My Mum's group (minus 2 mums and bubs who were unwell) celebrated a joint first birthday party for all our littlies on Saturday. It's lovely to get everyone together again, as now that most of us are back working we don't have the luxury of time anymore.

I miss being with my beautiful beguiling little girl throughout the week. Time with her is even more precious now. At the weekends we three indulge in a morning nap together in our bed and it is heart warming to wake up to little eyes smiling at you as she coos and giggles a hello before clambering over you to get to the ground. Sophs is properly walking (toddling - so cute!) now and gives herself a clap every time she does; clapping is relatively new too, and she uses it to express happiness at places, objects, actions, anything that pleases her. Today for the first time she clapped as we drove around the corner and she saw our home out of the car window, and then clapped again as we drove into the carpark. She ate all of her fruit with dinner and before I could clap and praise her she started clapping herself with a big grin on her face pre-empting me!

We've seen a glimpse of tantrums to come as she throws toys hard on the ground and pulls a disgusted face if we misunderstand what it is she wants, or don't respond quickly enough. I try hard not to laugh at her but it is quite comedic. She continues to explore the world around her with a fascination and relish that enables us to see things with new eyes. She goes up stairs at top speed with such excitement about being able to do so, and keeps turning around whilst doing her self-congratulatory giggle to look at us as if to say 'look what I can do'! Her little personality is emerging more and more and she is just delightful, every day we feel so lucky and blessed to have Sophia in our lives. She is worth all of the hard work!