Children's 'Firsts' (1) ...

I’ve been thinking about the joys that my daughter has in store for her in the coming months and years as her son grows and learns. 

First up, I thought about the smell of a new born baby’s skin.  It is an aroma which cannot be replicated by any other means.  Next I thought about that overwhelming moment when you fall in love with your offspring.  It can hit you like a truck, or it can sneak up on you and whack you over the head, but sure as God made little green apples, one day you realise that you would truly die for this little person.

I thought about the first smile, the first tooth, the first words and all of those ‘firsts’ about which the wonder never fades, whether it is your first child or the seventh.

There is one ‘first’ however, that never fails to crease me up.  One day whilst walking along a peaceful, leafy path on our way to town, my eldest son looked up at me from his innocent three-year-old face and said, ‘Mummy, is Bollocks a naughty word?’ ...

A Severe Case of Granny-itis...

A strange affliction that runs in families?

Well it is in a way, because I definitely caught it from my one and only grandson.  November last year – that’s when I really came down with Granny-itis in a big way.  I had been incubating the germs for a while – or at least my daughter had.  This time last year, my daughter had just found out that she was in the family way, as my Grandad would have said.  It was a bit of a shock for her, as most women these days know well before they reach 20 weeks, trust my daughter to be different!   Thirteen weeks later – another shock – dear daughter’s dear son put in an early appearance and was born about six weeks early.

I had long since stopped fawning over beautiful baby clothes in shops, but now, I’m at it again.  I see adverts for baby things from all over the place and I can’t quite resist having a look.  My house has been invaded by high-chairs and cots.  The toy box that we had banished to the older kids bedrooms has snuck its way back into the living room again, full of primary-coloured plastic whatnots and teddies that jingle and sing.  The fish tank is covered in sticky little hand prints where dear grandson has been talking to the fish.

Do I care?  Of course I do! 

I am loving every minute, in fact, I highly recommend a good dose of Granny-itis, it’s the best thing in the world next to gazing at your own newborn.

Come back soon for more about Granny-itis, and what it can mean for your heart and your home.