Rite of Passage

My title was going to be “That was the day that wasn’t” but Tammy used it yesterday, so i found a new one!

Today was Josie’s due date last year. As a reward, Fran and i picked her up a dolly while we were in town today. She’s been making off with Amelie’s for the last few weeks, much to Amelie’s fury, so we felt it was time. And oh how she loves it, she’s been “giving it love” all afternoon. More amusingly, she’s been giving it a bottle at every opportunity, you might think, given she’s still mainly breastfed, she’d feed it that way, but no. She gives it a bottle. There is probably something very deep about her understanding that it’s not really and feeling that breastfeeding is something we do, not something she is given, but whatever. It made me laugh wryly.

Can’t believe she is so close to being a year old. It’s incredible. Getting a dolly is a bit of a “you’re a girl now, not a baby” moment in this house.

Fran and i went into town together for a girly shop. We had lots of fun; she helped me spend some book vouchers, we bought some crafty bits, she picked out some figures from a medieval castle set she’s been coveting and spent all her pocket money, we looked for birthday presents for Josie and Xmas presents.

Yesterday the Titchy-Witch books arrived from The Book people. I left them lying about and when i came down this morning, she was reading them. They are great early readers, very engaging and althoguh they have less words on the page than she can do, they aren’t overpowering but do have “real language” in them, words that aren’t just there because they follow a phonics or language rule. I highly recommend them. Anyway, we took one on the bus with us and i really enjoyed hearing her read it to me. She’s read 10 books for her tree now.

When i got back, Maddy and i did some maths. I have to say (again) i really rate Singapore maths. We did a very well thought out set of pages on teen adding and making 10 up out of two groups of smaller numbers then counting the extra. it’s a concept i still can’t get across to Fran very well, but Maddy picked it up instantly.

Snuggled down with them all for Strictly Come Dancing. It’s probably the first time we’ve done that with a show of that sort, they are all well into it anyway. Josie has gone to bed for 8pm again, 4 nights running. Feels very weird to get a free evening.