Ruby at 18 months

When Ruby turned six months old, we celebrated with half a cake to represent half of her first year. I hoped we would continue with this tradition of celebrating half birthdays, but we didn't quite manage to acknowledge it yesterday when she turned eighteen months old. I baked plenty of cakes, but none of them were for us.

I thought I'd mark the occasion (just a day late) by writing down some of the things I want to remember about Ruby at this age.

I want to remember...

The way your hair sticks out horizontally every morning when you get out of bed, then softens into the most beautiful golden curls once we brush it.

How much you understand. At the start of each day, I try to tell you the plan of what we are going to do. Not only do you remember, but you talk about it in your own special way. For example, on Wednesday I told you that we were going to go to your friend's house, and then we were going to the farm with our friends. For the next half an hour until we left the house, you walked around the house signing 'friend' and saying, 'house, house, house.'

Your singing. I must make a video of this, but it is just wonderful. You sing a song from our swimming class most days, and you also sing, 'see saw, marjorie daw...' - just the tune without words, but it is very clear from your actions and the notes that you sing, that these are songs that you know. You particularly love it when we sing 'wind the bobbin up' and 'incey wincey spider', but you don't sing along, you just do the actions with a beaming smile on your face.

The way you identify our belongings around the house. Often during the day, I'll hear you shout, 'Dada! Dada!' while Daddy is at work. I look to see where you are, and you're invariably pointing to an item of Daddy's clothing or shoes that you know belong to him. You do the same with my clothes too.

How fascinated you are by the sewing machine. If ever I am sewing, you request to sit on my lap. You quickly learned how to lift and lower the presser foot, and how to turn the machine off and on.

The way you like to have the plug sockets in the hallway turned on. If ever we flick them off, you notice very quickly and remedy the situation so they are on again.

The way you sing the noises you hear different machines make - coffee maker & grinder, hair dryer, helicopter, strimmer - any appliance that makes a noise, you emulate it. I wonder if this is the beginning of you having a musical ear.

How you can identify different bird sounds - so far you can imitate seagulls, owls and pigeons.

The way you say, 'No.' It's never just singular. It's always, 'no, no, no.' Apparently I do this too.

How you love doors and garden gates to be shut. Thankfully, you have never trapped your finger in one.

How most days, you have a three course breakfast. Porridge followed by granola, finished with toast or a bagel. You're certainly living by the old adage of 'breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dinner like a Pauper.'

How you like to hug our necks as you fall asleep with your face pressed as close to mine or Daddy's as possible.