Cathal has made some friends at this little get together, Ava, Noah, Liam and more recently Mannix.

The Breast Feeding Mammy Box: Also, in the last few weeks, I've been meeting a few other breastfeeding mammies to chat about, yes, you guessed it, breastfeeding. Again we all met through the amazing RollerCoaster.

The Baby/ Toddler Group Mammy Box: Tomorrow I am going to go to my first real, properly organised, baby and toddler group, to meet more mammies and babies. I'll drink more tea (I do like tea) and catch up with my sister-in-law.

The School Mammy Box: Don't forget that mammy, the most important one. We go to school once a week to sing songs and look at twinkly lights on the ceiling. There is also some tea involved.

A different Mammy hat to put on every day


That's my life now, different boxes that I tick, a range of different mammy jigsaw puzzles that fit together to make up a picture of me. For a complete and total introvert, I think I'm making great progress at socialising, if not for my sake, but for Cathal's. It's good to stimulate both our brains.




P.S. Cathal got his medical card today, I didn't even have to put up a fight!!