Pick Me Up! 30-May-2019

Dusting off an old pair of scrubs and putting my hair in a ponytail, I was ready for my first day back at work. After a year’s maternity leave I was ready to get back to nursing. But that meant leaving my baby girl Ella behind. ‘I’ve got her, now off to work with you,’ my mum said. That’s the thing with Mum, she’s always happy to step in when you need her. And considering both me and my partner Tom, 31, work full-time, it’s a godsend. So when in February my doctor told me I’d need an operation to remove an umbilical hernia, Mum stepped up once more. I was trying to recover and still help with my littl’un. But I couldn’t make a cup of tea for myself…

My hubby Ted, 59, and I have so far visited 46 of the American states. Here we are at the State Capitol building in Montgomery, Alabama. Val Brennan, Sale Here I am doing AcroYoga with my friend Matt – trust me, it’s harder than it looks... Lindsey Smith, Shrewsbury I’ll give you three guesses as to what my favourite colour is, but – spoiler alert – this is my dream bathroom… Alisha Khan, via e-mail Baily, 6 months, was having a roarsome good time with all his furry friends. Charlotte Cauldwell, Oswestry Don’t you think our daughter Grace, 8, makes the most beautiful ballerina? Joanne Davenport, Radcliffe My daughter Ruth really did look like a princess on her wedding day, but it’s hard work being a princess and at midnight…

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As my mate Ian sidled closer to me on the couch, I suddenly felt a shiver run down my spine. Next, I felt his arm slipping quietly around my shoulder. ‘I’ve fancied you for a long time,’ Ian murmured. It was a shock, I have to admit. I’d known Ian Brewster for years but never really thought of him as boyfriend material. We’d always got on well, but I’d never considered him as anything more than a friend. Then, one night, in April 2018, he came round and we had a few drinks. Laughing and joking away, I could feel the sexual chemistry rise between us. And, sure enough, by the end of the night we ended up kissing. Surprising, but after a recent split with my daughter’s father, I…

For a while, I sobbed, waiting for Ian to vent all his rage. And then, as usual, he seemed to crumble. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you,’ he said. Too scared to even sleep, I sat awake all night. Then, a message from my mum came through: I’m coming to get you. Stacey had known something was wrong and given her a call. I managed to creep out that morning, while Ian was still half asleep. I hadn’t dared pack anything, just grabbed my phone on the way out. Mum took me to the police station to give a statement. The officers asked me if I wanted to know about Ian’s history under Clare’s Law, the domestic-violence disclosure scheme. I was shocked to find out Ian was classed a high-risk…

The look on the nurse’s face said it all. ‘I’m pregnant, aren’t I?’ I gasped. ‘Eight weeks and six days,’ she smiled. A surge of joy overcame me. I was 35 and it was my lifelong dream to become a mum. It was August 2015, and I’d just had an ultrasound due to some mystery stomach problems I’d been having. I’d thought it might be linked to my diabetes. I certainly never thought I’d be pregnant. I’d always been told my size meant that was pretty unlikely. But now, I felt like I’d been blessed with a miracle. Beaming with sheer joy, I couldn’t wait to tell my family. ‘You’re going to be grandparents!’ I told Mum down the phone. ‘Oh, that’s wonderful!’ she squealed. She knew how much I’d…