21 Years Being A Mum

Happy 21st Birthday, Ben - my first born, who made me a mummy! 

So I'm celebrating 21 years of being a parent. 

I can still remember the moment you were born, laid out on my tummy, blue eyes staring back at me.  

I'm incredibly proud of the young man you've become. 

Don't get me wrong, you still drive me potty at times, taking your time to do things, as you did coming into this world (33 hours of labour!) but I love that you have your own style, loving to dress up to the occasion. 

As well as liking to get dressed up, even in fancy dress, you're also happy to rough it camping, surfing, walking, also being outdoorsy. 

(Obligatory new born photo - one of my favourites)

You'll even entertain your old mum in things not deemed 'cool' (by your younger brother.) You're good fun and always happy to participate in whatever we suggest. 

I love that you'll even share a bottle of wine with me. 😍 (You'll make a great date when the right young lady comes along!)

I'm so proud you're working hard in your apprenticeship, training to be a construction engineer. 

I love that you like the finer things in life and know to work hard to achieve them. 

Keep being you, keep working hard, have fun and enjoy life, and maybe tidy your room occasionally...

Lots of love, 

One very proud mum. 

Xxx

(I scheduled this blog post to go live the minute you were born... 6.36am)

Happy 18th Birthday, Kieran! Two Adult Boys In The House

That's it. I no longer have children. Both of my boys are adults, one isn't even a teenager anymore! 

Happy 18th Birthday, Kieran! 

I am always incredibly proud of you. Keep being you, only maybe a little less grumpy - ha ha.

Your birthday, last year.

You work so hard in your job and at college, and I know you'll do great at University in September, training to be a physiotherapist.

I don't have that many photos of you on your own, because unlike your brother, you don't like having your photo taken - by me, anyway. 

However, when you were younger (and cuter) you loved having your photo taken. 

Anway, you'll always be my cute, cheeky Kamikaze Kieran. 

You may have grown out of Spiderman and pirates, but I will love you always and forever, Mum x x x 

(Below is a montage of photos - some with your brother when you used to get on better! All of you when you were cute!) 

This is when I put vaseline in my hair!

This is when I was at my cutest - asleep!

I helped make these with Mum. 

Always the pirate!

Always a lover of football!

Animal Farm day out. Mum loves this photo!

Bath time :)

My Baby Boy Turns 16

 

And my other baby boy is all grown up. How has he got to be 16?

Kieran turned 16 on Friday. But my bad, I've just not had a chance to write a blog post, and my RSI has flared up so I am limiting the work I do on my PC. 

Where has the time gone? 

Seriously, I can remember his birth like it was yesterday. He was a lot quicker and easier entering this world, compared to his big brother. And maybe being the second child, I was more relaxed so we took to each other much easier. 

Since he could walk, Kieran has loved kicking a ball. So, still, 16 years on, it's no surprise he's into his football. He's now having to consider playing for a men's team as he's too old for juniors! 

And Kieran has become much more image conscious than Ben. I can't buy him clothes unless he chooses them! (So we had a bit of a shop for his birthday!)

But he's also very thoughtful, liking to buy gifts for me or his dad whenever we're away on holiday. 

He's as tall as me, so it won't be long before he's taller than me, just like Ben. 

Kieran will finish school this summer, and that means no more school-aged children. As of September, he's going off to college to study Sports Science. 

Anyway, my Bubba, Happy Birthday! Even when I'm moody, and cross with you - because you can be quite moody too, I love you to the moon and back... You're working hard towards your exams, and I'm proud of you for that. 

Thankfully, you've lost Kieran The Destroyer instinct... wrecking your toys, and although still adventurous, you're not quite the Kamikazi Kieran we used to know as a toddler... 

The Reality Of Mother's Day

Does anyone else actually find Mother's Day exhausting? 

Although my boys are older now (nearly) 16 & 18, they tend to spend the weekends at their dad's and so Mother's Day weekend was my weekend to have them. 

I made waffles with bacon & maple syrup for breakfast - which was yummy, and I decided to cook a beef roast dinner with homemade gravy (a first for me) and yorkshire puddings. I had to cook the beef to my son's specifications - medium-rare. (I did a good job considering I've not really cooked beef before.) 

As it was sunny, prior cooking the roast dinner, I did get out in the garden and spent a couple of hours with Dad preparing the garden for Spring's arrival. Hard work, but therapeutic. And Ben did help until he had to go off to work.

Luckily, I do have a dishwasher, but I still had a mess of a kitchen to deal with after a roast... and the boys did manage to put their plates in there - at least! 

My eldest had to work so he couldn't help with making the dinner, and well, my youngest, came home from his football match and plopped himself in front of the telly... Man United was playing... 

I barely had time to sit on the sofa and read my book! (I'm not very good at doing 'nothing' mind you.)

I think next year I'm going to actually have the day to myself and not spend it with my kids - or just go out for dinner! - because Mother's Day just reminds me how much I have to work when they're about.

I love them. And they're not bad boys. But it doesn't matter how hard I try not to over mother them... it's still a lot of work. 

Life's Acupuncture

With the kids off school, I've failed at writing, so today I thought I'd blog about something I've been mulling over lately.

Life isn't treating me badly in the grand scheme of things. I know I'm fortunate. I'm healthy, I've got a job (I think) and a roof over my head - although there is a leak, as water is dripping from my kitchen ceiling when the boys shower in the bathroom. I'm a published author too!

However, small things in life are niggling away at me. Little things keep going wrong. Like the leak!

A prime example is that I had my new sofa arrive yesterday. And it is LUSH. And I can't believe it fits perfectly and goes so well with the room. We can now watch the TV in comfort! And I've not parted with a penny! (I'm paying over 4 years interest free - thank you, DFS!)

However, the bench stool has a crack in the side of one of it's panels on the inside. (It has a storage compartment. In a small house it's all about storage for me.) I didn't notice it until the delivery men had left.

So it has meant getting in touch with DFS, and they're organising a new base to be made. Now it's all fine really, but it's just another niggle of life being annoying. Instead of the furniture arriving and everything is great. I've had to make a call, send off photos etc. I couldn't just receive the furniture with no problems.

And I thought the other day, all these things that seem to go wrong when I could do without it; it's like acupuncture. A needle gets twisted, causing a little pain. That's what these nuisances are.

The thing how acupuncture works is that those needles tell the body where to concentrate on the healing. So are these little pains from life, just making me stronger?

And maybe I'm noticing them because I'm stressed with the worry of making things work out. Is this all just part of the wobble?

I suppose I'd rather these little niggles, than something big going wrong in life, but sometimes it would be nice if something went right!

Owner of a 14-Year-Old Today!

New snorkels in Kos. Sums your silliness up! 

I can't believe THIS boy turns 14 today!

Happy birthday, Ben!

Gosh, I remember the morning of your birth, (as if it were yesterday, and not 14 years ago!) and you were laid on my tummy, swaddled in a towel, blue eyes staring up at me, and my love for you was unconditional from that moment on.

I was also petrified that I'd just become a mum.

You may drive me potty at times, with your dreamy, laid back attitude, but you have a wicked sense of humour, you're funny, thoughtful, helpful, and I admire how you put 110% into everything you do.

I love your quiet confidence and you do make me very proud.

You're going to grow up into a fine young man!

Love you, so so much,

Mum x

(Too old to be Mummy now 😟).

Kos 2018 - favourite Mocktail - Magic Island!

I'm Doing Something Right

Woolacombe 2017

Last week my eldest was awarded Mathematician of the Year, Lower School for 2017. This actually is a great achievement, considering he was in Year 7 last year, so he was picked out against Year 7 and Year 8 students!

Then, last night I went to the parents evening for my youngest son, who is in Year 6 and will be moving up to secondary school next year.

As soon as I sat down, his teacher was 'well this is an easy parents evening', and gave my son such praise. From his attitude to learning to his conduct within the classroom and with his peers, she said he was a pleasure to teach. (And I know most say this, but I like to believe she meant it).

When my eldest was first born, and I'd come down from the joys of giving birth to a healthy baby, I was thinking 'oh shit - a boy'. I remembered all the boys at school when I was a girl that couldn't be bothered to learn, those that mucked about in the class room. The little shits basically. And then when I was sent a second boy, I thought my troubles had doubled.

Tyntesfield with Granddad - who never encourages them!

It is assumed that because they are boys, they will be naughty, that they will fight. (It did used to rile me when a mum would excuse her child's poor behaviour because he was a boy.)

My two are not always blue-eyed boys and they come with their flaws. They are still children, after all. They like to fight and bicker like any other siblings. Yet, one thing they both seem to do well is get on at school. (I'm pretty sure they have a personality transplant as they walk through the school gates.) I've never had a problem with them going off to school. They enjoy learning, and generally behave well for other people. They are both bright, intelligent boys, with great personalities (which they obviously get that from me! ha ha!). My fears of them being 'little shits' in the classroom have been squashed.

My eldest is lacking in some common sense at times...  it maybe the turning 13 symptoms... He can be away with the fairies which drives me and his dad mad! (I no longer take it personally when they play up for their dad at the weekends). And my youngest still knows how to throw a tantrum like a two-year-old when things aren't going his way. But generally, they are good boys, who I hope will turn out to be strong, successful, loving men.

Maybe me being a tough mum has paid off? Screaming like a banshee and expressing when I'm angry does work?

Maybe it's something their Dad and I have done right?