You are now 1 and a half years old sweetheart, really switched on, clever little cookie. You are full of life and you demand heaps of attention all the time. We love you so much. Doesn’t matter you just learned how to say “up!” and “move!” and you use it very well to our disadvantage, bossy little thing that you are.

Dad is often waking up earlier so you spend some time with him in the morning but I can’t sleep much longer because I can hear your little voice soon saying “mummy” and I am wide awake and my body aches to cuddle you. You run into the bedroom pushing past your dad and we all cuddle and lie in bed, then you demand milk and jump in front of us saying “up!” and “Mlkkk!”and supporting your demands with hand gestures. “up, up” you call and drag one or the other out of bed and to the fridge.

When we are in the kitchen you come and decide to play with things on the shelves and in the drawers and command “move” every few seconds so we give you access to the spaces you need to reach. Not very helpful I can tell you.

But any even toughest day you compensate with so much love and sparkly fun. For instance you tickle the feet of a grown-up and say ‘didlydidlydidlydeeeee’ or you want to be entertained by the large box with moving pictures and bring the Telecommander accompanied by ‘DudlyDudlyDudlyDoooo’.

So now you are fully potty trained although for some reason whilst you don’t have any accidents with us when you stay with other aunties or in childcare you do. Is it as a sign or protest?  You are happy to stay with other people and they all love you. You have two local aunties Victoria and Tuaine and Katja and Eugene. You stayed with Katja and Eugene when we went to Aitutaki and from how they talk about you and everything you did looked like they really enjoyed themselves with you, uncle Eugene was head over heels about you, you old charmer.

Whenever we come to pick you up though you run to us ready to leave, however much fun you had with others who sometimes spoil you to bits, you are ready to go. Oh no, wait – you say and look around and gather all your belongings. It’s the sweetest thing ever. You little person, pulling your bag and carrying your drink bottle. Now you are ready to go. You know where you belong and what is yours and you take care of it.

You now often wake up at night for mimi. Sometimes we sit you on your potty just before we go to sleep and you don’t wake up but somehow you register that you are on the potty and you pee and we have to hold you because you are completely limp. We put you then to your cot and you continue to sleep and burble a narrative of whatever is going on in your dreams.

Every one of these silly little things seems to a parent like a magical moment and it is so because your parents are so much in love with you

There are new photos – 1.5 year old now in your gallery  http://www.haumea.ws/1-year/

You and us, your parents, had a nice visit. We all enjoyed your grandparents staying here for the whole 5 weeks.

The first week, even though you were friendly and curious you scared your grandma a bit when you wanted to be with your mum and only with your mum, specially in the evenings when you were getting tired and needy.

You would laugh with your Oma and Opa, extend your hand to them trying to get their attention, ‘chat them up’ but when either of them wanted to take you in their arms you would cling onto your mama and not let go.  this made them at first a bit apprehensive about taking you for sleep overs but few days later they took the risk.

I knew that even though it looks so hard and you were getting so upset when I tried to give you to anyone else, even to your dad, few moments after i am gone you would go normal again and soon get used to new situation and lovely.  This is exactly what has happened. So you stayed for a night with your opa and Oma and give them all that joy you give us every morning.

They were playing with you and teaching you new things, you had long walks and fun in the water, they would sing you, potty train you and do all the things grandparents do with such a joy, love and patience that your parents sometimes lack.

I missed you each time you were away but we were able to enjoy the adult time an for this we were also so grateful. Sometimes it is difficult to have a little cheeky curious time and attention demanding little monkey like you with all the aunties, uncles and grandparents far away in Europe.  So we enjoyed each other, long bubbly breakfasts, adult discussions, long swims while you were enjoying every precious minute with two people who love you very much and came all this way to see you.

Your opa was hoping that next time you see them on skype video call you would recognise them and respond to them.  Sure enough you got very excited, even if just for few minutes as soon you were distracted with all the stuff on the table and the computer keyboards and on a mission somewhere but these first couple of minutes you spend looking at your grandparents and calling to them and you even looked behind the computer too see if they are not hiding somewhere there.  You will see them soon again and not just on the screen. Bet they can’t wait,,,

christmas eve will be always special for me. Dispite of its pagan, quite barbaran origin of Saturnalia, christmas also became a christian tradition, weather one is religous or not. it’s a family time too, a special time of sharing time and food.

Christmas are always special for children,either because they are being spoiled with presents or because they like the magic of it.  I hope you will have a chance to spend soon one of your Christmases with snow. white christmas seems far more enchanted and magical then the carefree, casual tropical ones.

You won’t be getting many christmas gifts my little one.  the best gift anyone can give you will be a chance to go to Europe to see your family and some new experiences so perhaps instead of many toys your family, our families can do just this – help us make sure we can take you to them and when you are there gift you a special trip, unusual day, new discovery…and so Christmas should be special for you, on the night of Christmas Eve we will tell you some tales of distant countries, their customs, places we will take you too, people close to you you will spend time with, things you will do, something to wait for and dream about

Christmas is particularly special for me because this is when marcus asked me to marry him – on a failed trip to see Christmas Eve night mass, on the footsteps of closed church, in the tropical summer breeze, in the middle of night, under hundreds of fairy lights. He had no ring and he forgot the head flower garland ei he had for me for this occasion and despite of this it was a perfect moment.

It was a big decision for both of us and each year we spend christmas together we can look back and think how right it was and be grateful for each other and for you too

Dad is baking an apple cake with advocate and we will soon go to Thomas to celebrate Christmas with his family and friends, big local Maori party with piles of food and heaps of children playing around, merry and fun

Merry Christmas our little one