=====

Dear Olive,
I was lucky enough to have Monday off and as I was feeding you before your morning nap, I picked up one of your teddies and told him about the fun morning we'd had. How we'd caught the bus, where we went, who we met, what we had for lunch. As I walked out of the room I heard you saying this to your cat teddy ... "Hi Cat. Bus. Two bus! Library. Amelia, Clover. Books! Cafe. Sosso roll!" The entire morning, word for word, in nouns. You're going to kill me with your cuteness one of these days, I tell you. 
I took this photo at 6.30 this morning. Don't let that innocent fact fool you. It was taken just before you tore my office to shreds.

=====

Dear Olive,
Smile. Cranky. Surprise. Happy twenty months funny face.

=====

Dear Olive,
I overheard the cutest conversations between you and Roxy yesterday. One particularly funny exchange saw you earnestly following an instructive demonstration on how to pick dried snot from your nose. It would appear you found her tips most helpful. I should probably ask Roxy for an instructive tutorial on photography, after finding these photos on my camera. Love her three year old perspective.

=====

Dear Olive,
You threw your arms up and yelled I love you as I walked in the door Saturday afternoon. Ok, so it sounded far closer to an indecipherable version of wa wu but I knew exactly what you meant. So sweet it gave me a little tear. 
Sundays game of hide and seek in the gum trees with Louis was a lot of fun.

=====

Dear Olive,
Happy 18 months (and a few days) to my most adorable, cheeky, grubby-faced, not-so-baby girl. You bring me indescribable joy.

Unforgettable #6

Dear Olive,
Your first two word sentence. Spoken upon entering the bathroom. Er, a literal description of the scene before you ... "Dad poo".
Succulent and fleurs Valentines gifts.

Unforgettable #5

Dear Olive,


You no longer crawl. You walk. Endlessly, aimlessly. Around the house, through the park, along the promenade, over the sand. Around and around and around. 

That's Anna you're following around. Her Mum's Jen, she's the one who got you that cute little Rittenhouse onesie you're wearing. Come to think of it, she's the one who got me onto the whole world of blogs too.

Unforgettable #4

Dear Olive,


Last week, on your 11 month birthday, you took your first few wobbly steps. A bit like a drunk man. I'm yet to fully capture the magic on film, but so far the count is up to 5 steps (although the scales are most definitely tipped in favour of the belly-flop-face-plant combo). Cute plus.

Unforgettable # 2

Dear Olive,


It's nearing the end of the day. You've eaten dinner. You're waiting for the bath. You hear a key turning in the lock. You go crazy! Mass hysteria and a mad scramble for the door. And then? Big beautiful cuddles for Dadda.

Unforgettable #1

Dear Olive,

You've started to cuddle. Me, Shane, soft toys, friends. We woke up at the same time a few days ago and I rolled over and nestled my head into your chest. You put your tiny arms around my neck. And squeezed. I always want to remember that feeling. The feeling of your first cuddle.