Sometimes it’s the small things that take you by surprise with your children – little milestones that happen without warning and make you realise a huge corner has been turned.
Like the first time you notice the youngest can put on his own seatbelt.
Or when you find yourself alone at the school gates, having waved them all off.
When there’s not a nappy or a highchair in sight and things are, well, a bit easier.
I had such a moment at the weekend when we popped into the grand surroundings of Gleneagles Hotel for an ice cream to break up a journey from Glasgow.
There I was sitting with my boys, marvelling at their pleases and thank yous when Chester’s head did a 180.
He looked most peculiar – his face suddenly white with shock.
He muttered something to his brothers and off they went – sprinting out of the cafe with no word of explanation.
A few minutes later, they returned.
“Mummy, I think we’ve found Kevin De Bruyne.”
Every Kevin De Bruyne stakeout needs a referee
This was big.
Kevin De Bruyne is one of the top players in the world, a current Man City legend.
Chester was very excited.
“He’s got Kevin De Bruyne’s face,” he told me.
“And he’s speaking what sounds like Belgium, so I really do think it’s him. But I’m too nervous to say hello.”
I agreed to join the hunt for KDB and soon we found him – with his wife and baby in a pram in the whisky concession of the hotel’s high end shopping arcade.
I told the boys we had to wait, to let him choose his whisky. To remember he’s on his holidays and didn’t want to be disturbed.
As we waited (by this stage, I was totally caught up, my pulse racing and nerves jangling) a group of teens shouted out: “There’s Kevin De Bruyne. Let’s go in and get a picture.”
Feeling about 100, I explained politely but firmly that we had already been waiting a while and thought it best to give him time talking to the whisky expert before asking for a photo.
They fell in line.
It was then I saw a friend – presenter Danni Menzies (as tall and gorgeous in the flesh) who recently left A Place In The Sun.
This ice cream stop was getting stranger by the minute
I explained why I was standing outside a whisky shop with my three small sons and we carried on waiting.
Then, finally, our moment came.
Picture this: Kevin De Bruyne left us with a memory to last a lifetime
The boys beamed as Big Kev happily posed for a picture.
He seemed nice; a little shy.
He laughed as my boys said “thank you” to him 206 times.
Of course, when you’re football daft (and the eldest a Man City fan), you’re going to be a little starstruck.
Well, the older two were. Six year old Guthrie was just enjoying the ride.
But it was interesting to see how highly they regarded the midfielder and I saw my boys in a whole new light.
In Dundee, it happens regularly – players from our two main teams taking a moment to pose with fans.
It’s a tiny gesture that can make someone’s day, or month. Perhaps it will even give them a memory for life.
I know our encounter with Kevin De Bruyne will be just that for my boys.
I thanked his wife too. She must be so used to standing aside while selfies are taken but she seemed accepting of it all.
Yes her husband is paid a fortune but can you imagine the pressure to perform?
There they were, on their holidays, wanting nothing more than some time to chill in the Perthshire hills. And even here, there were people wanting a bit more from them.
I hope it’s not all demanding. That it’s a lovely thing to know you’re held in such a pedestal, as long as respect is shown.
And I hope they know how much their kindness meant to three small boys
I thought ice cream would be the highlight of the day. But it turns out one man had the ability to give my awe-struck kids a day they will cherish forever.
It’s an accolade previously reserved for Santa, and it’s a super power of which KDB should be proud.
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