List of things Emily is doing right now that I don't want to forget

When the doorbell rang on the weekend, as we were reading stories before bed, she stopped everything, looked at me and said: "Qui?"

When I asked her where something was, she pointed at it and said "Ici."

When I read her the William Wegman book (called "Baboo" by Emily), I always ask her: Are you a painter? Are you a fire fighter? Are you a ....? and she always says, after each on: no, in her own snappy little way.

Her peals of laughter when I pretend to chase her or when I hide and then jump out at her or when she gives me a big, gross open mouthed kiss and I pretend (?) to be disgusted.

Her pride in putting on her rubber boots by herself. She marches around like she has just won a million dollars.

How everytime she sees a pillow she says: "mama, dodo" and points at the pillow and asks me lay down. She then puts a blanket on me and lays down beside me. If John is there, she wants him to join us too.

How in the bathtub when she's had enough, she tries to sing the putting-the-toys away song but it ends up sounding like this: "bah-do, bah-do", instead of "toys away, toys away". Go figure.

How she can't get enough food. This is a welcome relief after her initial few months on solids when she wouldn't touch baby food and even when she started real solids when she would really only eat cheese or macaroni. Now, she is eating everything. I mean, everything... sandwiches, clam chowder, chili, as much yogurt and frozen blueberries as we'll allow. And of course, ham and cheese. Meat is less of a favourite unless it is in the form of shawarma.

How she wakes up happy, talking to herself, the pictures on the wall, or to no one in particular.

How she happily goes to sleep on her own, talking away or just floating into sleep with no fear of being by herself or left to cry on her own. This is a major reward after her not sleeping well or going to sleep easily for the first 14 months.

How she gets to the door as fast as possible shouting "mummy, mummy, mummy" when I walk in and gives me the biggest hug and lots of kisses. I wonder if I'll miss that greeting when I'm home with her again full time. Nah. It will be even better to know that she doesn't have to greet me like that at the end of the day because I'll be there all day long.