Next level of knackerdom

It only seems like a couple of weeks since Jasmine took her first steps. Now there's no stopping her. She's desperately impatient to move and every spare second she has is dedicated to pulling herself up, toddle-trucking and cruising. She's also sort of getting the hang of crawling on her hands and knees (as opposed to on her belly army-stylee) but would much rather be on her feet.

It's all about pride mixed with fear at this stage. For every new achievement the physical exertion is written all over her face and body, and it's a real, tear-welling moment of pride when she succeeds.

But she also needs constant supervision. Turn away for a second and she's on the other side of the room, turning out contents of a bottom draw, complete with plastic bags and mothballs. And I realise now that nothing is sacred - every shelf, cupboard and draw that Jazzie can reach is no longer just "our stuff" but is now buried treasure for baby explorers.

It's all fantastic, but also really knackering. I'm pretty used to being physically knackered all the time but this is emotionally knackering too, which makes it worse. I'm so knackered I fell asleep on the sofa in a knackered stupor again last night and when I finally made it upstairs (ie the bf had to prod me awake and force me to get up) I was too knackered to brush my teeth (something I haven't done for about 5 years) and just climbed knackeredly into bed. Sigh.

Officially a toddler

Jasmine is officially a toddler!

We'd been ticking along nicely, then last week Jasmine decided to ramp it up on the developmental milestones.

She took her first steps on Sunday, assisted by Grandma. Then four days after that, managed to crawl for the first time - as in forward crawling, mooncrawling doesn't count.

At first it was sheer pleasure, now it's abject terror. She's mighty insistent (= loud) when she wants something, so now begins the backbreaking months of walking her round the house whenever she likes.

We got her a toddle truck for her birthday which she is totally obsessed with. The only thing is, you can't steer or turn a toddle truck. My friend Caroline B, another Whittington mum, said her bub is going through that phase of going stiff all the time when she tries to sit Rosie down, because she wants to stand. Jasmine has been doing that for a fair few weeks too, but has now thrown in the added challenge of not letting go of the push handle of her truck. Even when you try to turn it around.