GETTING OUT OF THE MUMMY UNIFORM.

dress up: v. put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive.

As a mum, I have a uniform. It consists mostly of jeans, tshirts and flat shoes. And on those extra comfy days, possibly a pair of trackie dacks (with paint on them, as they're the only variety I own). No make up, and if we're lucky hair may be looked at (but most likely not done).

You may not know this, but I have one of those paid job thingies. It also happens that I am one of the luckiest employees around. I get to wear track pants when I go to work.

That's because I work mainly from home. Of course, there's an expectation that I go into the office occasionally, which I usually do.

Just not in the past three months. (Did I mention that you should also never to take this sort of job for granted?) When I had one child, my awesome in-laws (more about them later) looked after Madison for a day while I went into the real office (as opposed to the home office). Then I worked my other two days at home in blocks throughout the rest of the week. Then I had Noah. Madison still went to Grandma and Grandpa's for a day, while I took my seven week old into work. I did that for 8 months. (Did I mention how awesome my bosses are?)

Once Noah became too verbal and mobile, you can imagine why I haven't taken him in for an 8-hour work day recently. And while I've loved having the flexibility of being at home with my kids every moment of the day, there's something special about having Dress Up Day.

It's kind of like when you were a kid when you chose your clothes carefully, and paraded around feeling all pretty. (Except now your clothes shouldn't be squished in a dress up box - okay, mine are squished in a laundry basket at times...)

To me, Dress Up days should include: no children, no pooey nappy remnants on your good clothes, no dribbles on your shoulders, vomits down your front (or on the floor), food on your sleeves, no funny smells noticed while making a phone call, finishing every conversation, and focusing on just a handful of things which entail just the job at hand. (I don't expect much, do I?) Plus a pretty scarf, skirt, boots, make up and hair fully done.

Today my wish came completely true. I went back to work today for the first time in 11 months.

Without any children.