Joe

I haven't introduced Joe!

Joe

Joe is my first born..... born 8th February 1992..8.2.92, I have a thing about numbers, Adam 16.4.96 but born at 00.08  Zaki born 22.11.99 at 8pm! I digress.
His name is Mohamed Joseph Peter, his dad is Moroccan and i agreed to putting Mohamed on the birth certificate but i would call him Joseph, Joseph was my Uncle name...my mum's brother and a name that goes back in my mum's side of the family and one i have always liked...Peter after my dad.
I was told he was a girl on the scan, so when he was born it really was a surprise, he appeared like superman with one arm held infront casuing me in the process to have 16 stitches! 9lb 8 and half ounces!! He was a real bruiser. It will be 20 years this coming Feb..... the time really has fled past i can remember him as a child so vividly still.
Dad loved being a grandad and enjoyed visiting. It was so sad that he only had 4 years of his life, i could already see how great he would be, taking joe to the toy shop when we went up to Yorkshire, playing with him, scolding him! Joe can vaguely remember him, thankfully we have some video of him with Dad particularly a scene of dad bouncing him up and down on his knee and Joe shouting again! again!
Joe didn't have a great deal of confidence when very young he was the typical child who would cling onto you as you tried to leave and would become upset, but gradually as with all kids this waned. He made good friendships at primary school and is still close friends with the boy that he started reception class with Ollie.
At secondary school he had some problems fitting in and got bullied a bit, he ended up going for counselling on the advice of the school, but this gradually resolved itself. His first girlfriend was Elizabeth and that relationship gave him a lot of confidence. His GCSE results weren't the best but with Maths English and two sciences i guess if you are only going to get 4 GCSE's they are the better ones to get.
He then drifted a bit, a bit of drama at school then he moved to college and did music production.
Nearly two years ago now he came home and said mum i think i might be going out with someone, however there was a problem, his best friend Ollie, yup the one from reception class all those years ago fancied her too, so he was going to go round and ask him how he felt about it, he and Jade had decided that if he wasn't happy they wouldn't go ahead as they didn't want to cause problems with the friendship, thankfully Ollie said although it would be a bit weird at first he was cool with it.... they will be celebrating 2 years  together in March.

Jade and Ollie

I was really proud of how Joe and Jade approached the situation and in the last year or so after a year of partying with friends and generally just having a good time Joe has knuckled down. We have had our ups and downs but i have never had real concerns and he has never done anything really awful as a teen.
He is now working as one of those people who accost you in the street and ask for a charitable text, he started just before christmas and in the first week got the highest uptake of all the workers in his team.
He has also signed up to study to become a games tester, if he puts his mind to it the opportunities could be immense.
I don't see him so much now as he spends quite a bit of time at Jades, they usually head this way on a sunday for the roast.
He was upset when i told him that i wouldn't be cured, his dad is worse than useless and so bitter about the break up of our relationship, although he still lives in the house he doesn't do anything much to help. He will if i ask him directly, but i hate asking for help so it's a bit of a catch 22 situation.
I am beginning to think Joe is the one that i will rely on now and in the future. If i go too soon i will look to Joe to support his brothers and look after them. If i have my way and get to see Zaki at 18 which means i have to be here in 6 years time, then i have this hope that at 18 he will manage better without me. If not Joe i think will have to step into the role of his dad. Joe and his dad don't speak to each other at all, they had a falling out and Joe has no time for him, he and i are much closer and i feel for him if i am not around, but he has Jades mum now to look to, as at the moment i cannot imagine them not being together.

Joe and Jade