After Much Ado - Dad's first blog entry!

Well, Jessica is now over 20 months old and due to a mix of peer pressure and desire to write something, I find myself moved from the position of chief commenter to 'blogger'.

Jess is an absolute joy at the moment. I love having a day off in the week with her although my work doesn't like my part-time hours too much - well you know what you can do with that don't you?
As I get older and see so many people 'married' to their jobs it makes me worry even more for the human race. Where are your prioirities? A child is by far the most important thing that will ever happen in most lives and work is somewhere down near the lower 98th centile...just below knitting your own yoghurt. I just don't get these people (who have kids) that think the best thing to do is give 'em what they want as long as it doesn't involve attention or nurturing. It makes no sense and smavks of having kids as fashion accesories rather than want to put in any effort to develop a free thinking individual interested in the machinations of the world.

I told Val it was risky giving me time as chief blogger! Anyway, off my orange box now....

Jessica is coming along in leaps and bounds. She has gone back to loving books. Even to the extent that we are distracting her with other things. Her speech is coming on in leaps and bounds and comprehension is even better. Jessica's first word of most days is 'book'. This occurs when I pick her out of her cot for some 'cuddle' time with Mum and Dad prior to work. We leave a few books in her cot and she won't leave them behind. There's a couple of ABC and picture books and a copy of Usborne's 'That's Not my Kitten' which she still loves.

Jessica loves to spend time outside in the garden. She started off just wandering but now she's wondering! She likes to look under stones at insects and play with her toy pushchair (no doll) and bouncy balls. She also likes to chase about (and be thrown in the air) and has recently developed an interest in inventive play - particularly 'seaside'. This is a game where Jessica invents seaside scenarios. She 'feeds' the horses and donkeys over the wall, goes on a boat 'row/row/row' by sitting on the wall and rocking and goes swimming by lying flat on the patio. She also paddles by sitting and stamping her feet in 'the sea' and enjoys her ice-cream.

As well as inventive play she is also stringing words together with frequency. these range from body parts 'Daddy's nose' to what she wants, 'back garden' and 'fruit flakes' being currently popular.

Anyway, enough about her development and back to one of the sources of it - books. She absolutely loves them. We are particularly enjoying 'Ten Out Of Bed' as it gives parents the ideal opportunity for discursive reading. Jessica also enjoys 'Bing' - more so that me it has to be said. She loves the rhymes and simple drawings - 'bunny rabbit!'. OK - It's a Bing Thing! It's also a toddler thing.
We are really enjoying the Usborne books with the little duck on each page and something unusual (sheep wearing glasses, pig in a flat cap etc). This is a lovely series and also aids communication between parents and children with lots to talk about and a feeling of great satisfaction when items are located. I think that there are a few in the series. We have 'Farm', 'Zoo' and 'Seaside' I think!

Anyway must trundle. Jessica is being Christened next weekend. We think she will throw a blue-hairy fit as she doesn't like being the centre of attention. In a way I hope she does - rebellion isn't such a bad thing, as long as you know what your rebelling against!
It will be lovely to see friends and family. My Mum and partner are down to stay for a few days so that will be nice.

See you again soon for another comment.