Not sure if it's because Honor's had to have a few time-out sessions this week or maybe I'm over this heat or maybe it's all just getting real around here with a two year old however I'm VERY much at the conclusion that running and building a business is a piece of cake compared to raising a child.

Starting a business is brave stuff but having a child? That's a totally new level of brave. I mean, why didn't ANYONE warn us that raising a good kid it would be this hard? That it would require more patience and calmness and discipline than you've ever exerted in your entire life?

Here's what I'm talking about:

BUSINESS INFORMATION DOWNLOAD:
Comes in this beautifully neat and organised thing called an INBOX. Layered perfectly so you can take in the information as it was delivered and before you've even open the information you're pre-informed with a nice little subject line. No surprises and hell you can decide how much information you take in, in one sitting. Happy days. 

CHILD INFORMATION DOWNLOAD:
In the space of three minutes you've swapped reading books three times, fetched the 'blanky' from behind the couch, topped up the 'drink bottle', stepped on stale crackers, gave her more crackers, accidentally stepped on Baby Bornes arm, found that missing fork in the shower, changed outfits twice (hers and your's) and high fived and danced around the house applauding a poo in the potty. THREE MINUTES. 

GROWING A BUSINESS:
So you sit down and write down a plan of how it's all going to happen. Marketing plans, sales calls, brand building and what have you. Business growth is most of the time planned and expected and ALWAYS welcomed!

GROWING UP A CHILD:
Happens overnight without ANY warning and most of the time it's not welcomed. You've got a baby one day and a two-nager the next morning. Telling you they 'don't like it' or 'don't want it!' Next thing you know, you're buying real shoes with real soles to house the real sized feet. You're also buying an extra meal at the restaurant as she eats more than 'picking' off your plate and baby chinos are no long sufficient, she required an 8oz cup of cow milk. There goes a single mashed potato for dinner and now it's a $9 fillet of atlantic salmon. She prefers goat cheese and not cow cheese and now she's asking for her own watch 'to tell the time mummy!' Nothing can prepare you for the development of a small child and it's capabilities. 

BUSINESS ORGANISATION: 
So, it belongs in a shop space or a home office or bliss, a laptop only! Work can messy and cluttered yep, but at the end of the day it's tools down and away, tidy up the desk, put the laptop in it's place and shut the door. Neat and tidy ready for tomorrow. 

CHILD ORGANISATION: 
Does not exist. At all, ever. No matter how much you pride yourself as being house proud or at least having a tidy house - there is always crap everywhere. Crayons, pencils, paper, toys, puzzles, dolls clothes, food and tea sets everywhere. Clean up one space only to tackle the next... then to return to the last. Chaos craziness you just have to surrender to it. Embrace it. Nothing has it's place for longer than an hour and you can't shut the door on it until tomorrow. Hello 9pm sometimes because she's 'just not tired mummy!"

Now, I'm not saying you need to choose wisely when deciding to enter into either adventures, I say jump right in! I wouldn't even hesitate as both are so rewarding and will be the best things you'll ever do. Promise. And even though money permits, would I hire a nanny or Au-Pair? Hell No. What and miss out on watching her dip her whole face into the banana bread mixture? Or taking her to daycare the next day with it still in her hair? All those wasted hours at the library or park or literally hosing her off on the lawn because she's filled her entire nappy up with sand? And do I care about the mess? No. Mess makes our house feel like a home. Our home feels like the best place to be.

Being a mum is the BEST thing and I love that I've been there for every single second of it and the same for Pebble+Fred. I love that i've been there for the whole thing too. I'm so proud of what I have achieved so far with both adventures. I'm so glad I just went with it with eyes wide open.