Five years and more since trying to become a mum and a few days over six months since becoming one

You did something new today – took a swipe at a little friend's face as he sat on my knee while I read him a book.

When you saw he was on my knee and you were not, you came waddling over and demanding to come up too. You then promptly took your potshot at his face. Very very animalistic. And very very not nice. You and F get along so well, I was quite taken aback. In some ways perhaps I should be proud or pleased as it indicates a new level of possessiveness towards me, but I kind of didn't like it and felt embarrassed. Luckily F's ma is a good old friend, and luckily you & F are little enough to have the memories of goldfish when it comes to emotions, things go fleetingly, so it was all over quite fast and you were (sort of) laughing again.

In the last two weeks there have been the starts of what I understand is Terrible Twos behaviour. A wee bit ahead of schedule. Hang on, did I write this already in my last posting... I think I did. Anyway, there's definitely something afoot and I must read the toddler book for some coping methods. More for me than for you!

My cousin K is here from France and she is very impressed by you, by your independence, by your quickness, and by pretty much everything. She's the first of that side of the family to meet you and it means a lot to me that she's here. I felt quite emotional presenting you to her, the long awaited child, and held back a tear or two. (Why....?? Why held back I mean, why not let go). And what's brilliant is that she's totally amazed at how much our kid you are, physically as much as everything else. She says we deserve a pat on the back for turning you out so good. But I don't think I deserve a pat on the back yet, not quite; I can't help thinking a lot of it is just you and who you are. She's impressed by how easy you are – sleeping well, eating well, eating yourself, playing well, being sociable. But I don't think those things are created by us, perhaps encouraged yes and developed, but I think they're just in you.

Quite a lot of challenges coming up as I will be taking a work trip away for 4 days, we're having our first family holiday in Devon, and ... argh... there was something else but I just totally lost my train of thought. That happens a lot...

One thing you cannot inherit from me is my duck feet. A blessing.