A Free Weekend

As all my fellow Nigerian moms out there know, finding any amount of free time for ourselves in between our endless mommy duties is next to impossible! That's why when my two energetic kids asked to sleepover at their grandparents' place last weekend, I jumped at the rare chance to relax. For once, my weekend was made up of more than just nonstop feeding, cleaning, breaking up fights over toys and all the usual parenting chaos! Don't get me wrong , I love my little ones more than anything. But even wonder woman needs to recharge her batteries now and then.

As soon as I finished dropping the kids off, I cranked up the radio and revelled in the peaceful ride back home alone. No deafening kiddie tunes or whiny arguments from the backseat asking "Are we there yet?" every two minutes. Just me, bopping along to some empowering Beyoncé jams before pulling into the blissfully empty house. I almost didn't know what to do with myself at first! No school lunches to pack at the last minute, no messy finger painting session to clean up, no meetings with teachers or pediatrician checkups to drive to....I stood there in the quiet kitchen dumbfounded for a good few minutes.

Then it hit me , this weekend would be filled with treating myself! I was determined to fully indulge in two whole days of radical self-care. I'm always putting my own needs last while catering to my family, as all mamas do. But now I could finally focus on nourishing my mind, body and soul without distractions. A face mask, bubble bath and trashy romance novel sounded like the perfect Friday night in. I cranked up the slow jams, lit some candles and soaked in the sweet soothing silence until I was thoroughly wrinkled from the bath.

The next morning, I woke up slowly to sunlight streaming in instead of the pitter patter of little feet. I stretched out leisurely before shuffling to the kitchen to brew some coffee, which I enjoyed while journaling on the balcony. The fresh morning breeze and birds chirping made for ideal relaxation conditions. My only plans involved meeting an old college girlfriend for brunch to catch up, then maybe getting a much-needed massage and mani/pedi.

Let me tell you that brunch date lasted for hours! We covered everything from her new job, my latest parenting chaos, dream vacations, you name it. I realized how little adult interaction I get these days that doesn't revolve around my kids or community gossip. Venting and laughing together over bottomless mimosas felt amazing. Next time she wants a girls night out until dawn, I just may take her up on it!

By the time I left the nail salon with polished tips and rolling shoulders, I felt like a whole new woman. The restorative weekend flew by way too fast, but I certainly made the most of every child-free minute! Mamas have to take care of themselves before we can nurture anyone else. My soul and sanity are already recharged to wrangle those sweet cherubs all over again next weekend. But first, I'll be replaying the memories of my blissful weekend oasis on repeat with a smile. We all deserve to treat ourselves sometimes.

All images are mine
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