1. Last night Alec pulled out one of my childcare books and examined the pictures of feeding babies with some interest and a fair bit of delight. I thought he might like to look at some others, so we sit and check out some relevant boards on Pinterest. "Dad-dad," says Alec.
"Where? Show me."
He takes my hand, and puts it on a picture of breastfeeding expert Dr Jack Newman. I add it to our growing collection.
2. I'm cooking lunch, and Alec is having his usual 11.45 grump. At a suitable break, I tell him we can have a cuddle now. He pulls out a kitchen chair for me to sit down and says: "Bub-bub."
3. "We will be sitting down by 8.30 at this rate," I tell Nick. And sure enough, we are -- and better still, we're in bed by 9.45.
(Sorry for so many Alec beautiful things -- I'm just blown away by the communicating. I can't get over the way he's changed from this angry, shouting little thing who didn't like anything to a person who knows what he wants and can ask for it.)