32 months

Life barrels on with busy days and weeks at work. Milla's getting promoted to the 'Joey' room after a year in 'Platypus' where in the new year she became the most senior by a long shot. We've been riding in to the city most days - will we remember what it was like? Constant traffic diversions in the the CBD as the new metro is being built and thousands of floors of new apartments climb up and RMIT takes a new shape? Weather has been great to encourage the ride, and I've been quicker, Milla a cheerful passenger for the most part.

Easy like Sunday morning. Messing about on my bed.

Milla at thirty two months can tell people that she is two and a half and that her birthday is in July. Hasn't been getting up in the midnight morning for a walk and a drink of water. Been a reliable alarm clock around 7am.

Long beautiful hair with big ringlets at the end, threads of blonde through the brown. Still some days has wee 'accidents', much to our frustration. Still in night nappies that are usually very heavy upon waking. She wants to be out of it immediately on waking.

Tantruming just now as she wants to do typing. Sat up at computer the other evening and typed for a good long stretch, loving finding letters and delighting at seeing them appear on screen. It was a weird sight to me.

Can tell me about her day, who she played with, what she had for lunch, who was throwing sand! Who was hitting! Who did her hair.

Her Christmas bike has had the pedals and training wheels put on and we've got to get practicing more.

Milla at thirty-two months loves dancing to surf rock. Still talks about the gym and exercise with vivid energy (and imagination!).

The way she says "I do", as in, Damien Rice's song 'O' is playing and she's grooving and I ask, 'do you like this song?', "I do!".

28 months

Three nights camping. No sweat. Loved it.
Love this kid. She is really quite independent. Though terribly affectionate too.
We met a young Chinese guy called Jacky, he camped a night nearby us in Mansfield. In the morning he was packing up and Milla told me she wanted to give him a goodbye cuddle. I think she was too shy and just had a chat but it was a pretty cute instinct.
She and I had a grand time, two long leisurely days while Charlie was riding. Took the trailer out and did the rail tail towards Maindample. She walked, she snoozed, she sung, commentated. We went to parks, parks, parks.

Goofy family. 

This kid at 2 1/4.
Gets a sore red lip from eating a kiwi fruit.
Can count to seven for sure, sometimes 11.
Knows she is being funny/entertaining.
Latest catch cry is 'What's your name', though doesn't listen to answer. When asked she'll say her FirstNameLastName really fast and quiet and it's not comprehensible.
Knows happy, sad, grumpy, scared. Scared is for lawnmowers. And vacuum cleaners.

Mostly I collect her from childcare, around 4:40, to screams of 'MY MUMMY!!' or utter indifference. We have some routines, I must have snacks, she usually has a shoulder ride. She can point out platform numbers and knows we go home via Platform 6 at North Melbourne. Still obsessed with Flagstaff station (we've never gotten of there).

23/52

This kid. Drinking from her tiny class cup. Eating meals all by herself. Getting tired and touching the bin to get my attention. Hugging me intensely. With her quiet peaky face in the Ergo after childcare. With a wet fringe in the winter rain, no hat. Sounding like she's saying 'duck' as we read 'I Went Walking'.

Wild child shredding herbs. 

No new rhythm yet, Charlie away for work this week so solo working parent. Picking Milla up from care is great and horrid all at once. Dropping her off is just horrid. Going for a long run and shopping in my 'free time' is lovely.

Less anxious these days about her naps. Still giving that final tiny breastfeed in the mornings. She crawls outside and shreds my basil and feeds herself dirt.  

22/52

Turns out it's week 22 and therefor I'm somewhat behind. I was making up the week numbers as I went so it's not really a surprise.

Eating dirt.

Week 22 is the week the leads us to Milla being 11 months. She's sleeping a lot, talking a lot, got shiny hair that is growing fast. She's still really good at hugs. While we waited for Charlie yesterday evening, she helped me weed the driveway and in a few minutes learn the word 'moon', not to say, but could identify when asked where it was.

Week 22 was childcare orientation. Yesterday five hours. I steadied myself. Milla ate, played, napped, ate and played. She is one of the more roly-poly kids there. And boisterous, but generally quiet.

Week 22 is my last week of leave, last week of this mad, wonderful year. I love my career but I also feel like my heart and soul are going to be bruised with the upcoming change.

Care

Child care orientation. I'm sobbing in the corridor. Milla bewildered and quiet on the floor in 'Koala' room. Can't believe how hard this feels. I just want to hold her.

Peeping in on her.