I swear my 4 and a half month old is already going through the terrible twos. In the past week Baby Lighty’s little personality seems to have come on in leaps and bounds, and with it he seems to want to let the whole world know that he’s here. Which apparently means that he’s developed the full blown attitude of a teenager or – dare I even say it? – that of a threenager!

Whether it’s teething, or a Wonder Weeks’ Leap, a growth spurt or his 4 month jabs, I don’t know, and while it’s lovely to see his character start to develop, especially as he’s really started to chuckle away now too, this has definitely been one of the more challenging parenting weeks. It feels like all I’ve heard all week is what I call the ‘naughty cry’ – those little tantrum-like squeals – and whilst I realise that he’s too little to really be ‘being naughty’, he hasn’t wanted to do anything this week.

So far this week Baby Lighty hasn’t wanted to sit in his bouncy chair, go in the Jumperoo, play with Mr & Mrs Lighty, go in his car seat, get dressed, have his nappy changed, drink his milk, and even threw a naughty cry tantrum when his milk ran out – after not wanting it in the first place!

As usual, my friends on our Facebook baby group came to my rescue with reassuring words, as did my NCT friends who we arranged a lunch with after the worst of the days this week, when I messaged them all to say that I needed to escape!

But something else also offered me some reassuring words this week: a little something called Mama Mail.

A few weeks ago, I came across a stationery company called The Paperdashery. I was drawn to their article on how to send someone some ‘happy mail’. I love finding unusual ways to wrap and present gifts (I even have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to gift wrap!), and this just seemed like such a lovely idea, to send someone something pleasant and also unexpected in the post, wrapped beautifully, to cheer them up. When I commented to this effect, they suggested that I check out their Mama Mail, or Postpartum Post, too.

I did, and what a positive project this is! As a new mummy, you sign up to the project, giving a brief description of what you’re struggling with in this strange new world of parenthood. You’re then matched with a slightly more experienced mummy, who is encouraged to send you a small card or letter with words of support.

And the timing couldn’t have been better for me. After a few days where I was seriously beginning to doubt my mothering ability, a little package plopped through my letterbox. At the risk of sounding very Maria von Trapp, it was a brown paper package tied up with string, filled with a few little mummy things. I received an encouraging card together with a bar of rocky road chocolate to help me navigate the rocky road of parenthood, and a tube of mascara, to remind me of who I was before I had Baby Lighty, but a waterproof version so that it doesn’t run while I shed those happy tears.

And I was reminded through a really lovely letter that while things may be tough at times, there will be happy tears. The letter was so supportive and encouraging that it made me both laugh and cry those happy tears even as I read it.

What a worthwhile project this is, to receive something so lovely in what is so often a sea of bills – bills which you may very well be struggling to pay whilst on SMP! I was so pleased with the letter and small gifts I received, and I’ll definitely be signing up to send some Mama Mail of my own to a new mummy when Baby Lighty is a little bit older. Hopefully I can brighten up someone else’s day, just as my sender brightened mine.

NB: Mama Mail is a not for profit project run by The Paperdashery. They suggested I sign up after I commented on their Happy Mail article, and I received the Mama Mail from a sender already registered to the project. I have not been paid for this post and the above review is completely my own opinion. If you’d like to sign up to either send or receive some Mama Mail, please do so here: http://www.thepaperdashery.com/mamamail-aka-postpartum-happymail/