Oliver age 1 on his birthday!
7 seems like such a big number for my baby boy. My first son. Yesterday was my birthday too, the birth of being a Mama, my greatest challenge and deepest joy. Nothing can prepare you for motherhood and what’s to come, every single experience of it, and child is different and whilst there were times I felt quite broken by motherhood particularly in that first year, having Oliver was truly life-affirming, when he came into the world, I gained a best friend then two, with Xander: my boys, my world.
This post is dedicated to Oliver with 7 things I want to treasure and remember now he’s turned 7. These personal posts are the ones I always reflect on the most, the family archive we will all look back on in the days and years to come, and hopefully always will. This is the beauty of having an online diary/a blog, it’s a memory keeper for my kids.
7 Things About Master Oliver!
1. My calm boy.
Always mature for his age, Oliver seems to have been born wise, as if he’d been here before, somehow. Cool in a crisis, he’s the first to help anyone hurt or in trouble. Just yesterday, I scratched my arm on the car and whilst I complained I’d broken part of the car seat, he reassured me all that matters is if my arm is OK. I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on a shopping trolley and he, aged just 3 rushing to place a yogurt pot on it to help ease my pain (we bought the Muller Light of course). He’s always so kind and thoughtful. My husband and I often wonder if one day he might go into a caring profession and become a doctor or teacher.
2. Oliver is a perfectionist just like me.
Well, me as a kid. My Mum likes to tell the story of my first tennis lesson aged 6 year where I asked the teacher how long it would take me to get to Wimbledon! I always wanted to do my best (and still do) but I’ve learnt it’s progress over perfection and want Oliver to understand that too. He’s far too hard on himself despite us telling him we all make mistakes and that’s the only way to learn and grow. His confidence is growing all the time luckily and I love that my job helps him there too as he’s often on camera with me. His biggest highlight of last year was
cooking with Jamie Oliver, something his friends still talk about at school.
3. Oliver has a strong moral compass.
My son knows right from wrong and he’s not afraid to tell others what he thinks. I remember visiting the school to drop his kit off one day and spotted him telling another child not to be naughty, in teacher mode! He’s a popular boy but hilariously likes to keep everyone in check, he’s quite the leader.
4. Oliver, the creative.
Like me and his Daddy, Peter, Oliver and his brother Alexander are creative kids. Oliver loves to draw and colour in, to build models IRL and online and is currently working on his own animation film with Daddy.
He loves me to read to him before bed, opting for Roald Dahl classics or The Diary of the Wimpy Kid but he tells his favourites are the stories I invent. The fictional tale about the racing snails he and his brother are bestowed with in an imaginary world is current fave, or another about a Supermum *cough called Ninja Mama who always saves the day. Who knows, one day I might well write these stories down so others can enjoy them.
5. A love of maths.
Unlike me, Oliver adores maths and problem-solving. It comes easy to him and his passion for numbers has already put him in good stead when it comes to saving pocket money and being careful on what he spends. He definitely doesn’t take after me there, then!
6. Running (little) Man.
Oliver took an interest in sport last year and running in particular, practising for Sports Day every day on his own accord, taking Gold home on the day. His proud face at winning is a moment I’ll never forget. He garnered Bronze the year before and had told me then, that whilst he was happy coming third, he wanted to aim for Gold the following year, and he did it. I love his ambition and dedication. One of his teacher’s recently told me that he never stops trying until he achieves and it’s that which will secure him success.
7. My fun son.
Oliver always has a cheeky twinkle in his eye and his laugh is utterly contagious. Listening to him and Xander playing, as my youngest, the performer cracks jokes followed by loud laughter from the twosome, makes my heart swell.
Whilst Xander and Oliver do argue, over Christmas, Peter and I witnessed their relationship transform as they became the best friends we’d always hoped they would be. Aw.
Now whilst I’d committed to focusing on seven things I want to add here how touching it is that Oliver loves what I do for a living. He takes real pride in telling others that I’m a blogger and rushes home to tell me when friends of his had seen me in the paper or on telly.
He’s not always proud of me though, and likes to remind me how embarrassing I am, particularly when I dance to Bieber in the supermarket, much to his utter horror. ‘Just be normal, Mummy’ he berates. Hahah!
‘Any day now kid, any day!’
Happy Birthday Oliver, we’re all so proud of you x
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