Milestones a-go-go

Family holidays can be a little intense (the one last year with 3 families was more relaxing), but there are some up sides.

Elissa said her first word yesterday, and it was "ball". At least it wasn't "car" which was both her brother's first words. This is the first word which really means the same thing to us as her. She says "mama", and has done for a couple of months, but it means "I need attention - NOW!" and doesn't refer to me specifically. She also said it over and over, making it convincing - unlike when she said the same word, in reference to an actual ball only once or twice a couple of months ago.

Ben learned to swim. Actual swimming with strokes, rather than the "failing to drown" technique he used to employ. That technique was actually very efficient, which is why he took so long to learn to swim properly, but he is now doing a believable, if slow, freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke.

And Charlie finally decided that going to the toilet unaccompanied, at least for a wee, is a Good Thing. His mother thinks it is nothing short of a Bloody Miracle.