My name is Lexy Ellis, but one day I fully intend to change my name by deepol to Mammy Woo.
This is because now the Irish One has finally decided ‘to put a ring on it’ (he likes it so he should have blatantly put a ring on it earlier but whatever!) I will remain Mammy Woo instead of becoming Mrs Irish One.
It isn’t that I do not like the surname Doyle, I do, and the comedy value will keep me going for years… (Cup of Tea?) But more that I like being difficult and think Lexy Woo sounds cooler.
Anyway.
I am mammy to 2 year old boxer and screamer extrordinaire, Addison Jake Woo. We chose Addison by accident. (His name. He, himself, was planned. Ish.)
I have been told it’s a girls name.
He is a boy.
We chose Jake after my brother, who left this world too soon, but lives on in my heart and in my memories, which can never be stolen. I miss him everyday, and when I see him again I’m going to kill him. (In a loving way.)
I was on maternity leave, then Post Natal depression and DETD (doing embarrassing things disease) got the better of me and I ended up being a little bit sectioned in to a mental hospital.
It was a dark time for me, mostly because I couldn’t reach the light switch from my bed.
I am now crawling out from the other side of the tunnel and attempting to go back to work, a healthy fully rounded individual, with the light shining brightly.
It’s not easy, and I don’t pretend it is.
I find wine helps though. And Friendship. And Square crisps.
I used to be cool. Then I had a baby.
Now I wee when I sneeze.
I hope you enjoy my blog.
It’s like my therapy, so try not to laugh too much.
My rules for living?
No one can make you feel inadequate unless you let them.
A day without laughter is a day wasted.
You do not have to be blood related to be family.
If you have nothing nice to say, see a therapist.
How people treat you is their Karma, how you react is yours.
Search for the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to fight for the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Call if you need me.
Or email me on Mammywoo@hotmail.com.
(Yes, hotmail. I am not old, I am vintage.)
i love your blog and i think your writing is just amazing, and makes me laugh! looking fwd to reading more.. x
Hi,
My name is John and I have a quick question about your blog! Could you please email me?
Thank you,
John
I love your back story and can fully empathise with it, your strength and sense of humour remind me of my darkest days in 2008. I hope one day to have a novel published as well.
Hi Lexy, I last wrote to you last October, since then I have been on a writing course run by Emily Barr, next month I’m going to the Dordogne to Chez Castilon for a week’s writing course and also going to the Chipping Norton Lit. Festival. Things are definitely on the up as I hope they are with you. How is your writing coming along?
Kind regards
Les
“I used to be cool. Then I had a baby” – great quote, struggling to come to terms with this myself, although deep down I suspect I wasn’t really that cool to begin with : ) Love the blog, love the honesty.
Lexy just read your guest article in Elite Magazine (1/3/12). (I’m in there too with a little piece on my new venture, teaching French to kids).
Looked up your blog and have really enjoyed reading it. You are a brave and wonderful mum. Who’d have thought that years after sitting in the same garden with a mutual friend we would both be pill-popping mummies to gorgeous 2 year old boys?! I wish you lots of love, luck and happiness, Natalie xxx
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Found your blog via Twitter and I love it. Only read a bit so far but I’ll be back. The things you’ve been through and written about make me ashamed for moaning about the few trivial problems in my life.
Hey there Mammy Woo! Just fell across your blog via Twitter, as you were one of my “Recommended” people. So glad I did! I’ve been reading for a couple hours now (in between feeding, changing, playing with and generally fussing over my 7 month old son, of course) and it is so encouraging to read your story. I was very lucky, as I did not get PND, despite my worries. But I have been a recovering depressive for most of my life. In fact, the night before I found out I was pregnant, I was to be found in my room with a pair of scissors, cutting my arm up. (I’ve never told anyone that…)
Anyway, depression in all its many and varied forms is something that is very close to my heart, and I know all too well the strength it takes to overcome such a horrific disease. As the days are getting shorter and sunshine seems to be a thing of the past, I am finding it harder to stay positive. Even with my personal ball of sunshine attached to my hip (and my breast!) 24/7. But reading your words has really put a smile on my face. You are a rock star.
Hey sweet, thank you so much for commenting and for of course reading too i really appreciate it.
I am so sorry you have suffered with self harm and depression it is god awful and a terrible illness that has spent too long being hidden behind walls. That is why i try to be open about it, i think the biggest thing is realising it isnt our fault and actually it is an illness just like any other physical one. I feel the same now the days are getting shorter but with the support of friends and lovely people like yourself i am sure we can get through it together. I am now following you on twitter and will DM you my number in case you ever just want to vent, rant, chat or shoot the breeze. We dont have to struggle alone apparentely, who’d have thought? lol.
If you could see me at this moment, with knickers holding my hair back, you wouldnt be calling me a rock star but i will take it anyway, lol, thank you xx
Hi Mammy Woo. I became glued to your blog this morning, so much so that I forgot to give my daughter her breakfast and only realised when she had a moment of food rage. Bad mum that I am! Anyway, I managed to pick up where I left off this evening and I just wanted to say a huge thank you for providing such a brilliantly funny page-turning read. It’s brought back plenty of memories from my own PND days when I thought I was going completely nuts so I totally sympathise with that constant adrenaline-charged feeling – I just wanted everything to stop so that I could get off…just so that I could have a bit of sleep. Good luck with everything and I look forward to reading the next instalment.
I recently come across your blog and it is sooooooooooo funny. Well done Mammy Woo x
Found your blog via a Twitter link a couple of weeks ago and have been slowly reading the whole thing (not a stalker, honest!) Your posts have led to many a stifled snort while trying not to wake the baby on my lap at 3am…
I’ve added you on Twitter too (no really, I’m honestly not a stalker) anyway, excellent blog!
Fantastic. I could techinally copy & paste at least half of this and apply it to myself. I too used to be cool(ish), now an amazing night is peace, quiet, chocolate & a clean house.
One day our kids will realise we were cool once and it will happen to them too.
Ah i remember looking at my mum and thinking she was always old and would never have understood being young! i cant believe that will be me soon! You are so right!! arghhhhhhh
Hi Lex!!!
Mini shared a link on FB about your blog, bloody hilarious babe, then again you always made me laugh…keep it up girl!!! Big love, Dani xxx
Mammy,
I follow you on twitter, and love your blog (stalk stalk stalk, ahem…)
Both are read on my iphone, as my 13 month old has a fit of fat-handed, keyboard smacking ecstasy whenever I get my laptop out.
Keep on with the excellent musings, and hilarious tweets, they really keep me going on those God Awful Please Stop Screeching And Tantrumming Or I Shall Go Quite, Quite Mad days.
Ruth x
Thank you hon! The comments really make my day and make it all worthwhile!
Am i following you back on twitter? i hope so!! x
Just found your blog – LOVE it! I used to be cool too, now I’m just embarrassing (according to my 7yo Ella) and milktastic (according to 5mo Alicia).
I keep leaving messages on blogs saying I love them, I do, they are all brilliant in different ways. I love yours because it’s so honest and up front. I don’t wee when I sneeze but for the first 2 years I had no idea when I was going to fart (how did that happen?). Whoosh out they popped. My fart control is much better now – I hope your wee situation gets better. Look forward to following your adventures.