A Mother's Week

1. One boy (who shall remain nameless) came into the kitchen while I was chopping the carrots wearing only his boxer shorts, to show me that his shorts had a hole through which he could wee.

2. Two boys (also remaining nameless) spent a good half hour inspecting each other's muscles, prodding, poking and pulling them taut in order to look more muscly.

3. One little boy snuggled on my lap without realising it (normally he snuggles with Dad and not me) so I could snuffle my nose right in and breathe in his sweetly smelling, sweat scented hair. Only a mother could love this smell.

4. Three boys have shown their caring, thoughtful side and helped to look after me while I've been ill by making me cups of tea, stroking my sore head and even attempting to play quietly. One even made this remark:"I don't know how you keep doing everything when you are poorly, Mum. When I'm poorly I can't move off the sofa."

5. One boy, on discovering some changes to his body (whilst inspecting the muscles with his brother), jumped up and down shouting 'PUBERTY! PUBERTY!'. I captured the moment in my head, ready to bring out in about five year's time.

6. One boy ate fish pie with relish and enjoyment, thinking it was chicken.

7. On going in to one boy's bedroom to check on him at night, I discovered him fast asleep and naked on the floor. I covered him up and left him there.

8. One boy willingly gave me a hug from the front (rather than his usual reluctant 'standing with his back to me' hug) and then told me that he doesn't understand how my boobs don't get in the way of everything.

9. Three boys have played with marbles. All week. Without fighting. Miracles do happen.

10. One boy has told us about the girl he is going to marry, another girl who is his girlfriend, and a boy who is his boyfriend.

11. One boy wore the same socks and possibly pants for two days in a row. I noticed, but said nothing.

12. One boy carried a stick home from school and dropped it down a drain. I heard myself sincerely telling him it was a shame he'd dropped it because it was a nice stick. A nice stick? How did I come to label sticks as 'nice'?