This is the winter of our discontent

... and of COLDS. E is onto her third or fourth since the beginning of July and we are sick of being sick around here.

Robyn Barker, that guru of all things baby and toddler, assures me that children's immune systems are worst in the year they are two; apparently the immunity they have from birth/breastfeeding is lost by about 12 months and it then takes time to build it up again on their own. Supposedly it is sorted (well, at least improved) by their third birthday.

Bring on three!

28 months

• means an insatiable appetite and constant demands for "a bitey* apple, Mumma!";
• has not yet brought "why" but has brought endless renditions of "what dat?" ;
• seems to have spelt the end of daytime sleeps;
• except when it means falling asleep in the car at 4:30pm and sleeping until morning!
• is a much better ability to eat with a fork;
• sees a continued adoration of Bot (Spot) and Maisy and a relatively newfound love affair with Doralee the Dinosaur;
• has seen some quite complex sentences, for example, "look Granny, piggy dangling from E's finger!"
• involves size three tops and size two pants;
• is endless energy and requests to "go Kings Park";
• means a non-stop commentary on everything that is going on;
• is an unpleasant return to 5am waking because the sides of the cot are no longer present;
• varies between playing very nicely with friends and pushing, shoving and "mine!";
• heralded a return to nappies, because sitting on the potty is boring when you have so much else to do;
• can be wilful and defiant;
• is quite a random age but there is a lot going on, and other than toilet training all of it is really quite lovely so it seemed appropriate to reflect on some of it!

* a "bitey" apple is a not-cut-up apple.