Milestones

Milestones come thick and fast these days. In the past 2 weeks Stan has learned to clap, use a sippy cup, walk to me or Peter when we ask him to, and half an hour ago he learned to use a straw. But it's the one-offs and the untraditional milestones that are more memorable and poignant. I'll never forget taking Camilla to the Enchanted Forest in Oregon. She was petrified of the 3 bears, too scared to get out of the pushchair for half an hour after running from their house. But then she decided to go on a ferris wheel and bumper boats on her own! And I won't forget the other night, when she was standing on her chair, drawing on her chalk board, stark naked. "Mum! Dad! I've got chalk in my bum!" She removed the piece of chalk from between said buttocks and shouted "It's magic!" I hope I don't forget the times recently that she has told me she loves me, or yesterday when she said "I'm so glad to see you mum". I can't stop smiling every time Stanley does one of his quirky little head shakes, or when he sings 'ee i ee i o' to Old McDonald, or crawls into my lap and gives me a sloppy smooch on the lips. I go gooey when he waves 'night night' to everyone and asks me for his bedtime book. I felt proud that Camilla was so good at her first dentist appointment yesterday, and then I was tickled that after receiving a new toothbrush (with butterflies), a sticker, and a toy, and a banana she still asked where her treat was. And I felt wistful and sad when I noticed that Camilla's once-soft baby feet are now starting to develop callouses from walking. Every day something special happens to balance out the hard stuff - like this morning when I was changing a wriggling Stan's diaper in a public bathroom and heard Camilla say "Mum - I need to do a weeeeeeeeeeee", or the exasperation I felt last night when Camilla had been screaming with tiredness for 45 minutes but still wouldn't go to sleep. It's such a cliche, but the good moments make it all worthwhile.