Beautiful Boy

Out on the ocean sailing away
I can hardly wait

To see you come of age

But I guess we'll both just have to be patient

'Cause it's a long way to go

A hard row to hoe

Yes it's a long way to go

But in the meantime...

I can scarcely believe that 13 years ago today, I was in a Perth hospital, having just undergone the most traumatic two weeks of my life. But after all the false starts, blood pressure readings, drips, poking, prodding, epidurals, monitors, vacuums and finally scalpels, my baby boy was safe and sound (and so was I, if a little drugged!). Not quite the "natural" birth I had planned for my first pregnancy, but you know what they say about what happens when you're busy making other plans...

I was off being sewn up, so Hubby got first cuddle -
 note the pager (those were the days!)

We moved back to Sydney when Video Boy was 3 months old (yanno, after everyone made the trek to Western Australia to see him!). Bliss - he sleeps!

And before we knew what was happening, our "baby" was turning one (and I was six months pregnant with his sister).

One year old - check out those big chubby cheeks!

I'm pretty sure I don't even have photos of his second birthday - those days are a bit of a blur! Trust me when I say this is close to that date...

Two years old

I had sufficiently recovered by his 3rd birthday to throw a party or two at Playgroup  and at home, in yet another new house and even remembered to take photos...

Three years old 

By the time he turned 4, we had moved interstate yet again, and this time Video Boy had his birthday in Queensland!

Four years old

Video Boy's 5th birthday saw us back in NSW in our current south coast location (but different house!). 

Five years old

Another birthday, another house (same town), still got the Spiderman thing going (although honestly, I don't remember him loving Spidy all that much - must have been the "boy" thing to get at the time!).

Six years old

I truly got my stuff together and created the most memorable birthday party for his 7th birthday - we all still reminisce about the "Mad Scientist Party"...

Seven years old - mad scientist!

Well...now...after all that good photo taking, we must have had a digital camera malfunction (or possibly a mummy-malfunction when we moved house...again) because 2007 is looking very light-on for photos! But he did get to reprise his scientist role in the school play (he was excellent too - not biased, just sayin') and we did have Christmas...

Eight years old - still mad...

Someone feed me!

Things have settled down since then - no more house moves and I must have fed him something, because he damn well keeps on growing taller!

Nine years old

Ten years old - double digits!

Eleven years old

Twelve years old - I swear he had more than one hoody!

This last year has seen a lot of growth - vertically (he's just on par with his mother...for the time being!), cognitively and emotionally (homeschooling has just wonderful for him!) and hormonally! Yep, my boy is turning into a man. I am the mother of a teenager (surely this can't be?? I can't be that old!). 

Thirteen years old...a teen

But as any mother of a teen will tell you, he'll still always be my boy. My first-born. The cause of many a grey hair to be sure, but always loved, always special. And I know the journey to adulthood may not always be smooth, but with any luck he will always remain thoughtful, inquisitive and caring. 

Happy Birthday my beautiful boy - how I am loving watching you grow up.

Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you're busy making other plans 

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy