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

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

...and I just got one of those, stop-and-smell-the-roses moments where you realise those sounds are a very temporary thing.

Some day they'll grow up and not find this kind of thing amusing anymore. And I won't be able to sit down here and happily listen.

Sniff, sniff.

I think I've had one too many glasses of .

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.

Mahusive sniff at Kewcumbers post...

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.

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!

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

Twinkie

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.

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

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

slinky you've finished me off!

I've had to go up and kiss all mine. They look like babies when they're sleeping.

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

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.

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.

Sparkling I'm sure he'll come out the other side of his teenage years and realise how much he appreciates you.

sparkling sometimes they have a mood at exactly the wrong moment! Don't let it get you down. Is there another nice moment you remember?

Got in bed with DS to do bedtime stories tonight. He's still lovely and cuddly and I'll miss it when it's gone..

I have been a truly rotten mum this half term. Weepy and shout and just horrid.

My boys have been amazing. They have done loads of chores and have got on like a house on fire, stepped away from arguments and the other night they slept in the same bed. I woke up listening to them giggling together in the morning.

I am going to spend the day on the train with them tomorrow (huge treat for me as we just colour in and play cards and I don't have any chores to do).

They are 8 and 10 btw.

Sparkling you'll have to plant a kiss on his head when he's asleep then.

You know songs that go on about "I watch you/miss you when you are sleeping...", they were written about children weren't they? They're so angelic when asleep, you forget all the difficult behaviour you might have put up with that day.

Saga sorry! My ds is a bit fixated with death atm. He asked who will die first between me and dh, and is scared I'll leave him. Am sure it's just a phase. Doesn't help my Mum passed away year before last.

Thanks all. DH and I went and did our wills yesterday. Don't think that's helping my mood WRT growing children.
Realised in 2 year's time DS1 can be DS2's guardian should the need arise.

Plus DS1 coming out of the changing rooms in his prom suit made me blub.

I've worked all half term, but today I took my younger two -14 and almost 12 -shopping with birthday money. We've had a lovely day just sauntering round the city. No sibling battles, no whining (mostly), just the three of us. It's been lovely.

I held my friend's teary 2 year old today and got a bit sad that DD 7 no longer fits on my hip.
Then I got home and DD was waiting to show me her latest fairy furniture creation (from tinfoil and cardboard)
Different moments for different ages I suppose. In the teenage years with DSS I noticed them less often, though they were sweeter when they happened.

Oh yes Sparkling, DSS in his prom suit brought on my hayfever!

I was lucky enough to get a photo of one of those moments (the pic is actually on my profile as it's my favourite picture of them). Ds2 had been being a 'typical' teenager- plugged into his iPod, grunting when a reply was actually demanded etc. But there, in the park, he and ds2 (12 years younger) were having such a giggle together. 'Twas lovely.

Another lovely moment that stands out is when I was in the bath, I could hear DH and ds1 teasing each other and laughing. They aren't usually very demonstrative with each other, although I know they love each other (DH is ds1's stepdad) and it was such a fab sound. (I may have got a little snivelly).

Whoever it was upthread who said the moments still come is right though. Now ds1 is at uni, but when he comes home he lifts me up and gives me a big hug. We all tease/laugh with each other and I'll be honest, my heart hurts a little then with love.

I HATE THIS THREAD!

dorothy your story pushed me over the edge in to full blown crying, thanks for that

DS is only 1 but I can already see how quickly time flies and he's becoming more independent...

for all

My Ds is sleeping away from home for the first time tonight. I know he's been having a great time with his grandad but I just want to go and peek in on him sleeping, all cuddled up with his teddy but he's not here .