As I mentioned in the last post, our son will be 18 this week and it feels like a ‘big deal’ that he has reached this important week. I have been thinking a lot about the things that I treasure most from those 18 years:
1. The fact that he is what I call a ‘peace baby’ ~ one who has grown up with the peace process in Northern Ireland.
2. The fact that the endless hours we spent playing with any kind of a ball from when he was in his high chair has translated into a passionate love of sport.
3. The envelope of his burnished gold curls that I stowed away ~ especially when he decided to adopt the cool, clean hero look.
4. That year, when he was four, when we devoted so much time to focussing on the changing seasons ~ going off to find newborn lambs in the fields, searching for bird’s nests …..
5. The fact that he had the chance to get to know and spend time with three of his grandparents.
6. The fact that he didn’t inherit my shyness.
7. The fact that being bitten on the face by a dog when he was 11 didn’t turn him off dogs.
8. The way he has always called me ‘Jean.’
9. The time I saw him running towards me in hospital two days after he had been admitted with suspected meningitis
10. The times he and I spent in our beloved Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare.
11. The fact that I didn’t lose him to ‘another’ that night he went to his first disco in Tenerife when he was five!
12. All those nights that we shared with me reading to him at bedtime and him begging for ‘just one more page’ over and over.
13. The fact that he has finally learned how to use the microwave.
14. The way he phones me about 10 times to update me when he goes to see the Waterford team playing hurling matches.
15. His absolute love of Tramore which means so much to me too.
16. The way he stands up for the underdog.
17. His hearty laugh.
18. The fact that he doesn’t read this blog!
SOCIAL BRIDGE ~ Jean Tubridy connecting with you from Ireland 
You seemed to have described him well and I am sure if he did read this post, he would be very proud of his Ma. I am glad you didn’t lose him at 5, you wouldn’t have have been able to write this. Love # 13 and so glad about # 7. A fitting tribute to the’ little man’ who has now grown to a man. Sounds like you have a wonderful relationship. 🙂
Thanks so much. Yes, # 13 has revolutionised my life and his! I wonder how to get to use the washing machine and the cooker!!!
Wonderful post – sounds like you did a great job and I am sure he is equally as proud of you! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi Jade, I wouldn’t be so sure about the ‘great job’ as I haven’t told you about the other side of the coin ….yet! Now that you come to mention it, I wonder if he has his list up on Facebook ~ we’re not ‘friends’ there, for obvious reasons.
This whole social media is a nightmare isn’t it? Mine son is only 10 so doesn’t have all those accounts yet but I know it won’t be far away…. Can’t wait to hear the other side of the coin!! 🙂
My wife and I talk sometimes about our sons when they were little. She can recall things I never put on a pegboard. Quiet things, a look, a question, or some naive certainty from within what a child chooses to call an explanation. I like my sons, and feel close to them. But I’ll never compete with the memory bonds they have with their mother. Enjoyed your post very much, Jean.
Thanks Van. I suspect you may be right about the memory bonds with mothers but I wonder if fathers have a their own very special kinds or can one ever generalise about these things?
You can generalize, but we often mess up when we do.
“All generalizations are false, including this one.” ~ Mark Twain
My son will be 18 in November, I will have to write down 18 treasures too. Yours are lovely. Three of your treasures are also mine: the grandparents one (four in his case); the shyness one; the underdog one!
Hi Angie, great to hear from you and how interesting that we have 3 in common. I’m bursting to read your other 15!