Oliver surprisingly loved his 11th lockdown birthday, so much so, he announced after lunch that, ‘this is my best birthday, ever Mummy’. Bless him. Hoping to make his birthday as special as it could be when you’re stuck indoors without your pals for company, I rustled up a long birthday party lunch of roast chicken with all the trimmings followed by penny sweets I’d poured into a Victorian style jar I bought from Amazon and a big slice of Mario birthday cake with coloured-flamed candles. When it came to celebrations, alongside watching Sharknado 4 on the projector (the series is intentionally bad and utterly hilarious). Oliver played Roblox with his mates and FaceTimed family. Everyone has been so kind, sending him gift cards, money and messages. His younger brother Alexander even gave him £10 note from his pocket money savings and even popped a pound coin into a card as an extra gift. It’s hard to believe that Oliver is 11 although in many ways he seems and looks far older. He was my rock when I needed surgery twice over the recent years, growing in resilience and strength for it. Physically, he’s already wearing age 13-14 clothes and at 5’1″, I know it won’t be long before he’s towering over me (not hard at 5’5″ and a half, I know, and yes that 1/2 is absolutely crucial)....I remember flicking through my husband Peter’s baby pics (much to his embarrassment) when I first ‘met the parents’ and had hoped if we one day had a baby together, it would be a mini him, just like the adorable kid in the album. I’d hand-on-heart never seen a ore beautiful bubs in my life-all long fluttery eyelashes and doey brown eyes. Then Oliver came along, my dream come true and every day, despite the inevitable challenges (hello puberty) my son makes me proud and I still, today, look at him, 11 years on and can’t believe he’s mine. And yes, just as when he was a baby, I’m still insanely jealous that he looks like Jessica Alba and I don’t! It’s not fair!!! Happy Birthday you beaut of a boy, Oliver, we love you more than you will ever know x (at Windsor, Berkshire) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ4OjJ2j59t/?igshid=1pp3jyrvcsk7c