Being a mom isn't as easy as some women make it look!
From planning birthday parties to outdoor familyactivities, Melissa Vaughan tells us how she makeslife work as a thoroughly modern mom Make-up artist andmother of one, MelissaVaughan, 26, lives inBenoni with herhusband Greg and their 10-month-olddaughter, Alexia Grace (Lexi). She’scurrently juggling her career withlooking after her little girl. She chattedto Essentials about family life, whatmotherhood has taught her and whatshe's got planned for the future.
Summer is my favourite time of yearbecause I love the warm weather.Being able to wear shorts and dressesand spend time outside with my littlefamily is fantastic – I'm very much anoutdoors kinda gal! As a family, we love to plan activitiesin the great outdoors. We feel it'simportant for children to grow upoutside and to explore nature. As soonas Lexi gets a little older, we'll introduceher to things like hiking, canoeing andcamping, some of the outdoor activitiesthat Greg and I love most. This December is going to be a littledifferent for us because it will be Lexi’sfirst birthday, not to mention her firstChristmas, too. We've decided we won'tbe going away, we're staying homeand organising a big party tocelebrate the past year. I finally understand the unconditionallove that parents talk about. I don'tthink it's something you can understanduntil you experience it for yourself. Lexican be a real handful at times, but thenshe’ll give me one big smile, and itimmediately makes everything okay. Being a mom isn't as easy as it looks.Greg and I had so many ‘rules’ before wehad Lexi – like not allowing her to sleepin our bed, fitting her needs into ourexisting lifestyle – that has of course allgone out the window since she arrived.Lexi definitely rules the roost right now. Any new mom will know that time toyourself is a rare opportunity that hasto be grabbed, and made the most of.When I do have a few minutes to myself,my idea of relaxation is soaking in a nicehot bath, getting a pedicure, or even justcollapsing on the couch and catchingup on my favourite TV shows. I think it would be fun to livesomewhere else for a while. I enjoyexperiencing different food, people andplaces, and it would be an adventureto live overseas for a few years.