One More Week.

There's something so relaxing about wrapping gifts, for birthdays or Christmas. The process of cutting and sticking, folding in corners and seeing the prezzies stacking up, ready for eager hands to tear into. It's exciting to think that in one very short week, we'll be celebrating V's first birthday, see her open her first gifts and cards, crack into a cake and officially be ONE. Exciting and a little bittersweet.

It feels cliché to say that the time goes so quickly, the years pass with frightening speed when you have a baby, but it's true. Over weeks and days you see this little creature, so small and dependent, grow and change with alarming speed. Within three weeks of taking her first steps, V was walking 90% of the time. Now she barely crawls at all, prefering to potter along beside us. Insaaaaane. She is constantly absorbing and learning, every week a new expression, gesture, a different word understood. She's gone from needing to be held all the time to wanting to be down, running, playing, away from Mumma (but not too far!). She's a happy child and that makes us happy.

I don't look at her and see a little baby any more, although as my own Mum said "She will always be your baby!". I see a rambunctious, noisy, often sticky child who is full of beans, smiles and life. She loves to play, bringing us teddies to cuddle and her toy phone - I've never had so many conversations! The time may fly but her energy, her spirit, keeps me young, wanting to play and smile and giggle with her. She is beautiful and weird and awesome and though she's not a baby any more, I'm holding off on her official 'toddler' title until her birthday.

Love, K.

Eleven Months.

So, my kid is one month away from being a whole year old. I'm fairly sure I must be calculating that wrong because there is simply no way, nuh uh, that V is almost a year. Seriously. It's beyond crazy that so much time has passed since she was born.

In terms of awesomeness, this little bean has absolutely killed it in the last month. She can shake her head for 'no', clap her hands and, guys, she's a walker! Well, more of a half-walker, half-staggerer, but she's taking more and more steps all by herself every day and it makes my heart burst with pride. V actually took her first steps while I was Skyping with my parents so they got to see, which was particularly rad. She stretches her arms out and up towards me as she oh so confidently wobbles forward. It's so so so so great.

She doesn't hate her carseat quite so much but doesn't love long journeys, either. She will eat pretty much anything put in front of her, although she's not keen on scrambled eggs or butternut squash. She will eat cheese like it's going out of fashion and adores Marmite on toast. And she has not one, not two, but THREE glorious teeny tiny teeth! Finally with the teeth! They are impossibly cute and wickedly sharp. She's learning that people aren't for nibbling, slowly.

V is the giver of hugs and kisses and most snuggly of snugglers. Her affection for us grows every day and she's figuring out different ways to show it, which usually involve some face-smooshing. Adorable! She's also the screamiest screamer and doesn't like to be told no, you can't eat the dog's treat or dunk your hand in Mumma's hot coffee. We are slightly more deaf and have had a few more giggles due to the yelling. She's lucky she's so dang cute!

I've got one more month of my precious bub being a baby before she is a toddler, as I'm pretty sure she will be toddling well by then. I don't feel sad that she's getting older, as she is so much more exciting and interesting with every day that passes. I'm looking forward to her birthday party, to her first pair of proper shoes, to her first proper sentence. It's all waiting for us and the journey to each stop is, quite simply, the best.

11 months, my baby girl! Here's to the 12th being the funnest one yet!

Love, K.