One month old

And I woke up all teary-eyed pondering the significance of this particular birthday…

…it’s his last year to experience all the freedoms and luxuries of childhood. 

…this may be the last year he lives full time with me (depending on where he decides to go to university) – and while i joke about the limited real estate, I’m really (really!) gonna miss him.

…he’s changed so MUCH in the last year! I’ve watched a child leave and a young man slowly appear in my home.  I so rarely have to put on the “mommy hat” now that when i do he seems to find it hard to take me seriously.

…he’s just unbelievably smart, funny, confident, calm, cool and collected.  I’m truly enjoying what little time he spends with me now and really looking forward to the coming adult years when i hope i’ll not only be his mom but also his friend.

…every day i think about how lucky and proud I am to have him as my son.  He’s worth every single sacrifice and I’m still stunned he turned out OK (since for the most part i had to figure this parenting thing out by trial and error along the way).

…I’ll always miss waking up to hugs from chubby little arms, the wet kisses, a damp little hand wriggling its way into mine, the many gag-worthy mother’s day breakfasts, the bony prods and pokes from tween cuddles and being called mama, mommy, mummy.   I’m now just “Mom”.  But I think I can now at least? hopefully? retire my title as the “meanest mommy in the WHOLE world”.

I’ve now got my comfy viewing seat off to the side and i’m getting ready to watch him complete his journey into adulthood.