Katie's too big for the bath seat so we've been using a mat that sticks to the bath.

 

For a week this led to Katie being very upset every time I put her in the bath but once we introduced a plastic penguin on a boat things went much better.

 

Now instead of using her delaying tactics and then crying a lot when we eventually take up her upstairs, Katie is keen to go upstairs to see penguin in the bath and then will let me put her in the bath so she can join penguin.

 

Sometimes the littlest things make the biggest difference.

 

Lots of teeth coming through and we're into double figures now.

 

We're also back into sleepless nights.

 

I suppose it must be painful to have teeth push through your gums.

 

Or "nana" as Katie calls it.

 

Another word added to the vocabulary.

When I watch TV shows such as The Secret Millionaire (C4 show where a wealthy person who wants to put something back into the community is sent to spend two weeks in a very poor area in Britain where conditions are bad and there's little for youngsters to do) I realise how fortunate we are to have so many places nearby for Katie to go and play.

 

At the park that's just a couple of minutes from our house she can burn off some energy in a safe environment and she also loves watching other kids play.

 

Yesterday we took Urs' mum to the park too.

 

Of course, you'd hope that everyone who uses the park would respect it but that's not always the case. Some idiot left a scrunched-up empty drink can lying around - sharp edges and all. And to think there's a bin within five yards of where it was.

 

And we lost count of the numbers of adults who, on bringing in their child to the park, left the gate open. How stupid is that?

 

Inconsiderate people's actions always annoy me.

 

 

 

Katie's such a wriggler that I don't quite get in all the hugs I'd like to.

 

One cunning tactic is to pick her up just as she's waking up. Then she's still a bit drowsy.

 

Here's the result, aaah:

 

On Sunday we reached the 3,000th nappy.

 

What a moment, although judging by the photo Katie didn't appreciate it.

 

Maybe it just "hasn't sunk in yet" as Olympic medallists will tell us over the next three weeks.

 

 

Two days ago Katie said her name for the first time.

 

Urs said: "Katie," and then Katie said it.

 

Wonderful.

Recently Katie has taken a distinct dislike to the bath and bed routine that we start at about 7pm every evening.

 

She used to be fine with it.

 

But these days she tries to find things - anything - to do to avoid going upstairs. Usually there's another book she wants us to read, although she's too tired to pay attention.

 

When we do get her upstairs there's a lot of crying when I put her in the bath.

 

This has been going on a for a couple of weeks now.

 

Which makes yesterday all the more bizarre. She just walked into the bathroom and sat down on the changing mat. All very calm.

 

A one-off? Let's hope not!

 

Looks like it might have been a one-off. Poor thing was so tired on Monday evening it was never going to be easy. She's sleeping for less than an hour at nursery (too many fun things going on) so comes home with little energy but an eagerness to do things with mum and dad that she's too tired to do.

 

What a confusing world it must be!

Week seventy-six and we're at 2,952 nappies.

 

The 3,000th is within reach.