Day 248: 13 July 2026

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 Reflection


On the night before you turn one…

I grow nostalgic.

I think about the first time we saw you via ultrasound. I was giddy! Even then I couldn’t wait to meet you. You were the most precious thing.

I think about the night when you were born and remember how when the midwife put you on my chest — your little head popping up through the neck of my top, your skin to mine — I thought you were the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen, the most wondrous thing that I’d ever seen. To be fair, nearly twelve months later, I still think that.

I remember how we struggled with breast feeding, which I naively thought was just natural. I remember how our usual midwife was on holiday and we got lost in the paperwork shuffle. And as a result, we ended up back in hospital for a few days.

I look back on all of the firsts you’ve had. All the usual baby firsts: laugh, smile, roll over, crawl, solid food, word. But also some ones unique to our family: first National Trust visit, first international flight.

I can remember when your whole little would fit snuggled into my torso but sometime months ago you grew longer. Now you either have to really bunch up, or we have to find room for your legs.

I delight in the fact that you can now: give hugs and kisses, say book and block and bath, climb up your slide, and walk along furniture.

Everyday you grow more and more you. And although it seems impossible, every day I love you more.

Happy almost birthday Little One!

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