My last month of maternity leave

This time next month, I'll be dressed in smart clothes, my leather bag filled with my organiser, pens and business cards, cup of coffee in hand, as I return to my original day job of Head of Division for a top PR agency. No more PJ days. No more guilty pleasures like Jeremy Kyle. No more play groups. No more cuddles with the cutest boy in the world at any time of day.

I've said before that I wanted to make the most of my maternity leave and I think I really have, so I am feeling good about returning to work; I love my job, my team and clients and will relish the chance to go back to 'being me' as I was before I became a mum. But, and it's a big but, I, like every other mum, love my baby boy so much and being a mum has added a whole new dimension to who I am.

Over the past eight months, I've got to know our little fella, I've enjoyed our home, I've made new mummy friends through this blog and Twitter and in person too at various baby classes and groups. I've taken Ethan swimming for the first time. We've had coffee dates and play dates. We've enjoyed days at home when anything else seemed like too much. We've been best friends who spend every day together but now it's time for me to share him a little more with other people.

And what a person to share! Everyone always says to us how happy Ethan is and what a content baby he seems to be and we always beam with pride at such comments. We had his induction evening at his nursery this week and Ethan turned on the charm big time, smiling and reaching out for the different members of staff and drawing a group of cooing women around him (and hubs) as we were leaving. He seemed interested and happy and today will be his first of three settling-in days between now and the 6th January when he will go to nursery for four days a week.

It was really nice to see the nursery again and we're quite excited really for Ethan as he is going to have an amazing time from what we have seen, albeit tinged with the guilt of being working parents. Wedsnesdays will be Mummy and Ethan days and as a family, we're going to do all we can to enjoy every evening and every weekend together. I guess it's just a case of being organised - the laundry and washing up will still need doing and we'll have our own work pressures to deal with, all the while needing to play and feed and bathe our baby boy. But it'll all get done because it has to and millions of other parents manage.

There are so many milestones in the journey to become mum and I'm so glad to have my blog; don't worry, I won't be going anywhere! Be it weaning, walking or working, every new stage in your life as a mummy is new, exciting and scary at the same time. But it's important to remember you're not alone and I wouldn't change it for the world.