Please remind me of all the good stuff to come!

[Molehillmountain]

I'm feeling a little sad at the thought of no more babies. We're definitely done, I don't want another child, but a crop of recent newborns has made me aware of how much I love teeny ones. Please remind me, or enlighten me, about the good stuff I can look forward to now my youngest is fourteen months. Have, of course, done serious blessing counting and given myself a good talking to!

another year maybe and no more changing bag, no naps to schedule in, no travel cots, in another 2-3 no (or fewer) ridiculous "cutted up pear" type tantrums...er, that's it for now, by my two are only 3 and 16m. We would have a third if we felt we could decently provide for them but we can't.

And no more ds, love him as I do, pooing in his pants in preference to the loo. Yay!

My DC are now 8 and 5. This morning they've got up, gone downstairs, got their own breakfasts and watched telly while me and DH had a lovely lie-in .

Ds is 17 he drives. Drops me off when I'm off out!!

Now that is a big plus brighter .

My DDs are 9 and 11 - they have recently started getting their own breakfast and packed lunches for school, take themselves off to school independently and back again so no more childcare costs. They do homework independently, Biff, Chip and Kipper are a distant memory and they are now reading all the books I loved at their age - lovely to talk about them. DD2 is reading the Dark is Rising sequence, DD1 is reading LOTR and loves it .

Shopping with them is fun. They have genuinely good input in the clothes I choose, and are sensible about the clothes they wear and why I say no to some things.

All the effort DH and I put in when they were very little - boundaries, limiting materialism, instilling critical thinking and good manners - is all paying off now in a big, big way.

OK, so DD1 is starting the teenage stuff, but really - it's lovely.

sense of humour, I remember the growing delight as ds developed his unique dry wit, and he and I exchanged funny moments about his little sisters

being able to do really fun stuff that you can't do dragging a toddler/baby.

the proud moments when they do something well/ win a prize/ learn a new skill

Tucking them in and leaving them reading a good book before they go to sleep. Sharing all your favourite children's books too.

That blissful moment on a sunday afternoon when you are sitting with a cup of tea and the newpapers, and everyone is pottering around doing their own things, and no-one needs you

They are more and more lovely as they grow and become these really cool people. Ds is cool and knows all the music - who would have thought it (majorly uncool mum here)