SHE SPEAKS!

. . . but not to me!!

Apparently (for T and her mum), Alice will say, "Up!" But I've never heard it and Alice is definitely not a performing animal and will never do things on command, but will perform for the gallery if SHE feels like it! After being told by T's Mum that Alice said it to her too, I've spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get her to demand 'Up', to no avail.

Our bedtime routine is secure now, sometimes she bathes, sometimes not, but babygrow is always followed by bottle, bag and bed. When we're at home the bottle is always in the rocking chair in her room, she takes 4-5 oz lying in my right arm, her body across mine and then the remains of the bottle sitting up on my tummy facing me. All of the bottle happens whilst listening to a Lullaby CD (thanks E and family) and then we listen to a track or 2 more when she's finished drinking, while we rock. Over the last 2 weeks or so (while home) I've noticed that the final tracks (whatever's playing but the music after the bottle) I'm actually getting very physical hugs, initiated by Alice, 1 or 2 tracks is becoming 3 or 4 while I revel in my daughter's love and let her know just how much it is reciprocated. My heart swelled even more tonight when she said (when prompted but without being upset), "Mum, mum, mum!" over and over again.

The very best ending to a very stressful day.