Oh, grow up!

When Joseph was getting bigger, changing from baby to toddler, M would say, “it’s so sad that he’s growing up isn’t it?”

I would reply, “well, a little bit, but you wouldn’t want him to stay small forever would you. You want to see him grow tall, strong, see where he goes in life” and so on.

But I was wrong.

I realise now, seeing how quickly Annabel is growing up, no longer toddling but walking steady, her vocabulary getting bigger every day, that it is a shame; a part of you does want them to stay small.

But that’s just the selfish part of you saying that.

Joseph starts back at school this week and he has his blazer and school shoes ready to go and I cannot believe how grown up he looks. It’s while looking at them at moments like that, that the 'selfish you' rears up.

Each celebration at their next achievement is tinged with the sadness that they’ll never need your help with it again.

I remember Joseph undoing his first shirt button way back in March of last year and he’s never really needed my help undoing them since.

Sad.

The day Annabel took the spoon out of my hand and (messily) fed herself was the last day she let me feed her.

Sad.

But of course that’s the whole point of it right?

It’s no good asking your children what they want to do when they get bigger if you’ve got to go with them to feed them on their first day at work is it?

“Sorry I’m late but I was waiting for my Dad to do my shirt buttons up”.

Hmmm.

The fact that I still get M to do my cuff buttons up probably speaks volumes.

Time to go.