Recently

- Ivy found a Barbie doll. She calls her "lady", which is much nicer so I'm trying not to mention the B-word around her. She is obsessed with putting the lady's shoes on. She also makes her walk and does "do-de-do-de-do" walking sound effects.

- Ivy learnt the word cuddle and has started requesting them, she also requests that other people cuddle, or kiss, like Kwojo and I. When she started saying cuddle it sounded like "turtle" which made it all the more adorable when she'd ask for one!

- I may or may not have a little bit encouraged her to laugh at burps and farts. She knows both of these words now, but at least I also taught her to say "pardon me", which she says when other people burp too!

- She thinks that TV is called Neighbours, which she pronounces "naybiz".

- I have learnt that when Ivy is very excited to have visitors, she emits a high pitched (and painful) screech. Repeatedly. She loves having little friends round and the thing to do with them is bounce on her bed, which is an excellant icebreaker.

- Ivy is obsessed with drawing on the box. It is all we are allowed to do. "Mummy, drawing?" she'll have found me and be handing me a wax crayon and leading me off to the box. I even hid the box under the sofa once. She found it. But it is a lovely thing that she so loves drawing. But I do kind of want to do something else sometimes.