I can hear DH upstairs pretending to stomp around like a monster, and the kids are shrieking with joy...

Aw, you soppy lot

My three sons, aged 21, 20 & 17, are all home tonight & I can hear them in the next room chatting & laughing away together. It's lovely...

Sparkling don't worry - mine didn't like me to hug them at 15 either, but by 17 or 18 they were all huggy again. It's worth waiting for.

Awwww tequila that's really nice your daughter can still go to you like that. Not to put the thread on a tangent, DS and I live with my parents. Had ds quite young, his dad committed suicide, I went to uni, we pretty much never moved out and the house is more than big enough for us all. Anyway my parents are there for me with every little thing. Be it held up at work and picking up ds or forcing me to go to bed on nights when he was ill, so I could get a sleep whilst they watched him.

Even now ds is 8, my dad still takes him out early on a Saturday for breakfast (boys time) so I can have a long lie. He takes him to buy his football kits (and insists on paying for them) so ds has someone to do the 'boys football' stuff with. They have the most beautiful relationship, so lovely that literally all the parents of ds friends comment on it.

Ask him who is best friend is and he will always answer his granddad. Granddad is one of the best things in ds life. I will never be able to put into words to my Dad what he has done for my son and how much it means to me.

Good grief! That was a serious tangent! This whole thread has just got me all emotional.

Ds1 (15) did not want a hug or a kiss when I went up.

Best..sniff....thread...hiccup....ever..

Elderberry cider! Sounds lush !

This thread is luffly. We are so blessed.

Dd2 climbs in to dd1 bed every morning to watch her putting in her make up for work gives me an extra 20 mins in bed

They don't ever stop needing us, my Dd (20) came to my room in the night a few weeks ago with bad period pains. They must have been bad. But I still jumped out of bed and made her a hot water bottle and rooted about fog eyed for Ibruphen. 2 or 20 they are still our babies.

and for every one

Mine are 5 & 2, and I love to sneak in on DP doing bed or bath. It makes me all goo-ey: both for how much I love the kids, and him too.
Generationally it doesn't change much - I'm the middle of 3 kids: sister is 40, I'm 38, and my brother is 35. There's 5 grandchildren and my parents love it when all 11 of us are there at Xmas or birthdays or the like. It's crazy, but also so much love. My 65 year old mother bustles around like a mother hen. It's lovely. I don't want these occasions to end.

Twinkie

Slinky, yes! Me! There are a couple of other tracks on that album that get me as well.

Yaaaaaaas! DS isn't feeling well and has crawled into my bed. Cuddles galore! (Obviously I don't like he's ill but, y'know, I get CUDDLES!). Eeeeeeep!

Completely get this.

I spent Friday with my nan and grandad with toddler dd. Watching dd follow my grandad around, trying to help him with whatever he was doing, cuddling him while he told her about his birds in the garden and chatted away about the weather, It was almost painfully emotional. Knowing that dd won't be this little forever, knowing that my grandad won't be here forever, and just the specialness of their moments together made me really choke up.

I really took a minute to savour the moment, and tried to cement it in my memory. It was truly bittersweet.

Mahusive sniff at Kewcumbers post...

Has anyone seen the new Ed Sheeran video, for his song "Photograph"? It is made entirely with home video footage starting from when he was a tiny baby up until present day.

Can't watch it and keep dry eyes, sentimental ol fool that I am.

My 2 are 14 & 11 and are currently having a sleepover in dd's room and watching a film together. It's so lovely to see & hear. All your stories are really lovely.

I'm actually bawling at this thread, and have only had one large glass of wine!

Been having a few stop-and-appreciate moments myself lately. My sons are 16mo and 4yrs. Cannot imagine them being 6ft bearded men! My 4yo sometimes asks me to stay with him whilst he falls asleep, and I used to say "no, Mummy's too busy, lots of ironing to do" etc, but now I just get in his bed and lie with him. We often have the funniest/cutest little sleepy chats.

The other day he held my hand whilst walking and said "I love you Mummy, and will never let you die!". I just smiled, and replied something along the lines of "I'll always be with you" and had to look the other way for a second and hold back the tears.

Some lovely stories on this thread

Oh god.... I'm done....

My Dad used to sing 'You are my sunshine' to me every night.

That's it, I'm going upstairs and climbing into DS's little Thomas The Tank Engine Bed and giving him a proper snuggle.

I blame all of you for the emotional wreck I've become!!!!!!!

My dad used to play games like that with us when we were little.

I've now got the videos of DS on from when he was 2/3. Nostalgia and Prosecco. Saga there will more than likely be a thread tomorrow with me blaming you for my puffy eyes and hangover and thanking you for getting me to take the time to realise how much the wee moments and memories matter.

Last night DS spent his first night in a big boy bed. His big sister climbed in with him, kissed his cheek and said 'look at you, my big boy. I am so proud of you!'

She's 4. I love love love watching their relationship grow and develop. It's hard to know whether I want to stay right in this patch or race to the future to see them as they've grown.

Dorothy I'm bawling my eyes out here, thanks!!

Oh dear god, you've started me off. Phoenix and Dorothy...