I don't know about you lot, but seeing Emile standing there in his little school uniform really made me feel old. It seems like only yesterday that I was stood next to Sam in front of our old front door in Manchester on his first day at school.
I can't believe how excited he's been about starting his new school too. I never remember feeling that excited. What about you?
Sorry if this is becoming an annual thing, but I can't help but put something on the blog about 9/11. Every year, the anniversary creeps around with the inevitably of an unwanted season and it doesn't seem to fade into memory as time goes by.
Seeing those images again shakes me to my very core and upsets me like nothing else in this world. Even without considering the motivations and ideologies behind such an attack and, with hindsight, the brutal and unjustified reaction the attack provoked, I find it emotionally and physically difficult to even comprehend the scale and horror of what went down that day. Seriously, it really knocks me for six for a good couple of days each year.
Not happy with starting big school this week, Emile was on fire at the weekend and, with a little prompting (well, I just removed his stabilizers without consulting him, so he didn't have much choice!), decided he was going to ride his bike unassisted for the first time. Given that his previous experience of bike riding consisted of a couple of little jaunts on his bike complete with stabilizers, this was quite a dramatic jump.
I thought he'd just get bored of falling off all the time and had no idea that it could be learned so quickly, but no. He took to it with such enthusiasm that he just wouldn't stop. When we finally got him off his bike, the adrenalin must've been pumping through him, as he just ran around like a headless chicken.
Every time I see the footage, I can't help feeling a deep, fatherly pride.
P.S. I'll try and sort out the lop-sided filming thing when I get a mo. Til then, either turn your head sideways or turn your computer screen on its side - whichever's easiest.
Happy Birthday Muvvaaa!
Please join me in wishing The Mother of all Mothers a very Happy 62nd Birthday!
Mum, what can I say? You're my best mate and I love you beyond words! By far and away the most amazing person I know! And you just keep on getting better! And your skin....that of a 40 year old!!! And those jowles...Mwah! Perfecto! No seriously, I promise not to kick you out of bed ever again and I promise not to punch you in the face! Mwah!
Love ya, y'old tart! xxx
