Today you said I Love You

Strictly speaking it wasn't quite the first time you said it, but it was the first time you said it unprompted and not as a result of a little game. You just hugged my leg and said it. Wow... quite possibly the loveliest thing I've ever heard.

God, it's been two months since I last posted and before that it was a long while too. I guess that's because we've settled into our routine and everything is less challenging. Over time, my confidence has grown and I have less urgent need to write and let off steam here! Although this was as much for you as for me, so I should just keep up to date with what you're up to.

So, you're two and a half now and this week you started going to nursery. Well, not quite started, but we're doing a two week warm up. You were fine, jumped straight in and joined in. I got a little gulp of emotion watching you wander around, handing things to the women that work there. There was a little boy there, who must be one or 1.5. There was something lost about him, he was very quiet, and I thought he was quite lovely. It got me to thinking about a second adoption...

Anyway, let's try and put down what you're up to these days: you spend three days a week with Pa and two with me, then the weekends together. You love dancing around to music and you usually sing along as best you can, which you do pretty well, you can actually hold a note. You are quite good at playing by yourself when in the mood – playing with little figures and animals, or reading books. You've started in that role play thing – where you line up your toys & animals, and make them talk to eachother. I also hear you say to them things I say to you. You love going for walks, it doesn't really matter where we end up, it's all about the journey for you. You love going to Tate Modern to look at stuff, in fact you are good at art generally and enjoy being places where there's lots of people. You're not so great at eating, you can't quite be bothered with it. At mealtimes I have to read in order to get you to concentrate on something so that I can put food in your tummy. Book of the moment is Jane Asher's book of dressing up costumes! It is brilliant, it has people dressed as carrots and ships. You especially love the Baby Ghost, the Grim Reaper (which you pronounce very well) and the man jumping out the cake. You make us look at that book again and again and again. I've had to hide it cos I was getting v bored of it! We also look at the book of information graphics, which sounds dull, but is actually really good. You like Fuzzy Felt. You love dinosaurs and own a rather large scary looking one. You have a lovely little doctor's kit which you tend to the dinosaurs and other animals with. You're definitely enjoying tantrums on a daily basis. I think you get frustrated with something sometimes, even though it's hard to figure out what, and you brilliantly throw yourself across the floor flailing your little arms and legs around. We have a naughty step which sees a lot of action now. You're very good though, on the whole, you do actually sit there for the two minutes til we come and get you. Sometimes you sit there smiling, looking very mischievous and I have to look away not to laugh, but sometimes you are screaming or really upset. But it seems to work and we're always careful to explain why you're there, get you to say sorry, and have a good old cuddle after.

You are very chatty and your language is brilliant. You were always a good talker, and have gotten better and better. It makes communicating with you so much easier and more fun. I talk to you quite normally, explain things to you, and you seem to understand pretty much everything. You're starting to understand today & tomorrow. I think. You're still waaaaay ahead of all the boys, who are still more or less grunting ;)


You're very good at sharing and you don't hit other kids I say that cos some of your little pals do already. Not nice. I don't have much patience for it. Hopefully nursery won't bring that out in you...

I think that I might make a book of all these postings for you, just in case the internet crashed and burns one day! Thought it might be quite interesting for you to read one day and to have the photos, where you can see yourself get bigger & bigger. I look back at early photos and realise what an absolute tiddler you were. So cute. Still are. Best Louse ever.