This is Elora on our first morning with her out in the big world. I had been awake most of the night, gazing at her, in awe of how preciously perfect she was (is). I mean, how perfect is she? So pretty and peaceful and beautiful. Just what I wanted and hoped for: my healthy bundle (who has grown up so quickly).

Is it just the sleep deprivation that goes hand in hand with motherhood, or did the past 30 months just speed by in the blink of an eye?

She talks. She says so many things – and she never stops talking. She has a definite thirst for knowledge. She loves making sounds and finding rhymes. She loves loves loves stories, cuddles and her precious giraffe, ‘Rafie.’ She wears her Dora undies with pride. She likes to dress herself, by herself, choosing clothes and preferring to wear things that are pink with butterflies and flowers. Apparently she owns the sheep on our property: ‘my sheep!’ she exclaims. She loves her ‘Jackie’ and gives him cuddles. Jac loves her too because she feeds him (sometimes by accident).

Elora loves to run! She loves to wander through paddocks but she likes to be carried once we get close to the cows. She loves finding birds in the sky, trees, paddocks and the garden. She adores Peppa Pig and Dora. She likes to have at least four books read to her before bedtime. She procrastinates big time at bedtime. She will carry on, yelling at the top of her lungs, when she wants something that she cannot have, but she is easily distracted (by the blocks, some books, some singing). She finds my dancing *hilarious* but she dances with glee, donning her swirly skirts and tiaras and holding a wand all the while. Her favourite foods are fruit toast and spaghetti and apples, which she likes ‘snaked.’ She always asks me: ‘what are you doing mum?’ And I answer her in patient and creative ways.

I will breathe:
I will breathe in the scent of you
And gaze into your face
And hold you close
I will breathe:
And sing a lullaby
And kiss your nose
And tickle your toes
I will breathe:
And you will sleep close to me
My arms enveloping you
In the tightest embrace
I will breathe:
And keep on breathing
And do it all for you
For the rest of my days