Seriously, where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday that I was still wearing my beautiful skinny jeans and trying to imagine what it would be like when I actually started showing and now I am in my final week of work before I go on maternity leave.

In many respects this has been the longest nine months of my life. The anticipation is almost too much to handle at times and all the emotions that come with being pregnant — the excitement, fear, nervousness — have taken a toll. Yet now looking back it feels like it’s gone by in a flash. In fact I can remember so clearly the day I started at Newsquest and had all these visions of training as a reporter, doing my senior exams and then perhaps having a child. The nice little fairytale. Well, so far so good, but how I ended up here ten minutes later is something I can’t comprehend.

So, in four days I will say goodbye to the Borehamwood Times and all its brother and sister papers and my colleagues and begin a new journey of maternity leave followed by motherhood.

I always thought I would find the thought of not having anything structured to do with my day quite hard to deal with. But I do now understand, with less than five weeks to go, why people need time off. I am ready, I have to say, to have my daily dose of Fern and Phil and even some Jeremy Kyle if things get that bad. I am looking forward to not having to find clothes that fit me AND can be classed as acceptable work attire and I cannot wait to meet my two new nieces who are due to make an entrance any day now.

It’s funny though, my husband seems to have different ideas. I am sure in part it was to wind me up, but we had a really insightful conversation yesterday where we started discussing how we were going to survive on one salary. (We’ve had this discussion many times we just never find the ultimate answer.) Anyway he said he spends too much money each day on food so we could save money by him taking in a packed lunch. Fair enough suggestion. Except who does he think is going to make it? And when on Saturday night I made dinner for some friends, he came in and while complimenting my cooking, told me that he can’t wait until he can come home to a home cooked dinner every night.

I played along for a little bit. To some extent taking five minutes to make a sandwich while I am on maternity leave isn’t too much of a stress. And I am sure most nights I can manage to make him something to eat for dinner. But according to my dear husband, once I have got into a routine with the baby — according to him, within weeks — I can carry on with said tasks.Charming. I’d love to be some supermum, able to multitask after five minutes of giving birth but alas I think that might not be the case. It’ll have to be takeaways and sharing of responsibilities for a while me thinks.

But whatever the situation, as sad as I am that a chapter is ending, at least temporarily, I am ready to go. And I think everyone else is too. My due date is getting a little too soon for comfort...