Having Freddy in my forties was such a blessing. This little bundle of beautiful baby boy came at a time when my two eldest children were leaving home for new challenges. Joe was off to live with his girlfriend and Megan was starting university. Fred's arrival made my nest feel less empty!
Freddy has brought so much fun, love and laughter to our lives. He is a real character who loves being the star of the show. His personality shone out from the start. When Boots and Tots 100 challenged bloggers to share their favourite baby photo, I immediately knew which photograph I would use!
In October 2009 Freddy was 3 months old. Although he is my fifth child, the whole process of being a new mum was just as exciting, just as intense and just as nerve wracking as it was when I had my first child over two decades earlier! I felt so protective over my little man, cherishing the opportunity of being able to do it all again. Another chance to mother a newborn, nurture him, watch him grow. A brand new addition to the family that I adore.
I've always believed in wrapping my babies up warmly against the chilly weather. I'm a bit of a worrier and want to keep them safely snuggled up and protected from the cold. As a parent to five kids, being frugal is a consideration too, so I've always believed in buying clothing with a bit of growing room. When I combined these two aspects of my parenting techniques, the result was inevitable!
Putting my winter-clothing-clad baby boy in his car seat resulted in Freddy disappearing into the excess of fabric. As Freddy peeped a single, sparkling eye inquisitively out of his furry hat and oversized coat combo and attempted to latch on to the zip, tantalisingly positioned in front of his mouth, his personality shone out. It made such a comical, cute and characterful image. He made us laugh and you could just tell he knew he was being funny. This trait has continued as Freddy loves being the family comedian, making us all giggle with his often hilarious antics.
I love this photo because it sums up so much about my parenting techniques (and my all too frequent parenting fails) and Freddy's gorgeously curious nature and his fabulous sense of humour. It never fails to make me smile!!
This blog post has been written as an entry into the Tots100 competition in association with Boots Mother and Baby