chocolate beige: September 2012

10 years of waking up each morning to big brown eyes, a cheeky grin and a crazy mop of red hair, 10 years of hearing a little voice whisper at a very early hour each morning "can I please have some breakfast now", 10 years of being asked so many questions that I feel like I live my life on a TV game show, 10 years of being the person by his side as he does everything for the first time, first time he talked, walked, held his baby brother and become a big brother himself, first day of kindy, prep and then school, first sleepover, first time he jumped his scooter and the first time he caught a wave, first time he snowboarded and out did everyone else in the family including Dad. The list of firsts goes on and on, first hip hop dance concert where I was more nervous then him, first time he played his guitar and sang to a live packed out theatre, Creedence Clearwater became one of my favourite bands just because of the memory, I cried back stage I was so proud I thought my chest would burst. First best friend who was in his class the first day of prep the two of them are now like a little old married couple so happy and comfortable in their special relationship (love you Mea). 10 years of music, music and more music, dancing, singing and playing. 10 years of holding hands as we cross the road and cuddles at the end of a busy day.

10 years of "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite. Love you"

So our little man is now 10, he sleeps in regularly, makes his own breakfast and has started to wear deodorant. His bedroom is slowly turning into a pigsty and his feet stink. He likes me to kiss him in the car so no one can see before he walks into his dance class all by himself. He rides his scooter so fast down the jumps at the skate bowl that I just pretend that I am watching and tell him he has done a great job because I can't bare to watch in case my little boy falls. He packed his beloved teddy in his pillow case to take on camp this year just in case he needed him in the night, this made me laugh and cry at the same time, so big but yet so small. Old enough now to ride to the shop all by himself to buy me a bunch of roses just because he loves me but not quite old enough yet to ride all the way to school by himself each day. He surfs and swims out the back now behind where the waves break, it only seems like yesterday when he was happy to play in the shallow at my feet and be chased by Dad up the beach.

So, 10 years, sounds like a while, but really it has passed in a heart beat, it seems like only yesterday I found a cowrie shell on the beach while out for a walk one morning with my husband and a dear friend, it was the morning we found out we where pregnant with our little boy who we named Benton, our little boy who is now 10.

Happy birthday little man, you will always be my little man to me.

As part of his birthday gift I designed an album with memories of these very special 10 years.