23 months/ 15 weeks

1. 23 months

Oh poo monkey, can you really only be one month away from turning two? Hell yeah. Three words sum you up right now: Little Miss Independence. You want to do everything, and I mean everything by yourself, and woe behold a parent who helps you with a task. To that parent, their just reward- you will unleash a banshee like wail of fury, loudly declare "Mummy/Daddy do wrong thing- I do it!" and stamp your feet with the passion of a flamenco dancer. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we're afraid...and all too often we (or rather Mummy) is just plain exasperated. Welcome to the twos.

With your growing independence in mind (and the arrival of Usurper in June, by which time we will be depending on it) your Mummy and Daddy have spent most of the Christmas break making some big changes to the backyard and verandahs. The clever use of unobtrusive fencing, and the artful arrangement of play spaces- fancy a cup of tea in my little house Dorothy? Or how about a go down the slipper dip followed by sandpit time?- we have transformed our outside areas into a wonderland for you to explore, create and roam freely. And you are loving it. You are racing around, zinging with that enviable toddler energy which you must burn! burn! burn! until you practically collapse at naptime.

Mmmm naptime. You hold out as long as possible (sometimes almost 3pm- eek!), and then crash for a couple of hours...and then you want to be up until about 9 at night. OK for holiday time, but something that will need to be fine tuned in the future. If you have your timing right, you should be happy to ditch the daytime siesta just around the time your little brother or sister arrives...

But I digress. It is fabulous to see you being so physical at last, climbing, (almost) jumping, running, riding your rocking horse, even having a few precursory attempts at pedalling your trike. At the same time it is just as fantastic to hear your chattering away to yourself, playing out imaginative scenarios and honing your skills in the language we call English. Most significantly, this month has seen you make the switch to using "I" rather than "Abi" most of the time. It's also seen your favourite phrase become "I don't like it", but let's not go there.

All in all you are a cheerful cherub, and thankfully a healthy one, albeit with lots of scratches and minor bumps from your fearless explorations. We're still waiting for your second top left hand incisor, in addition to your two year old molars (they can all wait), making you the most unique teether in history. But whatever.

I should mention Christmas. You loved it, but were somewhat perplexed by the endless stream of presents, including a playhouse, Dorothy cuddly, click clack car track, sand and water table...and an electric Dora car. Especially when there weren't presents to open the following day. You enjoyed a visit from Santa, or should I say Santa Dad, as Mummy quickly cleared up questions of identity before you burst into tears. You still ask specifically for Santa Dad to make an appearance, even after figuring out that "Santa's gone- see you later mate" at your first post Christmas shopping centre visit. No one doubts that you are one smart and savvy cookie my girl.

Where to next, my not so baby girl? Toilet training is just around the corner, seeing as you tell us in no uncertain terms when you are doing your business, and are fixated with your potty book. Think we'll hold off a little while longer- if you'll pardon the pun- until t he candles from your birthday cake have been blown out. And your memories of your one off three day constipation episode (in which the drought was ended most publicly in the local newsagents, with a loudly exclaimed "I've really dome a poo!" after mummy had just had a pep talk from the pharmacist about using a glycerin suppository no less) have well and truly faded from memory..

For now, let's get back to playing tea parties. Yes Mummy really would like a cuppa Abi, and aren't you clever for balancing the cup on the saucer.

Love you gorgeous girl.

2. Usurper
What can I say, small human like creature within? You're public knowledge, you're making your presence known by my ever expanding belly and the occasional delicate movement...the clock is ticking. All is well (except for t he backache, but who's sooking?) and we'll get to see you in a few weeks' time. Can't wait.

We do love you, and you will be given plenty of love and attention. Just don't read what mr nice guy has to say about some recent research into birth order and quality time with parents. We'll prove them wrong..