Thomas
A few months late, but I’ve changed the sevens on my About page to eights. When we opted out of Joburg life eight years ago, Thomas was a few weeks old and Jake was two. My life was nappies, sleep deprivation, and the intense love affair that is early motherhood.
Now ten and eight the slow separation is underway. They’re at school for big chunks of the day, their friends’ opinions are starting to mean more to them than mine do, parts of their lives are secret and private. Their attachment to me is deep but it’s not overarching anymore.
They’re more fun now than ever. They keep me current on popular culture stuff I’d never otherwise know about. Dinner conversations flow from Chernobyl to serial killers, fuelled by a fascination with the History channel and true crime. Updates on playground politics and inter-grade gang wars are real-time Soprano episodes.
When you have kids people tell you about the burdens and responsibilities, or are cloyingly sentimental about bonding. But really, making people and letting them live in your house is simply a blast, I should have done it a few more times.
Going Coastal, Sedgefield 
Love this post & love the image – what ya doing for the final today – up for some hearty soup and bread next a roaring fire??
What a wonderful post about parenthood – I just told a commenter over at my place I can’t stand writing that’s hysterical or sentimental. Occurs to me I don’t much like those qualities anywhere – and certainly not in parents 😉
On another matter – I posted an update about the dog with the missing paw but will add her in case you don’t happen to check… The poor thing must have had the injury early in his life. I drove down to Galveston yesterday and looked for myself. He’s just fine, with all four paws and hardly a scar where the surgery took place 😉
Hoorah!
Yay Linda! That is good news, I’m off to your site to check right now. . . .