Well here it is. The kid is a year old. I thought I would be sad, but instead I feel really happy that she's got to this point. It's as though we've reached the ultimate milestone. We had this kid and we've managed not to break her for an entire year. I feel like our Health Visitor ought to come by with a medal for us both. Or an "I've been a competent parent this year" sticker, or something.
We didn't make too big a deal of it being her birthday. We just spent it as a family going to the zoo (she LOVED the fish), playing with balloons, eating cake and just partaking in some general silly behaviour..as if we ever needed an excuse. Then, when she was tucked up in bed and we saw the clock hit 9.15pm, we gave each other a celebratory high five.
The past year has been the greatest year I've ever had. It's also been the hardest. It's no lie that a baby changes everything and even the most solid of relationships can take a knock, ours being no exception. You get through it, but bloody hell, it's scary to look back at my pre-Pip days and see just how much has changed. It's probably a good thing we all go into this with blinkers on. Ignorance is bliss and all that.
It's always been my intention to only write these monthly updates for Alessi's first year. So this will be the last one. On that note, here's what she's been doing this past month:-
- Stands unaided for short periods of time
- Takes a few steps unaided
- She loves to brush her teeth (and mine)
- Can brush her hair - albeit in to her face
- Sign a little when she's hungry, wants to be picked up, wants to know what or where something is etc
- Understands some words like "bottle", "mummy", "daddy", "juice", "clap", "hi" and "bye bye"
- And last, but not least, we now have the occasional meltdown when we won't let her do something she wants to do, like go into the kitchen when we're cooking. This is still in the cute stages at the moment, but I'm dreading the time when it'll kick up a notch. At the moment it's just lying flat on the floor, having a little whinge and then ,with a little distraction, forgetting about it. I know I shouldn't laugh when she does this, sometimes though, it's hard. :)
And now because I've feeling all loved up and emotional, here's an Alessi themed photo dump. Enjoy.
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| I think the face says it all. |
And that's it folks. Here's to another awesome year..but perhaps with more sleep and fewer illnesses?
A girl can dream.
