Oli and Polly

A girl and her cat. 

(P.S. Not sure why a couple of these went kind of sepia toned when I uploaded them but I couldn't be bothered trying to fix it)

Olive turns 1!

We made it! We got Olive safely, happily and healthily to one year old. The lack of sleep hasn't killed us and the first 5 months of constantly carrying around a screaming baby seem like a distant memory. Every day I'm amazed at this perfect little person we've created. She's so funny and daggy and silly and cute and I can't imagine how life was before she came along.

We had a little party for her with a few close family and friends at Mum and Dad's. She had such a great time - chased balloons, ate loads of cake and played in the wrapping paper. A bit sad that my baby's gone forever, but can't wait for all the new things that her first year of toddlerhood will bring.  

Cherub.

11 months.

11 months old and she's such a kid now. She started walking properly just after she turned 10 months and now she's running around everywhere. I keep looking at her and wondering where this toddler came from. Everyone says it, but babyhood really just goes by so fast - I suppose even more so when your baby starts walking at 10 months. I even had my first night away from her for Sarah's Hen's night last week, which made her seem so much older to me. I, of course, felt pretty anxious the whole time I was gone, but her and Daddy had a great weekend together. 

Her favourite thing to do at the moment is to collect things (blocks, bits of paper, her brush, her dummy, books) and put them in whatever container she can find - a bucket, a tupperware container, a plastic box. Then she takes them all out and starts again. She's also become super cuddly. She loves a cuddle on the couch before bed, watching Play School or In The Night Garden (thank God for iPhones to keep parents entertained). She gets sweeter and cuter and funnier every day.

Beach babe.

Last summer was such a write off, with Olive being a tiny baby we hardly got a chance to enjoy the beach, even though we'd just moved back. This summer is going to be exactly how a summer with kids should be - sand, salt water, sunscreen and hot chips. 

Cousins

Two of my cousins also had baby girls last year. It was so sweet watching them play together yesterday, particularly since they all look like a lot like us as toddlers - it was like watching ourselves through a time machine. I can't wait to watch them grow up together, like we did: the sleepovers and playing on the trampoline, tip in the street (do kids still do that?), the laughs and the (inevitable) tears.