12 months a baby, well nearly

Esther is almost a year old. I'm not sure how this has happened. It's a little surprising as unlike Nancy whose early life seemed glacial by comparison, Esther is like a Japanese knotweed but in the most glorious sense of that particular invasive species.

Despite since initial preciosity with regard to her locomotion, she is still on all fours but moves like a thorough bred. The stairs are increasingly interesting to her but she has yet to really clutch that dangerous nettle but it is only a matter of time before she masters them putting the whole house within her grasp. Which is vaguely terrifying, but vaguely lovely too.

She has settled into a lovely new childminder, who oddly lived in our house before we bought it, and after a few days of relentless carrying and mad sobbing whenever her parent left her she is had made peace with her new routine and is very happy there. In fact she bloody loves it.

She remains the platonic image of loveliness in baby form, if a little overly fond of nipping human flesh with her two teeth for our liking. And more importantly she had recognised the comedic potential of flatulence, a potential her sister is the matter of so has a lot to live up to.

And she is increasingly chatty - she has definitely mastered "dada" meaning her father not the conceptual art movement and more will follow. In short order. Amazingly, she is a dancer. Thanks to her sister's relentless patronage of Absolute Radios 70s, whenever a solid gold 70s classic comes on the wireless Esther body pops like a loon.

The future is looking bright. Enjoy. X x