Gingatopia

Annus Mirabilis

What a truly remarkable, an absolutely marvellous, year this last twelve months has been. I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again, but I will never sufficiently understand why I resisted Jillian, and her desire to have a baby, for so long. As I've grown older, time certainly seems to have flown by with ever increasing speed, but this must be, unquestionably, the quickest, the most rewarding and joyous year of my life; and I know that Jilly and Kieran would agree with me.

In her short little existence so far, Evelyn [a.k.a. Liddle Princess Speck, Princess Starfish, Princess Peachy Head, Liddle Monkey, Monkey Legs, Liddle Trumpet Trousers, Captain Baldhead*, [inevitably, perhaps] Buggerlugs [though, I prefer Luggybugs!], Liddle Poppy Cat and, perhaps cleverest of all - and this is what having a big brother should be about - Missy Pot Belliot*] has managed to cram so much in; and she's still surprising Jilly, Kieran and I.

At one-year-old, Evelyn has:

• six beautiful teeth,


• an ever expanding vocabulary - Evelyn is definitely making requests for things now by pointing at them and demanding, "Dat!". Obviously, she's trying to say 'that'; an abbreviation of, "Want that one", perhaps?


• a small group of...er...small buddies,


• developed an obvious love of swimming,


• learned that farting IS funny, and


• developed a reputation as an irresistable old-lady magnet.

While Evelyn is still not walking as naturally as some of her older buddies, Evelyn is capable of:

• standing, unsupported, or leaning nonchalantly against furnture...er...or other people,


• climbing the stairs alone [and has climbed up the full flight of stairs, on to the first floor], and


• helping herself to food from the fridge [that's my girl!].

*These are each names thought up by Kieran, Evelyn's favourite older brother!