The Love Between Them & I ♥

 Valentine's Day is almost upon us, a day to show the people who we love the most just how much they truly mean to us. For me Valentine's Day isn't just a day to shower your other half with gifts and have a nice meal, etc., it's a day to reflect on all my relationships and show people that I care about them - even if it isn't in a romantic way. In my opinion, there are many types of love and I experience them daily through many important people in my life. This post is to reflect on those special people and how our relationships have grown throughout the years. I always love writing these types of posts as they always make me realise just how lucky I am to have wonderful people like these in my life...

My other half and I on the day of our sons christening.

My other half. The love that him and I share is traditional, romantic love. I fell for him many years ago when we began working together on the same shift at work. We closed up together every evening and we had the best chats. I thought he was such a lovely person and him and I had so much in common. Our friendship evolved into romance in 2011 when we confessed our feelings for each other - how lucky were we that they were mutual! Over three years later, through many ups and downs, we're still going strong and I don't see that ending anytime soon. He refers to me as his wife, even to other people and I guess in a way I kind of am! Hopefully one day we will be married and will grow old together. We're so suited and even after all this time we have the best chats and make each other laugh no end.

My darling son and I when he was itty bitty at just 2 months old.

My son. The love between a mother and her son is one of the most special types of love there is in the world. My love for my son is unconditional and is probably the most intense love I have ever felt in my life. No one prepares you for motherhood, for the gushing emotions and feelings you will have for your baby but it really is the best thing in the world. I could look at my son and cry with happiness knowing that he is mine (in fact, this happens a lot when I look at him when he's asleep). Knowing that I am his mother forever and that I will always this love between us is the most comforting thing. I love him to the moon and back.

My Nana, Granda and I back when I was only little.

My Nana. I think everyone has someone very special to them who has sadly passed on and who they miss dearly, for me this is my Nana. She was such a lovely and kind woman who had a gentle spirit and who made the best beef and poppy dinners. I will always remember her greeting me with open arms and saying "wish you hello" in her lovely soft voice. She was everything a Nana should be and she doted on me a lot. As I got older we used to go on holidays together with my Granda to visit my Dad and I used to play tricks on her and wind her up, she always took them so well though, she probably knew I had a prankster streak in me. She sadly died in 2008 and I was heartbroken. She was the first death I had ever experienced and she had a hard one. I like to think she looks down on me, especially when I'm in the car (I know you're there Nan!) and hopefully one day we'll get to meet again. I miss her so much.

My Mam and I only graduation day from University College Cork.

 My Mam. My Mam and I have not had the best relationship throughout the years. There have been so many ups and downs between us and at the end of the day she is my mother and I love her. Now that I am a parent myself I see how much she did for me and my brother and all that she had to put up with. Her and I get on great now (probably because we don't live together), we're like chalk and cheese but we have lots of laughs now and chat a lot. I'm so glad we no longer fight and are able to have a proper mother and daughter relationship, it means a whole lot to me.

Taken at my 21st birthday, excuse the yellow hair - what was I thinking?! Morto!

My stepdad. Like with my mother, my stepdad and I didn't have the best relationship when I was growing up. I used the phrase "you're not my Dad" a lot and was actually quite horrible at times (those awkward teenage years!). In recent years though I have reflected on all he did for my brother and I. He took on two children and brought us up as his own. Him and I are quite close now and he is my sons grandad. He's the only member of my family who comes to visit us a lot and I will always be there for him just as he was for my brother and I. I love him as if he was my biological father and will never forget all he did for us.

Cher and I have no pictures together, that I can find anyway, so you'll just have to look at our beautiful babies instead!

 My friend Cher. If there really is such a thing as soulmates then this girl is it for me! We met through an online pregnancy group when we were both expecting our babies at the same time. Funnily enough we weren't that close during our pregnancy but after I had my son I texted her when she was in labour and her daughter was born two days after Tyler Lee. It's like I have known her all my life. She is my best friend, in fact, more like a sister to me and I love her to pieces. She is a beautiful person inside and out and is always there for me. I love that our little ones are so close in age and secretly hope they get married one day! I wish we lived closed to each other, she lives on the other side of the country, but we try and get together as often as we can and every time it's like we had never been away. The distance does not and never will affect our friendship. She has just begun her own business and I am ever so proud of her. If you're looking for some adorable premature baby and children's clothes check out her page Itsy Bitsy Butterflies.

My Dad and I in Jersey back in August 2011.

 My Dad. Growing up my Dad was my best bud. We always had the best times together, lots of laughs and I always looked forward to our days out together. Even though I haven't seen him much throughout my life and have missed him a lot whilst growing up he will always be my Dad and I love him. Hopefully we'll see each other in July when we visit him and his girlfriend in Jersey again. We had a great holiday with them there last year and lots of laughs. My Dad has given me lots of words of wisdom in life, my favourite being "when I'm gone just remember the good times", these are words which I'll be passing on to my own children.

There are so many other people in my life who I love in many different ways. I truly believe that you can be soulmates with anyone, it doesn't have to be a romantic type of love. I also believe in a predestined fate and have always believe that different people enter our lives to teach us lessons, some people may think I'm crazy for thinking these things but I have my reasons for doing so.

This Valentine's Day will you be taking the time to reflect on all the different types of love and relationships you have in your life?