Another day in paradise.

I adore the summer. Sweating aside, I wake up and see sunshine streming though the windows and I am immediately cheery.No matter what the troubles, they are halved when the sun shines. I love everything about it, the smell in the air is heavenly. the sights and sounds are fabulous.
Yesterday, we went to check into the preschool for Eli, the baby, he is starting prechool in September, Nursery in January, school the following January. Time flies. This little man is such a joy and somehow his life is flying even faster than the others, is it because he is my last? Who knows, I just know that I am going to squeeze every baby moment I can. His body is almost all boy, not baby now. Just his legs have a vestige of baby left, one little crease on his thigh that makes his little legs still look babyish. I want to eat him at least 53 times a day.
The sunshine makes it so much easier to makes some memories with him before the time comes to hand him over to other people to teach and start him on his journey to learning and school life.
He was so excited about preschool, he ran in and was jumping with excitement, he sat right down with the other children and then came to me and said " I want you to go aray" ARGH!! What a difference for me, mother of 5 other children who have all done the leg hanging, breath holding don't leave me thing. Not this boy, this is the 'go aray' boy.
When we set out for a day together last week, his little voice came from the back of the car. "Iss duss you a me, YOU A ME mummy?"
What a treat, how huge is it to have such devotion, such delight at the idea of being alone for a day? It is enormously fulfilling, this part of being a parent, it's too easy to miss it. In the everyday madness of trying to keep it all together we can forget that right before our eyes these little people are changing and needing different things. I love being able to enjoy these times.
I am so glad I have been able to be at home with my children as they grow.