Three years old

Three years old and planned her party: chocolate cake, orange jelly and presents. Lego from Charlie. Much nose breathing as she concentrates. 

Bum wiggle dance going strong.

Does letters and numbers in record time.

Recognises M and W are the same, reversed, as are 6 and 9.

Schools us in Chinese, can count to ten and name colours, and sometimes say 'wash your face' in Chinese. Intonation impressive to us and we never get it right when we try to copy her.

Last night, milestone, three years and three weeks, she got up in the night to have a wee by herself, negotiating her layers of PJs and to her potty in the dark.

Can write her name with a somewhat disconnected 'a'. Draws maps and rainbows and mountains and zigzags. Says she can't draw animals or trees.

Managed to serve dessert. Tower to fridge, container of fruit, bowl and spoon from drawer, tower to bench...

Very affectionate. Insists on lots of goodbye kisses and cuddles. This week very clingy and hard to say goodbye. 

Talks about the twins in her tummy.

This year of toddler

In her workshop with new drill. 

33 months and a half... A year since toilet training. A year since we stopped using a stroller. I thought of these milestones as we strutted along Elizabeth Street in the morning. Charlie's away for work, been gone only two days of 14 and each time we open the door she expects him to be there. It's a bit heartbreaking.

She thinks 'kill' is 'pew', as in the noise little boys make with their toy guns... "I pew you!". Pop gave her a real drill, a real drill! Which has occupied many happy minutes, drilling into wood, changing the bits, and eventually recharging the thing.

29 months

Twenty-nine months and gorgeous, wilful, wonderful, frustrating. Long long hair.
Exercise routine in evenings, involving piles of couch cushions.
Corrected her own grammar.
Still likes orange.
Very matter-of-fact lectures from her.
Incentivised by an 11 minute episode of Peter Rabbit on the gadget at bedtime.
Lately heads off to bed without kisses, cuddles or being carried (not even Alpi last night!).
Loves the idea of birthdays.
Sometimes doesn't eat any dinner. At all.
Counts to eleven but skips ten.
Bragging about legs getting big and strong: "look at my muscles, Mummy!".

Back to Chorki, watching the mountains.

Spent three nights back up at Falls Creek, had company this time, a playmate for Milla, and for each of us. It was lovely, as always. Snowed on Sunday morning. Rides for everyone and a walk in the snow. Milla chatting in Charlie's ear in the Bambino carrier. I got chased by a magpie on my solo ride. Nearly clotheslined myself on the dam wall bridge as we didn't realise the gate would still be shut. Found that speccy waterhole I saw in photos. Thinking out the next visit, of course, always.

44/52

Waking up. 

These days

• 5:30am Bootcamp. 
• 7:30am Watching diggers, watching Milla eat leftover split olive pizza for breakfast. 
• 8:30am Drive to swimming lesson. 
• Grocery shop, visit to park with Paddy and co. I heard Milla say "My name is Milla, what's your name?" to some big girls. I made a show of throwing mandarin segments into her mouth when she was on swing. 
• Home to cook pumpkin pie, bolognese, roast veges, frittata, call Heath, life admin. Milla watching Play School, eating almonds, taking herself to potty. 
• "I not tired" is the dead giveaway that she's ready for a sleep. 
• 3:00pm quiet, dishwasher, diggers, sore foot, work emails, life admin.  

Weekend morning making pancakes. 

Milla is a cousin and I'm an aunty. Thinking back to those early days of milk-filled boobs and general haze. 

Milla's been in a study about sedentary behaviour and has been wearing 'computer pants' for a week. She's a pretty active kid! 

Thinking about how busy work is and that I should go to five days but Mondays are just the best. GAH. 

35/52 Poser

Sweet pea.

Life at two

Life at two is us writing lists of her impressive sentences and great imaginative interactions. Great at playing by herself, very caring and interested in others. Can sing forever, medleys of favourite and the occasional new composition. Great at recall, people's names, my mentions of things in past and future. Hilarious. Eats well, sleeps well, though started skipping naps. Takes an increasing cast of cuddly friends to bed with her. Said 'happy birthday, Paul!' to her grandfather on the phone. Helped spoon muffin mixture into tiny cases. Rides on my shoulder. Tantrums. Loves to say 'I did it!' though latest catch-cry is 'what are you doing there?!'. Favourite colour is orange.

Morning ponder in the garden.

26/52

Sitting in Sooty.

And here we were, two years ago.  And last year, breastfeeding finished.

23 Months

Meeting (Grand-) Papa.

First of June we flew to Cairns, a long lovely day. Started with caution, as Milla has thrown up on the train the previous day... Childcare called and instructed me to collect her as she had a temperature. I had cycled in (four degrees in the morning!) and so thought better to take her home on the train. She was flat, cuddly, warm, then vomiting and distressed.

First of June she woke ok so we retrieved the bike, packed the car, headed to the airport and boarded without incident... Milla was a handful on the plane, tired but not restful. We arrived to Papa's following that dark, winding drive along coast and through cane fields up to Wonga Beach.

Milla at 23 months. Energetic. Conversational. Warm, caring, cheeky, stubborn and very curious about the world.

Eats everything. Drinks tea. Loves sausage, blueberries, almonds and olives. Sleeps from 730pmish to 630amish. Needs to wake up on her own terms or grouchy. Sometimes has hysterical illogical tantrums that end suddenly. Sings sings sings. Particularly A-B-C lately. Insanely affectionate with the puppet teddy in a book that Charlie animates. Not quite but nearly toilet trained during day.

23/52

Being defiant. 

We've had some toileting setbacks. Frustrating. Maybe we need another intensive? 

This week we go to FNQ to relive my first trip there in September 1982. Mum brought the albums around so we could review the photos... me in a t-shirt saying 'kids are people too'. Discovered pigtails too. 

Overnight all good in bed, no problems with falling out. Maybe getting cold when doona slips away. Very grouchy sometimes upon waking. Or ecstatic. Yup.

Being a defiant character. I think it's just with me, a bit with Charlie. Lots of 'mine' and 'no' to any question. A performer, big in comedy, legend in her own lunchbox. 

19/52

Listening to story of the caterpillar. 

"I funny!" she says from the back seat of the car, cracking herself up. This is after childcare calling to say she may be crook, wasn't herself... Um, I think she's ok.

Found a baby tomato plant and rapidly got a trowel to dig it up... wanted to relocate it... Somewhere.

Toilet training or die

Only four hours in. Listening to Milla howl from bed. She was really exhausted by morning one of toilet training. As am I. She's on undies #5 and likely wee-d in bed now.

We drilled her on the idea, she was on board. This morning when she came into bed I said "it's undies day" and she replied "no more nappies".

One big wee in the potty was the highlight of the morning. It followed her wee-ing on my lap and being in between undies. She took herself to potty in bathroom and filled it, coming out to kitchen declaring "I did it!".

First blossoms on our Silver Princess.

She also wee-d in bed when I'd just put new sheet on, wee'd on my slipper as she tried to see saw and a big wee at the door of her tipi.

She's exhausted, we've just started. We have the weekend and Anzac Monday to get this. Tuesday then marks day #1 of moving into the toddler room at childcare, hoping this will help not hinder the #ttod project.

14/52

Fat curls. 

Hometime, after riding, to backyard to draw with chalk, refill bird bath and play bikes.

6/52

Singing talking chatting. 

Talking talking. This is a vocal kid. To bed tonight and 1 hour, 15 minutes later... Still singing to herself.

2/52

First tomato of the season. All gone in seconds! She'd been waiting for this.

Not quick enough to focus with the 50 but still love the pic. 

More?

18 months or one-and-a-half

Milla at eighteen months. Beautiful, wonderful and fun. Loves giving affection and can cling cling to Charlie just for the joy of seeing him. She understands a lot, fake laughs and chats. Is learning words so quickly (but still LOVING saying 'rubbish'!). Learns names VERY fast and could distinguish the names of Alana and Elena.

Mt Stirling saddle, making a cubby from her cot. 

We can tell when she's tired as she starts to roam around doing all the hot button naughty crimes, like knocking stuff of tables or touching the bin, or picking at a hole in the plaster.

Has a funny clinging habit of saying 'Da! Ma?' to Charlie to asking him where I am, liking to check where each of us are.

Though given a doll for Christmas, Alpi is still favourite, she's always wanting to change his nappy, offer him food and water and put him to bed (after wrapping him up and patting him VERY firmly).

Milla is becoming more independent, as long as we're not far... Can play play play independently and quietly with books, blocks, water, clean laundry, buckles, Alpi.

Very keen on books and gets read maybe ten books per day, often choosing which one she wants next.

Looks like new teeth the past few days, as predicted, when away on a camping trip away! And her front one is maybe chipped, has been for ages.

Milla has distinctive walk, she goes places with purpose. Is obsessed with olives and could eat them all day, loves to say the word too.

Still not keen on cockatoos.

Can get up brick walls that are chest height.

Has broad music taste, hip hop is still a favourite and this song is #1. These days has been singing 'no more monkeys' incessantly!

Still loves her bottle. Asks for it around 7:30/8pm and will go to fridge. Then couch and nest, lie prone. Hoping to break this one...

Can identify, say, and draw 'circle'. Can identify and say 'triangle' and 'yellow'. Can say 'high five!' and give one, then a fist bump.

Can tell me when she's about to poo. Never caught it in a toilet but we're working on it.Milla has amazed and delighted us. We love her new 'wiggle wiggle' dance and attempts at the harmonica. It's been a huge 2015 and we have grand plans for consolidating family life and happy habits.

New Year's Eve. Lil fat head. See last year!

52/52

Unwrapping Christmas presents in bed.

51/52

Peaceful, reading. 

You can just see the braid she came home with. And hint of bruise on forehead. Reading, sitting with her beloved Dad. Warm evening, nappy only after bath. Seventeen months old and surprises us with her smarts (and tantrums!). Today she was reported as 'rough' and I don't know how you describe that feeling, hearing that...

45/52

Wakes so happy.

42/52

Killer pout!