Barely even able to believe it. Eighteen months have flown since that first moment we held that tiny little scrap of a baby in our arms. Since she was plucked form the warmth and brought into the world. Since she made her mark in the family. And what a mark it has been! Elsie Rose is everything that we dared to imagine. Feisty. strong willed, funny and energetic. And though she has only been here for 18 months, we truly feel she has been here forever.
I want to bottle now. Now, in all it’s imperfect glory. All the tantrums, early mornings and night wakings. All the hospital appointments, mealtime battles and hair wash sagas. All the arm grabbing, toy snatching and leg pulling reflux. These are the not so great moments in life with Elsie Rose. But they are the reality, and only such a small part of who she is. I want to bottle it all, because it is all so precious. And it will all be over so soon, leaving a space that no other baby will fill.
She is the last.
And I want to remember it all. The way she says “shoos shoos” for both juice and shoes. The way she crinkles her face and mimics the actions to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The way she she climbs absolutely everything. She is nothing like her siblings, in any way. And that is just what we wanted. For our youngest child to make her mark as her, as the others have done before her.
She loves books.
She loves counting.
She LOVES singing.
She loves to hold your hands in the kitchen and stamp her little feet to music. Music has really claimed her soul. Music makes her happy.
She loves bath time.
She loves swimming.
She loves toys, of any kind.
She loves to explore, investigate and find out about everything around her.
She is your average toddler, but so much more. And during all those months of sickness and fear, when we wondered whether this time we might not actually bring a baby home from the hospital, we never dared to dream she would be this wonderful.
We’ve had our stresses. Elsie has been prescribed a steroid inhaler but her strength of will and determination has prevented us from getting her to take it. Oh, she’ll play. She’ll always play. But she won’t inhale. And so we were prescribed other medicine, to sprinkle onto her food. Much mum guilt followed after she suffered nightmares (a common side effect, sadly) so we’re back on the inhaler battles. But she is coping. She is fine. She is on top. If we are on top of medications and the little things that make managing her condition that little bit easier, we are all on top.
So Elsie Rose is 18 months old. She is a walking, semi-talking machine of destruction. She is cheeky, charming and full of wit. How very lucky we are. And while I complain about the fact she still wakes in the night, deep down I know that these are the days I will remember forever. The weight of her little body as she leans her head against my shoulder. The little rise and fall of her chest as she sighs, and settles in to me. The warmth of her arm across my chest- claiming me, needing me. Those are the little moments that I will look back on and smile. For she is the last. She was so very nearly not here. She is our brave and courageous Elsie Bobbers and gosh we are so so very lucky.
IUGR 0- Elsie 1
She is just utterly adorable and don’t you find the youngest to be the most feisty!! Glad she is doing well despite being a monkey with her medication.
Time certainly just passes before her eye, I remember when you had Elsie, seems like only yesterday! She’s thriving the little beauty.
What a little beauty. She has such a beautiful smile. Time goes so quickly. I think you notice it so much more when becoming a mum x
Awww what a lovely post. She is a very special girl. I love that she is so passionate about music and singing. That’s adorable. I wish I could bottle everything up too. Time goes way too quickly x
I love this post, so full of a Mother’s love! Our number four also broke the mould, so different from his older siblings in good and bad ways but we love him for this. I love that all my children are so different from each other and yet there is something so similar about them too. Aren’t we lucky to be Mummy’s to such amazing little people xx
She is so cute. I think Sebby is our most feisty too – must be a younger sibling thing
You have such a beautiful and adorable daughter. Im glad she is doing well. X
Thank you! xx
Doesn’t it go quickly? People always used to say that to me and I would roll my eyes and think “how can years pass quickly”? I get it now. I realised the other day that my toddler was missing. There was a little girl there but the toddler had gone. I cried myself to sleep that night.
Ah bless you. Its hard to admit isn’t it, especially as Elsie is the last one xx
I remember her at BM last year when she was so tiny now look at her!! They grow up far to fast don’t they!
I know. Where does the time go?? x x
So funny, I read through this and nodded about the strong will of the youngest child, we have a fellow climber here and clearly, judging by the comments we are not alone. Happy 18 months beautiful girlie, it sounds like you’ve had your fair share of worries and concerns but I’m so happy to see that you’re positive and clearly relishing every little milestone….. That heavy heart felling when you know you final baby is now a toddler, but a bright cheeky and mischievous one at that!
Ah yes, no longer a baby. But I can’t work out if I like this stage more or not. Its certainly a lot of fun! xx
How precious!!! Do bottle the memories because those 18 months are going to turn to 18 years in no time!
Ah I know! Time goes so so fast but I really am enjoying it now xx x
This is such a challenging age, I remember it well. My hot is now 3 and is still a machine of distruction haha
Cydney x
Haha yes I think some kids are just born that way! Good luck!!! x x x
She’s such a pretty little girl. My little girl loves music too. She’ll be 16 months next week. She wriggles her bum to it but she can’t stand or walk yet. She has been into music since the age of 7 months. Gorgeous photos
Ah thank you! I love that bum wiggle dance they do! This is such a fun age, enjoy! xx x
A lovely update my son is 18 months in June time really does go by so quick.
Ah it really does!! Such fun though, I truly love this age xx
The machine of destruction bit made me smile, she sounds like a complete ball of energy and she obviously doesn’t let any little niggle stop her at all. Happy one and half year Elsie Rose 🙂 xx
Ah thank you. Yes she really is a complete ball of energy- exhausting but so much fun at the same time!! xx