Tired mothers are exhausted mothers. But often, it's when we're stretched, pushed and enter survival mode that our resilience wins.

I've been thinking about surviving, serving and indulging a lot lately. And it seems that all three are connected.

Times have been trying. A newly-one-year-old learning new boundaries and discovering hidden nooks for mischief. The endless cycle of picking up the bottle as it's thrown onto the floor, the angry protests to wipe hands, change nappies. But times have been and are beautiful.

One year in, and I believe we've found our rhythm as parents, however imperfect it may be sometimes. We scarcely remember life before our son, and why would we want to. Quiet, lonely nights are instead nights filled with gratitude and fondness of a day well spent tickling, chasing, playing. Early mornings are instead of the realm of the insomniac the quiet retreat before the day truly begins.

And what would previously have been condemned as that grinding, boring cycle of prepping meals, clean-ups, scattering and putting away toys, today feels more like a privilege. I'm proud to serve my family: to ensure that my husband returns from University to a (somewhat) clean (yet not often tidy) home, that my son has fresh, healthy meals, and that I've found the time to pick out his clothes, pack his bag, finger paint, take him and the dog for a walk…all before 8am. I know I will not always manage to do and be everything at once, and that's okay. For now I am embracing serving my family – a trait that feels so unlike me, tell my earlier self that I'd be content as a homebody! – going to and from the office and completing my obligations and my paycheck, and finally, at the end of a long day, not feeling guilty that I went off to paint for an hour.

The laundry still got folded and put away. The toys still got tidied, the washing up done, the bottles prepped. Painting completed, finally, after months in its semi-satisfactory state.

But more importantly, there were smiles, cuddles, peekaboo games and bedtime stories.

I'm sure there's more to be done. Whatever it is, it can wait.

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