Progress

I thought I'd record here where my youngest daughter is up to with her development. That way I don't upset or offend anyone, especially as I know how hard it can be to read about what other children are doing if yours isn't. Eve isn't a genuis child. There are things others can do that she can't, and there are things she does that others can't. This is purely self indulgent really. I want to shout from the rooftops what my baby has achieved, but feel a bit bad for doing so, as I don't want it misconstrued. So here is a safe place to do it :) Tomorrow she will be two and a half.
Eve is my ray of sunshine. All my children are. They light up my life. I miss my older two when they're with their dad (2-3 nights a week) and I love my time with my youngest, Eve, who is with me all the time apart from two afternoons when she now goes to playgroup - she started on Friday 11th March.
She knows her colours, red green blue yellow orange purple pink, plus black and white. She is potty trained during the day - uses toilet or potty depending on her mood, and has done since around Christmas. I put her to bed last night without a nappy on and she was dry this morning. Her nappies over the past few mornings have been dry so it seemed a natural progression, but we'll see! She has a wonderful vocabulary, speaks clearly, though still says 'gogoch' instead of chocolate! She can count to ten, though sometimes misses number three and six out. She has started drawing faces - I have her best one (which actually looks like a face) on my phone. I will upload and add!
She loves being out side (which is where she is at the moment, digging in our vegetable patch and eating chives - probably shouldn't have shown her they were edible...
I love the conversations we have, she makes me smile and giggle with some of the things she comes out with. Above all, she's so good natured and chilled. Yes, we do have the odd tantrum, and some days she drives me potty with her constant demanding - until I give in - but most of the time she's so pleasant, and so happy. Each of my three children have been different and special in their own ways. I love them all with every bit of me.

So tonight, I decided to try and trace an old friend. I lost touch with Helena a long time ago. I moved a couple of times having split with my then partner (who she knew me with) and she has moved too, as her husband is in the army.

I remembered a mutual friend, and it's taken me ages - months - to remember his surname, but finally I did, and tonight I searched for him on Facebook. I found him! I've sent him an email rather than a friend request in case it's not him. But I know it is. We used to be really good mates, proper drinking buddies. Brings back so many memories!
His brother married a friend of mine. She wasn't a close friend, but everybody knew everybody else in that village. She died of skin cancer about 3 years ago. She was only young, 31 I think. She left two little boys behind. She still has a facebook profile, and a beautiful black and white picture of herself up. I still think about her sometimes.

Before I found Helena, I found Rob, my first love. That was strange. Especially to see pictures of him with his child and a wedding ring on his finger. I am glad he looks so happy. I fell out of love with him and broke his heart. I handled it completely wrongly at the time. I can see that now.

Anyway, I found Helena. She lives in Belize now - one of the few destinations on my 'places to visit before I die' list. She looks like a typical army WAG...tanned, mini dress, peroxide hair...she was always a bit crazy and there was always a little bit of me that was scared of what she might do sometimes....maybe she's mellowed with age though? We'll see I guess. Hoping I get a reply, and we can start the reminiscing!! And maybe I can even book myself a ticket to Belize :)

How life has changed. When i'm ready I will write about how.