Happy birthday, 21.

There aren’t many days of your life that waking with a stomach ache is an exciting thing. There’s one day when it is not only exciting but filled with eager anticipation and perhaps a little fear.

21 years ago I finally had to start remembering things and not relying on someone else to keep me in order, now I had a whole other person relying on me. That’s a pretty big deal.

I’ve been looking through old photos of you but since I’m a top-notch Mum I won’t post any. Today. We’ll wait for a month till it is graduation time.

In the meantime, son, here’s a lemon curd cupcake baked by your sister and it is gorgeous.

You’re a wonderful son. A fun, smart, kind boy now a fun, smart, kind man. You’ve gone from a bundle I could carry round in my arms to someone strong on his own two feet.

You’ve been company when it was just us two, you’ve been help and support during my pregnancy with your little sister and I wasn’t very well. You’ve known where you want to go and worked hard to get there. You’re a constant source of pleasure and pride.

I love you.

This is the first year that I won’t see you on your birthday. I will miss you. I am going to look on it as a job well done. The whole idea is to help your children become capable, independent adults. You are certainly that.