Apologies to everyone out there who thinks my title a little schmalzy. This is actually a post for this week’s Gallery at Stickyfingers, and as the prompt this week is ‘a smile’, I wanted to dedicate it to my lovely son James (having obtained his go ahead to publish the photos..), who this weekend leaves us for his first term at University.
He has always had a lovely smile, usually captured best when he was caught more or less unawares. If asked to pose for too long his grin hints at ‘What no cheese Grommit?’ The first picture suggests Nick Park may indeed have used him as a model…
He has grown into a fine young man, through a big move from Brighton down to Somerset, changing schools, friends, lifestyle. …
All through this he has developed his unique personality and always trusted in his own feelings, never conforming to established norms, and never doing anything that would make me less than very proud. (other than failing his modern language GCSEs on purpose..)
As he has grown older, his smile has sometimes been a little more enigmatic….
But mostly he just beams..
My heart is aching just a little. It is a big day for James, however commonplace a spell at University is now. It is also a marker for me – however much I will miss him, I have truly seen him safely into adulthood. And now it is down to him.
No more wriggling out of writing ...... 
What a wonderful heart warming post. As a mum to two boys I one day hoope to feel as proud as you do now.
Oh you will! You just can’t help it!
How lovely! I can’t wait to see what my boys are like when they’re grown men.
They will be gorgeous – I would think my son handsome if he looked as if he had gone 10 rounds with, well, whoever!
I really like this post. I don’t know what it is, but lately I’m fascinated by the thought of my boys (baby and toddler at the moment) growing up and developing into young men. Your son looks great, I love his ‘troubled poet’ look with the coat and thick hair. I’m sure he’ll have a wonderful time at uni.
He is thrilled you think he looks like a troubled poet – it was exactly the look he was cultivating, in a cafe in Rome!
How lovely! It must be so nice to see your boy grow up like that! And what a handsome chap he is! Hold me back! 😉
Becca x
It is lovely how many people are wondering what their own children will look like now they have seen my time lapse post! He is indeed handsome, but taken. Still he is very flattered 🙂
My thoughts exactly. Saw my son off to Brighton Uni last Sunday. Very hard not to sob when I said goodbye. Has only phoned us once since then. Eldest at Oxford and she phones us about 5 times a day. Only one left now so am going to make the most of the next 5 years till she goes. It doesn’t get easier to say goodbye.
Lovely, thanks Sally! I do know how you feel. No-one else round here seems quite so moved by the whole thing. I will try not to blub, but it will be hard.
Oh heavens I’ve got a lump in my throat now. A handsome boy and a handsome man. Wishing him all the luck and feeling the mum’s ache with you!
Oh, there were lots of lovely pictures on this week’s gallery and seeing people’s little ones at the start of this road to adulthood brought a bit of a lump to my throat too!
He sounds great Suzie – a credit to you both!
I have made myself very sad this week looking at old photos so am now trying to see the positive side of their both growing up and movng away from me. We have done quite well after all!
Sorry…bit late to this one! What a fab post, how lovely to see that smile through the years! Looks as if you have done a grand job!
I’ve tried! He has done a lot of it himself!
A little late but a lovely post (shmaltz and all) and a lovely son you have.
He is indeed! (Are you reading this James?!)