#7 Bath, bottle and bedtime stories

Bedtime is a happy time in our house. You like sleeping (you take after your mummy with that!) and you look forward to when it's time to go to bed.

Your love having a bath, splashing & playing. Then we have to fight to get you out, and then fight to get you dressed because you take off as soon as your wet feet hit the floor shrieking "Roonie Noonie" (aka Rudie Nudie, a book you have about running around in the nudie after a bath) and you run around the house, into every room giggling and shouting.

Then it's "Milky time"! Usually drunk in the living room whilst we read you books and we watch the News (watching the News at milky time has become a family tradition).

Bedtime comes and we take you into your room, you choose a bedtime book and finish your milky  whilst daddy reads you the book. Threes verses of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, then clutching Peppa and Bertie you say "Lub Ooo" and snuggle under the covers and sing and chat to yourself until you fall asleep.

#6 Quiet afternoons

Mornings are usually busy, spent swimming, going to Mainly Music, or catching up with friends. But afternoons are quieter. Once you wake from your lunchtime nap you run into the lounge and usually pull a book from the shelf, hold it out to me and say "Read it!". Then you pull out various toys and more books; and you work your way through most of your toys and books over the course of the afternoon because you can't concentrate on most things for longer than 10 minutes. The lounge generally looks like a war zone by bed time, but that's the sign of a fun afternoon right?

#5 The magic of grandparents

Waiting for Nana

The magic that Grandparents can bestow on the lives of small children is not something I had really considered too much before. I always lived long distances from my Grandparents and they sadly passed away before I was old enough to appreciate them. But watching your face light up when we say that Nana and Pop, or Grandad and Lorraine, are coming to see you is a beautiful sight to behold. If we tell you too early in the day you ask constantly when they are coming, and if anyone knocks at the door you assume it is them and run excitedly to greet them.

You were recently blessed with your Nanny coming to stay for a month, from England, which gave you a chance to renew and strengthen the relationship you had built with her last summer when we visited England, and continued over FaceTime. You made the most of having a playmate who was ready and willing to read anything you wanted and play with all your toys.

I hope you continue to love and appreciate all your Grandparents as you grow.