Amy Barrett
Taranaki
@amykatebarrett
Tell me about your family and where you are based
I’m Amy, mother of one beautiful girl Lottie (18months) and wife to Kane. We have just moved to a farm on the coast of Taranaki and love that we have found our forever home.
What is a typical day like in your house?
If we aren’t out on the farm working or at playgroup we are hanging out at home. I usually like to get odd jobs done while Lottie sleeps or plays in the garden. Sometimes Lottie and I adventure over the farm to the river or beach but mostly it’s to see the “moo’s”. I’m such a homebody so we don’t make trips into town often. Also both of our parents live close by so it’s nice to go visit them too.
What's your best childhood memory?
- I have so many but this was the first one that came to mind.
Going to our nana & grandads house with our cousins. We would cook & bake all morning and serve it to our parents at our “Black Cat Cafe” when they came to pick us up.
We also would do painting, dress up, go swimming or adventuring around the garden. They have the most amazing garden including our very own “secret garden” with hammocks & wooden furniture. It was hidden at the back of their garden and you would have to pass through a passion fruit vine archway to get there. We thought the adults did not know where it was even though they made the furniture and hung the hammocks for us.
They also had the BEST dress up collection that we often got into or made new ones. Seriously we had SO much fun there.
What was the first year of motherhood like for you?
- I really enjoyed it, I am very very lucky to have lots of family close by to help out when ever I need it. Lottie has also been a pretty good baby and a very good sleeper, I hit the jackpot. (Although I want to say it’s NOT always perfect) We went through lockdown when Lottie was only a few months old so was nice to have Kane home more often.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given to arm you as you navigate motherhood or that you can pass on?
- This is a tough one as I can think of quite a few but probably the biggest one for me was; to stop caring about what people thought of the way I parent and trust in myself as a mother.
What’s one thing as a mum you cannot live without?
- Her dam Doi doi (dummy) haha I was so against Lottie having a dummy before I had her but because she was in the neonatal for a week they gave her one to keep her calm. We carried it on when we brought her home and OMG I love them now, every time she crys, I stick one in her mouth. Although I’m now at the other end where I’m going to have to start weaning her off and that’s a whole other problem.
What was the hardest thing about becoming a mum?
- Making sure I have enough time daily to myself. I’m definitely an introvert and love having my own space and quiet. Having a little person always needing my attention and in my personal space can be a little much at times. I make the most of my babysitters; mum, mother in law & husband. I have days to myself to go into town, hang with friends or just stay home and clean. Lottie LOVES it and I’m a much better mother to her when she’s home.
How do you take time out for yourself without children?
- Like I’ve said I’m a huge clean freak and get so much enjoyment from having a day at home cleaning (I know, call me Monica)
Otherwise I’ll organise to catch up with friends and go shopping with hubby’s credit card…
If you are a working mum how do you ensure you balance this?
- Very lucky to not be working but I do help out on the farm and I’m able to take Lottie with me, she LOVES it!
What is it you wanted to portray in your Instagram feed? Or wanted to share with others?
- I’ll be honest I don’t really put a lot of thought into how I’m portraying myself on Instagram as I’ve always just had it as a place to post pretty pictures and my only goal is to make it look ascetically pleasing to me haha.
But in saying this, I do indeed on sharing more of our everyday life on the farm now that we have moved. I’ll be getting back to gardening and cooking meals from what we have produced on the farm like the old days, before Lottie took over my gram.