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. 

22/52 Big bed

First night in big bed. Well, I saved money and just asked Charlie to take a side of Milla's cot. It worked a treat. Her doona was intact, tucked in just as Charlie left her, eleven hours later. Trying right now for first nap there so we'll see. 

Walking the plank

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.

22 months

Can be grouchy in the morning. But is awesome. Is toilet trained. Is speaking in sentences: "I found it!" "I did it!" "I fix it!". Very keen to help in kitchen. Seems to genuinely want to understand when concept are explained to her. Loves to high-five and first-bump. Still. Olives are still the best treat.

Calls 'Each Peach Pear Plum', 'I-peach' and wants it read every day. When she sees letters she makes letter sounds, like spelling out the words, likes to try counting, has moved on from 1-2-6 to 1-2-3!

Starting to grasp 'soon' and 'later' concepts. Is in the toddler room at childcare. Catches the train into the city, walking, no stroller. Loves to say "all done" as question and answer.

Sometimes says 'sad' but we can't tell why. Still doing swimming lessons, been 15 months of weekly classes now. Sat next to guitar tonight and strummed.

We love her. She's the best kid around. She just surprised us by identifying a puffin! Also charming when she says 'one day...'

Milla watching birds at Chorki Ski Club, Falls Creek. 

One change

After two days of riding to work, catching the train felt harder. It was a weirdly balmy day, end-to-end. The train home wasn't too packed: there was a 2-week old baby mewling near us while Milla commandeered a seat and ate cheese and crackers. But the big win was that I only had a tiny bag of soiled goods to cart home: one change of undies. We got home and went to bathroom together. Two more wees and poo and no, as they say, 'accidents'.

No Charlie this week and houseguest out late. It's been Mum n Milla. She's tired, clever and gorgeous.

Headed home, Mum and Milla times.

Toilet training or die part 2

Not dead yet. Day two of three. Not particularly encouraged. Not giving up. We did have more 'wins' today than yesterday. Less undies washed, no poos in undies, a few big wees in potty and poo in toilet. High fives and olives as a reward. She didn't sleep, howled in cot for an hour instead, while I took a turn outdoors, which felt miraculous. House arrest.

Dressing up. Defiant.

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.

21 Months

These days. A barista told Milla she was too big for the stroller. She talked about the truck and its engine, dazzling Charlie when he asked about her day. This week, screaming after going to bed, and crying upon waking "mummy, mummy", not a name I'm known by.

Picked up from childcare today and she had a baby doll in arms and a carrier sling. Apparently needed her hands free to go to the shops. Wanted to walk to station, howled down Elizabeth Street, strapped in stroller.

Says "tiny" in the cutest way. Scrunches up her nose in a gesture of negativity, hard to explain. Loves going under bridges, loves circles, loves sitting at her desk and drawing on an already full page. Drinks her milk from an open cup, seated on couch, usually 7:30pm.

Big crazy happy love and affection.

14/52

Fat curls. 

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

13/52

Watching the screen, in Charlie's lap. 

Attentive little face. Was caring to her 'tiny' rice, she thought they were cute! Decided to put of toilet training for another few weeks. Her little friend, Toby, has moved up a room at childcare, now they meet at the sandpit when they can. I'm sad for her.

11/52

Look at this big girl. 

We have a houseguest, an artist, fresh from Paris. Wonderful to have the Ballroom lived in and really, to meet a new and lovely person. She helps in the kitchen and with Milla.

Meanwhile I've been walking. Doing the big walks as Oxfam Trailwalker training. Though I'm a sub, not sure if I'll be doing the event. Getting out of town, remembering old hiking and awenturing days. Also it's meant Milla and Charlie spending some long days together.

The garden has had a major refresh, 1.5 cubic metres of soil and said goodbye to the tomatoes. Now Milla will wait for the lemons to yellow.

20 months

Really good at remembering names. Really tired on Monday and Tuesday nights after running running running at childcare all day. Best friends with Toby (Toby Toby Toby!). Spent first night and day with just Charlie. Hot cross bun for breakfast. Eats all meals standing at tower, high chair gone. Wants to help, put nappy in bin or laundry, pack/unpack dishwasher, wash vegies, wipe up spills.

Goes to bed with Alpi, Doll and Peter 'Babbit'. Getting longer all the time. Loves to kiss and cuddle and greet and farewell.

Really getting into conversation, will run through all vocabulary and seek confirmation. Very content and peaceful sitting with tools out by the bikes. Knows an Allen key and where to use it.

Still very adaptable with people, happy with groups of people. Not interested in books.

Would benefit from moving into toddler room, her brain is exploding. Can say goodbye to me going to yoga or wherever and be relaxed.

Visiting my office. 

Love her love her love.

8/52

Warm night, big raindrops, pink sky. Milla quiet to bed. Charlie away.

Home on train, strawberries from Aldi disappearing fast. Unfriendly people on train, rare. Home to stand at counter, eat haloumi and more strawberries.

Into Milla's room, "Switch, light. Shoes, off, please. Buttons." Turns around for me to take her dress off. "Shorts, nappy. Up!"

Into bed to lie on her tummy and gaze at me lying on the couch. Chatting chatting. Pulls a blanket up over her head, turned away from me. Chatting chatting.

At some point she wants out and lies on me on the couch, soft fleece dressing gown covering her. Little eye peeping.

At home. 

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.

19 months

"The days are long but the years are short." True indeed, Gretchen Rubin.

Tomato harvesting. 

Milla at 19 months. Says 'bridge' as we pass under the West Gate. Goes to get a fresh nappy from the shelf, want to put the dirty one in the laundry bucket. Is still driving me crazy picking green tomatoes when I'm not looking.

Milla is pretty awesome. Pretends to drink from empty cups. And shares it. Gives Alpi first sip of her beloved milk. Kissed Charlie's scab very gently. We have her old cot set up in Ballroom and she lies there and takes Alpi and Doll with her.

Captured 'snow goose' being said on video. Very affectionate, curious, learning all the time. Can point 'up' and 'down' and say the words. Started to say 'please'! Says 'tuddle' for 'cuddle' with arms outstretched and 'tum' for 'come', with hand outstretched.

Is looking longer and sharper. Doesn't like sweet things, including my Dad's amazing chocolate ice-cream. Would rather eat olives.

Enjoys screen time! Play School and How to Train Your Dragon and Attenborough documentaries.

4/52

Good morning face. 

Wakes so happy. Going to bed earlier. Tomato harvesting gets her out of bed. Both Alpi and doll into bed with her. Still those big lips. More of a neck everyday.

Camping on the weekend, back near the Howqua where we'd taken tiny baby Milla at nine weeks old, Charlie's first Father's Day. She was one of many kids in the busy holiday weekend campground. Something we would have hated in the past as camping snobs... Horses camped nearby, noisy cockatoos waking us early, ducks in a brace parading.

We had two helpers, Charlie decided a ratio of 4:1 is perfect. Milla slept well both nights, we arrived Friday night to camp at 10pm. Hiked both days, Charlie rode up Buller twice and the weather was insanely good, much better than the forecast had me thinking. I should have brought swimmers.

3/52

Back out for another turn around the tomatoes. Milla says 'tomatoes' so that it sounds the same as 'mummy' and 'monkey'. She was allowed to pick a big one today. I'm belatedly trying to stake.

Tipped cold water down her pajamas.

She can say the 'l's in her name now. Can say my name too. Can identify one colour - pink!

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?

1/52

Milla says 'sit down', and pats the spot next to her. 

She says 'high five' and puts her little hand up. 

Backyard hosedown.

Charlie's been home with her this week as I went back to work and childcare was still closed. He reckons this is the best age. Learning so fast and so cute. Wiggle dance, funny creeping around, giving herself a fright when the washing machine starts up. Affectionate.