No more 'children' ... its official

Today, Owen is 18. I am the mother of adults. I have been remembering the night of his arrival, he was born at 5.00 am about twenty minutes before the midwife arrived. He was born into a stormy day with winds that brought down some of the old scots pines in front of the house. This cut off the electricity for hours and provided some interesting entertainment for Martha (4) and John(2) as the whole lot was cleared and sorted out with emergency vehicles and Jack from the saw mill, right in front of the bedroom window. No-one paid much attention to the baby brother in all the excitement.
Today it is sunny. He has gone off to school with a Full English Breakfast inside him. This is one of his favourite meals and he was as pleased with the mat I made for his wall as he was with the real thing.

eggs, bacon, sausage, 'shrooms, toast and tommy K. Knife and fork (you can just see) and checky tablecloth. It has been fun to make, and Owen thinks it is 'mental' - this is good apparently.

I had a request from someone who flies by the name 'willywagtail' (you couldn't make it up) for more information about mat making. I am going to ask my friend Annie if she will come and help with photos and we will host a little tutorial. Very soon I promise!

For now, it is sunny and mild. The snow has gone and I am going to walk the dog, reflecting on my new status. I am a little sad.

Comments

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

Hi Katie

Don't feel sad - they may all be officially adults now but they will never stop being your children!!!! Absolutely love Owen's mat - definitely mental (in a good way!)

Lucy x

P.S. I finally got round to blogging my one and only rag rug the other day - must make some more!

[Alison]

Congratulate yourself on a job well done!!!!
It is so difficult in this day and age to successfully guide our children to adulthood with all the obstacles that are around.
Certainly a celabration as you have done it not once but three times:-)
Looking forward to the rug making lessons Katie...I have the equipment but not the know how:-)
Take care,
Alison xx

[penny]

Dear Katie,

Sorry you are feeling a little sad and hope that the brisk walk in all that lovely fresh air helps cheer you up a little?? Please remember they will always love you and just need you in a different way now they are all grown! That rag rug is "mental" on soooo many levels! Looking forward to the tutorial!!

[julie]

next step grandchildren! Which according to my mum is enormous fun - you get all the good bits and none of the nagging! I can imagine though that the sadness is inevitable - my own children are growing so fast so before long I'll be feeling the same. Sending you a big hug xxx

[carolyn]

Happy Birhday to Owen.
It's lovely to see them grow up and spread there wings isn't it?
But at the same time it is a little bitter sweet, they once needed us soo much.
Oh well we wouldn't have it any other way and my husband is already looking forward to be a Grandad, not yet I tell him.......

[heidi]

I always think this is the best time in a woman's life - accomplishments to look back on with the future in front of you. Plus you are a grandmama - dress them, kiss them, play with them and send them home to their parents!

[kathleen graham]

Hi Kate,
Happy birthday, sorry i missed it! I'm keeping up with your news on the website, you seem to have loads to keep you busy. Hope you have a great time in Spain. Passed your house last week on the way to the lakes with mam and dad and was thinking about you. Hope to see you some time soon
Kathleen

[Corlucka, the strongest man in Belarus]

alrittttttttttt there milnus
how does thou fair?
i is ripping spent the day on bus after buus after bus. but am now in the old old ship (town) of EL Rocio.
lots o birds lots o sand lots o hourses lots o vergins (marys)

seeeeeee youuuuuuuuuuuuu

[Frances]

That rug is fabulous. I'm looking forward to the tutorial.

[josue]

Katie as one little boy becomes a man on a wintry wet day, my friend gave birth to her little boy - in 45 mins! Agggh.

[snapdragon]

My friend Sara's daughter is about to leave home, the first of my friends to have a properly grown up child - it makes me appreciate how fleeting the next 8 years may be.
i love the mat - I used to make porggy mats with my Gran in the North East of England - a new one for the hearth each year - but they were stripes and squiggles, nothing as amazing as this,
J
x

[Sue]

Hi Katie

Love that mat!! And to be given the highest accolade by Owen - brilliant!! I only had one to get grown up so can't relate to the last one but I have a feeling it must be a 'peculiar' moment.

I don't expect I'll have time to work through the tutorial for a while, but shall enjoy reading/looking/watching and planning mine for when I DO have time!

Sue x

[Zoe]

I know how you feel Katie - as Jamie is 19 today and away at Uni - his first birthday day away from us. :(((

[maRtha]

Thank you for your guidance around obstacles.
Just to clarify however, grandchildren? not yet.
Try son 1 with his many virgins.
Love x x x

[tania]

:)
awww-

[willow]

You don't stop being a mom, you just stop having to write your signature for permission slips (at least in the US it's like that). Happy Birthday to Owen!

[Suzie Sews]

Oh my...what a send off for a special chap...the thought of your babes being adults...wow that seems like a big thing. I was very sad when my babes stoped being babes and I went out for a coffee and sat and watched a Mom with her much older son (approx 18) I was delighted by the way they communicated, so much love there still, but on a completly different level. It struck me that things do change, but not in a bad way...just different.

[Elizabeth]

That 'full English' mat is just brilliant and / or 'mental' - depending on your age I suppose!

[olga, the russian fool]

wooop wooop

went to the hides. saw some harriers, ate a sirloin steak with blue cheese sause.
yeeeerrrrrrrrr

maby go to the sea side tommora. maby maby.

xxxx

[Maddy]

With all that excitement on the day of his arrival I'm sure this means his life will be filled with more.

My son was born at 5.20am on a very foggy Saturday morning. Isn't it a great time of day? I always find myself up early on his birthday watching the sun come up and feeling very sentimental.

[sharon jones]

Hi Kate
Congratulations on becoming a great successfull mum, they still need you but in different ways.
Enjoy your trip, away perhaps we could meet up when you return with maddie.
Love sharon

[willywagtail]

Thanks for the upcoming tutorial. You can find me at http://willy-wagtail.blogspot.com. I chose my name because I can't settle to long projects and also because it was my fathers pet name for me when I was little, probably also for the same reason. Cheers!