On Friday evening at 20:08pm on the 26.05.1995  a beautiful little girl entered in to our world, weighing 8lb 8oz.

Left: Chelsea’s first day at school  Right: Mum, me & Chelsea

None of us know what the future holds for ourselves or our children. I suppose we can only hope and pray, alongside trying our best to educate the off springs enough, to prepare for that big leap, from the nest in to the big wide world, when the time finally arrives.

But…In the meantime

There are more important things like…

• Enjoying the moment
• Walking like John Wayne for a fortnight. Bloody stitches
• Wondering if my body will ever go back to being taut
• Constantly mopping up my leaking breasts
• Cleaning up sick
• Gipping whilst changing a shitty nappy
• Looking like I only ever live in my pyjamas
• Getting up several times in the night
• Being deprived of any sleep
• Smelling of breastmilk
• Learning to cook using only one arm
• Having a permanent attachment to my hip
• Clambering over a pram or toys to get in to a cupboard
• Packing like I am going on a weeks vacation, just to nip to the shop for milk
• Hurdling baby gates
• And pamper night consisting of Johnson’s shampoo and talcum powder, so rock ‘n’ roll

The list goes on and on and I am sure you have plenty more of your own to add.

Left: Me & my Mum….Middle: Me going through treatment…..Right: Me & my girl getting wet at a Paolo Nutini concert.

Time does however go very fast…So what seems like a lifetime away….Is closer than you think!!! So enjoy those times, because once they are gone, they’re gone!!!

Both myself and her dad worked, so when school holidays came around, we were fortunate enough to be blessed with round the clock childcare. Chelsea loved to visit my parents, sometimes too much. A weekend stay often became a fortnight or sometimes longer in the Summer holidays. Some of my friends often commented how lucky we were to have constant childcare, which we were, but they never saw me begging my daughter to come home, even for one night, ha ha ha. Chelsea still has that stubborn streak, can’t think where she gets that from….

Chelsea with her Nan (My Mum) and me and Chelsea in the pool, enjoying one of our many cruising holidays.

Me and my mum had an incredible relationship. She really was my best friend. Her death still pains me every day. I am so glad that Chelsea was able to spend enough time with her Nan, to remember those precious memories, funny and sad. We often chat about days gone by, sometimes with belly laughs, sometimes with tears, but always with love.

Left: Me & Chelsea doing the Race  in for Life in aid of a friend. Middle: Chelsea visiting her Grandad in the care home before he died last year. Far right: The start of my chemotherapy journey.

This is the main man in Chelsea’s life….Hector, our beautiful pooch x

After fourteen years together, myself and Chelsea’s father separated, sadly it wasn’t an amicable spilt, instead it was, who could hurt who the most. It is only when I reflect on the hell that it was, do I realise what an absolute mess it had been. More importantly…What about the pain we caused Chelsea?

I honestly thought I had lost my daughter forever. I seriously never imagined we would be close again. I could go on but, this is not about my pain, this is about “My Girl” Chelsea.

Let me tell you about Chelsea, she is…

• Beautiful
• Caring
• Loving
• Compassionate
• Academic
• Empathic
• Strong
• Loyal
• And one hell of a friend

Despite all the hard times Chelsea has had to face, moving to a new city alone, losing her Nan, her parents separating, then having to accept a new man in her Mum’s life, her Grandad getting Vascular Dementia, and then me, her Mother being diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Chelsea has continued to thrive.

Not only did Chelsea achieve A* in her A Levels, but also gained a place at Chester University, graduating with a First Class Honours Degree., followed by a Masters which she will complete sometime this year.

Chelsea, you are one special lady. You make us proud every single day. Without you I truly don’t believe I would have got through the last few years.

And now we await the arrival of Chelsea’s first born, our Granddaughter. I cannot wait to spend time with her like you did with Nan, and like I did with your Great Nan.

Keep keeping on “My Girl”

One love x

#womeninspiringwomen #womenempoweringwomen #motherdaughterlove

Chelsea’s first day at school