My baby is One.

I feel weird just writing that. "My baby is One". It's quite a contradiction. She isn't a baby at all anymore. In fact, if I am really honest with myself, she hasn't been a baby for 2 months, since she has been walking independently but I'm a believer that ignorance is bliss.

Thinking back to this time last year, I am filled with amazement, love, happiness, frustration and self criticism. Amazement that its flown by so quickly, love for the most precious thing in our lives, happiness for the joy she has brought into our lives but frustration that it took induction of 3 gels, waters being broken, a drip and 4 days to get her born! Talk about long winded. Oh and self criticism. Well 4 days? what was all that about? So many things I shall be doing differently second time round. So, back to the reminiscing. Established labour itself was amazing. For me it was so incredibly quick. It felt like one minute I was being hooked up to the drip, unable to stand, the next I was telling them I needed to push, then I did push and she was there within seconds. The last bit is true, it did only take 2 minutes and 2 pushes (however, I wish I held back with the pushing, then the stitches may not have been so bad..........ouch.........) If you were to ask James, he'd say it felt like days......

So, for my own benefit, Amelia's development is really coming on. Walking extremely confidently now, since 10 months, talking is great - words currently are Dad, Daddy, Dada, Mum, Nan, Grandad, up, down, yes, no, cat, bath, cup. I think there are more, but I have memory block. She climbs up and down the stairs too. Sleep is hit and miss (well, no baby is perfect) however, bedtime routine is brilliant. She gets grumpy and tearful walking up the stairs when she knows its bedtime, but once we do milk, story, cuddles, song, she's asleep in a few minutes. We still have 1-2 wakings. Normally just 1 around 4-5am when she wants her milk. No idea why as she has a full bottle at bedtime and is relatively a good eater. I have a "not before 5" rule for her, which is mostly acceptable to her.

So, the next step? Well, watching her develop her speech is lots of fun, watching her kiss everything and everybody she meets (including all the bears on the bed before sleep time) and her understanding when we are speaking to her. Its a lovely age, just need to fix the sleep a bit if we can.

Incredibly broody for another but my sensible, practical side (called my husband) says to wait till she's 2..... wonder how much convincing he'd take?!