This week: my final column – and everything Gap Motherhood has taught me

Wpregnancy, it has come as no surprise to any of us that she is a VERY strong, determined little lady indeed!

I won’t pretend it’s been easy. The journey has been extremely hard, mentally and physically, and has nearly broken me several times. But the brutally tiring first six months are over, summer has come out in full bloom, and so has our new life together.

Our magical, hugely loved little Gap Baby has changed all of our lives forever. Knock-out beautiful, bright and joyful, she has made our lives happier and more filled with love, laughter and total amazement, than I could ever have imagined – and that’s after having done it three times already.

So here’s what I’ve learned:

1 It’s been much harder having a baby in my 40s than my 20s. The tiredness is off-the-scale debilitating, and the Life Baggage we carry is a lot heavier. But we can also be stronger in many ways, and can appreciate the experience far more, knowing how precious and lucky a Gap Baby is.

2 Lots of people have Gap Families. Since having Scout, countless numbers of people have contacted me to say they either did the same, or are the children of a Gap Family – and all of them said it was a fantastic, happy set-up.

3 Families come in all shapes and sizes, and they adjust to change. Do what works for you and your family, and ignore what other people might think!

Already chatty, funny, standing up on her own and fascinated by everything around her, our daughter has white-blonde hair, enormous blue eyes and golden eyelashes so long they curl up to her eyebrows. Alert and curious, she loves nothing more than watching and listening to people talking.

Since we took her out, people of all ages have crossed not just the room but the street, to come and say hello; old ladies have told her their life story; burly builders have melted under her gaze; toddlers gravitate towards her and want her to play.

And how have her siblings taken to their new baby sister? Well, I think it’s fair to say they are totally in love.

When I was pregnant with her we went to Venice and I sat in a doorway to write a letter to my then unborn child, promising to do everything I could do to give her a happy life. We went back there with Scout and, sitting in the same doorway with her, I wrote another letter, this time to us all. So now it’s time for me to go and fulfil those promises, and spend as much time with my family as I can. Being a Gap Mum means you know how fast it all goes, and I don’t want to miss another second.

Thank you for all your support and well wishes over these last six months. I’ve loved sharing it with you.

‘Mentally and physically, it’s been hard – and nearly broken me’