I’m woken up from dreaming of the gentle rustling of palm leaves in the sea breeze, by the muffled sound of – no, it’s definitely not a seagull – it’s a baby squawking in his cot. My sleepy husband next to me mumbles, ‘Your turn’. I haul myself up on to my elbows and peer at my iPhone: 6.30 am. Thank God it’s past six. Clever Rex! You slept through! The day is off to a good start. Some mornings I’m bleary-eyed if I’ve been up in the night with him, cuddling, administering Calpol, soothing him back to sleep with a warm bottle. Those nights are less regular now he’s nearing age one, and I’m actually missing them a bit. They are babies for such a short time. I pad downstairs and he greets me with open arms and a big giggle, standing up in his cot, raring to go. Now I can hear chatter coming from the adjacent room. Heath is awake too. We go in and collect him before going down to the ground floor for breakfast together.
Fifteen minutes later, mushy bits of museli, Cornflakes, Oatibix, strawberries, banana, blueberries and milk all over a highchair, breakfast table and four people, we’re done. I put Rex back in his cot for his morning nap and go back upstairs to get myself ready for work. I like to look reasonably smart during the week – a patterned dress, sandals and a combination of Monica Vinader jewellery, is a staple look.
Credit Kate Gorbunova
Just before 9 I rush off to drop Heath at nursery on my way to the station. I’m lucky it’s only a short train journey to Waterloo and then a five-minute walk to HELLO! HQ on the South Bank.
The day flies as soon as I reach my office – morning conference is a chance to catch up with the HELLO! magazine team on the content for this week’s issue, we discuss features, news stories and look through the latest photos. This will be followed by management meetings discussing strategy for the brand, perhaps lunch with a showbiz PR or a star themselves to discuss an exclusive or new idea, then more meetings about online, digital and video content. HELLO! is a multi-platform brand, so there is always so much going on. Sometimes I’ll have brought my party frock and heels in to work where I’ll quickly change and head off to an awards ceremony, launch party or press event.
If I’m not going out, I’ll rush to get home for bath and bedtime with my boys. I try to switch off my phone for that precious time. We are avid readers in our house, so bedtime stories are a must and then, all going well, both boys are tucked up asleep by 8pm.
I’m back catching up on emails once they are down, and my husband and I will cook dinner together, have a glass of wine and catch up on our days. Currently, I’m having fun mapping out my third novel in The Stylist series. Although life is busy, creative writing has become a part of my life – sometimes ideas will have been swirling around my mind all day, so I need to get them down. This is theraputic for me, and when it’s flowing well it’s a lovely way to relax.
I will try to get in to bed by 10pm, but 99% of the time it will be gone eleven. The last thing my husband and I will say to each other is ‘Please let them both sleep through.’
The Stylist by Rosie Nixon is out now (HQ, £7.99)