Advent

Counting down the days.

This is something that V habitually does when one or the other of us is away. Every time we catch up on Skype, usually daily, she'll tell me how many days are left until we're back in the same place. It drives me up the wall. I prefer to shut my mind to however much of the wait is left and just get on with it. Being constantly reminded I won't see home for however many days it is gets torturous.

This time, not so much. Perhaps our habits have rubbed off on each other. Now I find I'm mentioning the countdown most days, telling her "it's only X left now", whereas she's mostly talking about the things we'll do as a family once I'm home.

F mostly talks about what a good girl she is. "Goo gl goo gl goo gl," she says a lot, when she's not saying "mamamamamamama!" (if V isn't quick enough to bring her food) or "dadadadadadadada" as she shakes the iPad around affectionately. No idea what she makes of her remote papa, I'm probably just a form of bearded teletubby to her. Beardy-Weirdy? But I get a very enthusiastic reception on skype calls, which is very heartening.

Now she can walk all the way round the edges of the coffee table by herself. And she's tall enough to reach the TV and try and change the channels. Her crawling already has a strong element of trying to stand up in it, she flexes her feet round to get them flat on the floor then sort of hunch-hop-crawls forwards. I wouldn't be at all surprised if she's walking before I'm back.

And in the run-up to Christmas, I'm okay again. Done my shopping, got gifts ready to take home, looking forward to seeing my parents and family up in Scotland for the 24th. There's only a month left here, already, it's not that long.

Home stretch. I can make this.