Dear Ben,
So you've been 10 for over a week now, we need to take down your birthday cards and banners. What has changed? Well your choice of party was a new one on us. You asked for an adult party! We presumed you meant having the gang round for our normal drinks'n'dancing sort of evening. That we did. I like to think it went well, you all played on the Wii and even jammed guitars at one point; we adults stuck to our, well, drinking and dancing. Not so much dancing, because I'd created a really rocky playlist for the evening.
Your birthday was different this year; you opened your parents in bed with us before football, we picked you up with Gma and Gpa, and spent the afternoon spending your money in Waterstones, Game and Toys R Us. Then we went out for dinner at Pizza Hut, that didn't change.
The argument over how much money you spent on Pokemon was short lived. You wanted to spent a lot, I said no. You argued, I stated my case (OK I argued back) and you backed down.
Last week, you phoned me when you'd walked home from school, asking if you could go round a friend's house (an unarranged playdate!) and then texted me later to say you were staying for tea. I foresee a lot of this when the evenings get lighter.
At football today, you showed exemplary behaviour and attitude and we were both really proud of you. Maybe we are seeing a New Era of Ben the Footballer? Let's hope so!
Yes, you're bigger. Yes, your feet are bigger than mine. But the changes are so much more subtle.
Love Mum x