My first baby turns six tomorrow.
SIX!!
It can't be six years, surely?!
Six years ago tomorrow, my life changed in an instant. A perfect baby boy was placed in my weary, shaking arms and I was lost forever. His actual birth wasn't that flash so I'm not going to dwell on that, I am just going to share some precious memories with you.
When he was a week old, Bathurst was on. The future ex husband had gone to a friends place to watch the race so I packed Liam and I up and we went around to see my parents. My Aunty, Cousin and Granny were summonsed and we spent the day playing with our new toy! We lay him on the table, on a bunny rug and some towels, and just marvelled in his amazingness. Every little move and noise he made was commented on. There was no other baby in the world who was so advanced, beautiful or perfect.
The laying him on the table thing continued until he could roll over. We would sit there for hours just looking at him and trying to get him to smile and talk to us. We would grab the towels and turn him around so he would face us, all taking turns. They were happy days.
My heart still swells when I remember his first real smile. He had been smiling for a couple of weeks but only the slightly amused smile, not the "oh you ARE funny" smile. I didn't know it existed until around three one morning when I was trying to get him back to sleep after a bottle. I must of lay him down in his bassinet and let out a big sigh when I looked down and he stared up at me with those beautiful, blue eyes and gave me a heart breaking smile. How could I resist? That smile got me through some yucky times, and it still does.
He was a beautiful toddler, always on the go and getting into various mischief. He had the chubbiest arms and legs and before his first hair cut, the most beautiful curly, blonde hair. We lived in Longreach for a short time when he was a toddler and he spent most of his time naked in the air con or in the shower. We used to venture outsides in the afternoon and I would hose the dog and him off. The dog didn't like it that much but Liam loved it! He was also rather fond of standing in the dogs water, which she would happily drink out of with him still in it!
When he became a big brother for the first time, I was worried how he would take it, not being the only baby in my life. The day he met Joseph, he walked into the hospital room and straight up to the bassinet and stared into it, taking it all in. He had his moments of jealousy obviously, but he is a great big brother to Joseph and they are the best of friends now.
When Clancy came along, he was obsessed! I didn't even get a hello the day he met her for the first time, he strolled in and said "Where's Clancy?" and headed straight for her bassinet! He has taken the role of looking after his little sister very seriously and loves her to the moon and back!
Liam started Prep at the beginning of this year. We were very nervous on his first day, even though I only left him for just over an hour. I worried that he would be scared because he can be very shy but when I arrived to collect him, he was sitting down with all of his school mates having fruit and a good old chat. On the way home, he said to me "Mummy.... did you know that God is EVERYWHERE?!" Good old Catholic schools, they don't mess around!
Having Liam changed my life forever. Since he came into my life, I have never felt such love, joy, happiness, pride, fear, anger, distress and... oh so many other things. There have been tough times of being a Mummy but the good times far out way the bad.
He is the most perfect first born child I could ask for. His gappy grin, twinkling, grey eyes and mischievous ways light up my days.
Happy Birthday to my big boy, Liam Grant. I am so proud to be your Mummy and thank God every day that you chose me to be with you on this journey of life.
You are beautiful and I love you so very much.
All of my love, hugs and kisses,
Mummy xxxx
