The 52 Project: 42/52

'A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week in 2015.'

Dear Ruby,

We went to a Forest School for the first time this week, which meant you got to wear wellies for the first time ever. You walked like an astronaut on the moon and insisted on being carried. So it didn't take me long to suggest wearing your Summer sandals instead. You were delighted with this idea and themoment  you were back in familiar footwear, you were off and running, not perturbed in the slightest by the Autumn chill that is in the air. 

You have also discovered the delights of quinoa this week, which you call, 'pee wah wah'. Your love of Babybel cheeses is showing no signs of waning - every time we open the fridge, you come and request 'baby'. It's a good thing we understand what you mean. Other people might be disconcerted by your association between fridges and babies, but thankfully, it makes complete sense. 

Lately, you have become determined to push modes of transport, rather than being pushed in them. For example, trolleys at the supermarket and your buggy. What a sight it is to see your little frame pushing around giant trolleys and buggys. I love your determination. 

Your language amazes me on a daily basis and I have been thinking a lot lately about how grateful I am that I get to spend my days with you. It would be so much harder to join up the dots of the stories you tell and the thoughts you share with us if I wasn't the one living out those experiences with you. This week, you have talked a lot about fire and bananas ('filowah, nana!') after we ate cooked bananas and chocolate at Forest School. I love this stage of language development where you communicate so much but in incomplete sentences. Last month, I started writing a list of words that you can say, and got to about 150 words. I have since stopped writing that list, because I can't keep up. Every day you say new things, and piece words together into short sentences ('let's go!...all fall down...this one...Immi, Sasa (Susannah), jump!') I am sure that soon enough I will be jotting down whole conversations that we have. 

All my love,

Mama xxx

P.S As it's my birthday today I thought I would break away from the norm and use a portrait of the both of us from our morning walk to the beach today.