Proud Mum To A Teenager!

Ben in my favourite sleepsuit! 

My first born, Benjamin James (Ben) is thirteen today!

When he was first born, I saw him as my miracle baby. I only had one Fallopian tube and had doubted whether I would get pregnant naturally. And I remember, after my long laborious labour (I should have taken that as a sign, he'd take his time entering this world, he'd take his time and be laid back about everything from then on in life) that I was grateful and happy to have a healthy baby boy - weighing a whopping 9lb 4oz. If I couldn't have any more, at least I'd been given the gift of at least one baby. And I know some don't even get that, so I was filled with joy.

One memory I have, while I was still in hospital, adjusting to motherhood and breastfeeding; I'd left him in the nursery - the only place you could leave the babies unattended - so I could shower. I came back to his cot to find him gone and a brief moment of panic hit me, fearing someone had stolen my boy. I turned around and midwife held him, showing another midwife/nurse on the ward my baby, saying, 'look how handsome this baby is.' My heart filled with so much pride. (He was incredibly handsome as a baby - but I thought I was biased as his mother).



As he grows older, you can see he's the spitting image of me. And now he has glasses, we are even more similar. Even though he drives me mad, because he is pretty much away with the fairies, in his laid back state, I love him more than words can truly describe. He is laid back, quietly confident, clever (Mathematician of The Year!) and fairly mature - when not bickering with his brother. And though he'll do things that make me cross, he does so much that makes me proud, too.





Not sure where he gets being so chilled out from. My dad (Granddad Ron) and I laugh about it quite regularly. It's certainly not from me. But he loves cake and chocolate - which he does get from me! I love that he loves reading! And I've recently got this boy into Red Dwarf. He is my buddy - when I don't have to be 'Mum' and nag him.

Happy 13th birthday, Ben. May you continue to grow into a great, wonderful, mature man.