You might know her best as EastEnders’ Carly Wicks, but this year actress Kellie Shirley landed her biggest role yet – she became mum to twins Pearl and Louie.
And in this week’s exclusive Closer Online column, Kellie opens up about how she’s been dealing with her babies going through their vaccinations…
“As the nights draw closer to Christmas Day, I find myself wondering about the man of the moment... JC.
If I had the keys to the Doctor's Tardis, I'd zip back to find out if Joseph gave Mary a hand with the night feeds, helping to wind, change and rock the little Messiah back to sleep.
Or did he instead whisper to the donkey, “it's your turn to do it", roll over on the stable floor, whilst covered in hay, pretending to be asleep to get another cheeky hour until one of the wise men rock up? A tactic no doubt used by many a parent throughout the land.
Never before have I been up so much at 3 /4/ 5am. And I’m not even eating a cheese toastie to sober up after a fun night out, either; I’m just swaying my babies under the moonlight, wishing up at the moon, praying they'll sleep a little bit longer and maybe not wake up again until the sun does at least.
This week offered up the third round of jabs - and I'm thankful this is (almost) the last lot until they reach their first birthdays. Those little faces staring up at you, so trusting, looking into your soul as the nurse injects a fine strand of virus deep into their tiny bodies; it breaks my heart.
But it’s getting them ready for if the real illness ever rears its nasty head.
Again, I think how lucky we are to have the brilliant national health service (NHS), and I worry that, if the current government have their way, this will soon have to be paid for. Then health will become elitist.
I hope that both my little boy and girl, when the time comes, use their vote… I’m feeling especially fired up about politics after catching the baby 'big scream' screening of 'Suffragette’!
Special baby screenings at the cinema are brilliant - the babies love the huge screen, both beaming up at it. And I love a culture fix, so I'm pleased this is the first film they've seen. ‘Suffragette’ is British cinema at its very best.
The film reminds me that my brain still functions, and it also means I get to see my best mate. To be honest, without her, going to the cinema would be an impossible task with two babies. I need her there to take on 'Dad 2' duties!
We'll be front row as the Oscar contenders start to grace the silver screen over the coming weeks, and I’ll be munching from my industrial-sized tin of boob biscuits (aka the lactation cookies - yes they really work!).
At least we'll have a life outside of the sofa in 2016!”