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Sometimes, Baby O, the best part of the photo isn't you - it's what you do to other people. It was your first trip to Great-Grandmama's house and you had a lovely time giggling at her, mashing your lunch into the carpet and sneaking into her bedroom to rattle the necklaces and admire yourself in her mirror-fronted wardrobe doors. This, though, was my favourite part. We popped outside for an ice cream in the sun and the way you were waggling your leg really tickled Grandma and Great-Grandmama. I haven't seen them both laugh that much for a long time.
You have mastered the art of blowing raspberries. You do it a lot on my shoulder, usually when I'm trying to wash your face in the shower. But you do some EPIC fart noises on my belly, given half a chance! And you look so pleased with yourself too!
Our first double hammock. Boom! (Just happens to be my only photo of you from that day. You're clearly trying to bounce yourself out in this photo... either that or your seat was not deep enough.) We went and did some gardening together wrapped up like this!
More playtime in the garden. Little R wanted his boat blown up and I thought "Why the heck not? It'll keep him busy." The minute it was up you raced across and climbed in yourself. You sat in there, patting the sides and wiggling your legs gleefully. Then Little R, dressed as Queen Elsa, dragged you round the lawn while you both giggled. Brilliant.
Little explorer.
In a plant pot. Why not?
Mummy got a stomach bug (retrospectively, maybe from licking-and-handing-back-to-you a piece of teacake you dropped on the floor in B&Q. Now that's selflessness). Mummy felt awful all day. You went to toddlers with Little R and Mummy Rachel. You played happily. You climbed over Mummy a lot.
Your favourite place at the moment. Not content with climbing as far as you can (and if I've forgotten to shut the stairgate - that means UPSTAIRS), you like to grab hold of the stairgate and pull backwards with all your strength. You are brilliant fun, little lady, but you are exhausting to look after because you are so FULL ON!
More outdoor play. Little R and I were enjoying running round the garden trying to clap and catch bubbles between our hands, which was much more fun than I'd imagined!
Little R was so protected from background TV. It wasn't on in the room until he was over one, basically, and then only sparingly. But Little R was really tired. Mummy was having a bad day. So you were distracted from your baby play by 101 Dalmatians. We were playing with your sensory box though. I was trying. I even tried a paint-in-ziplock-bag trick. It didn't work at all. I really was having a terrible afternoon. But even during a terrible, soul-destroyingly-long-and-frustrating afternoon of Mummy-guilt boredom, you make me smile now and then with your silly tricks. Your new thing is leaning your head as far back as you can and inhaling loudly, while grinning toothishly. Cuter than I'm describing it!
A bit of educational play before Little R's very FIRST morning at nursery. You and I had a lovely few ourselves to ourselves. We enjoyed singing at the library, chatted to another Mummy about wraps and then picked him up.
"Let me SWIIIIIM!" Mummy Rachel and I take it in turns to swim with you two. The person in the pool has to make it an hour without needing a wee (I feel you always need a wee MORE when you're swimming. Maybe you absorb water through your pores and it travels directly to your bladder?) but the person outside the pool has the hardest job - keeping you OUT for the entirety of Little R's lesson. Man alive, you are determined!
I love snuggling down in bed next to you, little lady. Feeling you reach our your hand and touch my wrist or face, checking I'm close enough. Wrapping my arm around you to reassure you that I am right here.
Tee hee hee. Good job, sweetpea. You were very thorough!