Tell us the parenting “first” you’ll never forget - Chance to win shoes for a year with Clarks

[CeriMumsnet]

One minute they’re tiny, the next they’re racing ahead of you in shoes that suddenly fit. We want to hear about the firsts you still remember - the ones that made you proud, teary, or laugh long after.

Maybe it was the first proper steps across the lounge, the first determined attempt at getting dressed on their own, that emotional nursery drop-off, or the moment they insisted on choosing their own shoes and completely rejected the pair you picked.

Big moment or small, sentimental or chaotic - we’d love the story. Everyone who shares the 'first' that still gets them by 21 March will be entered into a prize draw to win free Clarks shoes for a year (up to four pairs). T&Cs

First day I took the kids on holiday abroad. The memories we built alongside the time we spent with family abroad (who are sadly no longer with us); we all treasure these memories. My kids bonded suprisingly well with their cousins and until now the relations have been strong even though they only get to see each other every other year or so (although with budget airlines, it's been more often the past few years).

The first time my little baby ate food other than breast milk or formula. It was some mushy pears, in a jar, bought in a little shop in the Algarve where we were on holiday. Her face lit up like the sun!

DD's first word was cat! She had to wait until she was 7 to get her own cat. They are so much like sisters now that I mix up their names all the time!

Driving away after dropping DS at University. Immense pride, excitement for him but honestly, I've never known a pain like I felt then. I thought my heart would break. The mixture of extreme happiness for him that he was exactly where he wanted to be and the feeling of loss that he was on his own journey was quite emotionally overwhelming.

First crawl, our child had developmental delay, so at 18 months we were still waiting..i was sat having a cuppa with a friend and she was on a playmat, crying about how worried i was that she still isn't crawling or interacting.

Next minute my friend points asking."isn't that crawling?" Looked down and she out of the blue was doing a perfect crawl towards me 😂😂

When my daughters had their first baths. Honestly the difference between them in this aspect is like night and day. DD1 hated the water and would cry each and every time so it was always a chore to get it done! DD2 on the other hand would always giggle and laugh. The first time I put her in the bath, her eyes were full of wonder, and she loved every minute of it. Each time after that (whilst she was still small enough to use the baby tubs), her reaction was the same. She never lost that wonder and that joy from being in the water. In fact, it was only when I took her out that she'd cry!

The first flight. I was so well prepared and had thought of everything. She fell asleep before take off and woke up after landing so I may as well not have bothered with my extensive preparations.

Ill never forget the first night they slept all the way through. A mixture of scared, happy and dont grow up too fast!

The first time my oldest met his newborn sister. He was so surprised and just asked "is that the baby?" It was so sweet.

Absolutely the first smile. Like a little ‘oh, hello! There’s someone in there…!’

With my son (first born) the first time he signed "milk" when we were talking about what to buy at the supermarket. The look of joy on his face that he understood us and we understood him was just amazing

And his first teetering steps. The suddenly feel so grown up yet also so fragile.

And with DD, the first time she crawled - the delight on her face that she could reach the toy her brother had placed out of reach and the look of shock on his face !

First time she went to nursery aged three - the room leader said I should stay as most kids were nervous and shy to start with - my girl went straight over to the craft table and started jabbering on to all and sundry while pummelling the plasticine!! I was out the door and enjoying a coffee within 10 minutes 😂

It was towards the start of Covid, when my daughter took her first steps. She was 16 months old, all of her NCT mates were long on the move and she wasn’t showing any signs of wanting to walk. We were doing a big family zoom and my mum was laughingly telling her she’d better get moving soon.

DD had been quietly holding herself up on the side of my chair, peering up at the screen and when I said goodbye to my family and closed my laptop she let go of the chair and walked right across the room! It was as if she’d listened to her Grandma and thought oh, ok then. She was a very solid walker from then on.

Thanks for all your engagements so far, we're loving reading your favourite 'firsts' and milestone moments. Keep the responses coming - you have until 21 March to be in with the chance of winning a year's supply of Clarks shoes!

Giggling at the first jump in a puddle! I wish I could bottle that sound.

First 'I love you'. Particularly as she has a speech delay. ❤️

The firsts get better and better!
DS Passing his driving test after 3 fails was the only thing I've cried at.

Dc1 said "car" seeing his dad's car pull up the drive. With a speech delay it was the.best.feeling.ever.

Think I did a happy dance in the lounge 😅

Singing happy birthday at my children’s parties was always emotional for me! Another year gone by and then growing up.
Putting on their school uniform for the first time also 🥹

When our daughter managed the long drop toilets at Glastonbury by herself (she was 7). We high fived her and hundreds of people queuing cheered.

Not my finest moment, but the first time I left the room, leaving DS gently cooing and playing with his baby gym. I came back from having a quick wee and he had rolled over for the first time and wasn’t where I left him. I mean I was proud of the little devil, but I could have done without the shock.

My daughters first smile was so special. She was 3.5 years old and born with profound brain damage, neurological dual sensory impairment, I spent so much time trying to get her brain to understand the input from her eyes and ears, then one day, the sun filtering through the window lit up the room and her face, we captured it on camera, it was delightful. She's 33 now, profoundly disabled but still smiling 😊

Taking my son on his first little rollercoaster age 1 and hearing his amazing big laugh on it.

My first was when my first preemie slept through the night, definitely! I woke up terrified because the sun was coming through the window and I assumed something awful had happened, especially with her being so poorly when she was born. I was a single mum living at home with my own mum and I remember rushing downstairs, my eyes feeling fully awake for the first time in forever, bursting into the lounge and nearly crying saying she had slept through! Then my mum said, “well, where is she?” And I’d forgotten to actually bring her downstairs with me! 😂 thankfully she wasn’t particularly fussy!

Mine was the first time my twins really 'noticed' each other. This was around 4 months old and they kept looking at each other and smiling. It really was amazing to see them visually bonding for the first time!