Due Date: 04/21/2009
Week: 21+6 days
Month: 6
Trimester: 2
Fetus Age: 20 weeks
Heartbeat: 137 bpm
Time to Go: 126 days
Size: Large banana. Or pehaps I agree with The Soapbox Diva. Somewhere between Ford Fiesta and Volkswagon.

A lot of things have been happening lately which are starting to make me realise how time is flying by, and how much I appreciate Noah. I'm not sure when it all started, but I do know it has something to do with Noah turning one in a few weeks time. 3 weeks and 1 day, roughly.

I'm not freaking out, quite the opposite, I'm looking forward to it. D and I still often wonder where the hell our little newborn baby went, or even, did we have a little newborn baby in the first place given he never really was one.

We've already bought his birthday presents, and he is obviously oblivious to everything going on. But things that have happened lately seem to have gotten me thinking. My mother is determined to buy him a potty for Christmas. Why? Uh...I haven't a clue. This of course is the kid who isn't really 1 yr yet, or has any concept of some of the frightening things that go on in his nappy. But it's something we have to think about in the (probably not to distant) future.

D and I have been looking at nurseries and schools. One school which we're both seriously keen on takes kiddies from the age of 2 into their nursery, so he would stand a better chance getting into the actual (private) school. It's glorious. And they have an open day. In January. He's not even 1 and we're having to think about open days, sweet Jesus. But I'm strangely excited about it.

Noah went to his cousin's birthday party on Friday in a big play centre, and of course didn't have a clue what was going on, but thoroughly enjoyed playing in the soft play area for under 5's. You know, an area that has a tiny ball pool, padded blocks and tiny tunnel for babies up to about 2½, and then huge slides and climbing frames and padded dangling boulder things for 3 - 5's to throw themselves into. Now I'm quite sure you can guess the area that Noah played in. To the point where he cried when I tried to take him to the more, er, "appropriate" area. He was NOT interested. So huge slides, climbing frames and padded dangling boulder things it was to be. It was so much fun!

Saturday he went for his last swimming lesson for the year, and seems to learn most things first time round. He still hates being on his back, but he can now swim short distances underwater unaided, hold on to the side unsupported, kick on command, tries to blow bubbles and is completely unphased with repeated underwater "dunkings". He has a huge grin on his face every time I splash him into the pool and he tries to hold on to the side on command. He's not neccessarily advanced, but he's learnt an incredible amount in his very short lifetime.

Yesterday I took him round to mum's church so say hi, and thought about how his birth was announced at the In-Laws church (where he was said to have weighed 15lbs 10oz. I think not somehow.) And then realised that was nearly a year ago. And also the fact that he's grown so very much since then.

Shortly after we whisked our way over to a friends party with all the NCT parents and babies. It was loads of fun, but I couldn't help but compare Noah to the other babies. Sure it's great that he walks so easily and has done for a while. I was fully aware that he was always in our line of sight, but for me it wasn't to make sure that he was ok; no, no. It was to make sure he wasn't pulling the host's house apart. Or purposely clocking another kid on the head with a large toy he had chosen to carry. Or indeed, trying to steal food off someone's plate. Or throw a cup of tea across the room. Or whatever.

He's so mischievous, it's the sort of behaviour I would associate with a 2 year old, maybe 3. Or maybe I'm just being left behind. I know there are people who could be reading this and saying exactly the same things about their kids at this age, but when the hell did it creep up on me like this? D and I marvel at everything he does, every single day. Like yesterday when I took his socks off outside his room, and he spent the next 5 minutes feeling the difference in the landing amd nursery carpets with his feet.

I hate pushing him to do things that mean growing up faster, I much prefer to marvel at everything he already does. So many parents push for their kids to crawl, walk, talk etc, and exclaim how happy I must have been to have Noah walk so early. Sure I was happy, but also it was another blow because my baby was disappearing so quickly. He's a toddler now. Yesterday, I saw many babies, or near toddlers, but to me, Noah seemed to stand out as nothing but a toddler. Running around and shouting at people, crying when he didn't get his own way and usually unphased whenever he fell over. Hell, I've never been phased when he fell over. It always makes me smile when people go to grab him thinking he's about to fall over, when all he's doing is just trying to run and play.

I'm excited that he's just started signing (drink, all done, full up, milk, eat and thanks to Little Einsteins, Blast Off!). It was so lovely listening to the other mums talking about what their babies were all doing, but felt like it was all expected of Noah already...though I'm not sure why. I obviously get very excited about his achievements and I try not to brag about them. Sometimes I can't face the slight disappointment I feel when I sense the "Yeah, and? It's Noah. What were you expecting?".

I wasn't expecting anything. Just for my kid to be as awesome as he always is, no matter what he does!