All Grown Up

Sniff.

Kate is no longer 'a baby' anymore (well, not even 'a toddler'). She's a LITTLE GIRL.

Looking back, I can see how it crept up on us. She's more into drawing, face-painting, dressing up, etc. She doesn't chew on things (except chocolate and cheese). She can be left to play alone for short periods of time (while keeping an ear out for the inevitable sneak to the larder for chocolate).

But the thing that really hit home for me was when I got home from work yesterday evening. She was upstairs taking a bath, heard me come in and started chirping, "MUMMY! MUMMY! MUMMY!"

To date, she has always called me "Mama" and James "Dada" - the cutest thing ever. So when I heard her say, "MUMMY!" I actually thought she was saying, "MONEY!" (which, though I haven't mentioned it here before, has become somewhat of a fixation for her. In fact, every time James comes home from work (or, rather, every time James has coins in his pocket - she has a sixth sense about this) she rushes to him, begging, "MONEY!" with a tiny little hand held out. I am of the belief she has about £100 stashed away in her mattress from these little 'donations')

But nooooo, when I went up to the bathroom to say hello, she continued with her, "MUMMY! MUMMY! MUMMY!" and I realised that my little baby is all grown up. This morning I told her that I actually preferred 'Mama' but she pursed her little lips and said, "Mummy" with a very firm voice, and I knew it was over.

James thought it was funny until she turned to him and said, "Daddy!"

I PROMISE I will post the pictures of her birthday before she has another one.