Grandma

You may have seen reference to Grandad Ernie in the birthday blogging but not Grandma Hilda. Most of you will know that she died in August after being ill in hospital due to a series of strokes. It was a desperately sad time. We experienced an emotional but comforting and really lovely funeral, courtesy of York's Salvation Army officers.

Grandma's hospitalisation and death have exposed Dominic to the concept of mortality and he's dealt with it very well. He talks of Grandma Hilda easily and I'm glad he will always have memories of her.

Grandma was a hugely significant person in my life and in the lives of all of our family. We miss her vitality, humour, generosity, cooking, kindness and love. Grandad Ernie is coping brilliantly well - which is good news.

As John said, Hilda Mary Dobson was my grandmother and I'll miss her terribly.

Fire and theft

Having celebrated her birthday with both branches of her family, Tilly's third party was spent at home with her little friends Evie and Eloise, and her big friend Kieran whose 16th birthday party this also was. Having received great presents from everyone, Jilly also supplied a very clever and delicious firework cake (for those of you counting along at home that's nought for three on the cakes made by Helen front) whilst Webby went even further and supplied actual fireworks. Luckily, Dom was there to make sure the Health and Safety aspects were covered. Catering, cake aside, consisted of everything you've ever sneered at in a 'Mum's gone to rehab Iceland' advert and was, of course, delicious. A great day.

One year old

Chez wassock has been deluged with cards and kind gifts for our pint-sized beauty. Her birthday tour began with her paternal grandparents in Sandbach, where the Round table laid on a firework display in her honour which she much enjoyed from her backpack-carrier vantage point.

Sunday brought everything she never really knew she actually wanted - fantastic presents, off-key singing, jelly and ice cream, outsized fairy cake (to clarify, it was a big cake rather than a fondant likeness of Christopher Biggins), balloons, candle (singular), etc. A great day.

Monday saw her final practice run at the nursery where she'll start full-time from Thursday. On her first visit she all but ignored Helen watching from the corner. Her second (and first unaccompanied) vist saw her highly enamoured of the big pile of chopped fresh fruit that was laid out for elevenses and being quite pit out at being made to leave just before lunch was served. On Monday's visit she thoroughly attached herself to one of the nursery nurses, getting upset when she took her lunchbreak (but pretty much failing to notice when Helen tip-toed out)

(Take a moment here - how beautiful does she look in this photo?)

We spent the actual Birthday in York with Grandma Margaret and Grandad's Keith and Ernie. She (and, indeed, we) swiftly put ourselves outside a great roast dinner and ice-cream and birthday cake. Dom, having been a smashing big brother these last few days, let the side down a bit by insisting that neither Helen nor I could answer his guessing game questions because (and I quote) "It's only for the old ones!" Nice to be thought of as young for once, and with his genetic disadvantages Dom was never really a candidate for the diplomatic corps.

365 days

TV critic

Dom, sitting on the toilet during Strictly Come Dancing

(Strains) Splash! 'Craig Revel Horwood. Eight!'

Halloween

Dom, it transpired, was having a trial run with his Halloween outfit. The fact that Helen was stood watching as I got home tipped me off that something was up and sure enough Dom burst out from behind the sofa with an almighty 'Rrrraarrgh!'. I scarpered up in the stairs in mock terror with the little man in hot pursuit. He found me quaking behind the bathroom door and sought to reassure me (without thinking to remove his mask) that all was OK

Daddy, Daddy, don't be frightened - it's me, Dominic, one of your childs. I am just dressed as a skellington. Don't be scared.