We're no Brian and Amy...that's for sure.

Relationships are hard work. Someone once told me that if you can get through the first few years of marriage with young kids, you’ll make it through anything as a couple. Pure and simple: a cocktail of sleeplessness, hormones, tantrums, no down time and no couple time makes for very thin ice. And in our house, we’re not just skating on it - at times we’re bloody well stomping on it. We’re a lot less Brian O’Driscoll and Amy Huberman and a lot more John and Mary from Father Ted. I reckon we could actually kill one another at times, if looks and seething exasperation could kill, that is.

Speaking of Brian and Amy, I couldn’t help but have relationship envy whilst ogling their date night pix from the U2 gig recently. They still have that sparkly, young love glow about them. There’s not an eye roll in sight in any of the pictures. Not a hint of resentment or an “oh for fuck’s sake” muttered under their breaths. How do they do it? With two young kids at home - who, let’s face it, are probably gorgeous, sleeping through  the night and eating their dinner as opposed to throwing it on the floor - how do they manage to keep their love all twinkly and shiny? Do they ever fight about who did or didn’t leave a stinking nappy on top of the bin instead of throwing it out? Does Brian ever call Amy a nag? Does Amy ever bitch at him for fecking off to the gym right in the middle of the witching hour before bed? 

Don’t get me wrong, I still love my husband. Sometimes. A lot of the time I just don’t like him very much. In fact, he can be a bit of an asshole. And I’m well capable of being one right back. Are we the only couple like this? Is the world really full of Brian and Amys who still hold hands and kiss and breeze through life on a magic carpet of giddy love and Instagram filters? Are they really managing to keep their relationships fully intact whist trying to juggle kids and work and life? Jesus, if there’s a secret to it, no one ever filled me in, so please, spill the beans someone. In the meantime, himself has just made me a cup of tea and plonked a chocolate brownie in front of me. And I’ve just ordered him a new pair of pyjama bottoms online. All is not lost.