Last week of Nursery year

And here we are. In school, everything is being geared-up to the leavers' recognition of achievements award and some sort of concert. At least, the nursery kids have been practising something or other for a couple of weeks now. All will no doubt be revealed in epiphanic glory on Wednesday or Thursday. In the meantime at home, it's plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose; the girl changes and grows almost before our eyes yet she becomes more herself, with a sunny, optimistic, playful nature and an inquisitive mind. And non-school events remain constant - if it's the weekend then it's a 4th birthday party! Yesterday's was Grace's party and the picture-sequence below comes from that. They show Angharad jumping from the edge of a bouncy castle onto a soft plastic mattress (which sport she had been sharing with Sofia for some minutes), the same pair playing with a sort-of concertina-tunnel and Eva playing see-saw with Angharad.

I have written before of the frustrating times when Angharad is exerting her independence (a developmentally necessary occurrence) and of other times when this takes the form of fighting us and screaming and generally, well, being a four year old. But the pics above and below help show just what a lovely time time we have being her parents. (That's why I have posted so many today.) For those of you who've been here already I hope they remind you of your kids' early years. For those of you there just now, like us, or with it all to come just reflect for a moment that a great deal of our time is spent watching developing minds and bodies learning and growing and having fun through play. We are immensely blessed.

Your correspondent was particularly touched that yesterday's birthday cake was decorated with an icing-picture that he had taken at a previous party. I'm thinking of enrolling on an adult education course for Digital SLR enthusiasts this autumn so this was a confidence-booster.