Dear Tigs

I have been thinking about you a lot recently and in particular the time we spent together,just you and me,before this family exploded into a family of five. I had three and a half years where you were my only child,my firstborn child. We had some good times together and today I want to talk about Saturday Mornings.

For better or worse I have always had a paid job as well as being Mummy to you boys. So to me, time spent with you was ultra special and I tended to grab every single bit of it that I could.

So..... Saturday mornings were our time. Time spent with you,doing things that you enjoyed. And during the early years of your life this involved a trip to town.

We would go to the library so you could play and meet other children. You were such a friendly sociable baby/little boy,you just loved to be where there were lots of people of all ages. Although you adored looking at books,you adored playing with children more,so I would hunt us some good story books to take home whilst you would play in the play area. It was such a busy play area too! Lots of children there on a Saturday. Some supervised by their parents,some not supervised by their parents and therefore running wild. I can remember they had a Little Tykes play house there and children would bang on the walls with toys and clamber into the roof and you had to be really careful if you went in there,just incase your fingers got trapped in hastily slammed windows. It was a kinda take your life in your hands kind of house where only the brave would survive. You were never the one to start any trouble and you wouldn't get involved in any trouble but you weren't scared by any kerfuffles either,they probably interested you! And anyway Mummy was always nearby,you knew that. You knew I would wade in and sort things out. Well someone had too! And as always I would have been sat where the children played. I'm still that person Tigs,only now its your kid bro I look out for.

When it came to having our lunch Tescos was our cafe of choice.There was nothing grand about it but it was roomy enough to park your big silver cross buggy and seat you in a high chair and they did great meals for young babies,things that you loved - real veg and mashy potato that I could mush around with gravy to make a meal that was just like a homemade one,this pleased the I want my baby to eat proper food side of me and you would wolf it down,so it obviously pleased you,therefore Tescos it was. Over the years we eventually may have moved to McDonalds but for a long,long time we ate at Tescos. That Tescos has been closed and stood empty for years now Tigs.I wonder if you can even remember shopping there. I'm certain you won't remember the cafe. They did eventually start a new shop up,one of those bargain kind of shops that come and go in a flash. I often think it was a shame that Tescos closed,it was convenient for such a lot of people.

After dinner we would wander around some shops and most weeks you would end up with a balloon or some kind of treat. I can remember the time you accidentally let your balloon go. The balloon drifted slowly past the subway bridge and up to the clouds. You screamed and cried,you would have been about two and you were not happy about your disappearing balloon. We would eventually stick the balloons up on your bedroom wall,you only ever lost one,thank goodness!

As you grew older the Early Learning Centre became an important part of your Saturday fun. And wow I can remember some right kick offs you had when it was time to go home. You were such a good boy but you could throw a strop like the best of them and many a time I would have to scoop you up under my arm and carry you out of the shop while you screamed and kicked and squealed. And as for sharing the Thomas trains....well let's just say that you and all the other toddlers found that incredibly hard.

Sometimes we would catch the bus back home,sometimes we would get a lift back home and sometimes we would walk all the way back home.This was quite a walk and involved a very steep hill. Goodness knows how I managed to push your buggy up that hill!Especially as I know that the bottom of the pushchair would be ladened down with library books.

You would have been in your pushchair facing me,we would had chatted together or if you were sleeping I would gaze down at you whilst probably musing about all that was in my head,I'm not sure if you know this Tigs but there is always so very much that is in my head,most of it is very random and abstract but it's always there and it always has been there,from as far back as I can remember.

When I reached the top of the hill the road I turned onto was long but thankfully straight,it was quite a lonely road to walk along,lots of cars zooming by but no walkers at all. I could walk the whole twenty five minute lane and not meet a single soul. I used to like this lane,I guess after the hill the flatness of the lane was a good feeling. The end of the lane dipped down and we would be very close to home then.Pass the park with its big wrought iron gates and under its tall shady trees and onto the estate where we lived and eventually back home.

And that was our Saturdays. Twenty years ago. Nearly twenty one years ago. How time flies. Precious memories.

Precious times. Precious boy.

Always remember how adored you were Tigs and still are

Love from

Your Mum x