With the approach of Mothers' Day, I have decided to be a little self-indulgent. The role that I have taken on since becoming pregnant is the most important of my entire life, and as schmaltzy as it sounds I absolutely never knew my purpose until I had him.

On that note, I give you the reasons why I love being The Boy's mummy:

• when he opens our bedroom door (sometimes with daddy's help) first thing in the morning and runs in to my open arms, shouting "mummy, mummy!"
• when out of the blue he looks at me and says "tiss".
• his hair.
• his peachy bum.
• his beautiful cheeky little smile.
• his legs, they are stunningly shapely.
• his beautiful, large, sparkly eyes.
• the way he frowns and says "baby, cry" if any child under 3 years old is making any noise.
• his curiosity and desire to learn.
• how he opens my eyes up to the wonder of the world.
• the fact that he loves the beach.
• his exploratory nature in the garden.
• his 'four-eyebrows' (the expression he pulls when he's concentrating).
• his laugh.
• his developing vocabulary; he seems to be learning several new words a day.
• the fact that he's just looked at me, after I gave him his tippy-cup of milk, and said "cold" doing a shivering action, because I forgot to warm it up!
• the way that he 'reads' to his toys.
• the way he shoves his entire hand into the cheese part of the Dairylea Dunker to get every single scrap out.
• the way he delves his hands into something filthy despite the fact that he hates his hands being dirty.
• the way he climbs up into the highchair and straps himself in.
• the way he has always chewed with his mouth closed.
• the fact that we are friends.
• the fact that he still loves to cuddle up having a bottle of milk and will reach up to touch my face.
• having him fall asleep in my arms and feeling his little heart beat against my chest.
• his little breath against my neck.
• the way that he looks when he's sleeping.
• his entire being.