Dear Jack,

So, you’re just over 16 months old, the four-and-a-bit months since your first birthday have been testing to say the least.

You’re as cheeky as I expected, but you’re also a feisty little thing – feistier than I ever imagined someone so small could be. You know exactly what you want and how to get it, your nanny says that you’ve got your Uncle Aidan’s temperament and that she’s never known a toddler so young to have so many tantrums, so that’s a delight… we still haven’t had the first huge tantrum in public, but I expect that isn’t too far off!

I’m glad you were too little to take notice of all the goings on from 2017, but my promise to you is that I will carry on putting you first. I will also make sure I don’t get too caught up in what’s going on around me, all the drama can be put to one side this year and I’m going to focus on our little family.

That’s another thing I can promise for this year, we’re going to do lots of fun things together, Santa bought you lots of arts and crafts for Christmas, so we’ll do lots of daddy’s worst nightmare – messy play! Let’s try and have at least one fun family day a week, I’m sure we can manage that. We’re also hoping to go on our first family holiday this year! I can’t wait to see you splashing in the pool having the time of your life.

We’ll (hopefully) be in our new home soon – you’ll have lots more space to play and you’re finally going to have a garden to run around in when the sun starts shining, plenty of al fresco breakfasts that’s for sure!

You’re now walking, something that was a long time coming, you lazy little thing! Your speech has also come along leaps and bounds since your birthday – I love having little conversations with you but sometimes it breaks my heart seeing you so frustrated when daddy and I can’t understand what you’re saying – but we seem to get there in the end, so please be patient with us!

Sometimes it’s really hard leaving you at nursery or with your nanny, there are moments during the day when I just want to see you and cuddle you, but unfortunately us staying at home playing all day just isn’t possible – I wish it was!

I hope that over the next few months you will continue to progress and that your personality shines through more and more. I have a feeling you’re going to test our parenting skills a lot this year, so let’s do this!

Stay cheeky, my beautiful boy,

Mummy