“Hubba Hubba.”

I open my eyes to see Hubbster waggling his eyebrows at me in that suggestive way he has mastered over the years.

I sink into the crisp white sheets of the bed and stretch out my limbs, and registering it’s emptiness. A day that begins without one of the children spread-eagled in the bed between us is a good day. A full night’s sleep without a small foot pressed into my rib cage or a little person prizing my eyes lids open before the sun comes up, is all it takes to make me happy these days.

“You look like a natural beauty this morning,” he grins at me.

His exagerated empasis on ‘this morning’ has not ecaped my attention.

I can feel last night’s mascara heavy on my eyelids. A delicious meal, a few too many glasses of wine, and a hotel room had meant that make-up hadn’t made it into my list of top five things to take off!

We hold hands as we walk through the deserted early morning Melbourne CBD looking for somewhere to have breakfast.

For now it is just the two of us, and it feels good.

We have taken the time, made the effort, to connect and nurture our relationship. Work and family commitments often mean that date-nights are sporadic, few and far between, but they always leave me with a renewed feeling of strength.

For the time being I have switched roles from the mother to the lover, and I welcome the heightened sense of self that this brings.

As we pull into the driveway at home, hearing the familiar sound of Dad’s engine, Foghorn comes out to meet us.

I scoop him up and sink my face into his little neck.

“Hey baby, I missed you,” I tell him, and although I have loved and needed time alone with Hubbster it is true. Motherhood has taught me that it is possible to feel conflicting emotions at the same time. It is impossible to go anywhere without leaving a part of me behind with my children.

The anxiety that has been kicking my arse bad for the past few days has gone.

I feel refreshed and ready to take on the day’s challenges.

As I walk through the door and place my bag beside the fireplace I hear Bubble’s little voice sing out for me.

“Muuuum.”

“Yes sweetie,” I answer. I can’t wait to feel her little arms around my neck, to plant a gentle kiss on her little button nose.

“Muuuuum…..come and wipe my bum!”

I am home.

N.B. For those of you who offered help with last’s night’s shoe dilemna on my Facebook page last night…Thank you!  I went with the studded pair 🙂

Black sequin top from Target, Black trim skirt by Tokyo Doll from Target

Black studded shoes from Styletread (currently on sale!)

How often do you and your partner go on a date-night?