Looking Back

Today my tallest nephew is 28 years old.

In the final weeks of her pregnancy my sister came to stay with me and my daughter. I went to the labour suite with her, and was there when my nephew was born. I've always felt immensely privileged to have been there, as it is only health professionals and men who see babies being born nowadays.

Both of us single mothers (marriage, as a concept, didn't trouble my siblings and I!) used to tease Kyle as he grew that I was his real mother, but that I gave him to Marion to raise as she didn't have a child of her own and I already had my daughter.

Poor wee soul: sometimes he would plead with us "Tell me the truth! Are you REALLY my real Mum?". Oh, how we laughed!

My sister and I counted ourselves doubly blessed; we each had a lovely child, and we had a nephew/niece who was so nearly another child to us that they practically grew up as brother and sister.

I have had the photo albums out tonight to try and find some cute/embarrassing pictures of him to put on Facebook, to wish him a happy birthday. Which I do, with all my heart.

Happy Birthday tallest nephew, from your REAL mum!